MURDER OF INNOCENCE a completely unputdownable cozy mystery by VERONICA HELEY

Author:VERONICA HELEY [HELEY, VERONICA]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Joffe Ostara Classics
Published: 2023-09-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Ellie tried to keep calm. ‘No, Tod. I’m not so rich anymore.’

‘You’re only saying that to upset me and I shouldn’t be upset, you know I shouldn’t.’

Ellie sighed. ‘Tod, listen to me . . .’

He stormed out of the room and threw himself on the sofa down below. Before Ellie could follow, he had the television turned on, full blast.

Ellie covered her ears and retreated to the phone in the hall. Perhaps dear Rose could spare a couple of hours to look after him? Unfortunately Rose was working at the charity shop and though happy to oblige at any other time, couldn’t help that day, but was so pleased to hear that dear Ellie was going to do something about the church hall, which, as everyone knew, was threatening to fall down about their ears.

Which news made Ellie wince. How did the gossip get around so quickly? Dear Rose put the phone down before Ellie remembered that her old friend had mentioned a problem she’d been having. Something to do with her daughter’s wedding? Whatever it was, it could wait. Rose hadn’t brought the subject up again so it couldn’t have been important.

The phone rang. It was Armand, in a tearing hurry between lessons or lessons and a meeting or some such. ‘This is the name of the man who used to run the stamp club at school here . . . have you got a pencil? He’ll be able to give you the low-down on who collects stamps locally. I’ve got to run, so . . . the name’s Pearsall. Lives locally, they say. You can look him up in the phone book . . . What’s that?’ To someone in the room with him? ‘Oh. Coming . . . All right, Ellie? Got to dash . . .’

Pearsall. Ellie wrote the name down. It didn’t mean anything to her. Should she try it on Tod? But more importantly, who could she find to look after Tod while she went out with Diana?

After a search through the bits of paper in her handbag she found Roy’s mobile phone number and tried him. In a meeting, would ring her back.

As a last resort she tried Betty, the delightful girl who looked after young Frank while Diana was out at work. If Ellie paid her double — here Ellie winced — would Betty bring young Frank over and look after him and Tod in Mrs Coppola’s house? She would. Blessings and thanks.

She told Tod what was going to happen and he covered his ears with his hands. She said, ‘What you need, my boy, is . . .’ Then she sighed. A good spanking was not going to help and was against the law anyway. He needed a cuddle, she supposed. But when she tried to give it him, he pushed her away and called her a dirty name.

She’d had enough, and more than enough.

Betty arrived with little Frank, who was grizzling in his pushchair. Ellie turned over her charge

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