Murder at Midnight (Booker & Fitch Mysteries Book 3) by Liz Hedgecock & Paula Harmon

Author:Liz Hedgecock & Paula Harmon [Hedgecock, Liz & Harmon, Paula]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: White Rhino Books
Published: 2023-07-26T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Christmas Day and Boxing Day passed in a blur of too much food, plenty of wine, and silly board games that had even Annie laughing till tears ran down her cheeks.

It was a welcome respite from worry. Dylan asked no more questions. Both parents and in-laws kept off the subject of the murder. Fi wore the beautiful amethyst earrings that Jade had given her and was relieved that Jade’s messages over the two days seemed relaxed, happy and even facetious, when Hugo attempted a complicated festive feast from a glossy supplement using the equipment available in the flat.

Fi and Dylan returned to Coralie at sunset on Boxing Day and collected Stan from Zach. It was good to be home.

She woke on the twenty-seventh of December feeling like a child when the summer holidays come to an end and a new term in a new class beckons. It was that mixed sensation of coming out of carefree laziness, yet looking forward to the challenge of something new to tax her mind.

A little part of her felt guilty that they were investigating when they’d told Inspector Acaster they wouldn’t, and Marcus’s cheerful Christmas messages had hinted that he hoped she was keeping her distance this time. But as she prepared to take Stan on a mid-morning walk, Fi knew it was time to start thinking about the murder again.

Was Mrs Bain still in town? Wouldn’t she have gone to family or friends for Christmas? Surely it would be too difficult to stay in the house?

‘Rrrerrfff,’ woofed Stan, shivering against her legs as they stood on the deck.

‘Good point,’ said Fi. ‘What about the dog? I assumed it came home, but no one’s said so. If it did, perhaps she couldn’t go away at Christmas. Look at Annie – she didn’t really want you at hers. Naughty Annie.’ She crouched and scratched between Stan’s ears as her thoughts darkened.

The dog might have been a sort of witness to the crime. It couldn’t talk, but it would surely react to anyone doing its master harm. According to the customer who was their neighbour, it was a barker. If it saw someone hurt its owner, wouldn’t it try to protect him? What would the murderer do to keep it quiet?

But I’m sure the papers would have said if anything had happened to the dog. Maybe it went home before anything happened. Perhaps it runs off sometimes. Or maybe it’s fonder of Mrs Bain anyway. I could go past the house to see. But how could I tell if the dog was out of sight?

Stan gave a throaty growl then a tiny yap, and wagged his tail. Fi looked up. One of the dogs they often met on walks was approaching. He was some distance away, but Stan had caught his scent.

Fi knew the lane where the Bains lived. It was at the southern edge of the town, starting with the Star and Fishes and opening onto countryside at the other end. It was part of a route Fi took when she wanted a more challenging run in the hills.

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