Death At The Lychgate by T.A. Belshaw

Author:T.A. Belshaw [Belshaw , T.A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Spellbound Books
Published: 2022-09-30T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter

Twenty-Seven

Amy sipped at her tea as she thought about Agatha’s revelation. It matched perfectly with the information that Joe had given her. All that was missing was his news about the Reverend Daley. Amy looked through the steam rising from her mug towards the pharmacist and wondered whether she knew all about that as well. She wouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised.

Bodkin pretended to study his notebook again.

‘A little later on that night, the committee came here, to this very kitchen for a glass of wine. Did you notice anything at all that was out of the ordinary?’

‘Not that I can think of. Peter was here of course, standing by the back door. I saw him put Caroline’s syringe into the pot on the stove to sterilise it, which was very kind of him.’

‘The wine you consumed was what he called his ‘house white’, did you see any other wine on the worktops that night? Any of his own French wine for instance.’

Agatha nodded.

‘There was a bottle of his more expensive stuff on the counter. I thought he was going to offer us some of that for one wild moment, but I ought to have known better. We got the vinegar, the three shillings a bottle stuff.’

Bodkin smiled.

‘Did you see anyone go near his own bottle at all? Did anyone pick it up to read the label or anything?’

‘No, not that I recall. I think he’d have snatched it out of their hands if anyone had tried.’

‘I had a drink from it,’ Caroline said, holding up her hand as if she was asking for permission to speak.

‘You had a drink from it?’ Agatha’s mouth fell open. ‘But you don’t drink? And when was this? Certainly not when I was in the kitchen.’

‘It was before you all came in. Peter picked it up and took a swig straight from the bottle, then he passed it to me. “Go on, be a devil,” he said. I only had a mouthful, then I handed it back and he pushed the cork in and put it back on the counter. We didn’t drink much, just a mouthful each. I think Peter was going to ask me out and he was trying to summon up the courage. It was just a light moment. It seemed to lessen the tension between us. As it was, he didn’t ask me anyway… not that night at least, because suddenly the room was filled with committee members.’

Bodkin made a few notes.

‘Why didn’t you mention this the last time I was here, Mrs Gatting?’

‘Oh, I don’t know. I didn’t want to get into any trouble over it, I suppose. There seemed to be so much attention on that blooming bottle of wine.’

‘It may be the thing that poisoned him, Caroline,’ Bodkin said sternly.

‘Well, I’m still alive, and so is Peter.’

Amy brushed away a stray strand of hair and looked over at Bodkin.

‘Well, we know the wine hadn’t been poisoned before the committee members turned up. So that’s something new.’

‘Indeed. I only wish we’d been informed earlier,’ said Bodkin, staring directly at the housekeeper.

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