Murder in the Dark - A Libby Sarjeant Murder Mystery (Libby Sarjeant Murder Mystery Series)

Author:Cookman, Lesley [Cookman, Lesley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781909335936
Publisher: Accent Press
Published: 2013-12-10T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

Ben was only too happy to eat at The Pink Geranium again, and at eight o’clock he and Libby joined Edward on the sofa in the window.

‘Fran says she thinks Ian – Chief Inspector Connell – is hoping she’ll come up with something tomorrow.’ Libby helped herself to wine.

‘What – you mean using her – um …’ Edward trailed off.

‘Yes,’ said Libby bending on him a minatory look.

‘It’s absolutely true,’ said Ben, looking amused. ‘I first met her when she was actually employed by a company of prestigious estate agents –’

‘Goodall and Smythe,’ put in Libby, and saw Edward’s eyebrows go up.

‘– to scope out properties for anything that might have occurred in the past that would affect a sale.’

‘I’ve never heard of that,’ said Edward.

‘I hadn’t, either, but in fact, Fran nosed out a body for them in one place. And there were a couple of other instances where she was successful.’

‘So now she helps the police as an expert witness,’ said Libby. ‘And you can scoff all you like, but it’s worked several times. I mean, she’s even discovered murder where a natural death had occurred.’

‘The trouble is,’ said Ben, ‘she can’t do it to order. And she’s out of practice. When she worked for Goodall and Smythe it was routine to go into properties with an open mind regularly, but she’s not required to do that now, so that part of her brain stays switched off.’

‘Except when it breaks through with something startling, like it did with the St Aldeberge murders,’ said Libby.

‘The – what?’ Edward was looking, horrified, between the two of them.

Libby grinned and patted his hand. ‘Don’t worry about it. We’re used to it. I ought to write all the cases up one day, I suppose. People might want to read about them.’

Edward took a large gulp of wine. ‘I know I said I liked your friends, but if you keep getting mixed up in murders, I’m not sure any more!’

‘But that’s why we’re involved this time,’ said Libby. ‘It’s because it’s happened before that we get asked to look into things. Adelaide asked us, although I’m not sure she’s pleased about that, now.’

‘To be fair, you were already on the periphery,’ said Ben, ‘with Adam being on the spot when the first body was found.’

‘Adam?’ said Edward.

‘That’s Adam,’ said Libby.

‘Hello,’ said Adam. ‘I’m Libby’s son. How do you do?’

Edward, bemused, reached out to shake Adam’s hand. ‘And how –?’

‘Was he on the spot? Come on, order your meal and I’ll explain,’ said Libby. Which she did while they waited for Adam to bring their food.

‘Well,’ said Edward when she’d finished. He looked at Ben. ‘Did you know all this would happen when you first met Libby?

Ben laughed. ‘Oh, we met years and years ago when we were both married to other people. We hadn’t seen one another for a long time until the theatre brought us together. With a murder, of course.’

Edward shook his head. ‘I’m not sure it’s safe being friends with you.

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