The Cupcakes Murder part 5

This is part five of the Cupcakes Murder for part one click here, part two here part three here and part four here

I knew as soon as I saw the diamond that this was Santa’s killer. But what did he want with me? It was meant to be me looking for him, not the other way round. The gun told me he wasn’t here to confess, so I guessed he wanted to warn me off, or worse. He looked a nasty piece of work, but for some reason I liked him, after all he’d rid the world of Santa and that was something. I smiled at him, hoping I looked calmer on the outside than I felt on the inside. This guy was trouble.

‘Shall we put the gun away?’ I said more in hope than expectation. He stared at me not moving. Looking me up and down. I could see what Pete meant about an arrogant eye.

‘I make the rules Mr Stanley.’ I nodded, he had the gun, he made the rules.

‘Let’s go into your office,’ he said, his voice was as gruff as his exterior.

‘We can talk here,’ I said thinking that Molly would provide safety in numbers.

He shrugged, I wonder why he hadn’t killed us already, he looked like the kind of guy that would kill us both in a heartbeat. Maybe something had confused him, maybe he wasn’t expecting Molly to see here. It seemed like his mind working behind those angry eyes. I guessed he was assessing the odds, working out how to get away.

‘I hear you’ve been making a nuisance of yourself,’ he said. ‘Asking too many questions.’

‘I’m doing my job, Mr..’ I left a gap for his name but he didn’t oblige. He obviously wasn’t a talker.

He held the gun more meaningfully now. Pointing it directly at me. I could sense Molly was shaking behind her desk. I was looking directly at our guest, trying to unnerve him, but that wasn’t working, he obviously wasn’t easily intimidated either. For the first time I was really worried, he’d done his calculations, he’d weighed he odds he he was going to pull the trigger. It was time to talk.

‘Vinny,’ I said. He looked surprised that I knew his name, but there was still a steely look in his eye. If anything, using his name had made him even more determined to do the deed. ‘Can I tell you a story before you pull that trigger?’ I asked. ‘Then you make up your mind.’

He looked at me saying nothing but the longer he went without pulling the trigger the more chance I had.

‘Speak,’ he said eventually.

‘I know who you are, I know who you work for and I know you killed Santa, how do I know? because I set it up. It was me who called the Woman with Two Faces, I told her about that pig, so when I heard he was dead I knew she’d come good. I also knew the police wouldn’t take much interest, so Hristov would turn to me. Well I didn’t take too much interest either, I asked questions but not very clever ones and you were good, no one gave me any answers. But let me give you one word of advice. Stop flashing that diamond around, it’ll get you into trouble. Now either shoot us and get out of town or just get out of town, either way your secret is safe with me.’

Silence ensued. Vinny wondering if to believe me.  We waited then Vinny lowered the gun, and walked away without a word, leaving Molly and me to catch our breath. She came over to me and wrapped her arms around me, kissing my cheek tenderly.

‘Did you really get Santa killed?’ She said.

I winked at her. ‘Maybe’ I said with a smile, ‘or maybe I just used what I found out to get rid of that goon. She kissed me again and whispered thanks in my ear. I didn’t know if it was for getting Santa killed or for saving our bacon.