Lily Smith and the Lady's Secret by Autumn Barlow

Author:Autumn Barlow [Barlow, Autumn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: mystery
Publisher: Autumn Barlow
Published: 2019-03-26T22:00:00+00:00

THERE WAS NO GARDENER helpfully hoeing the borders when she strode across the gravel and to the house. She did not even countenance going around the back to the servants’ entrance. She was here on official police business and she was in uniform. This was witness intimidation, she was sure of it and she was going to put a stop to it right now. She hammered on the door and rang the bell continually. When the door swung open she stepped over the threshold before the housekeeper had a chance to invite her in.

“I am here on behalf of the Metropolitan Police and I need to speak to Murray Peterson immediately,” she said, infused by righteous fury.

The housekeeper was not remotely intimidated. She looked Lily up and down and sniffed haughtily. “But you’re not a real policeman.”

“I am a real policewoman with full powers of arrest. Here is my warrant card. Murray Peterson, now, if you please.” She waited.

“He’s not here.”

“Where is he?”

“I am not privy to the movements of the male staff.”

“But you know that he’s not here.”

“I do.”

“I will wait while you go and find out where he is.”

The housekeeper looked fit to explode but Lily had played these verbal power games for a few years now and she waited with the confidence that she had already won.

“Wait here,” the housekeeper muttered, wresting back just a modicum of control before she stalked off down one of the gloomy corridors that snaked away below the sweeping grand staircase in the middle of the hall.

Ten minutes later and Murray Peterson appeared, alone.

“I thought that the housekeeper was mistaken when she said you were out,” Lily said. “So you are here after all, Mr Peterson. I need to speak to you about your movements over the past few days.”

He sauntered over to her. He was only a few inches taller than she was but he stood far too close to her, trying to intimidate her with his presence. She held her ground and tipped her head back.

“Well, you know that I was out for an evening stroll last night as we met once another near Dalhiggie Place,” he said.

“What were you doing there?”

“I told you. Merely strolling. Appreciating architecture.”

“You ran off.”

“I forgot I was supposed to be somewhere else,” he said, and grinned widely, amused by his own blatant lie. “It suddenly came back to me. So sorry. I should have loved to stay and talk with you.”

It was no use getting into a case of “you did” and “no I did not.” She let it pass. Instead she said, “What did you say to Polly Anderson yesterday?”

He must have been expecting that question. Coolly, he said, “Oh yes, I popped over to the hospital to wish her all our best. She is one of our members of staff, as you well know. And she is well-loved here. It was entirely natural that I should check on her progress and assure her that she still had a position here, should she wish to retain it.

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