The Donaldson Case by Diana Xarissa

said.   “You said you
know a lot of artists.   Have you
ever shown them anything you’ve done?”
    “That’s just
it,” William told her.   “I’ve never
finished anything to show anyone.   I
think it’s my way of avoiding having to find out what others think of my work.   I’m generally very confident and
self-assured, but when it comes to my art, well, I never think it’s good
enough.”
    “Finish these
two,” Joan said.   Janet recognised her elder sister’s “stern teacher” voice.   “I’ll be back at the end of the month to
collect them.   We can discuss prices
then.”
    William looked
as if he wanted to argue, but Joan didn’t give him a chance.   “I think we probably should be going,”
she said to Janet.
    Janet
nodded.   “Our guests might be back
by now and it’s definitely time for some lunch.”
    “And I want to
ring Robert and have a word,” Joan said as they walked through the shop to the
front door.

 
    Chapter Ten
    Joan was quiet
on the drive back to Doveby House.   Janet was curious to know what her
sister wanted to talk to the police constable about, but she didn’t want to
ask.   It had been a strange day,
with Joan acting all out of character.   Janet drove silently, wondering what her sister was thinking.
    There was no
one at the house when they arrived home.   Joan fixed a quick lunch and then rang the police station.   Janet could only hear Joan’s end of the
conversation, which was short.
    “Hello, Susan,
how are you?” Joan began.
    “Yes, well I’d
be ever so grateful if you’d ask Robert to ring or stop by Doveby House when he has a minute.”
    “Yes, thank
you.”
    When she
disconnected, she smiled at Janet.   “She’s going to ask him stop by,” she told her.   “He’s out with the investigator from
Derby now.”
    “He isn’t
going to bring the investigator here, is he?” Janet demanded.
    “She didn’t
say,” Joan said.
    Joan seemed
unconcerned, but Janet wasn’t sure the investigator from Derby would appreciate
their interfering in the case.
    As it
happened, it was only Robert who turned up a short time later.  
    “Good
afternoon,” he said.   “What can I do
for you ladies today?”
    Joan insisted
on fixing him a cup of tea.   She’d
piled dozens of biscuits on a plate before he’d arrived and now she urged him
to take several.   Once he was
settled in with his snack, Joan began.
    “I want you to
make sure you take a very close look at Matthew Rogers,” she told the young
constable.   “I think he’s behind
whatever’s gone wrong at the chemist shop.”
    Robert nearly
choked on his biscuit.   “Well,
that’s very, um, interesting,” he said.   “I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with me.”
    Janet didn’t
think he appreciated it at all, but she didn’t say anything.
    “I’m quite
worried about Michael, you see,” Joan went on in a confiding tone.   “But I’m certain he hasn’t done anything
wrong.   That Matthew Rogers, though,
he isn’t an honest person.”
    “His company
thinks very highly of him,” Robert told her.   “They sent him here because there were
issues with the store.   I can’t
quite see how he could be behind the problems as he’d only just arrived when they
were discovered.”
    Joan
shrugged.   “I’ll leave the detective
work to you,” she said.   “I’m just
telling you where to look.”
    Robert
swallowed a sip of tea and then nodded.   “And do you share your sister’s opinion?” he asked Janet.
    Janet nodded
slowly, trying to think of how to word her reply.   “He seems like a very nice man when you
meet him,” she said after a moment.   “But he’s not nearly as nice as he appears.   I wouldn’t be surprised if he was doing
something criminal.   Besides, the
other suspects are all such lovely men.”
    “They are very
nice and I hate having to investigate them,” Robert admitted.   “But that’s my job.   I must say , they’ve