chosen to wear a thick jumper.
‘You must come to me for lunch one day/ she said. ‘No need to make it lunch, either. Call in any time. I’m a good listener and sometimes it helps to get away from home, doesn’t it?’
‘Thanks.’
‘My cooking’s pretty dire,’ she told him, ‘but I always have plenty of cakes and biscuits, tea and coffee. There’s always a can of beer or a bottle of Scotch, too,’ she added with a smile. ‘Call in, Michael. I don’t get many visitors and the cats would like the company’
‘Cats?’
His world was disintegrating yet the mention of cats had sparked his interest. Jill supposed the subject offered him an uncomplicated, easy escape from his problems.
“I knew you had one cat,’ he added. ‘I’ve seen it about.’
‘I’ve got three. One’s sixteen, a black and white female who keeps the other two in line. The other, Sam, is eight now - a big, fat, lazy torn. And the third, a pretty black and white tuxedo, adopted me. When I lived in Preston, I knew a cat was coming in at night and stealing food. Sometimes, if I crept into the kitchen, I’d be in time to see a black tail vanishing through the cat flap. After a week or so, I found her sitting on the kitchen chair. The poor thing was too tired, too ill and too hungry to escape.’
‘Ah, shame.’ At least she had his interest. If she could gain his trust as well, she might get somewhere.
“I took her to the vet and he gave her a shot of antibiotics for an infection. While she was there, he found she had a microchip. I was hoping that some poor person had lost the cat.’
‘Did they trace the owner?’
‘Yup.’ Jill grinned. ‘Officially, Tojo is stolen goods.’
‘How come?’ He was smiling, too.
‘Later that day, I had a phone call from a woman who said, “I believe you’ve got my cat.” She didn’t sound very friendly. Anyway, it turned out she only lived at the back of my place. Her kitchen window was always open so the cat could have gone back any time. She asked if the cat was still with me, and I lied. I said she’d run off as soon as I’d got back from the vet’s. I even promised to call the woman if I saw the cat.’
He laughed at that, and Jill wondered if it was the first time he’d laughed since his mother had been murdered.
‘It’s a special feeling to be chosen by a cat,’ she said thoughtfully. ‘Anyway,’ she went on briskly, ‘you must come and see her. She’s a gorgeous little thing. Not that she’s little now. She’s fat. The others are, too. They love visitors though.’
“I will. Thanks.’
‘Promise?’
There was a long pause as he made up his mind.
‘Promise,’ he said at last.
‘Good.’ Jill got to her feet. She’d done all she could for now. There was no point alienating him. I’m truly sorry about your mother, Michael. I don’t have your dad’s faith in God, so I can’t offer any help in that direction, but I do know that time heals. It’s a trite saying, one that probably infuriates you now as everyone will be telling you that, but it really is true.’
‘Thanks,’ he said gruffly.
‘I’ll be off then. No need to see me out. I’ll see you soon, Michael. Hey, bring your girlfriend too. The more the merrier!’
As she walked away from the vicarage, she thought of all she’d learned. The main thing was that Michael had a girlfriend. How much older was she? Was she twenty?
Perhaps she was in her thirties even. If that were the case, there was no doubt that Michael’s father would disapprove strongly. Alice, no matter how much she loved her son, and no matter how easy-going and fun-loving she was, would have hated that, too.
The main thing at the moment was gaining Michael’s trust and she was fairly confident he’d be a visitor at Lilac Cottage before long.
Chapter Fourteen
‘So what was she like?’ Max asked.
Jim Brody, the Truemans’ gardener, had been interviewed before. Grace thought they were wasting their
time, but Max
‘You must come to me for lunch one day/ she said. ‘No need to make it lunch, either. Call in any time. I’m a good listener and sometimes it helps to get away from home, doesn’t it?’
‘Thanks.’
‘My cooking’s pretty dire,’ she told him, ‘but I always have plenty of cakes and biscuits, tea and coffee. There’s always a can of beer or a bottle of Scotch, too,’ she added with a smile. ‘Call in, Michael. I don’t get many visitors and the cats would like the company’
‘Cats?’
His world was disintegrating yet the mention of cats had sparked his interest. Jill supposed the subject offered him an uncomplicated, easy escape from his problems.
“I knew you had one cat,’ he added. ‘I’ve seen it about.’
‘I’ve got three. One’s sixteen, a black and white female who keeps the other two in line. The other, Sam, is eight now - a big, fat, lazy torn. And the third, a pretty black and white tuxedo, adopted me. When I lived in Preston, I knew a cat was coming in at night and stealing food. Sometimes, if I crept into the kitchen, I’d be in time to see a black tail vanishing through the cat flap. After a week or so, I found her sitting on the kitchen chair. The poor thing was too tired, too ill and too hungry to escape.’
‘Ah, shame.’ At least she had his interest. If she could gain his trust as well, she might get somewhere.
“I took her to the vet and he gave her a shot of antibiotics for an infection. While she was there, he found she had a microchip. I was hoping that some poor person had lost the cat.’
‘Did they trace the owner?’
‘Yup.’ Jill grinned. ‘Officially, Tojo is stolen goods.’
‘How come?’ He was smiling, too.
‘Later that day, I had a phone call from a woman who said, “I believe you’ve got my cat.” She didn’t sound very friendly. Anyway, it turned out she only lived at the back of my place. Her kitchen window was always open so the cat could have gone back any time. She asked if the cat was still with me, and I lied. I said she’d run off as soon as I’d got back from the vet’s. I even promised to call the woman if I saw the cat.’
He laughed at that, and Jill wondered if it was the first time he’d laughed since his mother had been murdered.
‘It’s a special feeling to be chosen by a cat,’ she said thoughtfully. ‘Anyway,’ she went on briskly, ‘you must come and see her. She’s a gorgeous little thing. Not that she’s little now. She’s fat. The others are, too. They love visitors though.’
“I will. Thanks.’
‘Promise?’
There was a long pause as he made up his mind.
‘Promise,’ he said at last.
‘Good.’ Jill got to her feet. She’d done all she could for now. There was no point alienating him. I’m truly sorry about your mother, Michael. I don’t have your dad’s faith in God, so I can’t offer any help in that direction, but I do know that time heals. It’s a trite saying, one that probably infuriates you now as everyone will be telling you that, but it really is true.’
‘Thanks,’ he said gruffly.
‘I’ll be off then. No need to see me out. I’ll see you soon, Michael. Hey, bring your girlfriend too. The more the merrier!’
As she walked away from the vicarage, she thought of all she’d learned. The main thing was that Michael had a girlfriend. How much older was she? Was she twenty?
Perhaps she was in her thirties even. If that were the case, there was no doubt that Michael’s father would disapprove strongly. Alice, no matter how much she loved her son, and no matter how easy-going and fun-loving she was, would have hated that, too.
The main thing at the moment was gaining Michael’s trust and she was fairly confident he’d be a visitor at Lilac Cottage before long.
Chapter Fourteen
‘So what was she like?’ Max asked.
Jim Brody, the Truemans’ gardener, had been interviewed before. Grace thought they were wasting their
time, but Max
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