The Bronze Lady (Woodford Antiques Mystery Book 2) Read Free Page A

familiarly known throughout the Trade, officially retired five years ago, in reality Paul had been running the company for the last eight years. He was a hard worker, dedicated to the auction business, and expected his employees to have the same attitude. In Rebecca he saw those attributes he admired, and he appreciated the organisational and diplomatic skills she brought to Black’s Auctions which had been lacking in the years since he had been in sole charge. But if she ever gave him the slightest sign that she was interested in him then he would pounce.
    ‘Anything I need to know?’ asked Paul, gesturing towards Rebecca’s computer where she was sorting through the morning’s emails.
    ‘Um, the first one is from Mrs Wheeler, and as always she wants to know when she will be paid from the last sale, so I could send back the usual reply?; Brian Askham wants to know if you can go round and price up his mother’s house clearance, you know, the big Georgian house on the left as you go out towards Brackendon, because she is moving into the nursing home as soon as a place becomes available; and Sarah Handley was asking about the portrait miniature in the job lot due to be in next week’s sale, do you have any more information on it? Oh, and there is a voicemail from the Antiques For All film crew. They are coming to film next Friday’s sale. That is, two weeks’ today.’
    ‘Oh are they? Alright then. Ummh, yes, you can answer Mrs Wheeler, you could probably cut and paste from the last five times she has asked. Oh I know Mrs Askham’s house; I should think I will need about three hours there so please sort out a time and date with Brian and put it in my diary. Oh, and tell Sarah she knows more about portrait miniatures than I do!’
    ‘Here you are,’ he said as he placed the Best Mum in the World mug Rebecca’s children had bought her as a Back To Work present, now full of tea, carefully on her desk. ‘I’ll be in my office for a while. There is something bothering me about one of the items in next Friday’s sale. I need to do some research on it confidentially, so if you can prevent anyone from disturbing me I’d appreciate it. I’ll tell you about it when I know something for sure, but just at the moment it is too damaging to someone’s reputation to start any unfounded rumours. Don’t worry!’ he said quickly when he saw the look on her face, recent events involving her estranged husband’s affair with a fellow antiques dealer were still too raw for her not to jump to conclusions. ‘It is nothing which involves any members of your family!  But just tell anyone who asks I am wrestling with the Accounts and do not want to be disturbed.’
    ‘Sure thing tea-boy,’ grinned Rebecca with relief, her imagination had started to run away, just as Paul suspected. ‘I’ll be here all morning, sorting out paperwork, so can act as your doorman and prevent anyone from disturbing you as you count your fingers and your toes.’

 
    Chapter 4
     
    Saturday 21 st November 2015, 5.00pm
     
     
    Rebecca Williamson’s mother, Jackie Martin, qualified as a veterinary surgeon, married, and gave birth to two daughters before she was twenty eight years old. By the time she was forty she was a single mum, and had established her own equine veterinary practice. Jackie was rapidly heading towards her sixtieth birthday, and for the past few years had been trying to take a step away from her career so she could spend more time holidaying in Portugal, but the pull to work proved stronger than her desire to relax.
    The Woodford Equine Veterinary Practice was a small business, which up until the previous year had worked successfully with a number of veterinary nurses and a solid team of administration staff, and only Jackie Martin and her business partner Alastair Wilkinson in the role of vets. Jackie had officially been a part-time member of the team for the last five years, although her idea of part-time hours would be many