The Red Book of Primrose House: A Potting Shed Mystery (Potting Shed Mystery series 2) by Marty Wingate Page A
Authors: Marty Wingate
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ahead.”
She kept talking to Robbie, repeating the same things over and over again, concentrating on calming him and herself at the same time. “Stay with me, Robbie. We’ll wait for your mum.”
After a while, Robbie stood quietly and watched the show of police parading by. Finally, Ivy appeared. Pru saw her at the front gate of the walled garden, stopped by the police. They must’ve told her what happened, because soon she was running toward Pru and Robbie, grabbing her son in a tight hug, which he attempted unsuccessfully to wriggle out of. DS Hobbes spoke to her briefly and she put a hand on Pru’s arm before she took Robbie away. He protested the whole way, insisting that he needed to help Ned and Pru in the garden.
After that, Pru stood unnoticed against the wall, clutching the front of her coat now that she no longer had Robbie to clutch. Hobbes saw her and said, “Pru, go back to your cottage. We’ll come and talk to you there.”
She shook her head. She couldn’t go to her warm, safe home where her mind would begin to wander. She needed to be cold and numb with lots of activity around her.
“I rang Inspector Pearse,” he said. “I thought he should know. He’s on his way.”
She wanted to thank him but couldn’t open her mouth, afraid of what might come out. She touched his arm and nodded.
Hobbes went back to the investigation, and she remained against the wall, sucking in deep breaths of cold air through her nose. She made lists in her head as she shivered: which annuals will she order, how many flats, should they have snapdragons or veronica? Time meant nothing; her only concern was to keep her mind busy and her breakfast down. Then she saw him out of the corner of her eye—Christopher flashing his warrant card at an officer before he ran to her, tie flapping over his shoulder, and wrapped her in his arms.
“You’re like ice,” he said. She shivered, unable to stop.
“She wouldn’t leave,” Hobbes said as he came over. “After Robbie’s mum came, I tried to get her to go indoors, but she wouldn’t go.”
Christopher searched her face. She looked back at him.
“Inspector Pearse,” Hobbes said, “Inspector Tatt will be here soon. Would you like to…take a look?”
He hesitated only a moment. “Yes, thanks, David.” He looked at Pru. “Is that all right?”
She nodded. He was gone just a few minutes. She occupied herself with trying to identify the dried and broken leaves beneath her feet—oak, ash, beech. He returned to hold her again, before saying, “Come on, let’s go inside.” He kept his arm around her as they walked. On the way, he asked, “Do you need to stop?”
She shook her head.
As they reached her cottage she’d pulled her key out and handed it to Christopher. He unlocked the door, saying, “They’ll be up here in a few minutes. You should know that Tatt—”
She couldn’t wait, but broke away from him and ran for the bathroom, making it just in time. She hung her head over the toilet and lost it all—toast, scrambled eggs, tea, and much more. When it was over, she rested her forehead against the cold porcelain, breathing heavily, her eyes watering.
After a few minutes, she got up, a bit wobbly, rinsed out her mouth, and splashed water on her face. She seemed to have thrown up most of her energy, too, but at least her stomach was calm.
Christopher had closed both the bathroom and bedroom doors. She had her hand out to open the bedroom door when she heard a commotion and a voice bellow: “Pearse, what are you doing sniffing around my crime scene?”
Chapter 12
“Tatt,” Christopher said as Pru came out of the bedroom, “this isn’t an official visit.” He put his arm around her shoulders. “Are you all right?” he asked in a quiet voice.
She placed her hand on his chest. “I’m better.” He gave her a squeeze.
“Humph,” Tatt said, “so that’s it, is it?” He held up his warrant card to Pru. She looked past it to get a glimpse
She kept talking to Robbie, repeating the same things over and over again, concentrating on calming him and herself at the same time. “Stay with me, Robbie. We’ll wait for your mum.”
After a while, Robbie stood quietly and watched the show of police parading by. Finally, Ivy appeared. Pru saw her at the front gate of the walled garden, stopped by the police. They must’ve told her what happened, because soon she was running toward Pru and Robbie, grabbing her son in a tight hug, which he attempted unsuccessfully to wriggle out of. DS Hobbes spoke to her briefly and she put a hand on Pru’s arm before she took Robbie away. He protested the whole way, insisting that he needed to help Ned and Pru in the garden.
After that, Pru stood unnoticed against the wall, clutching the front of her coat now that she no longer had Robbie to clutch. Hobbes saw her and said, “Pru, go back to your cottage. We’ll come and talk to you there.”
She shook her head. She couldn’t go to her warm, safe home where her mind would begin to wander. She needed to be cold and numb with lots of activity around her.
“I rang Inspector Pearse,” he said. “I thought he should know. He’s on his way.”
She wanted to thank him but couldn’t open her mouth, afraid of what might come out. She touched his arm and nodded.
Hobbes went back to the investigation, and she remained against the wall, sucking in deep breaths of cold air through her nose. She made lists in her head as she shivered: which annuals will she order, how many flats, should they have snapdragons or veronica? Time meant nothing; her only concern was to keep her mind busy and her breakfast down. Then she saw him out of the corner of her eye—Christopher flashing his warrant card at an officer before he ran to her, tie flapping over his shoulder, and wrapped her in his arms.
“You’re like ice,” he said. She shivered, unable to stop.
“She wouldn’t leave,” Hobbes said as he came over. “After Robbie’s mum came, I tried to get her to go indoors, but she wouldn’t go.”
Christopher searched her face. She looked back at him.
“Inspector Pearse,” Hobbes said, “Inspector Tatt will be here soon. Would you like to…take a look?”
He hesitated only a moment. “Yes, thanks, David.” He looked at Pru. “Is that all right?”
She nodded. He was gone just a few minutes. She occupied herself with trying to identify the dried and broken leaves beneath her feet—oak, ash, beech. He returned to hold her again, before saying, “Come on, let’s go inside.” He kept his arm around her as they walked. On the way, he asked, “Do you need to stop?”
She shook her head.
As they reached her cottage she’d pulled her key out and handed it to Christopher. He unlocked the door, saying, “They’ll be up here in a few minutes. You should know that Tatt—”
She couldn’t wait, but broke away from him and ran for the bathroom, making it just in time. She hung her head over the toilet and lost it all—toast, scrambled eggs, tea, and much more. When it was over, she rested her forehead against the cold porcelain, breathing heavily, her eyes watering.
After a few minutes, she got up, a bit wobbly, rinsed out her mouth, and splashed water on her face. She seemed to have thrown up most of her energy, too, but at least her stomach was calm.
Christopher had closed both the bathroom and bedroom doors. She had her hand out to open the bedroom door when she heard a commotion and a voice bellow: “Pearse, what are you doing sniffing around my crime scene?”
Chapter 12
“Tatt,” Christopher said as Pru came out of the bedroom, “this isn’t an official visit.” He put his arm around her shoulders. “Are you all right?” he asked in a quiet voice.
She placed her hand on his chest. “I’m better.” He gave her a squeeze.
“Humph,” Tatt said, “so that’s it, is it?” He held up his warrant card to Pru. She looked past it to get a glimpse
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