Kit Handsome and the busy day at the Big Hotel 3

“Mr Griffiths has been murdered?” said Kit.

“Yes. Shot in the head. I went to ask him about the penguin he reported following him around. He didn’t answer so I got the hotel manager to let me into his room. That’s when I found him.”

“I’ll come straight over. What’s the manager’s name?”

“Watkinson.”

“Tell Watkinson not to let anyone leave the hotel until we’ve spoken to them. And get a list of all the hotel guests.”

Before setting off he called Megson. “Megson, it’s Kit. I’ve just heard about Griffiths. You’ve called Anderson?”

“Yes, there’s a forensics team on their way from the mainland, they should be here in an hour.”

“Good. And call Bosun, tell him to hold the ferry until I give the all-clear. It’s possible that the killer is still on the island.”

“Will do, Kit.”

“I’m on my way to the Big Hotel. The Potato Marketing Board conference gang, what was the name of the guy who caused all the trouble last year?”

“I was just looking that up, Kit. Theobold, Martin Theobold.”

“And what did we arrest him for?”

“Well, that’s awkward, Kit. We should have charged him for stealing gnomes and causing a nuisance. There was a group of them got drunk and were crashing round the neighborhood, singing Abba songs inappropriately loudly and stealing gnomes form gardens, that sort of thing.”

“But we didn’t charge him with that?”

“No, I’m afraid not. If you remember that was the week my brother was down from the mainland and I’d had a skinful the night before. I’m afraid I was still a bit merry the next day.”

“So what did you charge him with?”

“’Behaving like a twat’. I know, it’s not actually a crime. We had to let him go as soon as his lawyer got involved. But, in fairness, he WAS behaving like a twat.”

“The hotel manager’s sending you a list of guests, check whether Theobold is on it. And check all the guests on the police database, see if anyone has a record. Any known killers would be helpful.”

The Big Hotel was on the other side of the island. Kit hadn’t cycled since he was a boy, and his cycle trousers, which were new too, started to rub against his thighs. A nervous looking man was waiting for him at the hotel reception.

“Mr Watkinson?” said Kit.

“That’s right Kit. Harkaway’s waiting for you at the murder scene, Room 127.”

“Room 127? How many rooms do you have?”

“Thirty-three. We big up the numbers to make the hotel seem larger than it is. It’s on the first floor.”

“You’ve sent Megson the list of guests?”

“Yes.”

“Is one of them a Martin Theobold?”

Watkinson screwed up his nose at the mention of the name.

“Yes, was at the bar last night making a scene.”

“Which room is he in?”

“794. It’s on the second floor.”

“I’m going up to Griffiths room. Try and stop people leaving the hotel. The mainland police will be here shortly, and we should be able to process all the guests pretty quickly, but it’s important for us to interview everyone before they head back to the mainland.”

Harkaway was outside the room, the frame of which was covered in bright, colourful bunting.

“Morning Harkaway. Why is the doorway covered in bunting? Was there a party here?”

“No Kit, that was me.”

“You decked the murder scene in bunting?”

“Yes Kit. I needed something to seal off the murder scene, but Watkinson didn’t have any police tape.”

“So you used bunting instead? Oh well, Anderson’s team will be here soon, the bunting will have to do for now.  If you lift it up, I’ll take a look at the murder scene.”

Harkaway followed Kit into the room.

“There’s no sign of a struggle,” said Kit, scanning the room. “The room looks very tidy, bar the body.”

Kit, avoiding the pool of blood, inspected the corpse.

“Someone knew what they were doing,” he said. “One bullet through the head, no messing. There’s not much to see, we’ll leave it for forensics. Did you find his effects?”

“Just a phone and wallet. There’s nothing in the wallet, bar a few notes and a picture of a hedgehog.”

“Phone Megson with the phone details, let’s find out who this Mr Griffiths was, who knew him and who’d want to kill him. Right, I’m done here. Keep guard, don’t let anyone else in the crime scene until Anderson gets here. I’m off to see Theobold.”

“What about the hedgehog?”

“The hedgehog?” said Kit, puzzled.

“The photo of the hedgehog? Should we follow that up?”

“Let’s leave that for now. The phone will be easier to trace and we’ve lots of people to interview.”

Kit soon found room 794, it was between rooms 527 and 863.

“Martin Theobold? I’m DI Handsome. I’d like to talk to you about a murder in this hotel?”

“I remember you,” Theobold said. “I’ll get my lawyer in if you try anything. I’m just a hard-working potato marketing executive here for a conference. I’ve nothing to do with any murder.”

“It’s just routine, we’re talking to everyone in the hotel. Can I come in?”

“Er,” Theobold turned and scanned the room behind him.  “Yes, come in,” he said eventually.

“When did you arrive?” Kit asked.

“Er, Wednesday.”

“I thought the conference started tomorrow,” Kit said.

“Yes, but there are lots of pre-conference activities. Colleagues to catch up with.”

“I see. And where were you last night?”  

“I’ve been in my room the whole time, I haven’t been anywhere or seen anything.”

“The manager mentioned that he’d seen you in the bar.”

“Ah, yes I did have a quiet drink or two with colleagues.”

“And if I were to check your bar tab how many would ‘one or two’ drinks add up to?”

“Ah, well, I guess a dozen or so. It’s a once a year event, you know, and I’m a generous guy, always buying drinks for people.”

“Okay,” said Kit, so you were in the bar until when?”

“They threw us out at midnight,” he said bitterly. “I went straight to bed after that.”

They were interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Yes,” said Kit. “Who is it?”

Harkaway opened the door. “Sorry chief, I don’t know if it’s important, but I thought you should know. There’s a man in a penguin costume standing in front of the hotel.