Somebody Wants to Kill Me by Richard Rees

Author:Richard Rees [Rees, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-04-09T22:00:00+00:00

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Paul exited the sitting room and saw her on the top riser. She removed her hands. The music was getting more frenzied, it sounded like the pianist was going berserk.

‘How long have you been there?’ he called up to her. ‘Did you hear what Detective King had to say?’

She descended the stairs still sitting, bringing her crutches with her.

‘Let me help you.’ Paul extended his hand.

‘I can manage on my own,’ she said, curt. Reaching the bottom riser, she placed the feet of her crutches on the hall floor and struggled to pull herself up and stand with them. Paul again held out his hand to help her. She thrust it away. Realizing her mood hadn’t changed, he moved aside.

Morgan exited the dining room into the hall. Behind him the music was building up to a crescendo as the pianist’s fingers sped frenetically over the keyboard. ‘I thought I detected voices,’ Morgan said.

‘Over that music?’ Paul attempted to be jovial ‘You must have the ears of a bat.’

‘It’s Rachmaninov’s “Prelude in C Sharp Minor”, as you well know, Paul, being it’s one of my favorite pieces.’ He turned to Karen. ‘I brought my CD player with me especially to play it. Despite its intensity, in a contrary way it helps me relax.’ Before she could make the pithy response already on her lips, he added. ‘Now you’re back home again, Karen, I’ve moved my work from your studio on to the dining table, if

that’s alright with you?’ Without waiting for a reply, ‘Either of you like a coffee?’ he asked. ‘No?’ he answered for them. ‘Then I’ll get back to my designs.’ Re-entering the room, he closed the door, muffling the piano piece as it climaxed, and then softened down.

Karen crutched into the sitting room. Paul followed, puffed up a cushion for her to sit by him on the couch. She sat in another chair.

‘I’m afraid Morgan has his own peculiar taste in music,’ Paul remarked, trying to dispel the tense atmosphere she’d brought into the room. ‘The piece he’s listening to now, so he told me, was once called “The Day of Judgment”.’

‘I could have done without knowing that,’ she bit back at him, instantly regretting her outburst, she needed to be calm to outwit him.

‘Sorry, amante, I should have thought first.’

‘And I shouldn’t have snapped,’ she forced herself to say and added as an aside, ‘I’ve just been talking to Susan. She said you’ve not long called her.’

He sat facing her on the couch before replying. ‘Just to reassure her that you were getting over his last call,’ he said dismissively.

‘Susan said it was about an antique necklace you’re wanting to give me,’ she lied, watching his face for his reaction,.

‘Damn!’ Paul mimed a flicker of annoyance. ‘I wanted to keep it a surprise.’

‘It was a really sweet thought,’ she responded. ‘Thank you. But I already have enough necklaces. I’ll tell her when she gets here.’

‘It will probably be better if you leave it to me to tell her,’ he returned, a tad too hastily.

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