Deadly Words and Innocent Gossip in Little Mallow : A Little Mallow cosy mystery (Little Mallow cosy mysteries Book 3) by Patsy Collins

Author:Patsy Collins [Collins, Patsy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2025-01-24T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 28

Thursday 27th August

"Bert, it was really you who won the hybrid tea class in the show," Muriel said as they had a cup of tea and the last slices of his birthday cake.

Bert shook his head. "Tied. Hers were as good as mine."

"Maybe, but they weren't hers."

"I knew something weren't right."

"You didn't say anything at the time." It didn't matter now, the woman was dead after all. Muriel just wanted Bert to have the satisfaction of knowing he was a better gardener than Vanessa had been. She hoped he also realised he was a better human being in every way. If he didn't understand already, she doubted she'd be able to explain.

"I didn't know then. That other one, she's been saying things."

"Verity Houseman?"

"Yeah. She keeps saying how I was lucky to win so many classes and how I must have been disappointed not to win that one. I didn't know what she was getting at, but she was up to something."

"She's as bad as Vanessa was, Bert."

He nodded. "I've seen her talking to people, same as she does to me. They don't like it, but she does. She keeps on at 'em. I've seen her."

If Verity's blackmail activities were blatant enough to draw Bert's attention, she wasn't being at all subtle. Behaviour like that was likely to get her into trouble – with the police, or someone else.

"How did you know it weren't right about the roses, Mure?"

Muriel explained about Beth's request for help, and how that led to the discovery Vanessa had taken the roses from the Sheppard's garden.

Bert took another bite of cake, chewed, swallowed and said, "Good."

"How is it good?"

"The Sheppards don't put anything in the show. Say they're not good enough. I've tried to get 'em to, and they said they might, but it was their holiday so they didn't. If we tell 'em they'd've won, we can get 'em to to do it." Clearly he thought that was an excellent idea.

"You want them to enter so they beat you?" Muriel asked.

"No, so that I can beat them – fair and square, not by cheating."

Muriel was so proud of him.

"It's little Teddy's birthday next week. Beth can't have a party for him, because she doesn't have space," she said.

"There's room here, Mure. It could be in our garden."

"What a good idea! Hopefully the weather will still be nice, but if it rains we could use the car port. I could make cakes and sandwiches."

"Will you want me to go out?"

"Of course not, unless you'd rather not be there." Muriel was worried Bert might feel hard done by. There was to be a proper party for Agnes, and one for Teddy, whereas he'd had nothing more elaborate than a meal at home with her. She began to apologise.

"It's clever of you, Mure. I'll get three birthdays. Teddy would like jelly and ice cream."

Muriel chuckled. "Yes, I'm sure he would. I'll make sure we have that. What else would he like?"

"Beer!"

"Bert!" She was laughing. He hadn't really expected that to work.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.