Paws for Alarm by Marian Babson Read Free Book Online Page A

and a few other tourist spots while Arnold does his research. Then we’ll meet him again at the end of the day, have dinner in London, and come back on the late train.’
    â€˜Quite a full day.’ Lania sounded amused. ‘Would you like to put Mrs Thing off till another day, then?’
    â€˜Oh, no, don’t put her off! She can come anyway, can’t she? She must have a key and know her way around the place. She’ll know what needs to be done.’
    â€˜Well, if you’re willing to trust her ...’
    â€˜Sure, I’ll trust her.’ I’d rather trust her than stand over her the way Lania seemed to think necessary. I’d be too embarrassed. ‘I’ll leave the money on the kitchen table and she can do her cleaning and lock up when she leaves.’
    â€˜Very well. If that will suit you, I’m sure it will suit her. I’ll give her your instructions.’
    â€˜Fine.’ I felt I could depend on Lania to take a much tougher line with Mrs Thing than I ever could. We chatted a bit more and I was just hanging up when I heard Arnold’s key in the lock.
    â€˜Oh ...’ I went out into the hall to meet him. ‘So you decided to come home? I thought you’d taken up residence over there.’
    â€˜Sorry I’m late, honey, but I had a hard time getting away. First, she wanted me to have a drink, then she wanted to explain a few things so that we’d understand. I’ve got the whole story. Poor woman – she’s had a rough time over the past few months.’
    â€˜What are you talking about?’ I pulled Arnold into the study and closed the door behind us, in case the kids got bored with watching television and decided to come downstairs. ‘What story? Come on – give.’
    â€˜You know Celia told us her sister’s husband had died in an automobile accident?’
    I nodded.
    â€˜Well, it turns out that Hazel was – indirectly – the cause of it. At least, she blames herself. What’s worse, Rosemary Blake blames her, too. That’s why she didn’t want to come into this house. She knows Rosemary would hate to have her under this roof and she doesn’t think she ought to take advantage of her absence.’
    â€˜How can Hazel blame herself for John’s accident?’ But that explained her strange behaviour on the dangerous curve. It must have been that very curve -
    â€˜Because if John hadn’t gone over to her house to do her a favour, he wouldn’t have met up with the accident. The lights had fused in her dining-room and he went over to fix them for her. He fixed the wiring okay and had a glass of sherry with her. Poor Hazel still feels guilty about that, but it couldn’t have been enough to make any difference. He was driving home when he ran into some maniac on the crest of the hill. That is, the maniac ran into him. John went off the road, over the cliff – and that was that. Hazel can’t forgive herself – and Rosemary can’t forgive her, either. It sounds as though they had half the town lining up to take sides.’
    â€˜No wonder Lania didn’t want me to tell Rosemary that we’d met Hazel. Especially not that we met her at a dinner party next door!’
    â€˜That’s why, all right. In fact, I don’t think we should admit we’ve even heard of Hazel if we ever meet Rosemary. Things would be easier that way.’
    â€˜I won’t even tell Patrick,’ I decided. That way, it can never slip out. I wouldn’t trust Celia not to snitch.’
    â€˜And do you know what else I learned —?’ Arnold’s voice took on a note of wistful awe. ‘John Blake built an entire room on to the back of this house — wiring and all! It’s the room they’ve thrown their things into and locked off. I’d love to take a good look at it. Do you think we could –’
    â€˜Never mind that,’ I said. It was