Murder by the Sea Read Free Page A

ah.’ Bert nodded. ‘That Ian Connell got her involved. I reckon he fancied her.’
    ‘Oh.’ Jane looked disappointed. ‘Do you mean she couldn’t really help?’
    ‘Don’t know as I know,’ said Bert. ‘Some talk of her being psychic, wasn’t there, George?’
    ‘’Elped ’im afore. Some other murder.’
    ‘So she’s official, then?’ said Jane, leaning forward.
    ‘Wouldn’t say official, like,’ said Bert, ‘but done it before, yes.’
    ‘That’s all right then,’ said Jane and stood up. ‘Anyone for another pint?’
    The production meeting was taking place in The Pink Geranium. Harry, Peter Parker’s civil partner, was chef and co-owner with Peter, and occasional helper at The Oast House Theatre. Tonight, there were only a few diners, and Peter, Libby, Ben and stage manager Tom had their favourite table in the window.
    ‘So that’s it, then.’ Peter leant back in his chair and picked up his glass of red wine. Libby topped hers up.
    ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘That’s the script. And I want to be in it.’
    ‘So do I,’ said Tom, ‘and I don’t see how I can and stage manage.’
    ‘He ought to be Dame again, Pete,’ said Libby. ‘He was fantastic last year.’
    ‘And Bob and Baz as the double act again,’ said Ben.
    ‘So who’ll be stage manager?’ asked Peter, looking harassed.
    ‘Trouble is,’ said Ben, ‘the only people who want to do it aren’t experienced enough, and we who are all want to be in it.’
    ‘I suppose you want to be in it too,’ Peter said gloomily.
    ‘If there’s a part for me,’ said Ben cheerfully. ‘Is there, Lib?’
    ‘There’s a couple you could go for,’ said Libby, ‘depending on the ages of the others in the cast.’
    ‘How about Tom and I overseeing design and build, then we’ll train one of the others up to SM for the run.’ Ben beamed round the table. ‘That would work, wouldn’t it?’
    There was a murmur of agreement, and Peter sighed. ‘OK. But what about director?’
    ‘You,’ said Libby.
    Peter groaned. ‘I thought you might say that.’
    ‘Oh, come on Pete,’ said Ben, ‘You’ve thrown your weight about during the other productions. You could do it legitimately this time.’
    Peter scowled. ‘You can push family feeling just so far, you know,’ he said to his cousin. Ben grinned.
    ‘OK. What do we do about casting?’
    Further discussion about auditions and pre-casting took them to the end of the bottle and Harry’s assistant Donna was summoned with another. Harry appeared out of the kitchen and removed his apron.
    ‘Have I been co-opted for anything?’ he asked, pulling another chair up to the table.
    ‘You’re too busy every night, love,’ said Peter.
    ‘I can do the bar a couple of times, can’t I?’ said Harry. ‘I did it for The Hop Pickers and Jack and the Beanstalk .’
    ‘If you’re free,’ said Peter. ‘Thanks.’
    ‘How’s Fran?’ asked Harry. ‘I thought of her today when I saw that item about the body at Nethergate.’
    ‘We were there,’ said Libby proudly. The other faces round the table looked at her in horror and spoke with one voice.
    ‘Oh, no!’
    ‘For goodness’ sake,’ said Libby crossly. ‘Not involved. We couldn’t help it. Fran lives on Harbour Street and all the police and everything were down by The Sloop only fifteen yards away. Guy was there, too.’
    ‘So what was it all about, then?’ asked Tom. ‘I haven’t listened to the radio and I didn’t have time to watch the news before I came out.’
    ‘A body was found on that island in the middle of the bay,’ said Harry. ‘The police think it was dumped, apparently, and that it could be an illegal.’
    ‘I didn’t hear that,’ said Libby. ‘Illegal immigrant, you mean?’
    ‘It was on the news this evening. I have the radio on in the kitchen.’
    ‘One of those poor buggers that try to get in through the tunnel, I suppose,’ said Ben.
    ‘A bit far round for him, then, isn’t it?’ said Tom. ‘The tide