quite cold since the weather broke.’
‘Now,’ said Mrs Bloxby when they were both seated, ‘I know the police were at your cottage and all because of that hairdresser. I wish I had never recommended him. Is it
murder?’
Agatha described all the things she had done and left undone. A large barn owl, ghostly in the dark, swooped over their heads, and sleepy birds chirped lazily in the surrounding trees.
‘I’ve been so very stupid,’ commented Agatha when she had finished her tale.
‘I think all the effort you went to on Mrs Friendly’s behalf,’ said Mrs Bloxby, ‘shows a noble spirit. Perhaps you should tell her. She must be dreadfully frightened that
the police may have found something.’
‘So you do think she could have been a victim of blackmail!’
‘Just an idea.’
‘Does Mr Friendly go out? I mean, is she ever on her own?’
‘He plays golf practically every afternoon between two and five.’
‘Thank you,’ said Agatha. ‘I don’t feel so silly now.’
‘In the meantime, I shall ask around about a woman called Maggie and give your description. The joy about being a vicar’s wife is that I can ask questions about people and no one
thinks it suspicious.’
‘I’d better go. Charles will be back any minute. He’s staying the night. I mean, you know, I don’t mean . . .’
Mrs Bloxby laughed. ‘Off you go. And phone Bill Wong. There’s bound to be a simple explanation.’
‘So what’s happened to you?’ demanded Charles as she let him in. ‘All calm and smiling now. Been at the Prozac?’
‘Been seeing Mrs Bloxby.’
‘Ah, confession is good for the soul.’
Agatha led him up to the spare bedroom.
‘While you’re putting your things away, I’ll make a phone call.’
She went down to the kitchen extension and dialled Bill Wong’s home number.
She prayed his formidable mother would not answer the phone and it was with relief that she recognized Bill’s voice. ‘Bill, it’s Agatha.’
‘Oh.’
‘Bill, what happened? You were on holiday and you didn’t phone.’
His voice to her relief sounded amused. ‘The phone works both ways, Agatha.’
‘I thought you’d gone away on holiday until Charles said he saw you in Mircester.’
‘A heavy romance, Agatha.’
‘And what was all the formality today about? You treated me like a criminal.’
‘Just as well, too. I was accompanied by Snoopy Christine and you’ve got me in deep shit already, Agatha.’
‘Why?’
‘I did not put in my report that you had lied about driving past the villa with Charles. I don’t know why you did that.’
‘I was confused.’
‘Anyway, Snoopy Christine somehow got hold of my report and felt duty-bound to point out the omission to Detective Inspector Wilkes, who gave me a lecture on the dangers of favouritism.
Then you tried to pretend you hadn’t Charles’s number and threw that phone book over the hedge. I’d left that bit out as well. Christine pointed out that omission too.’
‘Oh, gosh, I’m sorry, but I felt guilty because of your coldness and about us playing amateur detectives.’
‘I know you well, Agatha, and when you said you knew nothing about the fire, I could swear you were lying.’
‘Well, I wasn’t,’ said Agatha hotly. She knew that if she confessed to Bill that she had actually been inside when the house went on fire, then he would have to report her and
she would probably be arrested for arson, along with impeding the police in their inquiries and anything else they could throw at her.
‘Keep in touch with me and let me know if you think of anything you might have missed out,’ said Bill. ‘But it’s mostly Worcester’s case. Don’t flap about and
get yourself nearly killed like you’ve been doing in the past. And remember that Worcester CID are very clever.’
‘There are cases you would never have solved if it hadn’t been for me,’ said Agatha huffily.
‘I’ve told you and told you, the police always get there
‘Now,’ said Mrs Bloxby when they were both seated, ‘I know the police were at your cottage and all because of that hairdresser. I wish I had never recommended him. Is it
murder?’
Agatha described all the things she had done and left undone. A large barn owl, ghostly in the dark, swooped over their heads, and sleepy birds chirped lazily in the surrounding trees.
‘I’ve been so very stupid,’ commented Agatha when she had finished her tale.
‘I think all the effort you went to on Mrs Friendly’s behalf,’ said Mrs Bloxby, ‘shows a noble spirit. Perhaps you should tell her. She must be dreadfully frightened that
the police may have found something.’
‘So you do think she could have been a victim of blackmail!’
‘Just an idea.’
‘Does Mr Friendly go out? I mean, is she ever on her own?’
‘He plays golf practically every afternoon between two and five.’
‘Thank you,’ said Agatha. ‘I don’t feel so silly now.’
‘In the meantime, I shall ask around about a woman called Maggie and give your description. The joy about being a vicar’s wife is that I can ask questions about people and no one
thinks it suspicious.’
‘I’d better go. Charles will be back any minute. He’s staying the night. I mean, you know, I don’t mean . . .’
Mrs Bloxby laughed. ‘Off you go. And phone Bill Wong. There’s bound to be a simple explanation.’
‘So what’s happened to you?’ demanded Charles as she let him in. ‘All calm and smiling now. Been at the Prozac?’
‘Been seeing Mrs Bloxby.’
‘Ah, confession is good for the soul.’
Agatha led him up to the spare bedroom.
‘While you’re putting your things away, I’ll make a phone call.’
She went down to the kitchen extension and dialled Bill Wong’s home number.
She prayed his formidable mother would not answer the phone and it was with relief that she recognized Bill’s voice. ‘Bill, it’s Agatha.’
‘Oh.’
‘Bill, what happened? You were on holiday and you didn’t phone.’
His voice to her relief sounded amused. ‘The phone works both ways, Agatha.’
‘I thought you’d gone away on holiday until Charles said he saw you in Mircester.’
‘A heavy romance, Agatha.’
‘And what was all the formality today about? You treated me like a criminal.’
‘Just as well, too. I was accompanied by Snoopy Christine and you’ve got me in deep shit already, Agatha.’
‘Why?’
‘I did not put in my report that you had lied about driving past the villa with Charles. I don’t know why you did that.’
‘I was confused.’
‘Anyway, Snoopy Christine somehow got hold of my report and felt duty-bound to point out the omission to Detective Inspector Wilkes, who gave me a lecture on the dangers of favouritism.
Then you tried to pretend you hadn’t Charles’s number and threw that phone book over the hedge. I’d left that bit out as well. Christine pointed out that omission too.’
‘Oh, gosh, I’m sorry, but I felt guilty because of your coldness and about us playing amateur detectives.’
‘I know you well, Agatha, and when you said you knew nothing about the fire, I could swear you were lying.’
‘Well, I wasn’t,’ said Agatha hotly. She knew that if she confessed to Bill that she had actually been inside when the house went on fire, then he would have to report her and
she would probably be arrested for arson, along with impeding the police in their inquiries and anything else they could throw at her.
‘Keep in touch with me and let me know if you think of anything you might have missed out,’ said Bill. ‘But it’s mostly Worcester’s case. Don’t flap about and
get yourself nearly killed like you’ve been doing in the past. And remember that Worcester CID are very clever.’
‘There are cases you would never have solved if it hadn’t been for me,’ said Agatha huffily.
‘I’ve told you and told you, the police always get there
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