The Spring Cleaning Murders by Cannell Dorothy

Author:Cannell, Dorothy [Cannell, Dorothy]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Mystery & Detective, Cozy British Mystery, Women Sleuths, Fiction
ISBN: 9780670875719
Publisher: Viking
Published: 1998-06-15T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Wash bone-china dinner services and tea sets during spring cleaning. It is necessary that this be done once a year to prevent cracking.

On the following Thursday Freddy showed up early in the afternoon and stayed to watch me mix up a batch of furniture polish from the instructions in Abigail’s little book. Eager for validation, I bragged about having made some silver polish the day before, at the prospect of which my cousin looked suitably awed. Had I, he inquired, thought of mass-producing an entire line of housecleaning products? And if so could he please be the one to start selling door to door? Such enthusiasm warmed my heart. I actually liked his idea until I thought about turning the kitchen into a one-woman factory. No hope of Freddy, however enthusiastic a salesman, agreeing to do part of the menial work.

He did offer to eat a slice of the chocolate cake left over from an ill-fated picnic. In fact he had two slices, saying it would be negligent to let it go to waste. Scratching his beard, he looked at me in what I’m sure he considered a meaningful way.

“I haven’t forgotten,” I assured him, swallowing my last mouthful of cake, “about going to see Dr. Solomon about Jonas.”

“When’s he due back from his holiday, coz?”

“Today. But I thought I’d go tomorrow morning when the twins are in play school.”

“Bad idea. Doesn’t do to procrastinate.” Freddy ambled over to the refrigerator to stand with the door open, peering inside with all the intensity of an anthropologist studying culture as evinced by an igloo. Finally, before his nose got frost-bitten off his face, he took out a bottle of milk and the makings of a ham sandwich and unloaded these spoils on the table. “You see,” he said cheerfully, “you can take yourself off, Ellie, without fear I will starve to death in your absence.”

“You just had half a cake,” I reminded him.

“Did I?” He was busily unwrapping the sliced ham and squeezing the bread to make sure it was fresh. “As I was just saying, Ellie, procrastination is a bad thing. Always get a head start, that’s my motto.” Should I take his advice and go along to Dr. Solomon’s surgery now? But I hated leaving the kitchen such a shambles. Besides, I didn’t like the idea of leaving my polish-making paraphernalia sitting out where the children could get hold of it.

“Go,” urged Freddy through a mouthful of sandwich. “I’ll clean up this mess before the twins get up from their naps. Take all the time you want. As Mrs. Malloy was fond of saying, I only charge by the hour.”

“Well, if you’re sure,” I said, “about there being no rush, I’ll take Jonas’s mirror to be repaired and return Brigadier Lester-Smith’s raincoat. I really do need to get Ben’s coat back.” I was getting into mine as I spoke and taking a scarf from a hook in the alcove to put in my pocket.

“Don’t forget your handbag.” Freddy

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