Terror on Tuesday by Ann Purser

Author:Ann Purser
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: For the Benefit of Mr. Kite
Published: 2002-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Four

“Fancy goin’ out tonight, Lois?” said Derek. He had had mixed feelings about his mother-in-law coming to stay. He got on with her well enough, and over the years she had stood by the family, a pillar of reliability when Lois had asked for help. But Gran was a lonely woman, still full of energy and in good shape, and not at all the sort to sit back with her knitting. Lois being an only child meant all her interest was focussed on the Meade family, and occasionally this became oppressive. Still, he had only to drop a hint, and she backed off at once. No, all in all, Gran was a good old gel, and he was fond of her. Now she was here, he meant to make the most of it and see that Lois took some time off to enjoy herself. She’d definitely been looking peaky lately.

“Yes, you go, Lois,” said Gran. “Me and the kids want to watch that quiz on the telly, and we can do it without you and Derek fidgeting about, disapproving.”

“Right, if that’s how you feel,” said Lois, taking mock offence, “you’re on, Derek. Where shall we go?”

“Pictures?” said Derek. “There’s that new fantasy movie at the Sol Central.”

Lois shook her head. “Don’t fancy that,” she said. “How about a good laugh? There’s this daft thing on at that little theatre in Tresham…all supposed to be amateur actors puttin’ on plays. The manager at the hall saw it, and said he’d never laughed so much…”

“Blimey!” said Derek. “Doesn’t sound like my idea of a good night out…nor yours, for that matter. You got an ulterior motive again, Lois, by any chance? Somethin’ connected with your precious inspector?”

Lois was about to cave in, but her mother interrupted.

“Yeah,” she said, “there was a woman at the Oxfam shop had seen it. Said it’s a real scream. Her daughter’s in it.”

“Wonderful,” said Derek. “Amateurs playin’ amateurs. Should be a night to remember.” He was silent for a few seconds, and then shrugged. “Well, if that’s what you want, Lois, we’d better do it. Your treat, supposed to be, and I can always have a snooze.”

But the whole thing turned out to be a pleasant surprise for Derek. The entire evening, with all its joke stage effects and really good acting – acting bad acting – was a riot. The audience was mopping its eyes by the end, and Derek held Lois’s hand for support. “Come on, gel,” he said, “let’s get a drink. That was the best laugh I’ve had for a long time.”

Lois had laughed too, but not so wholeheartedly. All the time the players were on stage, she was looking at them closely. None were familiar, except that client, Mrs Jordan, who’d known the major. She was playing the prompt, and had a real gift for comic ridiculousness. It was not until the last play – there were four short dramas – that she saw Gary. Some of the jokes in the Shakespeare

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