Read Online The Nine Bright Shiners by Anthea Fraser - Free Book Online Page B

wasn’t interested, so he didn’t bother telling me.’
    â€˜Was he still working on it?’
    â€˜I don’t think so. And there was something –’ She strained desperately after an elusive memory. ‘About famous people, he said.’
    â€˜What kind of famous people?’
    â€˜Who’d done something wrong.’
    Investigative journalism, Webb thought heavily. That, he could do without. No knowing what you might stir up, and no thanks for it, either, as likely as not.
    â€˜A series of articles, about different people?’
    â€˜I think so.’
    â€˜How many had he done?’
    â€˜I don’t know.’ Sensing his frustration, she burst out, ‘Oh, I’m sorry! I do want to help, honest! Of course I want you to get whoever did this to Guy, but I just didn’t listen, see! How did I know he was going to get himself killed?’ And she broke into noisy sobs. With a black look in his direction, the woman sergeant rose and went to her, murmuring comfort.
    Webb, wiping his hand over his face, conceded defeat. ‘All right, Miss Potts. Now, is there anywhere you can stay for the next few days? Scenes of Crime officers will want to examine your flat – they’ll be waiting there when you get back.’
    She looked bewildered. ‘I suppose I could stay with Amy. You mean I have to move out?’
    â€˜Just for a few days. If you’ll give us the address and phone number where you can be contacted, there’s no need to keep you any longer. Thank you for your help.’
    Jan hadn’t said anything to Lily about the previous evening. She didn’t know the woman well, and there was no point in alarming her. If the connection with Edward was mentioned in the press, that would be time enough. But remembering last night’s fears, she resolved to familiarize herself with the position of light switches, and since the children had complained the house was ‘spooky’, they could accompany her and set their own fears at rest.
    Accordingly they set off after breakfast on a tour of inspection, and by the end of it, Jan was forced to concede that there were indeed a lot of dark passages and, though she made no comment on the fact, a disproportionate number of exits and entrances. Mentally she listed them: front and back door, french windows in drawing-room (which Edward had assured her were sealed), side door to the garden from the dining-room, cellar door accessible from the back garden, and even a coal shute, long disused. The bolts looked rusty, but Jan doubted they were covered by the burglar alarm. And Ben was right, there were spooky bits, down the back hall and around the cellar steps. The cellars themselves, lit by bare electric bulbs, were merely depressing, with their rows of empty Kilner jars gathering dust. Jan remembered her mother’s pride in filling them each year with jams, pickles and chutneys.
    â€˜It’s not like the basement at home, is it, Mummy?’ Julie said, with a wobble in her voice, and Jan could only agree it was not.
    Something brushed against her and she jumped, looking down to see the cat’s sinuous body winding itself round her legs. In the absence of her owners, Lotus was acting as hostess on their tour. She was a beautiful animal and seemed to have accepted their presence, but Jan would have been happier with a guard dog.
    With an effort, she pulled herself together. There was no point in being neurotic about this. She had doubted the need for Edward’s precautions when he’d explained them – why should the body of an unknown man have changed anything?
    Leaving the children to explore the attics alone, Jan stopped off at the kitchen, where Lily was about to make some coffee. The cat, purring loudly, transferred its attentions to her. Lily laughed. ‘Ready for your top-of-the-milk, are you? I’ll bring your coffee to the library, Mrs Coverdale.’
    â€˜I’ll have it