Read Online 7 Sorrow on Sunday by Ann Purser - Free Book Online

with saucers—of good coffee. And hot milk.”
    “I’d like a latte, please, me duck,” Derek said. “And a biscotti, please.” He smiled sweetly at her.
    “So that’s two cups of coffee and one latte?” she said tentatively.
    “Of course not!” said the irritated Colonel. “One proper cup for me, and whatever it was that, um, Derek ordered. And we haven’t much time.”
    “Mistake there, Horace,” said Derek. “Never say you’re in a hurry. They put you to the bottom of the list.”
    “Not in my club,” said Colonel Battersby pompously. “Respect is the byword there. Bit of a shock to come to places like this.”
    Derek laughed. “You’ll get over it,” he said. “Now, what do you want to know?”
    “Exactly what happened when you witnessed a stable theft at Horsley’s farm? Your wife did not—or would not—give me any details, but the more I know about all these stable thefts, the better chance I stand of catching the culprits.”
    “I can tell you very little,” Derek said firmly. “First sight I got was through the frosted bathroom window. The sort with wobbly glass. Just vague shapes, so I didn’t take much notice. Then I thought maybe I should take a look, but the vehicle was halfway down the track, trailing exhaust fumes, by the time I got down into the yard.”
    “Did you tell the police all this?” the Colonel said in a court-martial voice.
    “O’ course. What d’you think I was doin’ at the station? I’m not a regular there, y’know.”
    The Colonel said nothing, and Derek considered whathis inquisitor had said. Something not quite right there, he thought, trying to remember the Colonel’s exact words. Oh, yes, that was it. He’d referred to
Horsley’s
farm. Lois wouldn’t have told him which farm it was, and he certainly hadn’t mentioned the name. So how did the Colonel know?
    A young girl with nothing much covering her midriff appeared with their coffee, and Derek forgot all about farms and saddles. “Thanks a lot, ducky,” he said with a fatherly smile, and the Colonel looked suspiciously at Derek’s foaming mug.
    “Is that any good?” he said.
    “Want a try?” Derek held out a spoonful of creamy coffee, and to his surprise Horace took it. “Mmm, not bad at all,” he grunted, and licked the spoon.
    *   *   *
    I N A QUIETER, MORE DIGNIFIED PART OF T RESHAM, D OT Nimmo was changing from slippers into shoes, and taking off her wraparound overall. “There we are then, dear,” she said to Mrs. Parker-Knowle. “All tickety-boo. I must say your last char was taking you for a bit of a ride. Lots of dirty corners! My old mum used to say if you take care of the corners, the middles’ll take care of themselves. And she was right. Still, I think you’ll find I take care of all of it.”
    Alice Parker-Knowle smiled. Even if it wasn’t true, she was cheered up already by this perky woman from Sebastopol Street. She reached for an envelope tucked behind her radio. “This is for you,” she said. “You’ll find it is correct.”
    Dot hesitated. Every brain cell told her to check it, but she was about to take a risk. For the sake of establishing trust, she put the unopened envelope in her pocket. “Well, I must get the bus. See you soon, dear.”
    “Um, what’s the time?” Alice asked.
    “Five minutes past my three hours,” Dot said sharply. Trust should work both ways.
    “Oh, I’m not checking up on you,” Alice said hastily. “I was just thinking it is lunchtime and you have a bus ridebefore you get home. I’d be happy for you to have another coffee and something to keep the wolf from the door. You’ll have to get it yourself, of course.”
    Now we’re talking, thought Dot, and slipped off her coat. “Why don’t I get
you
something nice for lunch, dear,” she said, “and have a bite myself? Save you the trouble of bending and stretching in that lovely kitchen of yours?”
    They sat companionably with trays on their laps in the sitting room.