Read Online Pushing Up Daisies by M. C. Beaton - Free Book Online

was about to set out. She wanted to tell him huffily that she did not need his help, but stopped herself in time. She told him instead all she had learned.
    They were just about to leave when Agatha’s mobile rang. It was Bill Wong. “Is Simon Black there?” he asked.
    â€œHe’s out looking for a lost teenager,” said Agatha. “Why?”
    â€œHe’s stalking Alice.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œHe was lurking outside her building late last night, and he’s just sent her flowers.”
    â€œIs she complaining about him?”
    â€œWell, no.”
    â€œI can’t do anything about it, Bill, unless she’s angry.”
    â€œLook, we’re friends, Agatha. Tell him to stop!”
    â€œOh, all right. I’ll try. Simon gets crushes on women, but it soon blows over.”
    â€œWhy doesn’t Bill ask her out himself?” asked Charles, after Agatha had told him about the phone call.
    â€œPolice regulations.”
    â€œI’m sure other coppers never bother about them.”
    â€œI’m sure, even if he did try to date her, that mother of his would soon find a way to put a stop to it.”
    Mrs. Wong was at that moment returning with a shopping bag over her arm. Her neighbour, Mrs. Golightly, hailed her. “Cold day,” she called. “They say it’s going to be a hard winter. Had the grandchildren down for the week-end. Little darlings. You got any?”
    â€œMy son is not married as you very well know.”
    â€œWhat a pity. Doesn’t fancy the ladies maybe?”
    â€œTcha!” Mrs. Wong marched up the garden path. In the past, she had always felt superior to Mrs. Golightly, whose son had done time for car theft. Her face burned red at the idea that her malicious neighbour might put it about that her precious Bill was … well … the-other-way inclined. Bill would need to get married and as soon as possible.
    What an odd morning, thought Alice. First there was the bouquet from Simon, and Mrs. Wong had phoned to ask her for supper. Alice was terrified of Bill’s mother, and so she had lied and said she had a date. “So you’re that kind of girl,” Mrs. Wong had said. “Bill’s better off without you.”
    Upset, Alice had phoned Bill on his mobile, knowing he had gone to Harby with Wilkes.
    Bill adored his parents. He had hitherto been blind to his mother’s habit of driving girlfriends away. Because of his Chinese father and his own slightly Asian appearance, he had been bullied at school. Having a poor opinion of his looks, he assumed that, after a visit to his home, previous girlfriends had gone off him because of his lack of attraction. But now Bill, who had long adored Alice, was furious. He phoned his mother and said he was moving out to a flat of his own. If she had cried, he might have relented. But she cursed him for being an unnatural son, and so he cut her off in mid-rant and vowed to find a place to live as soon as he could. He then phoned Alice and apologised for his mother’s behaviour and said he was moving out.
    Alice, who had once had a miserable supper with the Wong family, was sympathetic. “There’s a flat in my block available,” she said. “I’ll speak to the landlord today.”
    And Bill, who had been sent to the village of Harby to search for the missing Mrs. Bull, was elevated to a dream of living next door to Alice. Wasn’t there a song about that, he wondered dreamily.
    â€œHave you found her?” asked the familiar voice of Agatha Raisin behind him. He swung round to see Agatha and Charles.
    â€œNot a sign of her,” said Bill with a wide grin.
    â€œSo why are you looking so happy?”
    â€œIt’s a lovely day to be out in the country.”
    Agatha looked up at the lowering black clouds and then at the falling leaves driven by a brisk cold wind and said, “It’s miserable. Never mind. Is Wilkes up at the