False Picture Read Free Page B

left, so I thought you could put someone in there to find out what’s really going on, someone who can befriend Philip, who’s not the most … well, I’m not sure how to describe him exactly, but he doesn’t seem to mix with the others in the flat. Surely you know someone who could do it? Preferably female, but it could be a male if the remaining girl moved into a single room and two of the boys bunked in together. I’ll pay you well.’
    Bea opened her mouth to suggest that Oliver might do it, and closed it again. Oliver was only eighteen, looked even younger and hadn’t even learned the alphabet of socializing yet. No, Oliver was out of the question.
    â€˜Maggie might do it,’ said Bea, feeling guilty but unable to stifle her longing for a bit of peace and quiet at home. ‘One of my live-in assistants. She’s early twenties, been divorced already. Not much in the way of computer skills but a brilliant cook and housekeeper.’
    Velma wrinkled her nose. ‘They’re all professionals and we’d want a newcomer to fit in.’
    â€˜She could call herself a project manager; she’s currently organizing new wiring, plumbing and decorating for the agency rooms in the basement at home, and she’s not bad at that. Anything practical.’
    Tears stood out in Velma’s eyes, and she dabbed them away with a tissue. ‘Oh, my dear, the relief! Bea, you are wonderful, I can’t begin to thank you. I
knew
you’d come up with something. Just wait till I tell Sandy.’
    â€˜Don’t tell him, not yet,’ said Bea, wishing she’d never suggested Maggie could help. ‘Look, if Maggie’s going to go undercover the fewer people who know about it the better. You can tell Marsh and Parsons you’ve found a fifth person. I suppose they’ll have to take up references—’
    â€˜This is an emergency, Bea. I’ll tell the estate agents I’ve checked her out and she’s OK, so they’ll let her in. They’ll need a deposit of a month’s rent, and I’ll see to that, too. How soon could you get her in?’
    Bea wanted to say ‘tomorrow’ but had some degree of caution left. ‘In a couple of days, I suppose. Are you sure this is what you want?’
    â€˜I’m not a fool, dear. I know that covering up a murder is just not on, but if we can only find some extenuating circumstances, perhaps we can get the case reduced to manslaughter. Perhaps it was an accident. That’s what I’m hoping. But somehow or other we’ve got to get Philip to open up about it and that’s where this Maggie person comes in. She’s personable enough, isn’t she? I think I met her briefly at that charity do the other month. Tall girl, looks like a model.’
    Bea nodded. She’d been responsible for Maggie’s make-over from Barbie doll to crop-haired model. The girl was quite presentable nowadays, and though still gauche, she was gaining enough self-confidence to socialize on a limited scale.
    â€˜Here!’ Velma took a packet from her large handbag and shoved it at Bea. ‘All you need, a cheque, a photo and as much information as I could get from Sandy about him. Ring me on my mobile, will you, when you’ve got going.’ She fished out a mirror and lipstick, gave a little shriek at what she saw, and applied make-up. ‘I’ll go straight down to the estate agents, fix that end up. Oh, I hope, I do so hope you can prove it wasn’t murder.’
    â€˜And if it was?’
    Velma snapped her mirror shut. ‘It has to be an accident. Right? I’m counting on you to prove it.’
    Rafael was surprised her body had been found so quickly. The newspapers didn’t say who had found her, but it hadn’t been Philip or he’d have told them all about it. What with the drink and the pills, Philip was incapable of keeping his mouth shut, which was a teensy bit of