will be in the bank.”
“It’s all wound up. The cheque should be in your bank by now. What kind of business were you thinking of going into?”
“That health shop in the High Street.”
“Wait until I get my paper. I would like to talk to you about that.”
Fell looked at the newspaper while he waited for the lawyer. He and Maggie were photographed on the front page. Maggie did not look at all like Maggie. She looked quite beautiful. “Threat to Our Detectives,” said the headline.
The lawyer emerged. “Let’s go to my office for a chat.”
“1 really should be getting back to Maggie.”
“You can phone her from my office.”
They walked together to the lawyer’s office in the town square. The market was in full swing. On such a day, thought Fell, did I learn of my inheritance.
Once in the office, he phoned Maggie and said he was at the lawyer’s and would be back shortly.
“Sit down, Mr. Dolphin,” said Mr. Jamieson. “I assume you are talking about going into business with Mrs. Melissa Har-ley.”
“Yes.”
“You must realize, Mr. Dolphin,” said the lawyer, “that this is a small market town and gossip spreads quickly, particularly in the Rotary club, of which I am a member. Mrs. Harley is running into financial difficulties. The business rates in this town are quite high and her shop is in a prime site in the High Street. I believe it was suggested to her that she choose a more modest place to start her business, but she would not listen. The majority of people in this town like smoking and junk food. She has only a short lease on the shop, so she would not get all that much for it if she sold now. Mrs. Harley almost got a businessman to invest in her shop, but, if you understand me, his wife stepped in and stopped it. I feel it is my duty to advise you that you would be throwing your inheritance away.”
Fell turned red. “I don’t believe you,” he said passionately.
“You do not need to. All you have to do is bring her to me and ask her to bring her books with her. If she has nothing to worry about, she will do so.”
“Thank you,” said Fell coldly. “Will that be all?”
“Yes, but do be cautious.”
I hate this nasty little town, thought Fell furiously as he walked through the market. It’s a hotbed of false and malicious gossip.
He met the editor of the
Fell looked blankly down at his hand as if expecting to see the newspaper still there. “I haven’t read it,” he said. “I must have left it somewhere.” He looked at the editor and suddenly burst out with, “Do you know Melissa Harley?”
“Oh, Harpy Harley, the one that runs the health shop? Why?”
“Nothing.”
“So why ask?” Tommy’s red-veined eyes sharpened. “Got nothing to do with the robbery, has she?”
“Of course not,” snapped Fell. He brushed past the editor and walked rapidly away.
But instead of going home, he went round to the High Street and positioned himself opposite Melissa’s shop. He watched.
He watched for an hour. No one went in and no one came out.
? The Skeleton in the Closet ?
Six
MAGGIE looked up as Fell came in. His face looked grey. “What’s the matter?” she asked sharply. “No inheritance?”
“It’s just the heat,” said Fell. “Leave me alone.” He sank down on the ruined sofa and stared bleakly ahead.
Maggie went into the kitchen. She made a cup of coffee and tipped a measure of whisky into it. She took it in and handed it to Fell. “Drink that,” she ordered. “It’s good for shock.”
“I haven’t had a shock,” protested Fell.
But he drank the coffee while Maggie watched him. “Was it something in the newspaper?” asked Maggie. “I was worried about you. You were away for ages.”
Fell pulled a crumpled copy of the newspaper from his pocket. He had bought another one. Maggie smoothed it out. “Oh, I do look good,” she exclaimed. “Doesn’t look like me at all.” She read quickly. “It’s just a straightforward account. So it can’t be that. It’s something you don’t want to talk about, isn’t it, Fell?”
He nodded.
“Then we won’t talk about it,” said Maggie briskly. “Action is the best thing. If you’ve finished your coffee, we’ll go to that furniture place. And we’d better get a locksmith to put a lock on the door and perhaps a burglar alarm. I’ll look up the business directory, shall I?”
Fell nodded dumbly.
He sat, aware of Maggie’s voice on the phone, but lost in thoughts about Melissa. He should have known she was after his money. Maggie replaced the receiver. “A man from a security firm out on the estate will be round at four this afternoon. Come on, dear, let’s get moving.”
Fell followed her out. How odd that it should be so sunny. It ought to be black and cold and raining. Somehow the sunshine intensified pain. He got into Maggie’s little car feeling stiff and old, as if the hurt had invaded his bones like a kind of emotional rheumatism.
Melissa, thought Maggie bitterly. I could kill her!
She said nothing, but drove to the second-hand furniture shop. “You choose what you think we ought to have,” said Fell.
“If you’re sure. You’re the one that’s going to be living with it.”
“I’m sure.” Fell offered a lame excuse. “It’s just the heat, Maggie, and delayed shock about finding out about my real parents.”
Maggie hesitated. “Before I choose anything, Fell, you once said you would like to turn the living room into a large kitchen and use the sitting room as a living room. It would cost a bit, but you could get the wall between the kitchen and the living room knocked down and make it all into one big kitchen.”
Fell remembered his dream of a warm country kitchen. “Good idea. But you’re right. We’ll start using the sitting room.”
They went into the huge shop together. Despite his misery, Fell was surprised at the quality of the furniture. Some of it was antique and very expensive indeed. “I’ll just sit here,” said Fell, taking a chair at the door. “Get what you think is best.”
Maggie hesitated a moment and then went off. After an hour, she had chosen a comfortable leather armchair for Fell, a large down-stuffed sofa, an easy chair with a wide Victorian seat upholstered in green velvet, two occasional chairs, a writing table, and a coffee table. She told Fell the price. The assistant said they would send someone round this afternoon to give them a price on their ruined furniture, and if everything was agreeable they would deliver the new furniture the following day. Maggie told him to send their man round at four, judging she could deal with the security firm and the furniture people in one go.
When she then told Fell what she had done, he said, “Fine.”
She then suggested they go somewhere for a snack. She drove them to a pub. Fell ate an omelette and drank half a pint of beer in silence. Maggie was becoming increasingly worried about him.
When they went back home, Fell said, “Do you mind if I go up to bed?”
“No, you go ahead,” said Maggie. “I’ll handle everything.”
“I’ll sign some blank cheques,” said Fell. “Just fill in what they need.”
The locksmith arrived and fitted a new Yale lock, and a mortise, and two bolts. He then, on Maggie’s
