Read Online Agatha Raisin and Kissing Christmas Goodbye by M. C. Beaton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: M. C. Beaton
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pulled out her mobile phone and called Mircester police and spoke rapidly.
Then she hurried back inside.
‘As soon as the doctor leaves,’ said Sadie to Agatha, ‘you can jolly well pack your bags and go. This is our house now and you are not welcome.’
Silence fell as they all waited.
After what seemed an age, the doctor came down the stairs. ‘Mrs Tamworthy died peacefully in her sleep when her heart stopped. I have signed the death certificate and given it to Mr Albert
Tamworthy.’
Fran turned glittering eyes on Agatha. ‘You see? Now, get out.’
Agatha heard police sirens in the distance and said, ‘I’ve called the police.’
There came outraged cries all round. Then Fran flew at Agatha in a rage. Agatha dived behind an armchair. Fran reached over it and seized her by the hair. Charles dragged her off.
‘You have no right to question my judgement,’ said the doctor when the protests and shouts had died down.
The sirens wailed their way up the drive.
Then there came a loud knocking at the front door and a cry of ‘Police!’
Bert went to answer it. Detective Inspector Wilkes came in, followed by Bill Wong. Bill was a friend of Agatha’s. Behind them came four police constables.
‘I am Dr Huxley,’ he said. ‘I have examined Mrs Tamworthy and signed the death certificate.’
Wilkes ignored him. ‘Mrs Raisin? When you phoned, you said something about a letter?’
Agatha produced it from her handbag. Wilkes put on a pair of latex gloves, read it quickly and then handed it to Bill, who donned gloves as well before carefully putting it in an envelope.
‘In view of this letter,’ said Wilkes, ‘we will need to wait for the police pathologist, who is on his way here. I will wait for his report.’
‘If the dining room hasn’t been cleared,’ said Agatha, ‘it might be an idea to lock it up for the moment. Her death could have been caused by something Mrs Tamworthy
ate.’
‘Show one of the police officers the dining room,’ ordered Wilkes. He heard the sound of a car pulling up outside and looked out of the window. ‘The pathologist has arrived. A
forensic team will be here shortly. Do not leave this room, any of you.’
A constable let the pathologist in and Wilkes and Bill followed him up the stairs.
Everyone sat as if turned to stone.
Then Wilkes called to a constable, who went upstairs. He soon clattered back down and went out to the pathologist’s car and came back in carrying a heavy case and went upstairs again.
Agatha, who had risen to watch from the window, wondered what was going on.
Jimmy suddenly lit up a cigarette. After some hesitation, so did Sadie. With a little sigh of relief, Agatha found her own packet of cigarettes.
The clock on the mantelpiece gave a preliminary whirr before chiming out the hour. Eleven o’clock.
Just as it seemed as if they would have to wait all night, Wilkes came in. ‘The pathologist has conducted a preliminary examination with a portable desorption electrospray ionization mass
spectrometer.’
‘So? Stop baffling us with science and get on with it,’ said Sir Henry.
‘From the condition of the body, combined with the scraps of salad on her dress and a plant root clutched in one hand, he has come to the conclusion that Mrs Tamworthy was poisoned with
some alkaloid plant such as hemlock. You will continue to remain here while the forensic team conduct a search of the house. A mobile police unit has arrived and is outside the house. I will summon
you for questioning, one at a time. You first, Mrs Raisin. Follow me.’
White, stricken faces watched as Agatha followed Wilkes from the room.
Charles stifled a yawn. He was suddenly bored. He wondered how soon he could leave.
In the police unit, Wilkes faced Agatha. ‘Begin at the beginning,’ he said.
Agatha told him again about the letter and then about the will and the threat to leave the money in the will to the founding of a technical college. She then told him about
Then she hurried back inside.
‘As soon as the doctor leaves,’ said Sadie to Agatha, ‘you can jolly well pack your bags and go. This is our house now and you are not welcome.’
Silence fell as they all waited.
After what seemed an age, the doctor came down the stairs. ‘Mrs Tamworthy died peacefully in her sleep when her heart stopped. I have signed the death certificate and given it to Mr Albert
Tamworthy.’
Fran turned glittering eyes on Agatha. ‘You see? Now, get out.’
Agatha heard police sirens in the distance and said, ‘I’ve called the police.’
There came outraged cries all round. Then Fran flew at Agatha in a rage. Agatha dived behind an armchair. Fran reached over it and seized her by the hair. Charles dragged her off.
‘You have no right to question my judgement,’ said the doctor when the protests and shouts had died down.
The sirens wailed their way up the drive.
Then there came a loud knocking at the front door and a cry of ‘Police!’
Bert went to answer it. Detective Inspector Wilkes came in, followed by Bill Wong. Bill was a friend of Agatha’s. Behind them came four police constables.
‘I am Dr Huxley,’ he said. ‘I have examined Mrs Tamworthy and signed the death certificate.’
Wilkes ignored him. ‘Mrs Raisin? When you phoned, you said something about a letter?’
Agatha produced it from her handbag. Wilkes put on a pair of latex gloves, read it quickly and then handed it to Bill, who donned gloves as well before carefully putting it in an envelope.
‘In view of this letter,’ said Wilkes, ‘we will need to wait for the police pathologist, who is on his way here. I will wait for his report.’
‘If the dining room hasn’t been cleared,’ said Agatha, ‘it might be an idea to lock it up for the moment. Her death could have been caused by something Mrs Tamworthy
ate.’
‘Show one of the police officers the dining room,’ ordered Wilkes. He heard the sound of a car pulling up outside and looked out of the window. ‘The pathologist has arrived. A
forensic team will be here shortly. Do not leave this room, any of you.’
A constable let the pathologist in and Wilkes and Bill followed him up the stairs.
Everyone sat as if turned to stone.
Then Wilkes called to a constable, who went upstairs. He soon clattered back down and went out to the pathologist’s car and came back in carrying a heavy case and went upstairs again.
Agatha, who had risen to watch from the window, wondered what was going on.
Jimmy suddenly lit up a cigarette. After some hesitation, so did Sadie. With a little sigh of relief, Agatha found her own packet of cigarettes.
The clock on the mantelpiece gave a preliminary whirr before chiming out the hour. Eleven o’clock.
Just as it seemed as if they would have to wait all night, Wilkes came in. ‘The pathologist has conducted a preliminary examination with a portable desorption electrospray ionization mass
spectrometer.’
‘So? Stop baffling us with science and get on with it,’ said Sir Henry.
‘From the condition of the body, combined with the scraps of salad on her dress and a plant root clutched in one hand, he has come to the conclusion that Mrs Tamworthy was poisoned with
some alkaloid plant such as hemlock. You will continue to remain here while the forensic team conduct a search of the house. A mobile police unit has arrived and is outside the house. I will summon
you for questioning, one at a time. You first, Mrs Raisin. Follow me.’
White, stricken faces watched as Agatha followed Wilkes from the room.
Charles stifled a yawn. He was suddenly bored. He wondered how soon he could leave.
In the police unit, Wilkes faced Agatha. ‘Begin at the beginning,’ he said.
Agatha told him again about the letter and then about the will and the threat to leave the money in the will to the founding of a technical college. She then told him about
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