EQ 03 Murder of Innocence by Heley Veronica

Author:Heley, Veronica [Heley, Veronica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Cozy Mystery
Published: 2003-10-01T04:00:00+00:00

Ten

E

llie tried to keep calm. ‘No, Tod. I’m not so rich any more.’ ‘You’re only saying that to upset me and I shouldn’t be upset, you know I shouldn’t.’

Ellie sighed. ‘Tod, listen to me …’

He stormed out of the room and threw himself on the sofa down below.

Before Ellie could follow, he had the television turned on, full blast. Ellie covered her ears and retreated to the phone in the hall. Perhaps

dear Rose could spare a couple of hours to look after him? Unfortunately

Rose was working at the charity shop and though happy to oblige at any

other time, couldn’t help that day, but was so pleased to hear that dear

Ellie was going to do something about the church hall, which, as everyone

knew, was threatening to fall down about their ears.

Which news made Ellie wince. How did the gossip get around so

quickly? Dear Rose put the phone down before Ellie remembered that

her old friend had mentioned a problem she’d been having. Something

to do with her daughter’s wedding? Whatever it was, it could wait. Rose

hadn’t brought the subject up again so it couldn’t have been important. The phone rang. It was Armand, in a tearing hurry between lessons or

lessons and a meeting or some such. ‘This is the name of the man who

used to run the stamp club at school here … have you got a pencil? He’ll

be able to give you the low-down on who collects stamps locally. I’ve got

to run, so … the name’s Pearsall. Lives locally, they say.You can look him

up in the phone book … What’s that?’ To someone in the room with him?

‘Oh. Coming … All right, Ellie? Got to dash …’

Pearsall. Ellie wrote the name down. It didn’t mean anything to her.

Should she try it on Tod? But more importantly, who could she find to look

after Tod while she went out with Diana?

After a search through the bits of paper in her handbag she found Roy’s

mobile phone number and tried him. In a meeting, would ring her back. As a last resort she tried Betty, the delightful girl who looked after

young Frank while Diana was out at work. If Ellie paid her double – here Ellie winced – would Betty bring young Frank over and look after him and

Tod in Mrs Coppola’s house? She would. Blessings and thanks. She told Tod what was going to happen and he covered his ears with

his hands. She said, ‘What you need, my boy, is …’ Then she sighed. A

good spanking was not going to help and was against the law anyway.

He needed a cuddle, she supposed. But when she tried to give it him, he

pushed her away and called her a dirty name.

She’d had enough, and more than enough.

Betty arrived with little Frank, who was grizzling in his pushchair. Ellie

turned over her charge with thankfulness, pointing out that she’d left

some frozen meals in Mrs Coppola’s freezer for lunch.

Diana had chosen one of the most exclusive and expensive places to eat in the whole of London. The dining room overlooked the river.

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