Wedding Rows by Kate Kingsbury Read Free Book Online Page A

“Police?”
    “Tess . . .” Daphne approached her daughter and seized both her hands. “You must be brave, darling. It’s about Brian.”
    Tess’s face froze. “Brian? What about him?”
    “I’m afraid—” Daphne’s voice broke and she dipped her head.
    Rodney grunted in exasperation, then said bluntly, “He’s dead.”
    Daphne’s cry of protest was drowned out by Tess’s shocked howl. “No! I don’t believe you. He can’t be dead. I just saw him this afternoon. How can he be dead?”
    “Someone stabbed him with a knife.” Rodney strode over to the young girl, who had begun to sob, and pushed his wife aside. Grasping Tess’s shoulders, he said more quietly, “I know this must be a shock to you, child, but you must pull yourself together. The constable wants to have a word with you, and you need your wits about you.”
    “I don’t want to talk to anyone,” Tess sobbed. “I just want to go home.”
    “I’m sure—” Elizabeth began, but once more she was interrupted by a tap on the door.
    This time it was Violet who stood in the doorway. “I’m sorry, madam, but the constable insisted on coming right up.”
    Elizabeth nodded at her housekeeper. “It’s all right, Violet. You may show the constable in.”
    “Yes, madam.” Violet opened the door to allow the portly figure of George to pass through, then closed it behind him.
    “Good evening, your ladyship,” George said, removing his helmet and tucking it under his arm.
    Elizabeth got her feet and made the introductions. None of the Winterhalters were particularly gracious. Dahpne seemed bewildered, frightened, and out of her depth. Rodney’s face was carved in stone, while Tess continued to hiccup softly as sobs escaped her lips.
    “Now, then, young lady,” George said, after licking the end of his pencil, “when was the last time you saw the deceased?”
    Tears rolled down Tess’s face as she struggled to answer him. “This afternoon.”
    “I understand,” George said pompously, “that you were arguing with the deceased shortly before his death.”
    Tess cried louder and hunted in her pocket for a handkerchief. Daphne pulled one from her sleeve and handed it to her. “Here you are, darling. Just tell the policeman what he wants to know.”
    “I told him I never wanted to see him again!” Tess howled. “I didn’t mean it!”
    George scribbled on his notepad. “I see. And what prompted you to say that to him, might I ask?”
    Tess appeared to make a valiant effort to control her weeping. “I found out he . . . he was with another woman at the Tudor Arms. She was in his room .” The last word rose on a wail of anguish.
    “Always knew the miserable cad was no good,” Rodney muttered.
    “Why didn’t you tell us, darling?” Daphne cried, obviously distressed.
    “I didn’t want anyone else to know what a fool I’d been,” Tess managed, between sobs.
    George went on scribbling some more. “So what happened when you told him you didn’t want to see him no more?”
    “He was angry. I . . . ran away.”
    “And he was alive when you left him?”
    “I . . . I just wanted to get away from him.”
    “Of course you did, dear,” Daphne said. She threw a protective arm about her daughter’s shoulders. “You can see the child has had a terrible shock,” she said, glaring at George. “Can’t this wait until tomorrow?”
    “Just a couple more questions, madam, if you don’t mind.” George turned to Rodney. “When did you last see the deceased alive?”
    “At the reception. I told him to leave. He was hanging around my daughter and making a blasted nuisance of himself.”
    “I take it you had no liking for the deceased.”
    Rodney uttered a bark of contempt. “I had no time for the rotter, no. He was harassing my daughter.”
    “And you wanted to stop him doing that,” George said, busily writing.
    Rodney’s face grew redder. “Yes, I did. That doesn’t mean I killed him.”
    “No, sir, but it does mean you had