Read Online Death on a Short Leash by Gwendolyn Southin - Free Book Online

days.”
    â€œYou could’ve called Farthing, you know.” They both laughed.
    The call from Farthing came just as Maggie was locking up for the night, and he made it quite clear that their presence was required in his office at ten o’clock the next morning.
    â€¢ • •
    OLD MEMORIES CAME rushing back to Nat as they approached the police station the next morning. After all, it had been his workplace for all those years before he took early retirement to open his own business. But what he dreaded most of all was facing Detective Farthing—the man who had taken over his job and his office. A young constable showed them into the detective’s office, and while they waited, Nat’s eyes scanned the room, noting, as on a previous visit, the athletic certificates, photographs and trophies.
    â€œIt’s hard to believe this used to be your office,” Maggie whispered. “It’s so neat and tidy—and look at all those athletic awards!”
    Nat grinned. “It was much cosier when I had it. Here comes the big white chief.”
    â€œSit down,” Farthing demanded when he entered the room. “I hear that you’ve been meddling again.”
    â€œHardly,” Nat answered. “A client asked us to locate a young girl. It wasn’t our fault she turned up dead.”
    â€œI hear you went over to her apartment. Did you remove anything?”
    â€œWhat do you take me for?” Nat could feel his temper rising.
    â€œYou must’ve found something in her apartment that told you she was working in that disgusting strip place.” Farthing’s prudish views always surprised Nat.
    â€œWe did what your officers should have done,” Nat replied, not hiding the contempt in his voice. “We interviewed her neighbours.”
    Farthing’s face flushed as he reached for the intercom.
    â€œConstable Snow,” he barked. “I need you in here with your notepad. Unless you two want to go to an interview room?” he said, turning to Nat and Maggie.
    Maggie quietly put out her hand and touched Nat’s knee before he could give an angry retort. “Here will be fine,” she answered.
    â€œStart right at the beginning, and Snow here will take it all down. We’ll get you to sign the statement before you leave. Number one, who did you speak to in the girl’s apartment house?”
    â€¢ • •
    â€œTHAT WAS ONE nasty session,” Maggie exclaimed as she climbed into Nat’s car. “But,” she added with a grin, “you actually managed to keep your temper.”
    â€œThat son of a bitch always gets under my skin,” he replied, starting the engine. “I do try, Maggie, honest I do.” He paused while he checked the oncoming traffic, then turned the car into it. “But now that we know Johanna was murdered, we had no choice but to tell him everything.”
    â€œWell, it’s out of our hands now,” Maggie said sadly. “Let’s just hope Farthing finds out who her killer was.”

CHAPTER FIVE
    I t was the last day of September and a couple of weeks since Johanna’s body had been found. Henny was beginning to seem like her old self. She was refilling the coffee pot when Nat came out of his office and stood in front of Maggie’s desk.
    â€œWhere have I heard the name Silver Springs Nursing Home before?”
    â€œSilver Springs? That’s the place my mother-in-law convalesced after her bunion operation, remember?”
    â€œJa,” Henny interrupted. “It is in Richmond. Near where Johanna works.” She stopped abruptly. “Poor little Johanna.”
    â€œThat’s it.” He turned, trying not to notice Henny’s tears. “That last phone call Henny put through was from a guy named Edwin Slater. He says his mother left a considerable amount of money to this Silver Springs place and he wants us to look into it.”
    â€œOh, that kind of