Murder Among Us by Ann Granger

presumably knew how to interpret his wife's mood.
    "I don't want/' said Denis again in a hoarse undertone, "to interrupt him, Markby."
    "He's very understanding," she heard herself say in defence of Alan whom Denis seemed to view as some kind of ogre. "But yes, he is rather busy."
    "Don't want to talk to him!" said Denis, now showing a tendency to develop an alarming twitch at the corner of his left eye. "Have to talk to him, one of them, soon. But what for? We don't know anything about it!" His voice rose on a querulous note. "I don't see why we have to be kept hanging around here. We're not suspects, for pity's sake! Why couldn't Eric keep an eye on his blasted cellar? He's got no business letting bodies be found in it. It's Eric's hotel! I can understand why the plods want to talk to him! Why have we got to be grilled?"
    "Routine, I suppose. I'll get the coats."
    Upstairs the hotel was empty and her footsteps echoed muffled on the new carpeting. She found her coat and went along to room fourteen to find the stole. In the Fultons' room the subtle scent of expensive perfume lingered on the air. Leah's make-up items were on the dressing table and the dress she had worn earlier in the day was on a hanger hooked over the open bathroom door. Meredith, who had employed the same trick to remove creases by means of bathroom steam on many occasions, smiled. All the same, it was embarrassing to ferret about in someone else's room. Although there was no one on this floor but herself, she still felt that someone, a staff member or a police officer, might come in and ask what she was doing. She grabbed the stole and hurried back downstairs.
    During her absence someone had organised cups of tea which were being served by an immaculate and admirably unflustered waiter from a trolley, incongruous

    MURDER AMOMQ U5 45
    in the circumstances. Eric clearly meant to look after his guests, no matter what. Meredith took the stole to where Leah sat and bent over her.
    "Your husband asked me to bring this down for you."
    Leah Fulton looked up and smiled. It was such a radiantly beautiful smile that Meredith experienced quite a feeling of shock. The same perfume as had left its traces in the bedroom made its discreet presence known and Leah's pose seemed perfect, not a hair out of place, no obvious sign of being upset. It would be difficult to imagine a greater contrast between her manner and that of her agitated spouse and no one could have looked more unsuited to be on the scene of a murder. Years on the social treadmill, however, might explain her composure. Society hostesses and humble consular staff alike have to be able to cope with anything.
    "Thank you!" Pearly-pink varnished nails closed on the stole. "Denis is very thoughtful. And it's so kind of you to bother."
    "No trouble. It seemed easier than asking permission to leave the room twice."
    "I shall have to ask permission to leave the room in a minute," said Leah unexpectedly. "I need to go to the loo." She pulled the stole round her shoulders with a sudden irritable movement and Meredith began to suspect that beneath the serene exterior Leah was very distressed, after all. Denis was right. "I suppose," Leah said drily, "that if and when we go, that woman police officer will accompany us. It's degrading."
    "I suppose she will," Meredith looked at Wpc Jones. "Not much fun for her, either."
    "Yes, well, we're not camels!" Leah wriggled. "And the last thing I need is to be plied with wretched cups of tea!"
    This last was a response to the arrival of the waiter. Meredith took two cups of tea from him nevertheless and put them on the pristine damask cloth of the nearest

    table. "You ought to drink something hot. It's good for shock."
    "A brandy would be better but I suppose we wouldn't be allowed that!" Leah sighed and added in a resigned voice, "Denis didn't want to come today but he felt he owed it to Eric. I should have been firm and called it off. After all, there are plenty of food