Murder in House Read Free Page B

and Rose had both keys to the front door.
    â€˜Yoohoo!’ Yes, that was her daughter Diana calling from the hall. Could Diana and little Frank be arriving so early? But how could Diana have got hold of keys? Ellie glanced at the clock, and realized they were on time. It was she who was running late. The dishwasher hadn’t been started, Thomas was probably having a nap in his study, and there was no cake made for tea.
    Diana, fashionably gaunt and trendy, appeared in the doorway, unbuttoning her coat. She was followed by six-year-old Frank who made a dash for Ellie, knocking her back into her chair. ‘Is it going to snow? I like it when it snows. Can I have a sledge for when it snows?’
    Ellie laughed and kissed him, saying it didn’t often snow in London. Remembering her visitor, she tried to disentangle herself from Frank as Diana said, in her sharpest voice, ‘Watch it!’
    â€˜Don’t go, Ursula!’ Ellie got to her feet. Too late. The girl was no longer in her seat, and Diana was staring out into the hall.
    â€˜She pushed past me. How rude!’
    â€˜Stop her!’
    Too late. Ellie reached the hall only to see the front door close behind the girl.
    â€˜Ursula’s back. Saw her in the Broadway yesterday.’
    â€˜She’s not going to make trouble, is she?’
    â€˜She tried that, Dumbo. Got nowhere, did she! She won’t try it again. And if she does, we’ll deal with it. We can’t have her muddying the water when things are so critical. The Man’s in a right state with so much money tied up in the flats and buyers dropping out all over the place. We’ve got to keep things calm.’
    â€˜The architect’s still on board, isn’t he? And don’t call me “Dumbo”.’
    â€˜He’s trying to wriggle out of it, but The Man’s got him nailed. Don’t tell me you fancied her.’
    â€˜Great legs.’
    â€˜Legs come and go. There’s always a good supply of legs.’
    â€˜She’d brains too.’
    â€˜Not enough to shut up when we told her to. Don’t look so alarmed. The police have closed the case, and she’s going back to Uni. End of story.’
    â€˜And Mia?’
    â€˜She knows better than to talk, wherever she is.’
    â€˜What we did to her—’
    â€˜Ah, shut up. She was asking for it. She was never really one of the family, anyway, was she?’

TWO
    Sunday afternoon
    â€˜ W ho on earth was that?’ Diana was annoyed and suspicious.
    â€˜Someone in trouble.’
    â€˜Gran, what do you mean, it doesn’t snow in London? Of course it does. When I got up this morning everything was white all over — ’
    â€˜Quiet, Frank,’ said his mother. ‘I’m speaking.’
    Thomas appeared from his study, rubbing his eyes. ‘Hello, hello? What’s all this then?’
    Frank launched himself at Thomas, was caught up in the air, screaming with laughter, and whirled round. Frank approved of Thomas.
    â€˜Mother, you were expecting us, weren’t you?’ Diana shed her expensive black coat that was rather too fussy around the collar. ‘I did say four o’clock.’
    â€˜We got held up. Diana, I didn’t know you had keys to the front door. Have you had a set specially made? They cost a bomb.’
    â€˜Oh, I’m using Rose’s keys. She never goes out now, so it seems — ’
    â€˜What?’ Ellie felt her temper rising. ‘You had no right. I know she hasn’t been up to much lately, but she’ll pick up again soon and . . . Diana, you’ll let me have her keys right now. She’ll need them again soon, and I need them this minute because you forgot to turn the mortise lock.’
    â€˜What makes you think that?’
    â€˜The girl let herself out, which she couldn’t have done if you’d remembered to use the second key after you came in.’
    â€˜Oh, don’t be