THE STING OF DEATH an absolutely gripping English cozy mystery by REBECCA TOPE

Author:REBECCA TOPE [TOPE, REBECCA]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Joffe Books cozy mysteries and crime
Published: 2022-10-05T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Drew woke at six thirty next morning to the sound of Timmy’s chirruping. Like any dawn chorus, it managed to be both enchanting and annoying at the same time. Drew groaned softly.

‘Never mind, the mornings are getting darker now,’ came Karen’s comforting whisper. ‘By October, he’ll be sleeping till eight.’

‘Roll on October, then,’ sighed Drew. ‘My finger’s still stiff, you know.’ He held it up for inspection, showing her where the joint was swollen and red.

‘It’s better than yesterday,’ she judged. ‘I’ve been thinking about this business with Justine and Penn,’ she went on, nestling comfortably against his ribs. ‘And I suddenly wondered if my Mum knows what’s going on. She’s awfully out of it, in her Welsh mountains.’

‘Would she be interested? Justine’s nothing to do with her.’

‘She might. She keeps up with Uncle Sebastian and Auntie Helen, and she always seemed to like Penn.’

‘Families,’ sighed Drew. ‘You know, Roma accused me of having romantic ideas about the family.’

‘Oh? Does that mean she’s cynical about them?’

‘I think it probably does. She’s too self-sufficient to care much about distant relatives.’

‘Then why does Penn keep visiting her? What’s the attraction?’

Drew smiled. ‘I forgot you still haven’t met her. She’s a very magnetic personality. Charismatic, even. She stomps round, doing whatever she likes, telling people just what she thinks, but she’s funny, as well. She’s one of those people who are much more complicated than they first appear. I think, deep down, she’s got a good heart.’

‘As your granny used to say,’ Karen supplied automatically.

‘But there’s a darker side as well, which she tries to ignore. From what I saw on Tuesday, I guess Justine’s expert at rubbing her nose in all the things she’s trying to avoid.’

‘Nasty. I knew I didn’t like Justine, even though I only saw her once.’

‘I quite liked her,’ he murmured. ‘After a while, not at first. She grew on me.’

‘Has Maggs met Roma yet?’

He had to think for a moment. ‘No, I suppose not. Why?’

‘Oh, I don’t know. They sound as if they might have things in common.’

‘D’you think so?’ He gave the idea some thought. ‘Can’t really see it myself. But they would probably like each other.’ He listened to his baby son for a few moments, before going on, ‘Justine’s a potter. When this is all settled we should go and have a look at her stuff.’

‘What if she’s put in prison for kidnapping? Would she be allowed to sell her pots then?’

He angled his head awkwardly to look at her. ‘Is that what you think? That she kidnapped little Georgia?’

‘I don’t know,’ she sighed. ‘But if it’s a choice between her and Penn having done it, I’m pretty sure I’d opt for Justine. Penn was always so straight when she was little. She had a huge sense of fair play. I know I hardly met Justine, but I find it easy to believe she’s devious and sly.’

‘You can’t judge people by one glimpse of them as a child,’ he reproached her. ‘Even if she was sly then, that doesn’t prove anything now.

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