Murder Among Us by Ann Granger Page A

writers. Eric could have got someone else."
    "Why didn't Denis want to come?" Meredith asked curiously. "I would have thought he'd have been keen to see the new restaurant."
    "Well, to begin with, Denis said the restaurant couldn't be judged by a gala evening. What's needed is for someone to turn up on an ordinary evening and see how 7 the food and service is then."
    That seemed a fair point and reason enough, but Leah went on after a pause. "And Denis has been under a lot of strain recently. He's got a new computer, word processor I suppose you call the thing. He can't get the hang of it. And then there's ..."
    She fell silent. Meredith picked up her cup and sipped at the tea, grateful for the warming brew. Over the rim she could see that Denis had now been cornered by Paul who was no doubt talking shop. She supposed that was Paul's way of coping with any upset, but it made him appear unfavourably thick-skinned. Denis did not appear to think this was the time or the place either. He was answering in irritable monosyllables, fidgeting about, in turn shooting glances towards his wife, Meredith and the policemen.
    "We haven't been married very long," Leah went on. "Less than a year. Are you married or cohabiting or anything? Sorry, I've forgotten your name."
    "Meredith. No. I'm a singleton in every way." She wrenched her gaze from the two professional cookery experts.
    "I thought you were with the police chap—the one who's taken charge?"
    "Yes—he's a friend."

    MURDER AMOMQ U5 47
    1 'Bit of luck, his being on the spot, I suppose. Or not, depending how you view it. I don't suppose he's feeling very chipper about it."
    Meredith looked across at Markby. He was looking distinctly harassed and was engaged in some argument with the man she didn't know. The one who had tried to head off the streaker.
    Leah had picked up her cup but put it down again with a rapid movement which splashed the tea into the saucer. "Look," she said, leaning forward urgently. "You'll think I've got a frightful nerve, but I'd like to ask you something. It's personal."
    "Fire away. I suppose I can always refuse to answer," said Meredith, wondering what on earth was coming and if it was anything to do with Alan.
    "You said you're a singleton. Have you ever been married or lived with anyone?"
    "No, not really. I'm in the Foreign Service. I'm posted in London these days, but I've spent a lot of time travelling about on my own. I've got used to it."
    "That's it!" Leah said eagerly. "You've got used to it! That's how Denis was till he met me. Used to being on his own. I've been married before. The first time I married I was only eighteen and I married from my parents' home. I've never lived alone, you see. When my first marriage broke up, I remarried almost at once. When Marcus died, I met Denis quite soon after. I suppose it was quite indecent, in a way, marrying Denis so soon after Marcus passed on. But I wasn't being heartless. I loved Marcus and was very happy with him. But I wasn't used to being alone. I've never had a career. I—I need someone there. I need to be married. And I do love Denis." She paused. "I have to have someone to love, you see."
    "Have you got any children?" Meredith put the question cautiously. As she had noticed before, shock acted on some people as too much alcohol did on others: it made them talkative, unburdening their troubled minds

    of personal problems with an often embarrassing degree of intimate detail to complete strangers.
    "Yes, a daughter. But she's like all youngsters now, very independent with her own flat, own friends, own life . . . We really have nothing in common. We get along all right—but don't see too much of each other." Leah sighed. "It's difficult for poor Denis, trying to adjust to having me around. Have you and that police boyfriend of yours ever contemplated moving in together? He seems a nice man. Good looking, too/'
    Meredith smiled apologetically. "It wouldn't work!" she said more bleakly than she'd