The Library Murders: An absolutely page-turning and addictive cozy mystery novel (A Flora Steele Mystery Book 8) by Merryn Allingham

Author:Merryn Allingham [Allingham, Merryn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2024-02-20T00:00:00+00:00

At dawn, he was up and making himself three rounds of toast and two pots of coffee, courtesy of Arthur, while he waited for the moment he could telephone Alan Ridley. His first attempt failed, Ridley not yet having arrived at the Brighton station. Rather than a fourth round of toast, he walked through the French doors into his back garden and did a slow tour, first of the two herbaceous borders and then of his large vegetable patch, deciding as he stood there that he must ask Charlie to come over at the weekend to help him clear a section and sow lettuce and radish for the autumn. He would be giving up the lease of Overlay House but not until late October.

The garden was always calming and planning for the new season a distraction for Jack’s harried mind. When he called again, he was able to greet the inspector, newly arrived in his office, with a cheerful hello.

‘Good to hear from you, Jack.’ Ridley’s voice crackled down the phone. ‘I was wondering where you’d got to. Been thinking it was time we met up.’

The Cross Keys, Jack thought, groaning inwardly.

‘A pint at the Cross Keys? How about lunchtime tomorrow?’

‘Sounds good,’ he lied. ‘I’d welcome a catch-up. But… Lowell Gracey? What happened? He appears to be on the loose.’

‘I had to let him go, old chap. Not enough evidence to prosecute.’

‘His fingerprints were on the murder weapon,’ Jack objected.

‘They were, along with a dozen others. But he’s never made any secret of the fact that he was holding the weapon. Your… Miss Steele… testified to it. Gracey stands by his story that he came back from a walk around the playing fields and found his boss lying in a pool of blood.’

‘And the argument the caretaker heard?’

‘He admits he and Miss Frobisher had a bit of a ding-dong. Apparently, he was due to take over her job and then she withdrew her resignation. But he was quite upfront about it.’

‘Was he also upfront about the amount of debt he’s in? It gives him a very strong motive for getting rid of Maud.’

‘Course it does, but like I say, we’ve no evidence. If I could pin the theft of that dratted book on him, I might have some luck. But so far, zero success. I hope you’ve got something for me.’

‘I might, though it’s nothing to do with Gracey.’

‘Anything, Jack. See you around one o’clock tomorrow – in the bar.’

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