Read Online Cherringham--Mystery at the Manor by Neil Richards - Free Book Online

suspicion something she could feel.
    “Exactly. He told the fire chief. Not sure if they thought it meant anything, whole place such an electrical mess. And truth be known, it could be nothing.”
    Sarah nodded. This was definitely something to tell Jack.
    But then an old grandfather clock in the corner of the shop binged.
    Sarah turned to it.
    “I’ve always loved that clock,” she said smiling.
    “Yup, keeps on — just as I do.”
    “And I must run. Pick up my daughter.”
    The old man reached out and took Sarah’s hand. “So good to see you again, Sarah.”
    “You too.”
    And with a last smile, Sarah left the shop and headed back to her car.

12. Night in Cherringham
    “So, no stars for mum’s dinner tonight?”
    Sarah watched as her two children wolfed down the chicken fricassee that she had whipped up. Bit of lemon, fresh tarragon, portabello mushrooms, brown rice. Fresh, tasty and, with hungry kids, not destined to last long on the plate.
    Daniel paused in mid-forkful to say, “It’s good, Mum.”
    Chloe quickly agreed. “Yup, really good.”
    Might as well have been a meal from the frozen aisle at Sainsbury’s.
    “Thanks,” she said. “And any school updates?”
    Sarah feared that she had already entered that teen realm where kids shared information only under the pain of torture or losing Wi-Fi privileges.
    “Daniel, how’s the play going?”
    “It’s a musical, you know,” he said. “Weird. ‘Macbeth’.”
    “Isn’t that a play?”
    “Not this version,” Daniel said. “Even the weird sisters …”
    “The witches?”
    “Yeah, even they sing too. But it’s fun,”
    “Are you one of the weird sisters?” Chloe said to him. But her tease was quickly followed by a smile.
    We’ve been through a lot, she thought.
    Seems like everyone is trying to be as nice as they can be.
    “Well, we’ll all be there on opening night.”
    Daniel nodded. “There’s some great battle scenes, with swords and stuff.”
    “Mum, I’m done.”
    “Right, Chloe. You … can head on to do your homework. I’ll clear.”
    She watched Daniel scoop in the last bit of thick tarragon sauce.
    So, a hit, she thought. And pretty easy to do.
    “Me too,” Daniel said.
    “Okay, rinse, dump the plates in the machine, and …”
    Then her mobile, recharging at a socket near the stove, rang.
    She heard Jack on the phone, but also a sound of something brushing against the phone.
    Wind, she guessed. Maybe he was outside on the deck of his barge.
    She walked out to the living room, far away enough that her kids wouldn’t hear.
    “I spoke to the electrician,” she said.
    She updated Jack on Josh’s thoughts on the fire. How his son Todd said it was different from the others, with no evidence in the library to say that something triggered an overload, bad wiring or not.
    “Hmm,” Jack said. “And I played rich American with your estate agents today.”
    “You deserve a medal for running that gauntlet.”
    “They can be persistent, can’t they? But I learned something very interesting.”
    “Do tell.”
    “Someone — unnamed — had plans drawn up showing how the manor house could be renovated and divided into upscale flats.”
    “Really?”
    “Think the agent — Cecil Cauldwell …”
    “Oh. That one. You do deserve a medal.”
    “… Think maybe he thought I was looking for something similar.”
    “All done, Mum!” Chloe shouted from the kitchen.
    Sarah smiled. ”Thanks Chlo …” She called out.
    Then back to Jack. “Did Cecil reveal who had this done?”
    “No. I’m afraid that’s when he went all quiet and wanted me to leave his establishment asap .”
    “But we can guess who.”
    “Three guesses at least. But which one? Susan, Dominic … Terry?”
    “Doubt the latter.”
    “I imagine you are right there. Still — I think we should pay Terry a visit at his trailer …”
    “Caravan.”
    “Right. After all, he was looking for something in the house when Hope gave me the