Pushing Up Daisies by M. C. Beaton

properly.”
    Bill came out of headquarters accompanied by Alice Peterson. They were laughing and chatting until Bill saw Agatha approaching and his face fell.
    â€œI’ve discovered something important,” said Agatha. “You’ve got to listen.”
    â€œAll right,” said Bill reluctantly. “Out with it.” Gerald came to join them.
    Bill listened intently as Agatha told him about what Mrs. Bull had said. When she had finished, Bill said, “You’ll need to come in with me and make a statement, and then we’ll get onto it right away.”
    â€œDo I have to see Wilkes?” asked Agatha.
    â€œNo, it’s his day off. I’ll take your statements, and then we’ll go and see her.”
    After they had given their statements and were heading back to Carsely, Agatha said sulkily, “It looks as if we might have solved that murder and the police will take all the credit and Damian will be furious if the killer turns out to be his own mother.”
    â€œWe’ve still got Peta’s murder to solve,” Gerald pointed out.
    â€œAnd no one is paying us for that.” She drove down into the village and turned into Lilac Lane. “There’s smoke coming from James’s chimney. He must be home.”
    â€œAnd there’s Toni waiting on your doorstep,” said Gerald, smoothing back his hair.
    â€œProbably wants some girl talk, so you’d better be off,” said Agatha. She was aware that Toni had, in the past, betrayed a liking for much older men. She parked outside her cottage. Gerald nipped out and said something to Toni, who shook her blond head.
    â€œWhat was that about?” asked Agatha, after Gerald had left.
    â€œWanted to take me out for dinner,” said Toni.
    â€œOld lecher,” grumbled Agatha. “What brings you?”
    â€œA quiet Sunday so I thought I’d take a run over to Carsely and see how you are getting on.”
    â€œCome in and I’ll tell you all about it.”
    Agatha had just finished talking when the doorbell rang. It was Simon Black. “Thought I’d drop in,” he said.
    â€œMeaning you are in pursuit of Toni. Give up, Simon.”
    â€œWell, if that’s your attitude.… Actually, I’m not. Boring old day.”
    â€œOh, come in. She’s in the kitchen.” The doorbell rang again. “Now, who is it?” demanded Agatha.
    This time it was her former employee, Roy Silver, and behind him stood James Lacey. “This is getting to be a party,” said Agatha.
    When they were all seated in the kitchen, she told her adventures over again. “Have the press been round?” asked Roy eagerly.
    â€œNo, Roy, so you’ve had a wasted visit. Is that the reason you came?”
    â€œI need your help,” said Roy. His pasty face had a new crop of pimples which always happened when he was upset. “Pedman is threatening to sack me.” Pedman was Roy’s public-relations boss.
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œI punched a reporter on the nose.”
    â€œWhich one?”
    â€œBert Cunningham.”
    The top reporter on the Sketch ? How come?”
    â€œI’ve been handling that pop group, Drop Dead Gorgeous. The lead singer, Jez Honor, has been charged with raping a fourteen-year-old.”
    â€œPedman should have stopped representing them.”
    â€œWell, they didn’t, and I got stuck with the damage limitation. I was keeping the press at bay and Cunningham called me a fairy so I punched him on the nose.”
    â€œBut you are a…” Agatha bit her lip. “Have you got what he said on tape?”
    â€œYes, I taped what was supposed to be a press conference. He’s suing me, Aggie, and Pedman is furious.”
    â€œOh, talk among yourselves, you lot, while I deal with this,” said Agatha.
    She returned to the kitchen after half an hour, saying wearily, “Well, that’s fixed. You aren’t being sued, and