"I see now why that person warned you about talking to her" Jack said to Brian.
"Was she really as bad as we heard from the neighbours?" Gerry inquired.
"Probably a whole lot worse" Sandra sighed "I just dread to think what the rest of her family are like."
"Well we soon shall know" Gerry teased.
Sandra turned onto the council estate, as Gerry navigated her around the concrete maze using Richard's scribbles that apparently were directions.
"So is the name Bucket or Bouquet?" Jack asked.
"I actually have no idea, it is spelt Bucket and the neighbours said it is only her who insists on pronouncing it Bouquet" Brian answered.
"From what that guy, Emmet said she likes to appear to be superior" added Gerry.
"You can say that again" Sandra said turning onto the street where Daisy lived. "Well she sure does a good impression of pretending to be poor, look at the lengths she has gone to." She said sarcastically.
"Oh they are rather poor, Hyacinth thinks it does nothing for her image so she makes out her sisters pretend to be poor" Brian said.
"It's that one, with the broken gate, the masking tape holding the glass on the door together and that rusty old car sat on the front." Gerry said pointing to it.
"I'm going to have to park at the end of the road as there is no space" replied Sandra.
Getting out of the car she did worry for a split second if it was safe leaving her car here but then again she had visited much rougher areas whilst out on enquiries.
She stepped over the broken gate which was lying on the drive way, Sandra sighed as she eyed up the state of the front garden, it was littered with beer cans, crisp packets, cigarette ends, bits of the old car and a shaggy looking dog leant out of the car window to say hello.
Brain's day was made when he saw the black dog whose fur was fading to grey, suggesting that the animal was getting a bit long in the tooth. "Hello there, what's your name then?" He said in that voice humans seem to think is appropriate to use only when talking to animals.
"Leave it Brian that thing looks riddled with fleas" Sandra said in a disgusted tone. She rapped on the door and heard a warm voice acknowledge she was aware there were guests on her doorstep.
"Are you Daisy?" She tried handing the woman her ID badge "If it is not too much trouble could we ask you and your father a few questions."
"Yes I was expecting you, our Hyacinth told me you had been asking around about father, come in." The woman look plain and dowdy, her large baggy t-shirt, jogging bottoms and dark circles under her unmade up eyes suggested that unlike her sister she wasn't one with keeping up appearances. She was considerably larger than her sister and her greying blonde hair gave the impression she had a life of hardship resulting her in looking older than her years. "I am afraid father has gone to the over sixties, me husband's gone to collect him, once he's been to the bookies and stopped off at the pub. Can I offer you a cuppa tea?" She asked flashing them a friendly smile.
"Yes please, all with milk, two with sugar" Sandra said as they all moved into the small very messy living room.
"Please sit down; I am sorry about the mess, we don't really have visitors." She said moving into the kitchen "oh I have to apologise the only clean mugs we've got are chipped, is that okay" Daisy called.
"It's fine" Sandra said swallowing hard as she wriggled in an attempt to get comfy on the settee which was falling apart drastically.
"I think I am going to wait outside with the dog" Brian said "this house really isn't OCD friendly."
"Make yourself useful Brian have a chat with some of the neighbours, Gerry go with him make sure he stays out of trouble." Sandra replied.
"You don't want him to find out do you" Jack replied when they had left. "Better cancel the two teas with sugar" Jack called out.
"No I don't" Sandra replied pacing the empty beer cans and rolled up copy of Elle magazine that were stuffed at the back of the couch, onto the floor.
"Our Hyacinth says you are here about a bank robbery in London ten years ago" Daisy said handing Jack and Sandra their very cracked mugs of tea.
"Thank you" replied Sandra unsure if it was actually safe to drink.
"Sort of" she explained and went into full detail about the case.
"Ah, I see why here was your first point of call what with father having done stuff like this before but you must understand he hasn't really been with it since he came back from the war, this is how we have always known him to act, and it got worse when my mother died 30 years ago. You must understand he is a gentle, kind man, he doesn't know what he is doing, we try and control him with his pills but they seem to work one day and not the next. And as me and our Rose take it in turns to give him his pills sometimes one of us forgets or thinks the other has given them to father."
"We aren't here to judge" Jack said offering her a reassuring smile "We just need to get to the bottom of what happened. Can you remember if your father went to London ten years ago around the beginning of March?"
The woman who was probably not a lot younger than Sandra but looked so much older, paused to consider the question seriously. "You know I can't remember we have so much trouble with father and what with his disappearances they all sort of roll into one."
