Faith In Our Fathers, Part 4

Debra Ogg looked at me like I’d shat on her pancakes.

“Do I think I know who done it? Sure. I told my dad, no mystery about it. Miss fuckin’ Lithuania. It’s obvious. She done it.”

“Miss…?”

“Rina – she was the one met you at the door? Her.”

“And how do you make it that she’s dippin’ the till?”

“Nights she’s here, cash takes a walk. Nights she’s off, it disny. Case closed.”

“Every time, just like that? How come you never jist pulled her up about it?”

“No’ my job, it’s dad’s restaurant. I told him, up to him to do somethin’ about it.”

“Like?”

“Are you thick? Get rid, is what like.”

“Or call in the coppers?”

“That looks bad in the papers, he thinks. That’s how come he’s got Sherlock on the job – no disrespect, like.”

“Oh, I dunno. I think there’s a fair bit disrespect there, Debra. When you did your calculations about how you knew it was Rina, was there nobody else that was here at the same times. I mean, what’ve you got, a spreadsheet? Flip chart? Venn diagram, remember them?”

“I know what I know. It’s obvious, it’s her.”

“See…what’s obvious to you, when you’ve not got any actual evidence -”

“- I told you, I checked it.”

“- just sounds like somethin’ you want to believe. Like, I dunno…religion. No reason why I should listen to you bang on about your conspiracy theory, is there?”

“You’re a prick.”

“Mibbe. But this prick is wonderin’ why your dad – and you’re right, it’s his business, his job to sort it out – didn’t just bag her right on the spot. I mean, you gave him the smokin’ gun, right? So, why’s he got customers phoning me to get up here on a wet night instead of just binning Miss Lithuania? Or did you just tell him you ‘knew’ it was Rina?”

“You’re wastin’ my time.”

“Goes double for me, Debra, and I’m a volunteer an’ all. I think community work is meant to be good for the soul, not shitey like this.”

“Away and -”

“Whoa, one question before I get tae: you said that every night money goes missing, Rina’s here. But she’s not the only one, is she? Your dad’s here, too, isn’t he?”

“You’re some chancer, mister. D’ye think he’d rip off his own business?”

“Actually…no. I don’t think he would. But there’s an amazin’ number that do just that, one way and another. But he is here, right? Even when Rina isn’t?”

“That’s how much you know. No, he isny here all the time. And anyway, the nights he’s here, and blondie isn’t, nothin’ goes out of the till. Clear?”

“Aye. I think that’s about all I need to know.”

“So, you’ll tell her to fuck off then?”

“No. If anybody does that, it’ll be your dad. My volunteering doesny extend as far as industrial relations. In fact, I don’t think I need to talk to Rina at all, now.”

“Eh? Well how’re you gonny…hello, mum!”

The door of La Celeste had opened and a woman who Debra had told me must be Cee-Cee had walked in. I watched her cross the restaurant floor and knew as much as I ever wanted to know about this whole business.

I needed to talk to Derek Ogg.