The Measby Murder Enquiry by Ann Purser Read Free Book Online

couldn’t help reacting to a well-endowed bottom with a wiggle as it walked.
    Now he sat talking to his old buddy, Felix Galloway. They had arrived at Springfields at the same time, and had comforted each other in their misery. Roy was at first determined to be miserable, and Felix always agreed with everything he said.
    “Seen your daughter lately, Felix?” Roy said. He knew she was a regular visitor, and demonstrably very fond of her father.
    “She’s coming in this afternoon, bless her,” Felix replied. “Always brings me something nice, but I tell her nothing’s as nice as herself, and that would do, without presents.”
    Roy nodded. “I should’ve married years ago. Nothing like a family, when you’re old. Mind you,” he added, thinking of Alwen Jones and her bossy daughter, “they can be a mixed blessing, so I’m told.”
    “It’s never too late, they say. Mind you, I can’t see the patter of tiny feet coming along at our age!”
    Both men roared with laughter at the ridiculous thought but stopped suddenly when they heard a voice coming up behind them.
    “So, what’s funny, Roy? Share the joke, won’t you?” It was Ivy, and she touched his arm lightly.
    “Ah, there you are, Ivy,” he said, ignoring her question. “Are you ready for a wee drink before lunch?”
    “Not time for that, Roy. Gus is here, and we’ve phoned Deirdre. Meeting in my room in a quarter of an hour. Be there, please.”
    She disappeared up the stairs, and Felix smiled. “Under starter’s orders, my boy,” he said. “Best have a pee before you go. Looks like it could be a long meeting.”
     
     
    “SO WHAT’S THIS all about?” said Deirdre crossly. She had a headache this morning, and knew it was her own fault. Still, it had been worth it! Theo back to his old loving self.
    “First of all,” Ivy said, “how was it last night?”
    “Wonderful!” Deirdre said dreamily, and then saw Ivy’s face. “Um, well, I told you on the phone about Theo and what he said. But before that the party was a good one for once. Some quite interesting people. As I said, Ivy, I did have a chance to talk to Theo about the Joneses, if that’s what you’re asking. He knew them, of course. Apparently there were two brothers—”
    “George and William,” interrupted Ivy. “We already know that. Did you sort out which was which?”
    “George was the boss, and William possibly company secretary, or finance director, or some such. He was an accountant, Theo said. He also said if he thought of anything else of interest he would let me know.”
    Gus nodded. “Very useful, Deirdre,” he said.
    “We got some useful stuff, too,” Ivy said. “Daffy old Mrs. Worth—you know, Roy, the one who yells in the middle of the night—she had a few lucid moments this morning when me and Augustus went to see her. I shall see her again, to see what else she remembers.”
    “She made sense for once?” Roy said in surprise.
    “Briefly,” Gus said. “It looks like the most interesting Jones brother who might’ve had something to do with our Alwen is the younger one, William, who had a bossy wife. We wondered if you, Roy, could remember anything about a Jones/Wilson wedding way back?”
    “Do we think Alwen is connected, then?” asked Roy. “I thought she said she wasn’t, or only distantly? And does this have anything to do with her trouble yesterday?”
    Ivy smiled at him. “Yes, we do, and yes, she did say that, and yes, it might have. Remember what we’re supposed to be looking out for? As well as digging around in Measby for more on the old man’s death, we are to keep our ears open for other cases of extortion or blackmail? Well, that means money. Alwen has lost twenty thousand, supposedly, and Daisy Worth is in here, paying out a fortune in fees which she ain’t likely to have in her Post Office savings account. Two and two make . . . ?”
    “You’re not suggesting Mrs. Worth is blackmailing Alwen, surely, Ivy?” said Gus,