Dark Deeds on a White Christmas: A Retired Sleuth and His Dog Historical Cozy Mystery (One Man and His Dog Cozy Mysteries Book 3) by P. C. James

Author:P. C. James [James, P. C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: James Gang Publishing
Published: 2024-08-17T00:00:00+00:00

19

RAMSAY PATROLS THE GROUNDS

After Ramsay and Eliza led Baldock to the interview room, they were ordered to hand over the keys, which Ramsay did. As they made their way back to the lobby, they saw Baldock’s forensic people examining the crime scene in meticulous detail.

“Do you think he listened when I explained about Wright?” Eliza asked.

“Only enough to dismiss it as your attempt to save your mother,” Ramsay said. “I’m taking Bracken out for a walk. Care to come?”

Eliza nodded. Her expression flitting between gloomy and angry in turns. “It will be better than waiting here. We should ask Mam and Dad if they’d like to join us.”

That hope, however, was squashed by the police constable standing guard outside the Danesdales’ room door. “Sorry, Miss. No one in or out. Inspector Baldock’s orders.”

“I need my coat, hat, and gloves from the room,” Eliza replied. “Can I at least ask my father to hand them out?”

With that agreed and executed, they went to Ramsay’s room for his outdoor clothes and on to collect Bracken, where they ended up with four dogs instead of one.

Outside, a pale wintry moon shone in a bright clear starry sky. With the dogs tugging on their leashes, they set off to the lake, which looked frozen. Eliza gingerly made her way out from the edge until she was confident the ice could take their weight.

“Come on,” she called to Ramsay. “We can make a slide.” Shuffling the snow off a section and backing up, Eliza took a run and slid to the end of the clearing, laughing uproariously when her leading foot stopped dead at the snow, and she fell sideways into it.

Ramsay watched anxiously until she’d clambered to her feet.

“It’s solid,” Eliza called, stamping a foot on the ice. “Come on.”

Ramsay slowly made his way out to where Eliza was lengthening the slide. He examined the exposed ice, and it did seem thick enough for adults, something he couldn’t remember seeing since being a child in Scotland.

Eliza slid down her cleared path and stopped short of the snow. “Now, you. I’ll hold the dogs.”

Bracken, however, was eager to join in the fun and Ramsay unclipped his leash. “Hold Larry, Harry, and Barry,” he told Eliza. “I don’t want them running off when we promised to look after them.”

Ramsay self-consciously ran and slid down the icy lane. He didn’t fall over and was amazed he hadn’t. Bracken jumping up to congratulate him, however, did make him wobble.

“Down, Bracken,” Ramsay said, pushing his friend off his chest. Now Ramsay was free to notice, he could see others coming to join them, led by Alfred with lanterns and a snow shovel. “We have company,” he said, gesturing to the newcomers.

“They have skates,” Eliza cried indignantly. “Alfred can make them a rink away from here. I cleared this. They can clear their own.”

While the three couples sat on a lakeside bench putting on their skates, Alfred cleared them a rink nearer the shoreline.

“We should get skates,” Eliza said.

“You should get skates,” Ramsay replied in a determined voice.

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