Read Online Murder At Wittenham Park by R. W. Heber - Free Book Online

giggle.” She then led Welch off to examine a map of the estate that she had found hanging in the cafeteria.
    â€œDisgusting, I’d say,” Adrienne chipped in. She was out of temper. It had been hot and bumpy in the Land Rover. She’d imagined they were going straight on to drinks, which was why she had put on the silk dress, and now it was stained with sweat.
    â€œWhat they were doing was entirely normal,” Gilroy said stiffly, then quoted from his own brochure. “We aim to show the King of Beasts in a completely natural environment.”
    Loredana now insisted on having her little talk with Ted. Gilroy directed her to the unobtrusive office door in the far wall of the exhibition area. Characteristically she did not knock, but went straight in.
    The keeper’s office-cum-laboratory was thoroughly modern. A wide chrome-legged desk and several filing cabinets stood at one end beneath a window. There was another door in the outer wall, and at the opposite end a long laboratory bench had a steel sink set into it. Two empty glass vials for samples were by the sink. Shelves held a range of bottles and there was a rack of veterinary instruments.
    The only thing missing was the keeper himself.
    Tempted by his absence, Loredana explored. A letter from the local council lay on the desk, suggesting that the electric fence put children “at risk” and mentioning local fears about lions escaping.
    Beside was Ted’s draft reply, stating that the fence had a five-thousand-volt pulse, but very low amperage, and could not kill. He had pencilled on his draft: “The talk in the village is that a developer has been paying people to write to the council complaining. They get £10 a letter. I’m trying to find someone who’ll admit it and name the developer, or his agent. Then we can go to the police.”
    Not hard to guess who that is, Loredana thought. Hamish had told her what Welch was after. She wandered across to the laboratory bench. Lying on it was a thin metal cylinder, about four inches long, with a needle projecting from one end. A vial of colorless liquid was beside it. She realized this must be the tranquillizer dart, ready for filling. The needle was almost an eighth of an inch thick. Small wonder the lion objected to being hit by that! She picked it up, tried to see how it worked, failed, and put it down again. She was examining the liquid when she heard the handle turn in the outside door. She put the vial down again, telling herself that she was being extremely naughty.
    â€œHallo, there,” Ted said cheerfully, though with a question in his tone.
    Loredana explained about her interest in lions with unusual brevity.
    â€œIt was you spotted Caesar limping, then? Glad to meet you.” He shook her hand warmly, finding her response firmer than he would have expected from her delicate appearance. “I’ll have to take a look at his paw tomorrow, it’s too late today. He’s a magnificent animal, but easier to approach in the heat of the day when he’s sleepy. So, how can I help?”
    â€œHow do you keep them fit?” She gestured towards his medicines. “I give my Timmy all sorts of tablets, but what do you give a lion?”
    Few professionals do not enjoy talking about their profession. It was a full twenty minutes before Ted escorted Loredana back into the exhibition hall. He took with him his draft reply to the council to give Lord Gilroy.
    â€œWe were wondering where you’d got to.” Hamish came up to her immediately. “We’re off to the house for drinks.”
    â€œBut I must change first! I simply must.” Loredana reverted to her normal demanding self, though making a point of thanking Ted with the sweetest of smiles.
    Gilroy was relieved to see her too. The moment he needed to assemble a group, its members started to wander off. It was one of those immutable laws of nature, the kind they had taught about at