Murder in the Dark - A Libby Sarjeant Murder Mystery (Libby Sarjeant Murder Mystery Series) by Lesley Cookman

that his story tallied with the one he told the police. What about Patti?’
    ‘She only knows the vicar of St Mary’s vaguely, and we were right, it is a shared parish, but she’s agreed to look up the churchwardens and give one of them a ring to see if we can go along and have a look. She also said that the churchwardens might know what we’re looking for, to save us a journey.’
    ‘Oh, we’d have to go ourselves, wouldn’t we?’
    Libby laughed. ‘I knew you’d say that. Patti said she’ll ring as soon as she’s got any news.’
    Neither DC Robertson nor Patti called back that day, nor did they on Saturday. Libby restlessly and erratically cleaned number 17 from top to bottom and began to make Christmas lists. Ben escaped to visit the timber yard on the estate and collect fresh eggs from one of the tenant farmers.
    On Saturday evening they went to The Pink Geranium for dinner and found Adam in his long white apron being head waiter and watching a nervous young woman with a benevolent eye.
    ‘New girl?’ murmured Libby, as he presented her with a menu.
    ‘PhD student,’ he muttered back. ‘Very nice girl.’
    Libby grinned. ‘I’ll have the quesadillas de hongos, please.’
    ‘And a bottle of red?’
    ‘Of course. Is Pete coming in?’
    ‘No, apparently he’s gone to Canterbury to see James.’
    Peter’s younger brother James lived and worked in Canterbury and was rarely seen in Steeple Martin other than for occasional Sunday lunches at The Manor.
    At the end of their meal, Harry joined them bringing another bottle of red wine with him.
    ‘I had your pollo verde all ready,’ he told Libby accusingly. ‘Now it’ll have to go in Adam’s freezer upstairs.’
    Harry cooked mainly Mexican vegetarian food, but he made an exception in order to cook Libby’s favourite chicken dish, for which he kept separate utensils, chopping boards and pans.
    ‘Sorry, Hal, but it’ll keep, won’t it?’
    ‘Not for too long. Now tell me how Ad’s case is going?’
    ‘It isn’t Ad’s case,’ said Libby. ‘Or ours, really.’
    ‘But Ian’s asked you to help.’ Harry grinned. ‘I have little birds all over the place keeping me informed.’
    ‘I think Ian’s stuck. They’ve talked to the owner of the house who was having an affair with the victim, his wife and an ex-lover. All of them have watertight alibis.’
    ‘They’re the best sort of alibis,’ said Harry. ‘One of them will be the murderer.’
    ‘I don’t see how,’ said Libby. ‘One of them was in France – or Brussels or something – one of them in Hertfordshire and the other at home somewhere. All alibied up.’
    ‘No other leads?’
    ‘Not unless you count the historical aspect.’ Libby explained about the “treasure”.
    ‘There you are then,’ said Harry. ‘Somebody thought this woman knew where it was and after getting it out of her, killed her to keep her quiet. Simple.’
    Libby and Ben looked at him with wide eyes.
    ‘Bloody hell, Harry! You could be right!’ said Libby.
    ‘I often am.’ Harry preened.
    ‘Now you know why Ian wanted you to be on the search team,’ said Ben.
    ‘To keep an eye out for someone who looks as though they know what they’re looking for?’ said Libby. ‘But that wouldn’t be Edward.’
    ‘No?’ said Harry and Ben together.
    ‘He’s a historian and accomplished researcher. What’s the betting he already knows what he’s looking for?’ said Ben.
    ‘But not because he murdered Ramani,’ objected Libby.
    ‘Just watch him when you go to visit that church on Monday,’ said Ben.
    ‘If we go,’ said Libby. ‘I haven’t heard yet.’
    ‘If you do,’ said Harry, ‘remember Monday’s my day off. I’ll come and provide the escort.’
    ‘I remember what happened last time you provided me with an escort on a Monday,’ said Libby darkly.
    Ben laughed. ‘The girls’ll be fine, Hal. They’re going to visit a church in broad daylight. Don’t worry. Patti might not even be