Page 37 of Lies in Little Sutherland
“And he was alive when you left him.”
“Of course he was!”
“Can anyone verify that?”
“Christopher,” I said.And then—I wasn’t at my best, and I suppose that might explain it—my mind finally caught up with the implications.“Wait.You mean that it’s true?”
“What’s true?”
“About Doctor Meadows,” I said.“That he’s dead.”
He nodded.“I’m afraid so.”
“But he was alive just a few hours ago!”
“That’s usually how it happens,” Daniels said dryly.
“Well, I had nothing to do with it!”
“And you say that Mr.Astley can verify that?”
I nodded.“We were together the whole time.On the way there, while we were speaking to Doctor Meadows, and on the walk home.”
“You were never apart?”
“Not until we reached Sutherland Hall.Then, we were in our separate rooms for the time that it took to pack our bags.We were supposed to go home this afternoon.But that wasn’t long enough for either of us to run back to the village and attack the doctor.”
“And Mr.Astley will confirm this?”
“Of course he will,” I said.Not only was it true, but it was Christopher; he would confirm it whether it was true or not.
Constable Daniels hummed something under his breath.If it was supposed to sound like words, I couldn’t make out what they were.“What did you and Doctor Meadows talk about?”
“Lydia Morrison,” I said.
“Why would you inquire of Doctor Meadows about a woman who died in the Cotswolds?”
“His contact information was in her address book,” I said.“I thought they may have been in contact since she left here.”
Daniels eyed me.“How do you know who was in Miss Morrison’s address book?”
“Oh.Um… I happened to get a look at it?”
It sounded less certain and more like a question than I wanted it to.Constable Daniels lifted his lip.It wasn’t of the same quality as one of Crispin’s sneers, which are a thing of beauty, but he got his point across.“Try again, Miss Darling.”
“Fine.”I threw my hands up.“I snooped, all right?She had been murdered, and I was curious, and the address book was right there… You can’t blame me for taking a look.”
He looked like he could very much blame me for taking a look.But Morrison’s murder wasn’t his concern, nor was my involvement in it.After a moment, he abandoned the topic in favor of his own case.“When did you leave the infirmary this morning?”
“I have no idea,” I said.“We left Sutherland Hall after breakfast.I don’t know how long it took us to walk down to the village.We spoke to Doctor Meadows for a few minutes.I didn’t check the time when we left again.We arrived back at Sutherland Hall about thirty minutes before luncheon.We packed our bags, and prepared to leave.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Uncle Harold talked us into staying for luncheon,” I said.
Constable Daniels nodded.“And Doctor Meadows was alive when you left the infirmary.”
“Of course he was,” I said.“He said goodbye to us.Christopher and I let ourselves out the front door into the High Street.”
