Murder My Neighbour Read Free Page A

properly behind him – it needed a good strong pull in hot weather – and it swung open again. Ellie edged forward, still holding on to the phone as Stewart said he’d be with her in less than ten.
    As Ellie slammed the door shut, she caught a glimpse of the Pryce boy driving off in a bright yellow car. Egg-yolk yellow.
    Oh well. At least he’d gone. She cradled the phone and rushed out to check on Rose in the kitchen.
    It was only much later in the day that Ellie discovered her morning’s visitor had helped himself to more than a few minutes of her time.
    Monday morning
    He parked the car in a quiet side road to inspect his haul. The Kindle would fetch a penny or two, and if the diamonds in the ring were genuine, it might be worth a couple of hundred. The enamelled snuff box that he’d swiped from a side table was pretty enough, probably eighteenth century, but very recognizable. Too recognizable to sell easily?
    He almost wished he hadn’t taken it, but there . . . He’d picked it up and put it in his pocket without thinking clearly.
    All in all, it might be enough to stave off the Leech for now. And tomorrow he’d have another go at the retirement home. They must know where she was!

TWO
    Monday morning
    R ose was sitting at the big table, holding her elbow in a bowl of water. Midge the cat sat beside her, watching with interest as the water turned a gruesome pink. Rose had skinned her elbow and grazed her chin, but her eyes were bright enough, and she didn’t seem sleepy so she probably hadn’t suffered a concussion. Only, one wrist was swollen and the stocking on her right leg was in shreds, with bright stains on the skin beneath. She’d also lost one of her shoes.
    â€˜I ought never to have left you,’ said Ellie, relieved that Rose hadn’t gone off into a swoon but concerned about her swollen wrist. ‘Stewart’s on his way. We’ll get you checked out at the doctor’s. Did you make yourself a cup of tea?’
    â€˜Tell the truth, I didn’t get as far as that. I could do with a cuppa, and no mistake. Who’d have thought I’d be so clumsy? But there, who’d have thought there’d be someone peeking down at me from that old house? I didn’t imagine it, did I? Have I completely lost the plot, Ellie?’
    â€˜No, no,’ said Ellie, running a clean cloth under the tap, wringing it out and placing it round Rose’s wrist.
    â€˜Gave me such a fright! There ought to be a law.’
    â€˜Let me have a look at that elbow. And your leg? Ouch. Nasty. But we’ll have you right as rain in a minute.’
    The doorbell gave three short peals, and Stewart used his key to let himself into the house. Stewart was accustomed to report weekly – and sometimes oftener than that – to Ellie, so he had his own key to the house.
    There was a rush of feet, and little Frank, all bony arms and legs, cannoned into Ellie and sent her flying back into a chair. He clung to her, burying his face in her shoulder, and wrapped his arms and legs around her. She folded her arms around him. ‘There, there.’
    Stewart followed his son into the kitchen, looking harassed. ‘I’m sorry, Ellie. He’s been in such a state that—’
    â€˜You did the right thing.’ Ellie stroked Frank’s hair, which was only now beginning to darken from the blonde of his father to the brunette – almost black – of his mother. ‘There, there.’
    Rose tried to get up. ‘I’ll just make us a pot of tea, shall I?’ She collapsed back into her chair, ashen-faced.
    Ellie said, ‘Stewart, we have to get Rose to the doctor’s. She fell off the ladder in the garden and I’m worried about her wrist.’
    â€˜We’ll see to all that,’ said Stewart, reliable as ever. ‘Frank, you’ll help us look after Rose, won’t you? Once we’ve seen to her, we can talk