7 Sorrow on Sunday by Ann Purser Read Free Book Online

he said. “I told you I was goin’ to tell them, anyway. Won’t take more than five minutes to tell what I saw. Shan’t mention Joe, though. I shan’t say he didn’t want the police told. They can find out for themselves why he didn’t.”
    “Fine,” said Lois. “And he’s good at his job, is Cowgill, so don’t let him worm anything out of you what you don’t want told.”
    Later that evening, while they were watching boring football on the television, Lois was thinking about stablethefts, and remembered what Derek had said. Why didn’t Joe Horsley want to report it to the police? Didn’t want the hassle, he’d said. But that thief could have had another go at the farm. Why had Joe taken it so casually?
    “Derek,” she said.
    “Sshh! He’s gonna score! Hey!! Yes!” After several moments of triumph, he turned to her and said, “Did you say somethin’, me duck?”
    “Oh, forget it,” Lois said. “No, on second thoughts, don’t forget it. I was thinking about Joe Horsley. How well do you know him?”
    “Only what I picked up while working there. He seemed a good enough bloke. His wife was very nice.” He grinned at her, and Gran laughed.
    “I’m serious, Derek. Is it a big farm? What’s the house like? Did he pay up promptly?”
    Derek groaned. “Why don’t you just leave it to your policeman to ask the questions?”
    Lois didn’t answer, but fixed him with an icy look. He sighed. “Oh, all right. It’s a middlin’-size farm. The house is just an old farmhouse, but they’ve made it posh. Tennis court, billiard room, all that. And yes, he paid me in cash before I left. Will that do? Can we concentrate on the football now?”
    “One more question,” she said. “Who are his friends?”
    “God knows. I’ve heard them talking to people on the phone, but I’ve got no idea who they were. That’s more in your line than mine, Lois.” He stared at the screen for five minutes, and then added, “I heard the two of them talking about the Domino Club in Tresham a couple of times. Seems he goes there quite a lot. Don’t think
she
does, though. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to see the rest of this exciting match.”
    Lois yawned exaggeratedly, and said, “I think I’ll go on up now. Night, Mum. See you in a bit, Derek.”
    He blew her a kiss without taking his eyes off the screen.

T EN

    T RESHAM’S NIGHT LIFE CENTRED AROUND A MULTI-SCREEN cinema, a small theatre where skilled amateurs put on popular plays for an audience of mostly pensioners, and a couple of clubs: the Domino and the Ace of Diamonds. Lois knew the cinema well, and had been occasionally to the theatre with Gran, but had never been clubbing. She had never even considered it, rightly supposing that Derek would hate it—and anyway, such clubs were for the young. But now she was intrigued. Joe Horsley wasn’t young. Josie would be the one to ask about clubs. She had gone mildly off the rails as a teenager. Then there was Hazel, who’d had direct experience of the drug scene and still had many contacts. But there was no reason to suppose Joe Horsley’s taste for clubbing had anything to do with drugs. No, she would try Josie first.
    Lois had also been toying with the idea of organizing an accidental meeting with one of the Horsleys. Joe’s wife Maggie must have her hair done somewhere, or she might catch Joe at the market in Tresham. Most farmers congregated in the pub in the Market Square. That was probably the best bet. Then she could settle the niggling thought that she should try a bit harder on the stable thefts, find out at least some pointers for Cowgill. She smiled to herself. They’d been close for years, in a manner of speaking.
    She closed down her computer and went through to the kitchen, where Gran was ironing fiercely. Her technique was a battle between her and Derek’s shirts, rumpled pillowcases, and tea towels, which, in Lois’s view, did not need ironing. Gran thumped the iron down on