Death in a Family Way by Gwendolyn Southin Page A

like upstairs?”
    â€œThe same. I very much doubt if anything of value was taken,” he finished, as a police cruiser drew up to the house. “We won’t pass on my theories to our friends,” he said as he walked to the front door. “Let ’em find out for themselves.”
    From the kitchen doorway, they watched the police officers kneel beside the body. “He’s dead,” said the shorter of the two. “We’d better call in.” He turned to the waiting pair. “You the one that found him?”
    Nat nodded. “Yes. Along with Mrs. Spencer here.”
    â€œYou touch anything?”
    â€œOnly Ernie, just to make sure he was dead.”
    â€œWho are you? And what are you doing here?” the cop asked, taking out his notebook. “Let’s join your lady friend in the otherroom and you can both do some talking.”
    To Maggie, the rest of the morning passed like a bad dream. The only time she’d had any dealings with the police had been over a speeding ticket, and Harry had made enough fuss over that.
My God, what will he say when he finds out that I’m mixed up in a murder?
    The cop’s name turned out to be MacKenzie King, and Maggie wondered if his mother had been politically motivated. But she refrained from asking, since he didn’t look like the joking kind. Soon after their interview, where everything they’d said seemed to be suspect, a police doctor and photographer arrived, and again Maggie and Nat were kept waiting in the stuffy living room.
    â€œHow long will they keep us here?” Nervous, she got up and looked out the window. A sizable crowd had already gathered on the sidewalk. “Look at them. What makes people relish trouble?”
    Her boss joined her at the window. “Makes their humdrum lives a bit more interesting, I suppose. Also, it’s happening to someone else.”
    As if to reinforce his words, the noise of the crowd intensified as an ambulance and another police car drew up.
    â€œOh, shit!” he exclaimed as they watched two plainclothes officers follow the ambulance attendants up the path.
    â€œWhy? What is it?”
    â€œThe one in the front, that’s Farthing. He was brown-nosing his way to the top when I quit the force. And there’s no love lost between us,” he added grimly.
    â€œWhat the hell are you doing here, Southby?” Mark Farthing looked incredulously at Nat and a very pale Maggie. “Been interfering again? Stay put. I’ll talk to you later.” He disappeared into the kitchen.
    â€œHe didn’t seem very happy to see you,” she said as she sank once again into the easy chair.
    Nat Southby shrugged. “That’s life.”
    It was almost noon before Mark Farthing returned to the living room. “Okay. I’m listening.”
    â€œBradshaw left a message that he wanted to see me,” the detective explained. “We found him dead.”
    â€œWhen did he call you?”
    â€œMy answering service took the call sometime over the weekend. Saturday, I think she said.”
    â€œWhy call you? Did you know him?”
    Nat Southby looked uncomfortable. “I . . . uh . . . sort of found his cat for him.”
    â€œHis cat?” There wasn’t even the ghost of a smile on Farthing’s face.
    â€œIt was sort of a favour.”
    â€œI still don’t understand what you’re doing here. He lose the animal again?”
    â€œNo. Not as far as I know. Just said he wanted to see me. Maggie came along for the ride.”
    â€œMaggie?”
    â€œYes. My assistant. Mrs. Spencer here.”
    â€œI see,” Farthing answered, but she didn’t think he did. “Did you try to call him on the phone?” he persisted.
    â€œOf course I did. Several times. Maggie thought he might have fallen or something, so we decided we’d better come and see if he was okay.” He looked over at Maggie, whose mouth was open