Murder My Neighbour by Veronica Heley

easy in that neighbourhood. You don’t really want to go into that line, do you?’
    Ellie felt her temper rise. ‘I don’t have time to explain at the moment. I could contact Hoopers myself, but they must know you deal with the property side of our business, and it would sound better coming from you. Will you arrange for me to have a look at it, the sooner the better, please?’
    â€˜Yes, of course. I’ll ring you back.’ He sounded hurt; was he going to be upset because she hadn’t time to take him into her confidence? Well, tough.
    She put the phone down and gave her attention to Thomas, saying, ‘Have you got rid of your bishop?’ And knew her tone was too sharp.
    â€˜As bishops go, he went.’
    â€˜You don’t care for him? I thought bishops were in the habit of summoning you to their palaces, rather than finding their way out here to the wilds of West London.’
    â€˜Ah. Well. He’s written a book and wants me to serialize it in the magazine, and I don’t think it’s, er, appropriate. He refuses to accept that it’s not appropriate. He’s tried writing and phoning me. No joy. Hence the state visit. Now, light of my life; what’s worrying you? Diana?’
    Ellie tried to switch her mind over to her daughter’s problems and got there eventually. ‘She says she’s got a new man in her life.’
    â€˜Uh-huh.’
    â€˜She proposes to set up house with him and Frank in my old house, the one I made over to her.’
    â€˜Oh, but—’
    â€˜Stewart and I will resist with our last breath.’
    â€˜Quite right. That’s all?’
    â€˜No. She wants me to bail her out of yet another financial difficulty. When she started the agency with Denis, they both signed a document saying that if one of them wanted to leave, the other would have to buy them out. Denis wants out, and she hasn’t got the money to get rid of him. Plus, she’s in debt all round. She says. I suggested she mortgage her flat and the house she’d rented out; she says she’s done that already in order to keep the agency going.’
    He stroked his beard. Sighed.
    â€˜She wants me to buy Denis off, so that the agency can be taken over by a larger concern. She even offered to repay the money as a loan later, which surprised me. I said I couldn’t find the money. She doesn’t believe me.’
    Silence.
    Ellie pushed back her chair. ‘I’m at my wits’ end. How can I find that much money for her, without taking it out of the charity – which I can’t and won’t do!’
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜But if I don’t she’ll go bankrupt. I can’t bear the thought of that.’
    â€˜Ellie, I can understand your distress, but . . . may I gently point out that it’s about time Diana took responsibility for her own actions?’
    Ellie blinked. Was it? The relief, if it was. ‘But . . .’
    â€˜See that Stewart has a good solicitor because I agree that there’s no way Diana should have custody of Frank. Her lifestyle is not suitable.’
    â€˜Stewart’s on to that already. Thomas, are you sure? I mean, the only way I could raise the money for her is to mortgage this house, but then we’d have difficulty repaying the instalments. We could sell it, but it’s our home, and Rose’s. Of course, we could live in a smaller place, but then you need an office and so do I, and I love this house, which is silly, I know it’s only bricks and mortar, but I really don’t want to move. Oh dear, hark at me. I’m babbling.’
    â€˜I don’t see why you should have to move.’
    She grimaced. ‘A poor job I’ve made of bringing up Diana.’
    â€˜The responsibility for her upbringing was not entirely yours.’
    â€˜No.’ She relaxed. Closed her eyes. Breathed deeply. Felt the burden roll off her. ‘You’re