Death in a Family Way by Gwendolyn Southin Page B

in astonishment. “You were right to be worried, weren’t you, Maggie?”
    She managed to compose her face before Farthing turned to her.
    â€œYes. He is . . . uh . . . was rather old and sort of tottery, you know.”
    â€œMmm. Yes, I see.”
    â€œHe didn’t look at all well . . .” Maggie found herself prattling on.
    â€œWell, you can go now, but you know the drill, Southby. Be prepared for us to call on you.” He started for the kitchen. “Nice meeting you, Mrs. Spencer.”
    Maggie picked up her handbag from the floor just as Emily walked into the room. “Oh, Sergeant Farthing?”
    â€œYes.” Farthing turned.
    â€œThe cat. What are you going to do with the cat?”
    â€œWhat cat? Oh, that cat. Take it to the pound, I suppose. Why?”
    â€œI know someone who’d look after her until Ernie’s daughter can be located. Would it be okay to take her?”
    â€œDon’t see why not. One less thing for us to look after.” He turned to Nat. “Oh, and just a word of warning, Southby—this is a police matter now, and just remember that you’re not one of Mulligan’s bright boys anymore. Don’t interfere. Is that clear?”
    â€œWhat’s he mean—Mulligan’s bright boys?” Maggie asked, scooping up Emily on the way out to the car. “You weren’t mixed up in all that scandal, were you?”
    â€œOne of the reasons I left the force,” he answered tersely. “Come on, let’s get that damned cat into the car. And who,” he continued, watching Maggie struggling with the animal, “is this wonderful person that’s going to look after the prime suspect here?”
    â€œWhy, Violet Larkfield, of course,” she answered with a wicked smile.
    â€œYou must be joking,” he said, grinning back at her. “I thought you said you wouldn’t go back there for love or money.”
    â€œDo you have any other suggestions?” she replied. “Your place, for instance?”
    â€œNo, Violet it is. But I’ll wait in the car.”
    When they reached the Larkfield house a few minutes later,Maggie turned to her employer. “You’re a coward, Mr. Southby.” She got out of the passenger seat, holding the squirming Emily tightly to her, but before pushing the gate open, she paused to look at the garden with its trees and shrubs.
There’s something quite creepy about this place.
She took a big breath and a firmer hold on the cat as she approached the porch.
    Violet Larkfield flung open the front door. “What do you want this time?”
    Definitely not a good start.
“Mrs. Larkfield, we wondered . . . uh . . . Mr. Southby wondered if you could look after Emily for awhile?”
    â€œWhy?” Violet stepped past Maggie and peered down the path toward Nat’s car.
    â€œIt’s Ernie. He seems to . . .”
    Violet Larkfield interrupted. “I suppose you’d better bring her in.”
    In the hallway, she took the cat gently into her arms and stroked its head. Emily immediately responded by pushing herself against the woman’s scrawny neck and purring in ecstasy. “That’s my pet then,” Violet said lovingly. She turned her back on Maggie. “So why bring her to me?”
    â€œErnie Bradshaw has met with an accident.”
    â€œWhat kind of accident?”
    â€œWell—he’s dead.”
    â€œDead? His heart give out?”
    â€œNo, not his heart. He seems to have been murdered. We . . . Mr. Southby and I . . . found him a short while ago.”
    â€œHow come you found him?”
    â€œIt’s a long story. Most likely it was a robbery.” Maggie shifted uncomfortably. “You can blame me for bringing Emily to you. I know she likes it here and you do seem to like cats . . .” Her voice trailed off.
    Violet looked hard at her. “How long do you expect me to keep her this time?” she said,