Read Online The Shape of Snakes by Minette Walters - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Minette Walters
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inside her house, and couldn't possibly know what possessions she had. His name alone spelled depression.
Larry didn't like the idea at all and watched me warily from behind his wineglass, while Sam flicked worried glances around the three of us, clearly wondering who Peter Stanhope was and why his name should cause Larry concern. Sam became rather loud as a result-he always hated finding himself at a disadvantage-and, in an unkind way, I took pleasure from his embarrassment. He had only himself to blame, after all, for it was he who had imposed a silence on the whole subject.
I spent half an hour that evening trying to locate the Reverend Peter Stanhope through directory inquiries, but no one of that name was listed in Richmond and the operator refused to look for Rev P. Stanhopes in other parts of England. Nor was there a listing for St. Mark's Church and, as I didn't know the name of the present vicar, I couldn't obtain the number of the vicarage either. It would all have been a great deal easier if Sam hadn't stood over me while I did it-I could have suggested the operator try Stanhopes in Exeter, but I wasn't ready to show my hand quite so blatantly. In the end, and half-jokingly, I suggested Sam phone Jock Williams, a confirmed atheist, and ask him to drive to St. Mark's Church from his house on the other side of Richmond to see if the new vicar's name was printed on the board outside. To my surprise he agreed.
"He wants to know what's up," Sam said on his return to the kitchen where I was doing the washing up.
"What did you tell him?"
"That the boss would have my guts for garters if I didn't help her track down 'Mad Annie's' missing valuables." He gave a quirky grin. "He thought you were 'round the bend twenty years ago. Now he thinks we've both lost it. He asked me why anyone would think an old tramp like Annie had valuables."
I propped a plate on the drain board. "What did you say?"
"Repeated what Larry told us about jadeite. It gave him a bit of a shock, as a matter of fact ... said he didn't think Annie had two brass farthings to rub together."
"I expect he'd have been nicer to her if he'd known," I said tartly. "Jock always responds better to the chink of money."
"Mm, well, he's now advising me to put my huge gains from Hong Kong into some offshore fund he's operating out of the Isle of Man. He's got a wheeze for avoiding tax and he's prepared to cut me in on the deal if I'm interested."
"Knowing Jock, it'll be illegal."
"Unethical certainly," said Sam cheerfully, "but then he doesn't believe in a welfare state. Says it's against Darwin's theory of evolution. The sick, the lame and the poor are supposed to die. That's how natural selection works."
I held up a fork to examine the prongs. "He'll get his comeuppance one day," I said. "Arrogant, self-serving bastards always do. That's the unwritten law of natural selection-old bulls die painfully." I eyed him suspiciously. "I hope you told him where to stuff his tax wheeze."
"Not likely," he said. "The only reason he's driven off to St. Mark's on a Sunday evening is because he thinks I'm going to swell his coffers with megabucks." He straddled a chair. "How come you and Jock know each other so well? As I remember it, you used to avoid him as much as possible."
The question took me by surprise. "What kind of 'knowing' are we talking about?"
"I've no idea. That's why I'm asking."
I tried unsuccessfully to hide a smile. "Are you hinting at the biblical kind?"
"Maybe."
I snorted laughter through my nose. "That's funny."
"Why?"
"He's a boring little squirt with a power complex," I said. "Even his wife didn't fancy him, so I don't know what makes you think I would."
"It was just a question," he said huffily.
"What brought it on?"
"He wasn't surprised when I told him you'd taken up Annie's cause again. He said he'd been expecting it."
"So?" I asked curiously.
"He seems to know you better than I do. I thought you'd forgotten all about her. You haven't
Larry didn't like the idea at all and watched me warily from behind his wineglass, while Sam flicked worried glances around the three of us, clearly wondering who Peter Stanhope was and why his name should cause Larry concern. Sam became rather loud as a result-he always hated finding himself at a disadvantage-and, in an unkind way, I took pleasure from his embarrassment. He had only himself to blame, after all, for it was he who had imposed a silence on the whole subject.
I spent half an hour that evening trying to locate the Reverend Peter Stanhope through directory inquiries, but no one of that name was listed in Richmond and the operator refused to look for Rev P. Stanhopes in other parts of England. Nor was there a listing for St. Mark's Church and, as I didn't know the name of the present vicar, I couldn't obtain the number of the vicarage either. It would all have been a great deal easier if Sam hadn't stood over me while I did it-I could have suggested the operator try Stanhopes in Exeter, but I wasn't ready to show my hand quite so blatantly. In the end, and half-jokingly, I suggested Sam phone Jock Williams, a confirmed atheist, and ask him to drive to St. Mark's Church from his house on the other side of Richmond to see if the new vicar's name was printed on the board outside. To my surprise he agreed.
"He wants to know what's up," Sam said on his return to the kitchen where I was doing the washing up.
"What did you tell him?"
"That the boss would have my guts for garters if I didn't help her track down 'Mad Annie's' missing valuables." He gave a quirky grin. "He thought you were 'round the bend twenty years ago. Now he thinks we've both lost it. He asked me why anyone would think an old tramp like Annie had valuables."
I propped a plate on the drain board. "What did you say?"
"Repeated what Larry told us about jadeite. It gave him a bit of a shock, as a matter of fact ... said he didn't think Annie had two brass farthings to rub together."
"I expect he'd have been nicer to her if he'd known," I said tartly. "Jock always responds better to the chink of money."
"Mm, well, he's now advising me to put my huge gains from Hong Kong into some offshore fund he's operating out of the Isle of Man. He's got a wheeze for avoiding tax and he's prepared to cut me in on the deal if I'm interested."
"Knowing Jock, it'll be illegal."
"Unethical certainly," said Sam cheerfully, "but then he doesn't believe in a welfare state. Says it's against Darwin's theory of evolution. The sick, the lame and the poor are supposed to die. That's how natural selection works."
I held up a fork to examine the prongs. "He'll get his comeuppance one day," I said. "Arrogant, self-serving bastards always do. That's the unwritten law of natural selection-old bulls die painfully." I eyed him suspiciously. "I hope you told him where to stuff his tax wheeze."
"Not likely," he said. "The only reason he's driven off to St. Mark's on a Sunday evening is because he thinks I'm going to swell his coffers with megabucks." He straddled a chair. "How come you and Jock know each other so well? As I remember it, you used to avoid him as much as possible."
The question took me by surprise. "What kind of 'knowing' are we talking about?"
"I've no idea. That's why I'm asking."
I tried unsuccessfully to hide a smile. "Are you hinting at the biblical kind?"
"Maybe."
I snorted laughter through my nose. "That's funny."
"Why?"
"He's a boring little squirt with a power complex," I said. "Even his wife didn't fancy him, so I don't know what makes you think I would."
"It was just a question," he said huffily.
"What brought it on?"
"He wasn't surprised when I told him you'd taken up Annie's cause again. He said he'd been expecting it."
"So?" I asked curiously.
"He seems to know you better than I do. I thought you'd forgotten all about her. You haven't
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