The Bennett Case (A Markham Sisters Cozy Mystery Book 2) by Diana Xarissa Page A

startled them both.  
    “It’s just
going to be one of those days, isn’t it?” Joan muttered as the sisters headed
towards the conservatory.  
    Stuart smiled
at them through the glass as he waited for them to open the door.
    “Have you seen
James?” he asked as Janet opened the door.
    “No, have you
lost him?” Janet asked.
    “We went in
for dinner and then we were going to do some weeding in the flower beds on the
south side of the garden.   I gave
Mary a hand with the washing up and James said he was going to get
started.   I can’t seem to find him
anywhere, though,” Stuart replied.
    “Maybe he’s
weeding in the wrong bed and you missed him behind a tree or something,” Janet
suggested.   “I’ll come and help you
look.”
    She stepped
through the door and followed Stuart down the path that ran through the centre of the garden.   “You go that way and I’ll go this way,” she suggested, gesturing to the
left.
    Stuart headed
off as Janet suggested, leaving Janet to slowly make her way along the right
side of the small grounds.   She
walked along the side of the house, where low hedges separated their property
from the road.   Constable Parsons
drove past in his police car and gave her a small wave, which she returned
cheerily.  
    She was making
her way between the various flower beds , enjoying
their colours and scents, when she heard her name
being called.
    “Janet?   I’ve found him,” Stuart shouted.
    Quickly
retracing her steps, Janet found the two men standing together near the coach
house.  
    “Is everything
okay?” she asked, looking intently at James, whose face was flushed.
    “It’s fine,”
James said sharply.   “I just took a
short walk around the neighbourhood while I was
waiting for Stuart, that’s all.”
    Janet
shrugged.   “If you’d like a cuppa later, ring the bell at the back,” she suggested to
the men.   “Or we could fetch you
cold drinks, as it’s still rather warm tonight.”
    “I doubt we’ll
do much more today,” Stuart told her.   “We got most of what needed doing sorted out this afternoon.”
    “Well, the
offer is good whenever you’re out here,” she replied.   “I’m sure we aren’t paying you enough.”
    Stuart
laughed.   “I’m quite happy with our
arrangement,” he assured her.   “And
if I don’t stop in for tea today, I’m sure I will another time.”
    “James is
welcome as well, if he’s still staying with you,” Janet said.
    “Thanks,”
James muttered, turning away.   He
took a couple of steps towards one of the flower beds and then crouched down
and began to poke and prod at something that Janet could only assume was weed
by the way he was treating it.
    “That’s meant
to be there, mate,” Stuart said quietly.   “I did these beds yesterday.   Let’s move over to the other side.”
    James stood up
and followed Stuart across the grass.    Stuart waved to Janet as they
disappeared from view.   She frowned
and then turned and headed back to the house.   Four strange men in the area, all
behaving oddly, she thought to herself.   Any one of them could be Peter Smith.  

 
    Chapter
Nine
    Janet and Joan
settled down in front of the telly .   Neither was properly focussed on the American comedy show that was on, however.   Janet could tell that her sister was on
edge, waiting to see if Michael turned up.   She herself was wondering where Edward had rushed off to and when he
might be back.  
    “I’m going to
make some popcorn,” Janet announced during the advertisements.  
    “That sounds
good,” Joan said.   “I’ll come and
help.   This is boring, anyway.”
    Joan switched
off the television and the sisters went into the kitchen where Janet pulled a
box of microwave popcorn from the cupboard.
    “I never
thought we’d eat all of that,” Joan told her.   “It isn’t anything we’d normally buy.”
    Janet
laughed.   Right after they’d moved
in, while Joan had been on her first date