The Donaldson Case by Diana Xarissa Page B

Fred said, glancing at Molly.   “I’m hungry.”
    “I’m not,”
Molly replied with a yawn.   “I’d
rather just stay here and watch telly .”
    Janet excused
herself and returned to her book.   A
few minutes later the couple emerged.  
    “Where can we
get a quick meal?” Fred demanded.
    Joan gave him
directions to the nearest café.   As
soon as the guests were gone, she started making dinner for herself and
Janet.   They were still eating when
they heard the front door open.
    “I’ll go, you
eat,” Janet told Joan.
    “We’re back,”
Molly said brightly as Janet walked into the sitting room.
    “If you’re in
for the night, I’ll put the chain on the door,” Janet said.
    “I don’t think
we’re going anywhere else tonight,” Fred replied.   “We’re just going to watch some telly and relax.”
    Several hours
later Janet insisted that Joan head to bed.   “I’ll wait up in case the guests need
anything,” she said.   Janet was
surprised when Joan actually agreed.   Clearly her sister was exhausted.
    After another
hour, Janet decided to check on the Nicholsons .   In the lounge, Fred and Molly were both
fast asleep.   Molly was snoring
gently.   Janet considered her
options and then sighed.   She’d have
to wake them.
    She picked up
the remote from the floor.   It must
have fallen out of Fred’s hand.   After switching off the telly , she knocked
loudly on the door.   The guests both
sat up quickly.
    “Good
evening,” Janet said.   “I wanted to
make sure you were both okay and found you asleep.   Surely you’ll be more comfortable
upstairs.”
    “I wasn’t
sleeping,” Fred said grumpily.   “I was
watching telly .”   He glanced at the now black screen and frowned.
    “It was a long
day,” Molly said.   “The drive took
ages.”
    “Yes, well,
why don’t you both head up to bed?” Janet suggested.  
    “Yes, let’s,”
Molly said.   She got to her feet.
    “I wanted to watch
the rest of the programme ,” Fred protested as Molly
pulled him up.  
    “It’s probably
finished,” Molly said.   “Let’s get
some sleep.”
    Janet took a
moment to tidy the lounge behind them, hoping they’d be tucked up in their room
before she got upstairs.   Their
bedroom door was just closing as Janet reached the top step.   She let herself into her room with a
sigh of relief.   Having guests was a
strange mix of excitement, tension, stress and chaos.   She wasn’t sure whether she liked it or
not.

 
    Chapter
Nine
    Janet was up,
showered, dressed and ready to help her sister make breakfast before eight the
next morning.  
    “They said
they’d probably be up around nine,” Joan reminded her as Janet paced around the
kitchen.   “You should have slept
later.”
    “I will tomorrow,”
Janet said.   “Except they’ll
probably be up early tomorrow.”
    It was nearly
half nine when the couple came down the stairs.
    “Full English
breakfast?” Joan asked them when they appeared in the kitchen doorway.
    “Oh, I just
wanted coffee and maybe some toast,” Molly replied.
    “We’re
vegetarian,” Fred said.
    “An omelet?”
Joan suggested.
    “I know some vegetarians
eat eggs, but we don’t,” Fred told her.  
    “Beans over
toast?” Janet asked.
    “Just toast is
fine,” he replied.   “And lots and
lots of coffee.”
    Joan nodded.   She’d made coffee earlier; now she
poured some into mugs for the guests.   Janet got busy at the toaster, filling two toast racks as quickly as she
could.
    “I have
several jams and marmalades.   What
do you prefer?” Joan asked.
    “Nothing for
me, thanks,” Molly said.   She took a
bite of her dry toast and washed it down with coffee.   “This is good.”
    “I’m fine as
well,” Fred said.  
    Joan set a
fresh pot of coffee brewing.   After
a moment Janet excused herself.   There was no point in her watching the couple eat and nothing she could
do to help Joan with the coffee.   She made her way to the