(15/30) The Deadly Dance by M. C. Beaton Read Free Book Online

be right over,” said Agatha.
    She put down the receiver and beamed in triumph. “I was right! Bill Wong, bless his cotton socks, went over there later and found gun oil and a spent cartridge. Come on, Emma, we’re back in business. While we’re out, Miss Simms, phone Douglas and Sammy and see if they’ve got anything on the Benington case.”
    Emma followed Agatha out feeling guilty. She had phoned the local paper late last night. It was just, she had thought at the time, that it was all for Agatha’s good. She was so … well… rumbustious, she needed to be taken down a peg. She had given a false name. Emma comforted herself with the thought that the papers would call on Mrs. Laggat-Brown today and learn the truth.
    There was a police mobile unit already set up in the grounds of the manor. Police were combing through the bushes. Agatha rang the bell and it was answered by Cassandra. “Mum’s in the drawing-room with the police,” she said. “You’d better go on in.”
    Detective Inspector Wilkes, Bill Wong and a woman constable were all in the drawing-room facing Mrs. Laggat-Brown and Jason.
    Wilkes looked up as Agatha entered and said, “Ah, Mrs. Raisin, we were coming to see you when we’d finished our interviews here. Wait over there.”
    It appeared to be coming to the end of a long interview. Mrs. Laggat-Brown was protesting over and over again that she had no idea who should wish to stop the engagement. Cassandra did not have any jilted or jealous boyfriends and Jason had never known anyone dangerous or mad.
    “Right,” said Wilkes finally. “Mrs. Raisin, if you could just step outside to the mobile unit, we’ll take your statement.”
    When Agatha had finished telling the police the little she knew, she returned to the house followed by Emma.
    “You really must help me,” pleaded Mrs. Laggat-Brown. “It’s all so terrifying.”
    “Emma will sort out the details of our employment later,” said Agatha. “Now, whoever got into the house must have known about that box-room. And who gave the order to start the fireworks?”
    “Joe Gilchrist from the village had set them up. He said he heard a voice like mine shouting, ‘Joe, start the fireworks now!’“
    “So there was a female, an accomplice?”
    “Seems like it.” Mrs. Laggat-Brown twisted a handkerchief in her thin beringed fingers.
    “I must ask you again about your husband,” said Agatha. “Is there any reason he would try to stop Cassandra’s engagement?”
    “No, none at all. He couldn’t have known about the party. I tried to get in touch with him, but his firm said he had taken a leave of absence.”
    “What is the name of his firm?”
    “Chater’s, in Lombard Street, in the City.”
    “Had he been there long?”
    “Quite a number of years. But it can’t be Jeremy. He adores Cassandra.”
    “When did you last hear from him?”
    “It was on Cassandra’s birthday, last May. He sent her a beautiful diamond bracelet.”
    “Did he never come to see her?”
    ‘“Not since the divorce.”
    “Which was when?”
    “Three years ago.”
    “And you say it was an amicable divorce?”
    “Oh, yes.”
    She’s lying, thought Agatha suddenly. I don’t know why but I feel she’s lying.
    Cassandra came bursting into the room. “Daddy’s here!” “What?”
    “The police are talking to him. He’s been abroad. He was just telling me about it when the police came up and took him to that caravan thing of theirs.”
    “He’ll be so angry with me,” whimpered Mrs. Laggat-Brown. • “Why?” asked Agatha.
    “He’ll think I haven’t been looking after Cassandra properly.”
    “Now, how can he say that?” asked Agatha. “You were unable to get him after you received the threatening letter, weren’t you?”
    Mrs. Laggat-Brown looked down at her hands. The large rings on her fingers sent little prisms of light darting around the room. “No, I couldn’t get him.”
    “This party must have been planned for a long time.