by Ann Purser
Ken said nothing, but stared fixedly at her. “Is it a deal?” Lois said, trying to keep her voice steady.
He slowly lowered the gun, stood up and fastened his coat, having trouble with the top button. Without saying another word, he walked out of the kitchen, out of the front door, and straight into the arms of Chief Inspector Hunter Cowgill. At the same time, the scullery door opened, and Jean Slater appeared, crossed to where Lois still sat, frozen in her chair. Jean looked down at the lifeless body, and collapsed on to the chair so lately occupied by her husband. “Oh my God,” she said, and tears streamed down her cheeks, unchecked by her shaking hands.
Lois came to life. “Sorry,” she said. But that wasn’t enough, and she mustered all her strength. “Mrs. Slater,” she stuttered, “he didn’t even look back at her. What he’d done to her. He was a devil.”
FIFTY-THREE
AFTER A FEW MINUTES, COWGILL WALKED INTO THE kitchen and went straight to Lois, who was still sitting at the table, holding tight to Jean Slater’s shaking hand.
“For God’s sake, Lois, are you all right?” His hand on her shoulder was warm, reassuring. “Why didn’t you tell me what was happening?”
“I tried,” she said. “I left the message to say where I was, hoping you’d come. But I didn’t know,” she added, finally turning to look at him, “I really didn’t know Ken Slater would be here. Did you get him?”
Cowgill nodded. “Gone to the station with the lads,” he said. He sat down. “Mrs. Slater,” he said, looking at Jean, but she seemed not to hear him. “I’m afraid we have to take Mrs. Jenkinson away soon. And you will have to come with our policewoman so that we can ask you some more questions. She’ll be here in a few minutes. We’ll wait together, if you can spare us a little time, Lois?”
She nodded. “It might help … help Mrs. Slater … if I just told you a couple of things now. Ken and Doreen were lovers, but I expect you knew that. They planned to kill Howard … Seems they relied on his phobia for guns, and scared him to death. That’s what people say, don’t they … scared to death. Never actually come across it before …”
Cowgill reached out and took Lois’s hand, connecting the three of them. “You’re a bit shocked, Lois, and no bloody wonder.” She had never heard him swear before. “No, I’m okay, I think … but I’d like to get home to see Derek, an’ that.”
A small frown briefly appeared on Cowgill’s face, but was quickly gone. “Not much longer,” he said.
Jean suddenly looked up. “No, Mrs. Meade,” she said. “It wasn’t just because they were lovers, wanting Howard out of the way. Although I thought all that was finished.” She passed a hand across her eyes and resumed. “It was Doreen started it, when she saw Howard on the golf course in the summer. Doreen and me were playing together. We’d fixed up a game on the spur of the moment, so Howard wouldn’t have known we were there. She hit her ball into the rough, underneath the trees. She went in after it, and when she came out she was pale as a ghost. I thought she was going to faint. We sat down on the edge of the fairway, and when she’d recovered a bit, she told me she’d seen Howard, deep in the bracken, with that Susanna Jacob. At it, they were. No mistaking that, Doreen said. Bare bums an’ all. After that, we used to fantasise about ways of getting our own back on the bugger. And this is how it ended. Ken would do anything for her, you know. Anything.”
She looked down at Doreen’s body, and the spreading pool of blood. “Except that,” she said, beginning to shake again. “I never thought he would do that …”
“I’m not sure he meant to.” Lois was feeling sick, and wondered how much longer. At that moment the door opened, a policewoman came in, and then everything was organised and dealt with. After a while, Lois walked out of Hornton House, and saw Josie waving to her from the shop doorway. She hesitated, then went across the road. “Got time for a cuppa?” Josie said. “Nothing much happening at the moment. A really quiet afternoon, unfortunately!”
Lois stared at her. “Well,” she said, “there’s something to be said for that.” She shivered, and visibly pulled herself together. “Now,” she began firmly, “I promised Dad tinned rice pudding tonight. Gran disapproves, but Dad likes it better than hers. Got any left? And yes, I’d love a cup of tea, hot and sweet.” She bit her lip, keeping a hold on herself.
“You all right, Mum?” Josie looked closely at her.
“Yep, I’m fine, thanks, love. Shall we get that tea, before the queue of customers arrives?”
Josie laughed. This was more like her Mum. Perhaps she’d had a bit of indigestion. Too many chocolate biscuits over at Mrs. Jenkinson’s. “Mrs. J had visitors this afternoon, didn’t she?” she said. “I saw those Slaters, and was it your cop friend, with henchmen? I had to answer the phone and missed most of it.”
“Just a social call, I think,” Lois said. Josie would know it all soon enough.
