Read Online Murder in the Dark - A Libby Sarjeant Murder Mystery (Libby Sarjeant Murder Mystery Series) by Lesley Cookman - Free Book Online Page A

that, and I don’t think I want to. What did you think of Edward Hall?’
    ‘Apart from the fact that he’s a bit of all right, you mean?’
    ‘Libby!’
    ‘Oh, OK. Well, he seemed quite nice, but a bit selfish. Very focussed on his subject.’
    ‘It didn’t seem odd to you?’
    ‘Odd?’ repeated Libby, frowning across at Fran. ‘He’s a historian with a special interest in the civil wars. Did you know there were three? I thought there was –’
    ‘Yes, yes, Libby, I meant that he should come looking for Ramani just because of what she’d told him?’
    ‘I think he probably would. He’d have been trying to get hold of her on her mobile, dying to get inside the house. They’re obsessive, you know, these historical and archaeological types.’
    ‘And you would know – how?’ asked Ian.
    ‘All right, all right. So, anything else we can do for you?’
    Ian laughed. ‘I’ll let you know if there is. And if the Watsons do start a search in the house, I want you to go with them.’
    ‘Oh, we’d already decided that,’ said Libby. ‘We’re going to ask Lewis to come with us.’
    ‘Oh, God,’ groaned Ian. ‘The whole Sarjeant chorus.’
    ‘With bells on,’ said Libby.
    When Ben and Libby returned from rehearsal that evening, there was a message on the landline.
    ‘Who was it?’ asked Ben, coming in from the kitchen with two glasses.
    ‘Adelaide, sounding very peeved that I wasn’t here, and demanding that I ring her as soon as I came in.’
    Ben laughed. ‘And will you?’
    ‘No, I bloody won’t,’ said Libby, plonking herself down on the sofa. ‘Even though I am dying of curiosity.’
    ‘Here,’ said Ben handing her one of the glasses. ‘So when will you ring her?’
    ‘In the morning.’ Libby curled her feet up under her. ‘Isn’t it funny? We’ve got Ian and one of the suspects both asking for our help.’
    ‘Ian’s asking you to spy for him.’
    ‘I know he is, but let’s face it, I don’t owe the Watsons anything, and it’s very interesting.’
    ‘Born nosy, that’s you,’ said Ben.
    Libby deliberately waited until late morning before ringing Adelaide Watson, ignoring the landline when it rang twice.
    ‘Where have you been?’ Adelaide’s voice rose in a petulant shriek.
    ‘I beg your pardon?’ said Libby coldly.
    ‘I’ve been trying to get hold of you since last night.’
    ‘I know. I’ve been busy.’
    ‘How? What have you been doing?’
    ‘Is it any business of yours?’ said Libby, ice seeping in to the airwaves. There was a short silence.
    ‘I’m sorry. I’ve just been so – so –’
    ‘Wound up?’ suggested Libby. ‘Yes, I can hear that. So what was so urgent?’
    ‘It’s Edward. Well, Edward and Roland. You see, Edward came round last night.’
    ‘To Dark House?’
    ‘Yes. And Roland tried to throw him out.’
    ‘Ah. What did you think I could do?’
    ‘I don’t know!’ wailed Adelaide. ‘I didn’t know who to turn to.’
    ‘What happened in the end?’
    ‘Edward left. But that inspector had been here talking to Roland in private and when they went he was furious.’
    ‘He thought you’d told about the affair?’
    ‘Well, of course he did, and I’d told you, so I couldn’t deny it. I tried to tell him Carl knew, too, but he pooh-poohed the idea. Said I’d been spying on him.’
    ‘What did you say?’ asked Libby.
    ‘I – I – nothing.’ Something in Adelaide’s tone told Libby this wasn’t all there was to it.
    ‘Adelaide, did he hit you?’
    Silence.
    ‘Right, that means he did. You really should leave, you know. You said you were going to.’
    ‘I know,’ said Adelaide in a small voice, ‘but where could I go?’
    Libby hardened her heart. ‘What about one of your sons?’
    ‘Oh, I couldn’t! Besides, they wouldn’t have room for me.’
    Libby suppressed the thought of how her own children would react in this situation. Adelaide wasn’t Libby, and her sons were not like Adam, Belinda and