Murder Actually by Stephanie McCarthy Read Free Book Online

remember that part, it’s been a while since I read it.”
    â€œYes, you do, Sabrina!” Rose declared. “I was just telling you before Elspeth got here: the murderer was the jilted fiancée! She killed him with the dagger she’d bought as a wedding gift.”
    The enormity of what she’d said finally dawned on Rose and she flushed and looked away. “Of course, it’s all just silly nonsense. In the book the fiancée’s initials were NW and your initials are SE .”
    I was about to reply that reality was becoming stranger than fiction, but just then Liddell came back down the stairs. He eyed me narrowly and I sensed further interrogation was imminent. Before I could get away someone clapped me hard on the back.
    â€œWow, Betts, you’ve really done it this time! A real life murder mystery!”
    Julia glanced around excitedly and I grimaced. As much as I disdained mysteries, Julia adored them. She was a sucker for any locked room, caper, cozy or whodunnit that crossed her path, and she chattered on about Dalgliesh, Lewis, Jury, Alleyn and Wimsey like they were old friends. It was widely known that Julia’s penchant for mystery novels often spilled over into real life, and on numerous occasions she’d been convinced something dark and sinister was going on in All Hallows. If every one of Julia’s suspicions had panned out our town would have more mysterious deaths than St. Mary Mead, Carsely and Maggody combined.
    I tried to shush her as I saw Chief Liddell look over at us and frown. “Please don’t say I’ve done it, Julia, you’re going to send me to the electric chair!”
    She snorted. “They don’t use the death penalty here; you’ll just get life in prison.”
    I was hardly cheered by her legal assessment. “How did you hear about it?”
    â€œCharlotte called me. She’s been phoning all over town; it’s free publicity for her store. Here comes the press!”
    We watched Crispin Wickford scurry down the stairs, and I noticed his cheeks were red and splotchy. “I saw the body! I thought I was going to be sick. Isn’t it terrible?
    â€œYes, it’s awful,” I agreed.
    â€œApparently, everyone who was here for the book reading is a suspect.” He turned to the Elliott sisters. “Would either of you give a statement?”
    I listened as Rose and Sabrina filled him on the details. They got to the part about the dagger and Crispin paused in his writing.
    â€œNo hard feelings, then, Elspeth?”
    I regarded him uneasily. “Hard feelings about what?”
    â€œAbout that argument you had with Jasper tonight.”
    â€œI would hardly characterize it as an argument,” I noticed Chief Liddell was watching us closely and I lowered my voice. “We merely agreed to disagree.”
    â€œDidn’t you specifically mention a dagger?” Crispin persisted.
    â€œYes, but that particular weapon fits the plot of dozens of mystery books, not just Jasper’s.”
    â€œStill, it’s an interesting coincidence.”
    â€œIt’s no such thing!”
    â€œWhatever you say, Elspeth,” Crispin assumed an expression of oily bonhomie. “But Rose and Sabrina were just telling me that Jasper’s arms were positioned to the south and east, just like in Deadly Harbor .”
    â€œNorth and west,” I corrected automatically.
    Crispin closed his notebook and observed me in triumph. “I think I have enough for my article, but I’ll have to move the story on the Bracebridge Festival.” He said the last somewhat reproachfully, as if my inconsideration in finding the body of Jasper Ware had a deleterious effect on more worthy local events.
We all turned as Chief Liddell approached. He observed each of us before addressing me.
    â€œDid Mr. Ware do or say anything tonight that seemed out of the ordinary?”
    I shook my head. “He was no more