Page 7 of A Very Bookish Murder
‘Have you ever thought about marrying again, Ally?’ Millie asked timidly.
‘Well, no, I haven’t,’ Ally said, feeling rather self-conscious, ‘but I have met someone new since coming up here.’
‘Oh,dotell us more!’ Joyce urged. ‘The love lives of older women provides such good material for my short stories.’
‘Well,’ said Ally, ‘his name is Ross Patterson and he’s supposedly a retired vet, but he spends half his “retirement” standing in for his son, also a vet, who inherited the business from his father.’
‘Good for you, Ally – love is love whatever your age,’ said Brigitte enthusiastically.
The pasta was a great success, and everyone, except Jodi, had second helpings. And everyone, including Jodi, was on their second or third glass of wine. Supermarket brand or not, it was going down well. The ladies were all beginning to visibly droop though.
Millie was the first to crumble. ‘That was lovely,’ she said, ‘but I’m utterly exhausted. It’s been a long day. Will you excuse me?’
Joyce stood up. ‘I’ll come too, so I don’t disturb you later. I’m knackered anyway.’
Penelope yawned. ‘And so say all of us.’
Brigitte gave a Gallic shrug. ‘OK, so it is bedtime.’
‘What time would you like me to serve breakfast?’ Ally asked as they began to make their way towards the stairs.
Jodi stood up and looked around at them all. ‘Our schedule states that we have breakfast at nine thirty, then we go down to the hotel to meet up with the other ladies and have lunch at twelve thirty. At three o’clock I will give a lecture for about an hour and a half.’ She paused and turned to Ally. ‘Ally, I would like to thank you for your kindness this evening and would be honoured if you could join us tomorrow afternoon – just so you can see what this little group is all about.’
Put that way, how could Ally have refused?
Now, as she remembered that previous evening, Ally could scarcely believe that today had ended the way it had. Who would do such a thing? A horrible thought crossed her mind. Could the murderer be one of the ladies, her ladies, right here in The Auld Malthouse?
FOUR
When Ross returned with the fish and chips, he asked, ‘Where are your guests now?’
Ally shrugged. ‘They’re probably having their dinner at the hotel; that’s if any of them are particularly hungry after finding Jodi strangled and the detective inspector having a heart attack.’
‘Enough excitement for one day I should think,’ Ross agreed. ‘Any idea who might have strangled that Josie?’
‘Jodi,’ Ally corrected. ‘Jodi Jones. A very successful writer of women’s fiction, accused of plagiarism by a fiery Irish lady who just happened to be sitting next to me.’
‘And who, I suppose, must therefore be the obvious suspect?’
Ally nodded. ‘According to Callum, for some of the so-called coffee break, Jodi was in the bar, downing a hefty Scotch, before she went to the ladies’ room. The thing is, nobody in the bar paid much attention to who visited the ladies’ room and for how long – because you don’t, do you?’
‘No, I don’t suppose you do,’ Ross agreed, shaking his head.
‘All four staying here went to the ladies’ room at some time during the break, but not all together, of course! And then there was Della, the Irish lady. They’re all suspects now, andthey got questioned rather thoroughly. I just wonder how much information Rigby got before he hit the floor.’
Ross looked thoughtful. ‘Don’t forget there were other guests in the hotel. Itcouldbe someone else.’
‘I suppose it could be.’ Ally sighed. ‘God only knows what happens now.’
After they’d eaten and had a glass of wine, Ross said, ‘And now you’re going to tell me that you want to stay up until your guests come back?’
Ally nodded. ‘What else can I do, Ross? It would seem heartless to just let them come in and go straight up to their rooms. I was thinking of shepherding them into the sitting room and offering them a hot drink or something.’
‘Even though one of them might be the killer?’
‘Even though one of them might be the killer…’
‘That night of passion I envisaged is rapidly fading,’ Ross said with a sigh.
