Agatha Raisin and the Wizard of Evesham by M.C. Beaton

immaculate as ever. She threw herself into his arms and began to cry.
    ‘There now,’ he said, shoving her inside. ‘What have you been up to? What’s that dreadful smell? Have you been burning old boots?’
    He propelled her into the living-room. ‘Sit down. I’ll get us a brandy. You’re all smoky and smelly and soaking wet.’
    He poured two brandies and handed one to Agatha. ‘Now drink that and tell Uncle Charlie what happened. Did he rape you? No, you might have a smile on your face.’
    ‘Don’t be coarse. Are you one of those fools who think women like being raped?’
    ‘Oh my God. You poor thing. It was rape. Look, Agatha. It’s no longer the Dark Ages. We’ll phone the police right now and –’
    ‘IT WASN’T RAPE!’ screamed Agatha.
    ‘Well, what was it?’
    ‘Sit down. Listen. I’ll tell you. I can’t believe I’ve been so stupid.’
    Charles listened while Agatha told of the collapse of Mr John and how she had stolen his keys, about the house being set on fire.
    ‘God, you’re idiotic, Aggie,’ he remarked. ‘Someone’s bound to have seen you. You might have got away with it if the house hadn’t been torched. Police,
forensics, experts from the insurance company, God, they’ll be crawling over what’s left inch by inch.’
    ‘What am I to do?’ wailed Agatha.
    ‘Pray.’
    ‘I mean, what am I really to do?’
    ‘Well, if he was sick to the point of collapse and then someone torched his house, it looks to me as if someone tried to murder him. As they got him to the hospital, he’ll probably
be all right, and when he recovers he can maybe tell the police who he thinks did it.’
    ‘Now it’s you who is being stupid,’ said Agatha. ‘If he was a blackmailer, then he won’t want to give the police the names of any suspects in case one of his
victims tells all.’
    ‘I know, we could pay him a visit, or rather you pay him a visit and tell him about taking his keys. Throw yourself on his mercy.’
    ‘He might think I torched the house.’
    ‘He probably knows who did it.’
    ‘But what if he’s not a blackmailer, but just an innocent philanderer?’
    ‘I’ve a feeling he’s a crook. But let’s go to the hospital anyway.’
    When they got to Evesham Hospital, it was to find that John had been transferred to the Mircester General Hospital.
    ‘May as well go,’ said Charles.
    They drove in silence to Mircester.
    ‘What’s his second name?’ asked Charles when he parked in front of the hospital.
    ‘Shawpart.’
    ‘Okay, here we go.’
    They got out of the car.
    ‘Oh, Aggie.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘How stupid we’ve been. You visited him twice, legitimately, so that will explain any fingerprint and footprints or loose hair. And how will they know they’re your fingerprints
anyway?’
    ‘I got fingerprinted on one of the earlier cases.’
    ‘Still, it’s not too bad when you think about it. If they find the keys, they’ll think the arsonist left them. Wait, that’s odd.’
    ‘What’s odd?’
    ‘You heard someone come in. You didn’t hear anyone break in.’
    Agatha stared at him in amazement. ‘That’s right.’
    ‘So unless one of the neighbours saw you, you shouldn’t be in any trouble at all. And if it’s food poisoning, there won’t be such a fuss. He’s probably sitting up
in bed, putting in his contact lenses.’
    ‘I didn’t know he wore contact lenses.’
    ‘Aggie, those unnaturally blue eyes.’
    ‘So that’s why when I found him collapsed in the loo his eyes had gone grey?’
    ‘Exactly.’ He took her arm. ‘I make a better detective than you any day.’
     
Chapter Four
    They walked together into the hospital and up to the reception desk. ‘We’ve called to visit John Shawpart,’ said Charles.
    She checked her records. ‘He’s in intensive care. Are you relatives?’
    ‘I’m his sister,’ said Agatha, and Charles groaned inwardly.
    ‘If you go up to intensive care, someone will help you.’
    ‘What the hell did you say