False Step by Veronica Heley

Author:Veronica Heley [Veronica Heley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Severn House Publishers
Published: 2014-05-14T16:00:00+00:00

Wednesday morning

By nine o’clock in the morning, the agency answerphone was full, and had stopped taking any more messages.

Oliver appealed to Bea. ‘What do we do? They’re all enquiring about Matthew’s car.’

Bea gulped hot coffee. Piers had taken one look at the sheeted living room last night and taken her off to a pub where they’d talked about Matthew and listened to some rather good jazz till closing time. She didn’t feel like work this morning. Still less did she feel like confronting builders with the instructions Piers had left with her for them. Fortunately Piers had said he’d drop in that morning and have words with the foreman himself. The men hadn’t arrived yet, so the house was comparatively quiet, if dusty. Max had come in late, and hadn’t surfaced yet. Just as well. She really didn’t feel like coping with his melodramas.

‘Where’s Maggie?’

‘Still in bed, I think. The plumber stood her up and she got all weepy last night, so I took her for a long walk …’ He shrugged. ‘She said she was going to take the morning off and I didn’t argue.’

Bea nodded. This was only her first cup of coffee; after the second she’d be able to think straight. She hoped. ‘First things first. Clear the answerphone tape. Put a message on it to say that if anyone is ringing about the car, it’s been withdrawn from sale. Mrs Frasier did say we were to take messages about the car, but I have no instructions about how much to ask, where it is, and who has got the keys.’

Oliver pulled the morning papers towards him. ‘I suppose she put an advert in one of these?’ He began to check. ‘If she gave them our telephone number, we should at least be able to work out what make of car it is and how much she wants for it.’

Bea refilled her cup. ‘If you’ve finished running off the inventory and the photos, I suppose I could take them round to Mr Frasier with the keys. Normally I’d put the stuff in the post – well, not the keys – but under the circumstances I think I’d better deliver them by hand. I’ll be glad to get shot of this business.’

‘Two-year-old Jaguar, warranty, etc. Garaged, it says. I wonder where? Hm. A bargain. She could have asked more. Give me ten minutes and I’ll have everything ready for you to take. You don’t suppose they’d let me buy it, do you? I’m taking my test next week.’

Bea raised an eyebrow. ‘Are you so sure you’ll pass?’

He raised an eyebrow in return. Of course he’d pass first time.

She said, ‘All right, being you, you probably will, but … first things first.’

‘Clear the answerphone. Right.’

It was still raining. Bea set the dishwasher running and cleaned down the surfaces. How long would it take for the dust to subside for good?

Oliver returned in record time. ‘Tape cleared. New message inserted. Here’s the address for Mr Frasier. This envelope has two copies of the inventory in it, plus the photos, and our bill.

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