Cherringham--Episode 1--3 by Neil Richards

Author:Neil Richards [Costello 1, Matthew 1, Richards 2, Neil 2]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-3-7325-0567-8
Publisher: Bastei Entertainment
Published: 2017-09-30T00:00:00+00:00

9. Getting Nowhere

Sarah had called to invite Jack to join her for lunch at her parents’ but she was running late and Jack probably had them all to himself.

He’ll manage, she thought.

When she pulled up to the house, Jack’s Sprite sat outside in the autumn sun. She parked and raced up the steps.

Her breathless ‘hello’ was lost amid the sound of an opera quite literally blasting the house.

She followed the music to the sunny sitting room that overlooked the garden. Jack sat in her father’s favourite wing-back chair, one arm raised conducting an invisible orchestra, while her Dad commandeered the stereo, all hands on deck should even more volume be needed.

“Er, hi?” she said competing with the music.

Her dad was quick to hit the volume and the opera quickly lowered to the level of lift music.

“Sarah,” her dad said. “I was just …”

Jack turned, big smile on his face.

“Jack, so sorry I’m late. Chloe called from school, had some questions.”

His grin broadened. “No worries. Michael was sharing one of the best with me.”

“‘Madama Butterfly’ sung by Callas, ‘Un bel di’,” her dad said as if announcing that he had bagged a prize specimen on a big game hunt.

Sarah turned to Jack. “I forgot that you liked opera.”

Jack gave her dad a small nod. “Probably don’t know as much about it as your father.”

“Oh, I’m just a buff …”

“But Katherine got me into it. Took a bit of training, but I learned to love it.”

His eyes seemed to drift a bit at the mention of his dead wife. But then he recovered.

He turned to her dad again. “It was beautiful. Thank you.”

“Any time, Jack. Just pop on over, and I’ll be glad to sip a brandy and listen a bit with you.”

“I may just take you up on that.”

Sarah’s father hurried towards her, rubbing his hands together. “So, Mum’s fixing some sandwiches, and tea. We’ll have it in here, okay?”

Sarah nodded. “I don’t have a lot of time. Big project that I must get out today.”

“Right.” Her father raised a finger. “I’ll go see how things are coming along.”

Sarah turned to her partner in crime.

And they brought each other up to date on their first steps in what — so far — wasn’t a very fruitful investigation.

Jack nodded. “Right, same with Dominic. Not the best son in the world — and that wife! But could they actually plan a fire, to kill the old man?”

“I know,” Sarah said. “Susan Hamblyn is a cool piece of work. And mind you, she too believes that she will inherit it all.”

“And Terry? Ever get a show called ‘The Three Stooges’ over here?”

Sarah grinned at that. “Bit before my time! But I think it was too violent for our telly.”

Jack nodded. “That’s for sure. Kids loved it.”

“So, what next?”

“I have a few ideas …” Jack started but paused when Michael came in with a tray, cups and the family’s best teapot decorated with Renaissance figures bowing and curtseying.

“Tea first. Sandwiches along presently. Come on, Sarah sit yourself down.

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