Murder Among Us by Ann Granger Page B

meant to. "I suppose, referring back to what you were saying, I'm used to being on my own. Alan was married once. It didn't work out and it's left him wary. I think he'd—well, he'd like it if we were together on some permanent basis. But I'm not good at sharing my life with anyone else all the time. It sounds selfish but I don't think I'm selfish. I think I'm realistic. I think whatever relationship Alan and I have, it will last longer if we're not under one another's feet. I might be wrong, of course."
    Confidences had a way of inspiring other confidences, she thought wryly. Why was she telling her all this 0
    "Is he ever jealous?" Leah asked.
    Meredith thought that one over. "I've never really— well, he might be. He's never said anything. Not that he's got any reason to be jealous. I haven't got another lover hidden away in London."
    "They never do say anything," Leah muttered. "That's the trouble. They brood. They build things up in their imagination. Then when you ask them outright, they deny it. You can always tell because they start to act shifty. I mean, I might not know much in general but I do know something about men! It's the devil's own job trying to get them to talk about what they really feel. They thmk it isn't macho, or something. Men. frankly, can be extremely difficult!"
    There was a disturbance. Alan Markby had come into

    MURDER AMOMQ U5 49
    the middle of the room. Everyone fell silent and looked at him expectantly.
    "Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm sure you'll all agree with me that this is a most unfortunate occurrence. We have the names and addresses of everyone here and, if anyone would now like to leave, you are free to do so. I'm afraid the activities of the police both inside and outside the building mean that the dinner has had to be cancelled. Mr. Schuhmacher asks me to make his apologies and I apologise on behalf of the police. It can't be helped!"
    Markby's voice rose on the last phrase to drown the groan from the hungry crowd in the dining room.
    "There are two other hotels in Bamford and several pubs which do food in the immediate area so if you'd all be so good, perhaps I could ask you to make your own arrangements. We're all sorry for the inconvenience!"
    Markby's brisk words met with mutinous silence.
    "I shall go back to London at once!" said Merle in a loud voice.
    "Find ourselves a pub meal!" Leah gave a short laugh. "And all of us dressed to kill!" She broke off and pulled a face. "Oh dear, wrong expression in the circumstances!"
    "Miss Foster?" Markby asked courteously.
    The girl was huddled in an armchair in the hotel lounge. She looked ill, her face grey and twitching, unshed tears glistening in her eyes. His question may or may not have registered with her.
    1 'I'm Chief Inspector Markby,'' he introduced himself as he took a seat by her. "I doubt I'll be in charge of this case but as I'm on the spot and until someone else is put in charge, I'm co-ordinating the early work. Do you understand?"
    This time she reacted, nodding. "Yes." It was a whisper.
    "I'm sorry to ask you questions now. I realise you're shocked. But I understand you discovered the body."

    "Yes/* She seemed to realise she must be almost inaudible, cleared her throat and repeated more loudly and firmly, ''Yes, I did."
    4 'And . . ." he glanced briefly at his scribbled notes taken down on the first thing to hand, a menu card. "You are a member of the historical society and came here today to help mount a protest. Isn't it a bit late for all that? the hotel is now a fact of life."
    She shook her head violently. "No, no! It wasn't like that! We weren't all here to protest. It was only Hope who wanted to do something so that our campaign shouldn't just come to a sort of soggy end. We know we're beaten—or at least, the rest of us do. But Hope still wanted to make some kind of statement. The rest of us came rather hoping we could put her off, but we didn't."
    "No, quite. Are you the young lady who runs the animal sanctuary,