Warning at One

by Ann Purser

  "And Skinny Man?"

  "Scared and inept. He'd been a promising crime writer, but got himself involved in a sex scandal that hit the national press. Wife divorced him, and she had the money. He was more or less destitute and helped himself to cash from a village post office. Wrecked his career. Got the plot wrong in that case." Cowgill smiled, pleased with his bon mot.

  "Now," he continued, "first question. What the hell did they think they were doing grabbing you off the footpath, Lois?"

  "Why don't you ask them?" Derek said.

  "It's all right, Derek," Lois said calmly. She turned to Cowgill. "Big Al's not all that bright, y' know."

  "Nor is he a fool," Cowgill said quietly.

  "Maybe, but he thought he was clever, cleverer than anybody and especially cleverer than me. Mind you, they didn't plan for me to be midwife. It was Pat the skinny man's job. But he got snuffed out by the heavies, didn't he. Then there wasn't nobody else."

  "Rubbish!" Derek said. "You bet they got plenty of women at their beck and call. Your own fault, Lois, for being involved in the first place!"

  Cowgill frowned. "If you could just wait a while, Derek," he said. "I promise you shall have your say. Please go on, Lois."

  "Well, the poor woman goes into labour unexpectedly, and there I was, living just across the road. Al knows nobody in Farnden except me, the woman is screaming, and he panics. Makes an on-the-spot decision, thinking he can keep me quiet with threats of violence to my family if I talk. Sends those blokes creeping around, and they find me."

  She moved closer to Derek, and said, "If you'd seen that woman with her baby, love, you'd be glad I was there. An' I'm safely back, aren't I?"

  "Until the next time," Derek grunted.

  Gran poked her head round the door. "More coffee anyone?" she said. All shook their heads, and she retreated reluctantly.

  The questions went on, and Derek had his say. It was mostly what he had said many times before and he knew it was a waste of breath, but he felt better for saying it.

  "This is the last time, Lois," he finally repeated a couple of times, and thumped the coffee table with his fist to make his point. He got up, indicating the interview was at an end, and took the tray of mugs through to Gran in the kitchen.

  Lois saw Cowgill to the door. "What will happen to the woman and her baby?" she asked, and he replied that he would personally make sure she was cared for.

  "If she's allowed to stay here, d'you reckon she'd be interested in a cleaning job?" Lois said. "Once you've settled her safely?"

  Cowgill put out his hand and took hers. He gave it a small squeeze and said, "That's my girl. I'll be in touch."

  "Yes," Lois said, and stood at the door watching until he was in his car and driving away.

  Table of Contents

  WARNING AT ONE

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  TWENTY-ONE

  TWENTY-TWO

  TWENTY-THREE

  TWENTY-FOUR

  TWENTY-FIVE

  TWENTY-SIX

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  TWENTY-NINE

  THIRTY

  THIRTY-ONE

  THIRTY-TWO

  THIRTY-THREE

  THIRTY-FOUR

  THIRTY-FIVE

  THIRTY-SIX

  THIRTY-SEVEN

  THIRTY-EIGHT

  THIRTY-NINE

  FORTY

  FORTY-ONE

  FORTY-TWO

  FORTY-THREE

  FORTY-FOUR

  FORTY-FIVE

  FORTY-SIX

  FORTY-SEVEN

  FORTY-EIGHT

  FORTY-NINE

  FIFTY

  FIFTY-ONE

  FIFTY-TWO

  FIFTY-THREE

  FIFTY-FOUR

  FIFTY-FIVE

  FIFTY-SIX

  FIFTY-SEVEN