Silver Guilt by Judith Cutler Page B

laughed. ‘She’s Meissen.’
    â€˜And worth—?’ Morris prompted.
    They whistled in unison when I told them.
    â€˜That’s why she’s staying where she is – until there’s a real emergency.’
    â€˜You don’t feel tempted to take her home and look after her?’
    â€˜And have you people suspect I’d nicked her!’
    â€˜Point taken. I’d love you to divvy something, all the same,’ he grumbled. ‘We could go to a fair where you and Griff didn’t have a stall and you could try there?’
    The SOCO shot me a look I couldn’t quite read.
    Again I played with what Griff would have referred to as a straight bat. ‘Maybe I’ll be able to and maybe I won’t. It all depends. OK, do you want to do the rest of the rooms?’ I asked him and the SOCO equally.
    â€˜I should think Hazel’s finished for now. But I certainly need to check them out.’
    The News had started by the time Morris was satisfied, and Lord Elham was halfway down his first bottle of the day. He waved the bottle at us as we went into his living room.
    â€˜Get some more glasses, Lina.’
    Morris muttered about not drinking on duty.
    â€˜Goodness, this isn’t drinking! It’s only supermarket piss! Now, tell me, what did you find?’ He’d obviously forgotten that he’d been a suspect.
    â€˜Nothing to worry us, sir.’ Morris found himself holding a glass. ‘Thank you for your time, and our apologies for any inconvenience caused.’
    â€˜What, did you break something?’
    â€˜With Lina watching?’ He flashed a glance at me, his eyes crinkled in what I thought was amusement. ‘We didn’t dare. She knows an enormous amount, doesn’t she? You must be very proud of her, sir.’
    Lord Elham blinked. ‘Oh, I am, I am. And of all the others.’
    It would have hurt less if he’d kicked me. So he’d been in touch with my siblings and not told me.
    â€˜All the others?’ Morris repeated.
    All thirty of them. Blood was whooshing in my ears.
    â€˜All the other times she’s been she’s always found something worth selling. How do you suppose I keep myself in bubbly? And she bought me a microwave and this TV. Well, I paid, but she took me out to get it. Very proud all round. Are you staying to get me some lunch, Lina? She cooks very well for all she missed finishing school.’
    â€˜Not today,’ I said. ‘I’ve got to see a man about a dog.’
    His beady little eyes brightened. ‘You found something, didn’t you? I can read you like a book.’
    What a good job he couldn’t. ‘Something,’ I admitted. ‘But I left it where it was.’
    â€˜Why? You know I want you to sell it! She gets such good prices, officer. She’s such a credit to me.’
    I didn’t dare catch anyone’s eye. ‘Let’s save it for a rainy day,’ I said. ‘You’ve got plenty of other stuff to get rid of first.’
    I left with the police officers. The team piled into their van, and a uniformed constable sat drumming his fingers on the wheel while Morris hung back.
    â€˜The old guy really upset you in there, didn’t he?’
    â€˜I misheard something, that’s all.’
    â€˜All the same . . .’ He looked at me the same way as our GP when he thought I might have glandular fever. ‘Are you sure? Is there some family problem?’
    Only about thirty of them. I shrugged.
    â€˜Come and have some lunch: there’s a pub in the village, isn’t there?’
    Now why should he spring that on me? And why should I nod cautiously?
    The uniformed guy having been sent off with the others in their van, Morris followed me to the Hop Pocket.
    â€˜Low alcohol beer,’ he sighed, staring at his glass.
    â€˜Quite. But you didn’t ask me here to discuss hair-shirt drinks, did you? By the way, what should I call you?