Episode 18 - The Red Car

He shuddered as another blast of Antarctic air cut through his clothes and chilled him to the bone.

Time to move before he froze.

It was about 100 yards and took several minutes before he was beside the car.  He checked the license plate, just to make sure, then looked around.

There were several tall buildings, with a smaller one between them, the name of the owner emblazoned across the doorway.  Outtel Finance Company.  Two stories, modern looking, or renovated modern.

The meter had about 15 minutes left.

He went up the road to a bus stop and sat down to wait.

Someone would either have to come and feed the meter or drive off in the car.  It would be interesting to see whom.  He guessed if the car was out the front, rather than in a parking spot, the person driving it had just called in briefly.

“I thought it was you,” a female voice came from beside him.

So intent on watching the car he had failed to see Felicity arrive.

“What are we looking at, or are you just waiting for the bus?”

He turned.  She was bundled up in fake fur, and for a moment he almost mistook her for a large rabbit.

“The red car at that meter just down the road.”

“Are you thinking of buying one?”

He looked back at the car.  “I’m hoping it will belong to the murderer of Joe Jones.  I saw it driving away from the scene of the crime.”

“That car.  Then we’d better get some photos of the driver, hadn’t we.”  Harry heard her rummaging in her handbag, and then felt rather than saw the camera.  Just the sort he needed but couldn’t afford.  With a telephoto lens.

“Let me know when you see them, that is if you recognize them.”

Ten minutes later they were rewarded.

His newest client, Al, the man who’d been with the red-headed floozy, came out of the building, stopping to light a cigarette before getting into the car.

Behind him, he could hear the clicking of the camera taking multiple photos.

Then Al slammed the door after him and drove off.

“Anyone you know?” she asked, putting the camera away.

“It’s a long story, but yes.”

“Good.  You can buy me lunch and tell me all about it.”

© Charles Heath 2016-2018