Stonebridge Manor
Chapter 41
CHAPTER FORTY ONE
“Hey, you old fart, how’s the world treating you?”
Phillip was calling his friend Ken.
“About time too. I was beginning to think you’d been arrested and that I’d be forced, out of our friendship, to marry my darling Natalie.”
“It’s a wonder you didn’t shop me to the cops.”
“I’m not a snitch, but I did think about making an anonymous call.”
“You think Natalie would marry you?”
“If she had sense she would, I know she fell in love with me when I gave her the grand tour of our wondrous capital city, which she thought was marvelous after being stuck in the dark north with you.”
“She may have given you that impression, but she was just being kind. She has a soft spot for senile raconteurs.”
“It was more than that, my friend. I saw the twinkle in her eyes whenever she gazed in my direction. Which was most of the time.”
“That was her contact lenses, dummy. It’s the way they catch the light.”
“We’ll send you a piece of our wedding cake when they send you to prison. You’ll believe me then.”
“Just make sure you put a file in the cake.”
“Count on it.” Turning serious, he went on, “So my friend, I’ve been worried about you, I haven’t heard from you since the news broke. Have they found who did it yet?”
“Not that I’ve heard, and there’s a couple of detectives on their way up here to interview me, so I’ve just been informed.”
“Who told you that?”
“The police called. Told me to stay around until these guys visited.”
“They might take you back with them.”
“If they do, I’ll tell Natalie to go and marry you, spend all your money on my defense, and when I get cleared she can divorce you and we’ll throw you out of your home.”
“She’ll forget all about you once we get married. She’ll realize just what a mistake she made in not picking me first. So my friend, who was it who killed the wicked witch?”
“No one knows yet.”
“Well, who do you think did it?”
“I have my suspicions but she could really have been killed by anyone. Virtually everyone had a grudge against her.”
“Was it your guvnor?”
“No, he couldn’t have done it. He’s never so much as raised an arm against her, never mind shoot her.”
“Well somebody did it. Do you think you’ll be a suspect?”
“I suppose I have to be. I was there and it was so chaotic at the time with everyone going in different directions. It wasn’t like a bunch of us were in a room and we heard a gunshot. I didn’t even know she was dead until we got back.”
“At least you and Natalie are okay. It could have turned into one of those massacres where everybody gets shot.”
“I suppose. Natalie is amazed that no one seems to be mourning Lady B.”
“Are you going to the funeral?”
“I don’t think so. I don’t see the point, and his Lordship is trying to keep it as small as possible. I think he’s had his fill of over elaboration.”
“How is my darling Natalie doing?”
“She’s doing okay. It’s a shock to her of course but she seems okay.”
“I’ll get Fran to give her a call. They got on famously you know when they met.”
“So I heard, but then Fran has good taste. Give her our love when you see her.”
“Will do, buddy. She’s been worried about you. Keep me informed about what happens will you? That’s one thing that never happened to me.”
“What’s that?”
“No one I ever worked for ever got killed. ”
“I will call back later when the detectives leave.”
“Okay, until later then. Give Natalie my love. Be careful.”
“I will. Bye for now.”
“Bye, buddy.”