"Don't worry" Sandra said flashing her a more genuine smile, out of the sister she had met she liked the one she was talking to now the best.
"Our Rose keeps diaries; she may have something written down about it." She finally replied.
"Would she mind if we took a look?" Jack tired.
"She might do, our Rose doesn't really live the kind of life you want to read about, saying that she did once attempt to write her memoirs but quickly gave up on account of being unable to spell 'memoirs'."
Sandra stifled a laugh, if she was taking about the same Rose as she had come to know that came as no surprise.
"Still if it helps you and father I am sure she wouldn't mind, she isn't in at the moment, the last I heard was she had gone to London to see an old gentleman friend, I hope she rings me soon, I do worry about her. I will have a look now for those diaries."
"Thank you" Sandra replied.
"I think you are right" Jack said once Daisy's footsteps could be heard on the stairs.
"What about?"
"It being the same Rose and Gerry's fancy woman."
"I told you it was, I would have put money on it; best not tell Gerry yet though."
"You're the boss" he replied not wanting to get involved.
Not long later Daisy returned with a small pink book. "I can't find much I am afraid, her room is locked but I found this with some of the things that are kept in father's wardrobe, our Rose has so much stuff and there isn't room for it."
"What does it say?" Inquired Sandra.
"3rd of March spent the weekend at Boris', Daisy phoned father missing again, asked if I had seen him, told her no. Boris took me to dinner then met Mr Hillsop at the George Hotel at least he knows how to treat a lady. 4th of March got home late that night, ache all over, Our Daisy seemed low father still missing and Onslow has gone to some bookies thing down south with Bruce as our Violet refused to go, don't say I blame her, like our Bruce most bookies I know are swines but at least they don't wear flamenco frocks, Bruce does look awful in that dress." Daisy read aloud.
"Is Onslow your husband?"
"Yes he is, inspector" she replied dreamily, it was clear that she was still smitten when it came to her husband.
"Can you remember where abouts down south he went? Sandra asked.
"Umm actually I think it was near London but it's so long ago."
"Do you know if he met your father there?" she tried.
"No I don't I'm sorry, I don't know when he's going to be back, you are more than welcome to stay and wait for him" she offered.
"It's okay we better get going, we have a long drive back, here's my card, can you get your husband to ring me sometime tomorrow please?" Sandra said extracting a card from her jacket pocket.
"Of course, thank you for your time, I must say it was a lot easier talking to you than your sister" Sandra said as she stepped into the dark, grubby hallway.
"Oh thank you, best not go boasting about that to our Hyacinth, she likes to be regarded as being the best at everything."
"So I gathered. Goodbye" Sandra said.
"Bye" Jack said to Daisy, who said it back in return.
"Any luck?" Gerry called, throwing his cigarette end into the bushes.
"Maybe, we might be able to place Mrs. Bucket's brother-in-law at the scene of the crime, he was in or near London on a bookies convention type thing the day of the incident, he isn't in but she's going to get him to call us tomorrow" she explained. "How did you two get on?"
"Same stories as we have heard, he's an unstable old man who needs proper help, thinks there is still a war on and seems to have a reputation for chasing the ladies around here." Gerry replied.
"Right, let's stop off at a pub for lunch go back to the office, explain to Strickland why we still haven't got anything concrete and call it a day and get a drink as it will at least four by the time we hit London." Sandra said unlocking the car and pulling down the driver's seat so Brian and Jack could clamber in the back.
"Would it be okay if I invited Rose to join us at the pub tonight, she's been on her own all day and doesn't know anyone in London" Gerry asked politely.
"What about that ex boyfriend of hers?" Sandra said looking into the rear view mirror, before signalling to turn off the council estate.
"I don't mind" Brain said, "she seems very nice and it's nice to see you smiling"
"I agree" Jack said to partly because it was true but also as he knew it would wind Sandra up.
"Ah thanks guys, I know you wouldn't think it to look at her but I actually think she is different to all the woman I have been with before, she seems so much deeper and she has a great outlook on life. Are sure that's okay with you Gov'nor, is she joins us?"
"I suppose so Gerry" she sighed.
"Cheers Guv, I am sure once you get to know her you will love her almost as much as I do" he grinned.
"I don't think I would go that far Gerry."
"I know you don't think much of her but it means a lot that you are prepared to sit at the same table as her and make small talk for me; it means a lot to know you care."
"Don't push things Gerald" she smiled, it wasn't until now she realised she had perhaps been a little hard on Gerry when he actually hadn't done anything wrong, but that didn't mean she would looking forward to spending the evening with Rose.