Murder In Law by Veronica Heley

Author:Veronica Heley [Heley, Veronica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Severn House Publishers
Published: 2021-02-04T16:00:00+00:00

Saturday teatime

Home again. Rafael decanted Susan from the car, with care. She could hear Fifi’s thin wail as Rafael opened the front door. Coralie was walking up and down the corridor, with Fifi in her arms. Fifi wasn’t a happy bunny.

Susan reached for her baby, who clung to her – never mind that it hurt – and sobbed and sobbed. ‘Poor little one. Did you think I’d deserted you?’

Fifi gave a little hiccup, was put over Susan’s shoulder to bring up her wind, and then subsided into Susan’s arms with a pleased look, her colour returning to normal.

Susan felt a nudge at her knee. There was Evan, holding up his Hippo. ‘I gave her my Hippo, but she wouldn’t stop crying.’

Susan wanted to say that Fifi had needed her mummy but didn’t, because Diana’s poor children had possibly never been comforted by their mother as Fifi was now being comforted by Susan.

It was Coralie who said it. ‘She needed her mummy. Evan, you are a very brave little boy, and thoughtful, too. Now, let’s fetch Fifi her bottle and then you can help me find something for your tea.’

She nodded to Susan. ‘We had a good walk in the fresh air and played in the park till it began to cloud over. There’s some post. I put it on the kitchen table. Lucia put some money on her phone and has been texting someone ever since.’ Having dumped the problem of Lucia upon Susan, Coralie led Evan away.

Susan carefully lowered herself on to the settee and made a fuss of Fifi until Coralie returned to hand her a bottle of milk, carefully warmed to the right temperature.

Susan settled herself with one cushion under her arm and gave the bottle to Fifi … who refused it until she remembered that it might be all right if her mummy was giving it to her, and settled down to suck.

Susan relaxed and looked around her.

Jenny was sitting, rapt, in front of the telly, while Lucia was in a corner texting away on her phone. Did Lucia have a boyfriend? Hadn’t she mentioned someone she’d hoped to contact when she was turned out of house and home? Someone who hadn’t been available to help her that day? Or was she texting her family? She was not looking after Jenny, that was clear.

Rafael appeared and Jenny scrambled to her feet and launched herself at him shouting, ‘Cuckoo, cuckoo!’

Rafael picked her up, saying, ‘Cuckoo to you, too!’ He put his free arm round Susan and kissed the top of her head. ‘Take it easy, and I’ll bring you a cuppa.’ He switched the television off, told Lucia that she was needed in the kitchen to help Coralie feed the five thousand, and managed to get the girl moving.

Fifi lay on her mother’s uninjured side. Fifi sucked enthusiastically, and then rhythmically, and finally slowed down. Susan winded her and gave her the last inch of milk. Fifi fell away from the teat, her eyes closing. She’d had a tiring and difficult day and needed a nap.

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