Read Online Murder My Neighbour by Veronica Heley - Free Book Online Page A

How about you?’
    â€˜I’m going to have to talk to Thomas about it. I’m ringing about something different. We took a walk round by the Pryce house last night, and Thomas disinterred a rather battered estate agent’s board from the undergrowth. Hoopers. I think I ought to know the name, but . . . You know everyone round here in that line. Do you know anything about them?’
    â€˜Doing well, branches all over West London. It makes sense that the Pryce house should have gone to them.’
    â€˜I’d like to find out more about it.’
    â€˜You said you weren’t interested.’
    â€˜The vegetable garden’s being worked for food; the house is empty but there’s no attempt currently being made to sell it. An unsatisfactory situation, don’t you think?’
    â€˜A messy situation, but I can’t see—’
    â€˜What it’s got to do with me? I know, Stewart. I know. We had a caller who said he was related to the old lady and went off with some of our valuables. I’ll tell you all about it some time. If I disappear you’ll find me floating in the pond in the deserted garden, chanting something from Shakespeare about never telling her love.’
    She caught herself up and laughed. ‘Sorry, Stewart. I don’t know what’s got into me today.’
    A cautious tone. ‘Is Rose all right?’
    â€˜So so. Mia’s looking after her. But Mia really ought to be packing to leave, so that’s another problem. I may have a word with your wife, see if she can find someone to come in to look after Rose for a few weeks till she’s better.’
    â€˜My wife’s not working today – it’s the end-of-term nursery show and the children are in it – but her assistant will be there, and I’m sure she’ll be able to help.’ Apart from looking after Stewart and the children, his wife owned the cleaning agency which looked after Ellie’s house and many others in the area.
    â€˜Which reminds me,’ said Ellie. ‘Rose told me some gossip about the Pryce woman leaving, which I seem to recall she got from one of my cleaners. No, it’s gone right out of my head. Sorry, I’m not quite myself today.’
    Stewart was amused. ‘It’s the heat. It’s getting to me, too.’
    Ellie held back a sigh. ‘I’d better ring the agency then.’
    She rang off and phoned the agency. ‘Ellie Quicke here. Can you spare a moment? It’s Rose, our housekeeper. She fell and hurt her wrist, nothing serious, but she’ll have to rest for a bit, and our dear little lodger, who’s been so good to her, is supposed to be moving out to a place of her own. Do you have someone on your books who could come in every day for a while . . . ?’
    They were sympathetic, of course. ‘I can think of one person who would be suitable, but she may not be free. I’ll ring you back, shall I? Is everything else all right, Mrs Quicke? You sound a bit fussed. Not like you.’
    â€˜Ah well. I did a silly thing.’ Ellie repeated the story about the Pryce boy and his search for his great-aunt. ‘Now am I dreaming it, or did one of my cleaners also work for Mrs Pryce in the past? Was there something about her cats being taken away?’
    â€˜Vera and Pet? They should have been with you by now. What’s the time? Eleven, just gone?’
    Ellie took the phone away from her ear and listened. A vacuum cleaner whined somewhere. ‘Yes, they’re here.’
    â€˜They used to go on to Mrs Pryce’s when they finished with you on Tuesdays and Fridays, I think it was. The old lady was very particular who cleaned for her and liked those two, used to give them a nice bonus at Christmas. She paid us by cheque, on the nail. Hold on a minute, I’ll access her account . . . Yes, here it is. All paid up, no problem.’
    â€˜Forwarding address? Did she