The Lifeline by Margaret Mayhew

Author:Margaret Mayhew
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781448304141
Publisher: Severn House Publishers
Published: 2020-01-06T16:00:00+00:00

NINE

The Colonel answered the phone, bracing himself for yet another round with his daughter-in-law on the subject of bungalows and vitamins. Instead, he heard Ruth’s frantic voice.

‘Hugh? Can you come at once? Something simply terrible has happened.’

He didn’t waste time asking what it was. He sprinted for the Riley like one of The Few scrambling in 1940. As he skidded into the Manor driveway he saw several cars parked there – two of them marked police cars. Ruth opened the front door at once.

‘Thank God you’re here, Hugh!’

He made her sit down on one of the hall chairs. ‘Tell me what’s happened.’

‘Lawrence Deacon has been murdered.’

‘Murdered? Are you sure?’

‘Unless he managed to commit suicide by hitting himself over the head with a spade, then, yes, I’m very sure. And so are the police. Inspector Squibb is here with them. You remember him?’

Indeed he did, and the memory was not at all agreeable. Inspector Squibb had been in charge of the investigation into Lady Swynford’s death at the Manor. Ruth’s mother had been suffocated with a pillow in her bedroom while the annual summer fête took place merrily in the gardens below. There had been a number of police suspects – one of them Ruth herself, who had happened to discover her mother’s body – and the young Inspector Squibb, cocky and confident, had managed to make himself offensive to everyone. The Colonel had encountered him again when the famous actress, Lois Delaney, had been found dead in her bath at one of the Hall’s newly converted flats and Squibb had reappeared to direct the proceedings. The second experience had been no improvement on the first.

‘Where are the police?’

‘Out in the greenhouse where Lawrence was found.’

‘What was he doing there?’

‘I’d asked him to pinch out the tomato side shoots for me. I showed him how to do it and gave him a stool so he could sit down whenever he wanted. Then I left him alone.’

‘Who found his body?’

‘The Major.’

‘The Major?’

‘Apparently, he’d come to choose a plant for Marjorie’s birthday. He says he was looking for someone to pay when Jacob came rushing out of the greenhouse in a big panic, collided with him and ran off. When he went to look inside, wondering what was wrong, he saw someone lying on the ground, face down, with blood all over the place. Tanya heard the Major yelling for help and ran to the greenhouse. As soon as she saw Lawrence she came and fetched me from the stables.’

‘She knew it was him? Even though he was lying face down?’

‘She must have done. She told me it was him. I phoned Tom and he came home at once. He said Lawrence was dead and nothing could be done for him. He called the police and stayed till they arrived. Then he had to go and take evening surgery and I called you.’

‘I’m very glad you did. Where’s the Major now?’

‘In the drawing room. On his third whisky. Inspector Squibb ordered him to wait there for further questioning.

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