Page 2 of Murder in the Winter Woods
‘Come on, I’ll get you a bag,’ said Sean.
They joined a short queue at the chestnut seller’s brazier near the entrance to the market and watched as, with one efficient movement, he scooped up the nuts, deposited them into a packet and handed them over to the customer. The customer dropped two pounds in a bowl next to the brazier and went on their way. Next customer, likewise. And then a packet for Julia. Sean dropped a note in the bowl and wished the seller a merry Christmas.
The chestnuts hot in her hands, Julia strolled beside Sean along the lines of stalls selling festive treats and gifts, many of them handmade. Julia waved to her neighbours, Matthew and Hester, who were selling honey and honeycomb. She called a hello to Angela, from the florist shop, Blooming Marvels, who was selling beautiful Christmas wreaths made of silver-green leaves and tasteful red baubles. On they walked, the night darkening by the minute, with a million tiny lights like fireflies all around them.
They were stopped by the sight of a huge dappled Great Dane in a beautiful jumper, a fiery red embroidered with white and gold stars.
‘Aren’t you a glorious fellow?’ said Julia.
‘That he is,’ the stallholder said, her hands on her hips and a proud smile on her face. The dog gazed modestly into the distance.
‘Lovely jumper, too.’
‘Thank you, I have all sizes, and lots of different designs. Like our logo says, “Stylish Togs for Every Dog!”’
‘This one would look lovely on Leo, with his golden colouring,’ Julia said, holding up a green coat with red edging. ‘I think I’ll get a Christmas gift for the dogs. What do you think would look nice on Jake? Come on, help me choose.’
Sean gave her a wry look, but went along with her mad idea. They rejected the outright ridiculous options – a Santa suit with a hat, which Jake would tear to shreds in seconds; an outfit with a hood and antlers for Leo – and opted for a nice red and black tartan for Jake, and the green edged with red for Leo.
Julia handed over her credit card. Dog clothing was surprisingly expensive, but fortunately, unlike humans, the animals didn’t require an extensive wardrobe.
Jono was waiting for them. ‘Come on,’ he said, as soon as he saw them. ‘By some miracle we got a spot in one of the pubs. Laine is keeping our seats.’
They squeezed through the crush at the Wig and Whistle, towards Laine’s waving hand.
‘I’m glad you’re here!’ she said. ‘People were giving me the evil eye, taking up a whole table to myself. I was beginning to think I might have to fight off invaders.’
‘I reckon I could take that fellow,’ Jono said, jerking his head towards a huge man with a ruddy face atop a badly drawn neck tattoo of a dragon. Or perhaps it was an alligator.
‘I’m off duty, so let’s try not to give or receive any injuries, shall we?’ said Sean.
‘If we do, Dad, you could heal them and Julia could counsel them. It would all work out.’
Julia grinned. It was good to see Jono in fine spirits. He could barely be persuaded to say a word when he’d come down from London some months ago, and now here he was, joking and chatting, and with the lovely Laine by his side.
‘Let’s order quickly,’ said Sean, catching the waitress’s eye. ‘We’ll likely wait a bit for our food.’
When the waitress had taken their drinks and food orders, Julia spoke to Jono: ‘How is work going? Are you still enjoying working at the vet’s?’
‘Oh yes. Dr Ryan is a good vet and a good boss. Of course, I love all the animals. And most of the humans are all right. It’s interesting. There’s never a dull moment. You won’t believe the things we see. Goodness, just yesterday, a cat came in who’d swallowed a?—’
‘Eating,’ Laine said, gesturing to the bread and butter the waitress had brought to the table. Clearly she’d already heard what the cat had swallowed, and the results thereof, and didn’t judge it to be dinner table fare.
‘Right,’ said Jono, with a laugh. ‘I tend to forget. Like you, Dad, and your surgery stories.’ He turned to Laine. ‘We’d be sitting down to a nice dinner and Dad would launch into some horrible story about someone’s bunions…’
‘He does like a good war story,’ said Julia, putting her hand over Sean’s. ‘But it’s wonderful that the work suits you so well, Jono.’
The waitress arrived with their drinks, and talk stopped while she handed them out. Beers for the passengers, sparkling water for Laine and Sean, the designated drivers.
When she left, Jono answered. ‘Working at the vet does suit me. And now that I’m permanent, Dr Ryan is giving me more to do, training me up on the computer system, ordering the pet food stock and the medicines. He likes me to help him with the animals, too. Calm them down, hold them still, pass him things. It’s nice to have more to do, more responsibility, more stimulation, and I do like working with the animals. In fact, I’ve been thinking that I might like to study veterinary science…’
Sean jumped in, all eager: ‘Study? That’s an excellent idea…Have you thought about where? I know a chap who works at the college…’
Julia could see that Sean’s eagerness annoyed Jono. It reminded him of how at sea he’d been the past year or so, and how worried his father had been. He spoke a little sharply. ‘I’ve thought about a lot of things, Dad, and I’ve done some investigation. First things first, if I’ve got any chance of getting in, I need to do A-level Biology, and to improve my maths grade. I can study online, and I can start in January.’
‘Excellent!’ Sean beamed. ‘Well, I can probably remember enough to help you with the Biology.’
‘Actually, Laine did Bio for A levels and at uni, so we’re cool.’
