Murder in the Blood by Lesley Cookman Read Free Book Online Page A

formally with each of them. ‘And do you know anyone else here?’
    The friends looked at each other awkwardly.
    â€˜Well, not as such,’ Libby said eventually. ‘We’ve met some people …’
    â€˜They’re the people who found the body at sea,’ said Betty.
    â€˜Oh?’ The young man suddenly sounded serious. ‘Alec.’
    â€˜Yes.’ Libby cleared her throat. ‘And we – Martha and us, actually – were trying to find out about his British family. And then we were going to talk to Sally Weston.’
    â€˜British family? I didn’t know he had one.’
    â€˜He’d only just found them, apparently,’ said Fran. ‘You knew him and Sally, then?’
    The young man looked at her sharply. ‘I knew Alec, yes, and I know Sally. She is a favourite with the children.’
    The others exchanged glances. It was Betty who spoke in the end.
    â€˜I’m afraid Sally’s dead, too.’
    The young man seemed unable to speak. At last, he turned and called over his shoulder to his wife, who hurried forward with a bottle of red wine. He gestured for her to take a seat and pulled up a chair himself.
    â€˜You don’t mind?’ he said. Everyone shook their heads, and he offered wine all round.
    â€˜I am sorry,’ he said, putting a hand on his wife’s arm. ‘Sally was a dear friend.’ he spoke briefly to his wife, who promptly burst into tears and ran back to the kitchen.
    â€˜I’m sorry, too.’ Libby felt wretched. ‘I wish we hadn’t had to tell you.’
    He pulled himself up straight. ‘We would have heard. Can you tell me anything else?’
    Between them, they related the events of the last couple of days.
    â€˜Betty didn’t tell us your name,’ Libby finished up.
    â€˜I am Mahmud.’ The young man bowed his head. ‘And my wife – I must apologise for her – is Almas. Sally was very kind to her.’
    â€˜She had no enemies here, then,’ said Guy.
    â€˜None. We all liked her, although she could be – ’ he paused, frowning. ‘I do not know the word.’
    â€˜Sharp?’ suggested Libby.
    â€˜Prickly?’ from Harry.
    â€˜Like a schoolmistress,’ Mahmud came up with eventually. ‘Alec was her special friend. I did not know him so well. But they came here a lot. We are one of the only restaurants open in the winter.’
    â€˜You know Justin, too, then?’ said Ben.
    â€˜Yes. He comes with them sometimes, or with another friend. They are quite – ’ he paused again, frowning. ‘Quite close, the English.’
    â€˜The English who live here?’ suggested Peter.
    Mahmud nodded. ‘Do you know Geoff and Christine?’
    They all shook their heads except Betty.
    â€˜They own the Istanbul Palace,’ she said.
    â€˜What’s that?’ asked Libby.
    â€˜A hotel. It stands on its own on the way to the river,’ said Mahmud.
    â€˜I remember seeing it,’ said Guy. ‘I didn’t realise it was a hotel. It doesn’t have any signs outside.’
    â€˜No.’ Mahmud shook his head. ‘I don’t know why. But it also stays open all year, and the English go there a lot. They will all be very shocked. I must telephone.’ He stood and bowed to them all. ‘Please – this meal is – what do you say? You must not pay.’
    â€˜On the house,’ said Libby, ‘but we must pay. We brought you bad news, not good. We shall pay.’
    With the dispute amicably settled, the group finished the last of Mahmud’s wine and left, with promises to come back.
    â€˜So Geoff and Christine’s hotel is a sort of local for the ex-pats?’ said Libby, as they walked back to Jimmy’s.
    â€˜Seems to be,’ said Greta, ‘but I don’t think everyone gets on with them. We’ve only been up there once because someone suggested the food was good, but