WHEN LOIS RETURNED HOME, THERE WAS A MESSAGE TO RING Bill. “He sounded excited,” Gran said. “Are you going to ring him now?”
“Might as well,” Lois said, and went into her office.
“Bill? You rang,” she said, and he replied at once, “Yeah, I’ve got some news. But first tell me what’s wrong with you, Mrs. M.”
“What d’you mean?”
“You sound awful. We’ve known each other a long time, and I know something’s up.”
“Tell you later,” Lois said, and then remembered. Bill and Rebecca. “Hey, Bill!” she said, her spirits rising rapidly. “Is it …?”
“Yeah, it is—at last! Rebecca can’t resist my charms any longer, and has agreed against her better judgement to marry me in six months’ time. Seems it takes that long to make arrangements. What d’you think?” He sounded anxious for her approval.
Lois found a tissue and blew her nose hard. “She must be mad,” she said, and then laughed. “Oh, Bill, I’m so pleased. What wonderful news! You can’t imagine how glad I am you rang me. Bless you both. Give her my love, and we’ll talk later.”
She didn’t mention having heard the news first from Miss Beasley. She didn’t care. All she could think of was being at home, with Gran in the kitchen making supper, and Derek on his way back, full of news of the day and leaving muddy footprints all over the floor.
EPILOGUE
“RED SKY IN THE MORNING, SHEPHERD‘S WARNING,” Derek said darkly. “It’ll rain, me duck, before breakfast.”
“Rain before seven, fine before eleven,” Lois one-upped him. “You’ll see, by the time Rebecca arrives at the church, the sun’ll be shining. It always shines on the bride.”
“Rubbish! Anyway, better take umbrellas. And we should get up. It’s a long way to the Rogers’ ancestral home.”
“Don’t be daft.” Lois gave him a shove. “You go to the bathroom first, and I’ll go down and help Gran. Do you think we’ll all squeeze into Josie’s little car?”
“Have to,” Derek said, disappearing into the bathroom. “Don’t fancy turning up at a society wedding in New Brooms van. Even if you do sweep cleaner …”
They did after all arrive in plenty of time, and Derek suggested a drink in the pub to shelter from the rain. He managed to avoid sounding smug. There they found many others fuelling themselves for the momentous event. Some of the lads joshing each other were clearly Bill’s friends from Yorkshire. Two elderly ladies sitting decorously in a corner, sipping dry sherries, bore a faint resemblance to Rebecca. “Aunties,” whispered Gran to Lois.
The small village church was full of flowers, and the scent of white lilies made Gran sneeze. It was full of guests, too, with not a spare seat. Lois looked around, and saw her girls, Bill’s colleagues, were there in force. She smiled, proud of their loyalty. Then the organist began the dramatic music signalling the entrance of the bride, and all heads turned to the door. Bill, who stood at the front, handsome in his morning suit, upright and serious, did not turn. Nervous, thought Lois. Poor Bill, first time I’ve ever seen him nervous. Then Rebecca appeared on the arm of her father, veiled a
nd majestically mysterious. As she approached Bill, she pushed back her veil and, like the sun coming out, she smiled at him.
Lois and Gran held hands and sniffed. The service began, and it was, as always, a solemn and moving time. Then they were man and wife, and walked down the aisle triumphantly surrounded by goodwill and love.
AS LOIS OPENED HER ERONT DOOR AND STEPPED INTO THE hall, she could hear the telephone ringing. If she left it, the answerphone would click in. She sighed. It would have to be attended to sooner or later, so she went into her office and lifted the receiver. “Hello? New Brooms here. Can I help you?”
There was a slight pause, and then a voice she had all but forgotten said, “Mrs. Meade. Jean Slater here. You may not remember me … but I am able to look for a job now. I was wondering if you had any vacancies. I do actually need the money, and jobs are a bit difficult, so I’d be grateful …” She tailed off into silence.
Lois took a deep breath. “Of course I remember you,” she said. “Best if you come and see me. I’ll give you a ring tomorrow and fix an appointment. And by the way,” she added. “Glad to hear you’re okay. Bye.”
Crime can happen at any hour …
ANN PURSER
WARNING AT ONE
A LOIS MEADE MYSTERY
Lois Meade is a working-class mum, cleaner extraordinaire, and a part-time sleuth. But she has her work cut out for her when tenants of her rental home start leaving, frustrated by their neighbor’s noisy pet cockerel. The owner, elderly Clem Fitch, refuses to part with his leathery companion.
It’s a relief when Lois’s son Douglas asks to rent the house. But then peculiar things start occurring on Gordon Street. When Clem and his pet are found dead, Douglas is one of the prime suspects. As landlord, mother, and witness, Lois must take action and flush out the killer who’s fouling the Meade name …
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