A Killing Resurrected by Frank Smith Page B

take Marion back into that kind of environment. It could kill her.’
    â€˜I’m not even going to ask how your day went,’ Grace said when Paget finally arrived home shortly after six o’clock that evening. ‘I’m glad you phoned when you did, because after listening to the reports of a serious accident on the other side of Shrewsbury, I was beginning to worry. Did you see it?’
    â€˜No, but I was one of several hundred people stuck in a mile-long tailback because of it,’ he said wearily, ‘and it was like an oven in the car. Anyway, it’s good to be home.’
    Grace kissed him, then wrinkled her nose. ‘You’re right,’ she said. ‘It
was
hot out there, and I think the sooner you get out of those clothes and have a nice cool shower, the better. You said not to bother about dinner, but I held off just in case.’
    But Paget was shaking his head. ‘I had a big lunch,’ he told her, ‘so I’m not very hungry, but a cold beer and a sandwich would go down well. Why don’t you go ahead and have your dinner while I have a shower and change?’
    â€˜To tell you the truth, I’m not very hungry either,’ Grace said, ‘so I think I’ll wait and join you. A cold beer and a sandwich sounds just about right. I’ll have them ready when you come down.
    â€˜Oh, I almost forgot,’ she said as he started up the stairs. ‘Mr Alcott phoned. He wants you to call him back on his mobile phone. I have the number. He’s at the hospital. He didn’t say exactly what the problem was, but I gather Marion is quite ill. I told him you might be late in, but he said any time this evening would do.’
    When Paget came down again, Grace had prepared a plateful of beef, lettuce and Swiss cheese sandwiches. ‘I thought we might take these outside and sit on the back steps,’ she said as she took two bottles of beer from the fridge. ‘I could be mistaken but I believe I saw a leaf move out there, and I think it’s cooling off a bit.’
    â€˜Good idea,’ Paget agreed, ‘but perhaps I should call Alcott first.’
    He came out of the house a few minutes later and sat down beside Grace. ‘Marion Alcott has emphysema,’ he said quietly, ‘and it sounds serious. Alcott sounded pretty worried and said he wants to be with her as much as possible while she’s taking a series of tests, so it may be a while before he comes back to work on a regular basis. In the meantime, he’d like me to keep an eye on things for him. He says he’s cleared it with Chief Superintendent Brock.’
    â€˜Can you do that?’ Grace asked. ‘Aren’t you stretched to the limit as it is?’
    A wry smile touched Paget’s lips as he said, ‘No problem, according to Alcott. He said, “Don’t worry, you won’t have much to do. Fiona knows more about that job than either one of us. Just sign your name when she tells you to, and you won’t go far wrong.” And I think he was serious.’

FIVE
Thursday, July 9th
    S heep Lane was a crooked little street of black and white half-timbered houses, one of the oldest streets in Broadminster, and the Brush and Palette was halfway down on the left-hand side. It was sandwiched between a betting shop on one side and a dry cleaner’s on the other. The front step was worn, the door frame was crooked, and Paget had to nudge the door with his shoulder before it would give way. An old-fashioned bell on a spiral spring above the door clattered rather than rang as he entered, and clattered even more when he tried to push the door shut.
    â€˜Needs a bit taking off,’ a man said as he came forward from the back of the shop. ‘I keep meaning to take a chisel to it, but I never seem to have time. Now, what can I do for you, sir?’
    Paget introduced himself. ‘We spoke on the phone earlier this morning,’ he said.