Death of a Stranger by Eileen Dewhurst Read Free Book Online

restaurant.’’
    In effect they were a group at the door, so that Anna and Tim could be sure of presenting all their friends and partners to Lorna. To Tim’s annoyance, he found himself scanning the influx of guests for the presence of Constance Lorimer; he had warned Reception to be ready for a dressed-down, middle-aged woman with a wild air to her, but knew even as he was alerting the politely attentive young man and young woman behind the counter how unlikely it was they would be able to pick Constance out of the throng of guests, or summon the confidence to detain a woman who answered his imprecise description …
    â€œAnna! Tim! How splendid!’’ The booming voice of Anne’s boss Brian Bradshaw surmounted the quiet hubbub. Brian had the looks to go with his voice, Anna thought, as the tall broad figure with the shock of black hair and thick black brows enveloped her in a bear hug.
    â€œI’m glad, Anna. Be happy.’’ Brian’s wife Laura, elegant by artifice and seen generally as a sourpuss, but Anna had somehow breached her defences, even persuaded her to get a job at the Guille-Allès library in town and make use of her librarian qualifications. But Laura, of course, regarded Lorna with suspicion; most people still, despite her Anna-induced concessions, were guilty in her eyes until proved innocent.
    â€œAnna dear, I’m so happy for you.’’ John Coquelin, soft-spoken second in command at the surgery, always civil and contained. Anna didn’t know how far John had recovered from the trauma of his girlfriend’s violent death and suspected that no one else did, either.
    â€œOh, Anna! Lovely, lovely!’’ Joy Smith, the vet practice assistant and dogsbody, remembered Anna’s reserve halfway through an exuberant embrace, and stepped hastily back.
    â€œThank you, Joy.’’ Anna retained the girl’s hand for a moment, to show her she had appreciated Joy’s spontaneity. Joy’s boyfriend Cliff Ozanne, the fourth vet in the practice, shook hands with Anna as formally as with Tim, ever wary since admitting in an uncontrolled and regretted moment that he had hoped for the junior partnership. Wary again, as he glanced over his shoulder at Pam Francis, close behind him and an attractive local girl who had recently taken over Reception. Anna noticed Joy glancing back, too, with a frown. Cliff was being noticeably less taciturn with Pam than he was with most people, and if the new girl hadn’t been so obviously uninterested in him Anna would have been braced for a drama in their midst.
    Nicky Torode, Tim’s newish DC, possibly the most glamorous of the young female guests but still looking fearsomely efficient, which Tim had told Anna she was. Nicky made Anna consciously grateful, for a moment, that she had total faith in her husband’s loyalty.
    A bunch of Tim’s young colleagues, a couple of them a bit teasing, but all showing Anna that they liked and respected him. Lorna was flirtatious with them as a group, which they obviously enjoyed, and Anna was amused to see one of them look with surprise from her to her son. Alerted by Tim’s muttered identification, Lorna greeted her son’s Chief and his wife with dignified graciousness.
    Simon Shaw was almost the last. Anna glanced at the two politely blank faces as he and Tim shook hands, then found herself smiling at the boy as she held hers out. “I hope you’ll be very happy,’’ Simon said quietly. He hadn’t said anything to Tim.
    â€œThank you. If I don’t get a chance to speak to you again, I hope you enjoy your stay in Guernsey as well as getting your business done.’’
    â€œThank you.’’ The boy gave her a long, grave look and then, with a little bow, moved on to Lorna. Without turning fully towards them Anna was aware that he had bent to kiss her, and heard the murmur of their voices.
    Both Tim and Anna, and