Murder at the Murder Mystery Weekend by David W Robinson

Author:David W Robinson [Robinson, David W]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction & Literature
Publisher: Crooked Cat Books
Published: 2012-11-16T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

It was 7:30 when Joe returned to the Scampton Room to discover that the right hand wall of the Gibson Room, the wall without any decoration, had been slid back and open to turn the whole dining/bar area into a huge, single, open plan room. Hotel staff were laying out trestle tables with food in the dining area.

Above the bar, a sign read Free bar 7:30-9:00, and the area was already packed; mostly with the Sanford 3rd Age Club. Joe knew enough about his members to be sure that they would not pass up such an opportunity. Even the more middle class members like Les Tanner, or the near-teetotallers, like Sylvia Goodson, would not hesitate to take advantage of free drink.

Sheila and Brenda were sharing a table with Tanner and Sylvia and the Staineses, and sat with them was the young woman playing Theresa Haliwell. Other members of the cast were dotted around the room, chatting with guests, and he noticed George Robson laying a line of chat on Tanya Richmond, the actress playing Valerie Wilson, the same woman who had given Joe such short shrift the previous evening. Melanie was on the podium in the far corner talking to the DJ, and the air was thick with the approach of New Year.

He joined his friends who promptly introduce him to the actress.

“I’m Olivia Anderson,” she said, “and as I’m sure you’ve noticed, I play Theresa Haliwell.”

“Joe Murray, private detective extraordinaire…” he introduced himself. “When I’m not making steak and kidney pies.”

Olivia laughed. “So I’ve been hearing. Are you going to question me on the real murder?”

“Do you know anything about it?” Joe asked. She shook her head, and he concluded, “In that case there’s no point me questioning you, is there? Tell you what, though, I do have a question for Theresa.”

She appeared disappointed but hid it behind a cheery smile. “Go on, then.”

“You’re engaged to Crenshaw, but you were engaged to McLintock. How much influence did daddy really have in the switch?”

She scowled convincingly. “Lots, if you must know. He didn’t like Patrick, er, McLintock, at all. Daddy always said that McLintock got out of serving in the war thanks to his money. He was born to it, you know. His father was a stockbroker, too. Frightfully rich, of course.”

“So how did the colonel persuade you to settle for Crenshaw?”

“Threatened to cut my allowance off. He said I wouldn’t need it if I married new money. The Crenshaws, on the other hand, are old money. Related to royalty, so they claim, and Michael is a decent sort, but he’s so… I don’t know. Boring. You know?”

“And old money is a euphemism for being near broke, isn’t it?”

“Hmm. I never thought of it quite like that, but yes, I suppose so. They don’t have much in the way of hard cash. Michael is always counting the pennies. But they do own a frightful lot of land.”

“Would McLintock be angry enough to pop your father off?” Joe wanted to know.

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