Read Online Murder with the Lot by Sue Williams - Free Book Online Page B

Hall. A huge tycoon-style house with an excess of turrets and iron lacework verandahs. Sculptures in the garden, fountains spouting out of lions’ mouths. Built with gold-rush money, I’d guess. Acres of green lawns, lawns that would suck up a heap of Muddy Soak’s copious supplies of water. It was certainly a step up from Ernie’s shack.
    Brad arrived back from Madison’s, his hair more ruffled than usual.
    â€˜Windy out there?’ I asked. It didn’t look windy. A raven sat in the pepper tree, cawing its long drawn-out call.
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜Listen, Brad. You know anything about Kota?’
    â€˜You mean the Kota gas leak? In India?’
    â€˜Yeah.’
    â€˜Killed thirty thousand and poisoned a hundred thousand hectares of farmland. Still poisoned now, after nearly thirty years. Maybe it will be forever. Bastards,’ he summed up.
    â€˜That Mona Hocking-Lee was connected to it. You know that?’
    His eyes widened. ‘Connected how?’
    â€˜Major shareholder.’
    â€˜In Argon Chemical?’
    â€˜You reckon anyone would want to kill her because of that?’ I said.
    â€˜Kill her? Like who? Half of India, you mean?’
    â€˜Well, maybe one of your environmental whatsit friends.’
    He swung away. ‘Jesus, Mum. What sort of people do you think I hang around with? Murderers? I’ve never heard anything so offensive.’
    â€˜I’m not saying you’d do it, son. But maybe someone with…strong feelings?’
    â€˜Mum. Listen to yourself. Anyway, how’s Claire?’
    I’d forgotten Claire.
    He sighed. ‘I bet you haven’t even offered her a cuppa. I’ll go see how she’s doing,’ he started off down the hallway.
    â€˜Brad?’
    He turned and looked at me.
    â€˜You’ve got to do the right thing by Claire. It’s not on, you know…to…’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜Uh, you know. The baby.’
    He looked puzzled. ‘Listen, the baby’s not mine. No way.’
    â€˜Well, how can you be sure?’
    â€˜Mum.’ He put his hands on my shoulders, gazed into my eyes. ‘There’s certain things you have to do to make a baby. You know, the birds and the bees?’ He waltzed off down the hall.
    Just after tea the phone rang. ‘Look here.’ It was Ernie. ‘What’s this about you renting my place out to Mafia types? And then embezzling the filthy money? I’ve a mind to phone Dean and get him to lock you up.’
    Oh shit. With everything that had happened, I’d forgotten to give Ernie his five grand.
    â€˜Ronnie told me what you’ve been up to. He was having a smoke with me, no harm in that, out by the roses. It was while that Madison Watkins was in visiting her grandmother, she’s had all the fluid drained off her lungs, and she brought in those bloody awful ferrets. Now.’ He paused. ‘You listening?’
    â€˜Yep,’ I said, busy searching for Ernie’s point.
    â€˜I don’t know why the home lets them in. They tell me not to smoke, but they’ll let in a horde of vicious, sharp-teethed animals. I could hear them screeching from my room. Had to turn off my hearing aid. I couldn’t listen to the wireless. I’ve got no flamin’ idea whether Kippy Tiani won at Horsham.’ He paused. ‘Anyway. Where was I?’
    â€˜Search me, Ernie.’
    â€˜Christ, can’t you keep track of anything? Boot him out.’
    â€˜Boot who out?’
    â€˜The Mafioso bloke.’
    â€˜Well, I tried. I’m sorry, but…’
    â€˜And after all I’ve bloody done for you, Cassandra Ariadne.’
    Ernie’s the only person that uses the catastrophe of my full name. And my sister Helen when I’ve pissed her off. Yep, I got saddled with Cassandra Ariadne and she scored Helen. Dad and his great ideas. He’d raced out and got the christening cup engraved before Mum had a chance to