A Body in Seaview Grange by Dee MacDonald (red queen free ebook .TXT) 📕

is insanely jealous, of course, because her husband does little jobs for me; he made these bookcases, aren’t they nice?’

Kate agreed they were very nice.

‘He likes to escape and come up here. I’ve got him interested in opera, believe it or not. She’s only interested in stuffing her face with cakes. Have you seen them?’

Kate admitted she hadn’t.

‘Anyway, I don’t want to take up any more of your time. But, believe me, someone out there would like to see me gone.’

‘I can understand how concerned you must be after receiving a note like that, but surely falling down the stairs must have been an accident?’

Kate knew she would mull over this conversation later in the day but for now she should be concentrating on the purpose of her visit.

‘How are you coping with shopping and things?’ she asked, trying to remember to focus on Edina’s ankle.

‘Oh my friend Hetty’s been wonderful. She’s got me my shopping and my prescriptions and she brings up my ready meals which are delivered downstairs—’ At this point the doorbell rang.

‘Shall I answer it?’ Kate asked, carefully placing her coffee on a coaster on the elaborately carved side table.

‘If you would.’

Kate opened the door to a pleasant-looking, middle-aged man with close-cut brown hair.

‘Is she there?’ he asked and, without waiting for an answer, edged his way into the room.

‘Oh, it’s you, David.’ Edina Martinelli spoke without enthusiasm.

‘Hello, Edina. Just thought I’d call in as I was passing but, if this isn’t a good time…’ He glanced in Kate’s direction.

‘The nurse has been here to attend to my poor ankle. What do you want? As if I didn’t know!’

The man turned round to Kate and rolled his eyes heavenward. ‘She’s convinced somebody’s trying to do her in,’ he said with a sigh as he plonked himself on the pale blue sofa opposite.

‘This,’ Edina Martinelli said to Kate, ‘is my stepson, David Courtney. Believe me, no blood son of mine could have made such a mess of his affairs. Are you on the scrounge again, David dear?’

David dear stared at her icily. ‘I’m after what is rightly mine.’

Kate was beginning to feel uncomfortable in the midst of what was plainly some sort of family row. She drained her coffee cup. ‘I must go,’ she said, standing up. ‘I’ll just rinse out my cup first.’

There was a chilly silence while she rinsed out the cup and then picked up her bag. ‘I’m sure you’ll get used to that cast, Miss Martinelli,’ she said, pointing at the ankle, ‘but I’ll come back to check it in a week or so. I’ll see myself out.’

As Kate closed the door behind her she heard their conversation resume, voices raised, obviously arguing. She took a deep breath and headed down the stairs, first looking carefully to ensure there was no vacuum cleaner flex positioned across the top. Surely that had been an accident?

Kate made her way out to the car and sat inside, with the window open, to write up her notes. She’d barely put pen to paper when she heard raised voices again. The man called David came storming out the front door, followed by a tiny old lady.

‘David!’ the old lady was shouting. ‘Don’t let her upset you! Calm down! Come in and I’ll make you a cup of tea.’

‘I don’t want a cup of tea, Hetty!’ he shouted back. ‘I just want that bitch to give me my money!’

Kate registered that this then was Edina Martinelli’s great friend.

‘But, David, you shouldn’t drive when you’re so upset!’

‘Leave me alone!’ he yelled as he opened the door of a silver Audi which was parked in front of Kate’s red Fiat Punto. ‘You’re her friend – you’re always going to be on her side!’

With that he got into the car, slammed the door and roared away, leaving the little lady standing there, looking bewildered and agitated.

For a minute Kate wondered if she should get out and comfort this Hetty, but she turned and walked rapidly back inside. As she was about to drive away Kate noticed Hetty stumble on the doorstep, only stopping herself from falling flat by colliding with the door-post and then standing for a moment, her hand on her heart, appearing shaken.

Feeling concerned, Kate switched off the ignition and walked quickly up to the door where the old lady stood, steadying herself and getting her breath back.

‘Are you OK?’ Kate asked anxiously.

‘I’m fine, thank you,’ she replied. ‘So silly of me not to look where I was going. I was rather upset, you see.’

‘You’re sure you’re all right?’

‘Oh yes. When you’re my age your balance isn’t so good. Not that I’d have far to fall!’ She giggled.

Kate reckoned that this wiry little lady wasn’t much more than five feet tall.

‘I’ve just been visiting Miss Martinelli,’ Kate said, ‘and I saw you come running out as I was about to leave.’

‘Poor Edina!’ Hetty sighed. ‘She’s a great friend of mine but she doesn’t get on too well with David – that’s her stepson. Lovely man though; just a clash of personalities there. Edina nearly got killed, you know; the cleaner left the flex of the vacuum cleaner stretched across the top of the stairs and down she went! Shocking negligence.’

‘So she told me,’ Kate said. ‘Well, if you’re sure you’re OK I’ll be off.’

‘I’m fine. Nice meeting you,’ said Hetty.

Kate got back to her car and drove away.

Two

When Kate got home to her cottage on the hill in Lower Tinworthy she found her sister, Angie, downing her first gin of the evening. Any time after four o’clock was OK for Angie, and that’s assuming she hadn’t had a couple at lunchtime. At Angie’s recent sixtieth birthday bash in The Greedy Gull, every single guest had presented her with a bottle of the stuff, so they were well stocked up.

‘God, Angie, are you at it already?’ Kate worried constantly about her sister’s intake.

‘Are you going to start lecturing me? I’m just feeling a bit down today and felt like a