Merry Murders Everyone
Page 18
“Out of our profit share?” Brenda giggled again and fell silent, contemplating the proposition. “It’s a good idea, Joe, but I think it would be better if we put it to the club, as a proper holiday option. You’d get a better price from the hotel, and aside from that, if it’s just us three, it might grate on Sheila’s nerves; remind her too much of all this. With the rest of the club there – as many of them who can afford it – we can have a proper party.”
“All right, then. I’ll bring it up at the meeting in January. You know. The one where I’ll be re-elected chairman.”
“You hope.”
“I know.”
They were interrupted by Sheila’s entry into the kitchen. She greeted Joe with a thin and weary smile.
“Peter and Aaron?” he asked.
“Concerned, but relieved that everything turned out well. They send their regards to you both… and their thanks, of course. And also their apologies for the nasty email they sent you.”
“I’ve already binned it,” Joe lied. “No damage done.” As he used the word ‘damage’ Joe suddenly realised that Sheila might put a different interpretation on it, and he hastened on to qualify his statement. “Not to me, anyway.”
Brenda offered her the sherry bottle and she refused. “A cup of tea, perhaps. Weak, with no milk”
Her best friend nodded and moved to the kettle. Soon, when they were seated again, Joe tried to open the conversation.
“We were just saying—”
Sheila cut him off. “No. Let me speak, Joe.”
The muscles of her slim face worked agitatedly in an effort to control her emotions.
“You tried to tell me and I wouldn’t listen.”
“You loved him, Sheila,” Brenda excused her. “We’re all the same. When someone attacks those we love, we defend them to hell and back. Neither I nor Joe hold it against you.”
“And if it’s any consolation,” Joe said, “we’re seriously sorry that things turned out this way. You know how much I like to be right, but this time I’d give my eye teeth to be wrong.”
“I know. It’ll take me some time to get over this. Maybe I’ll never get over it. Maybe I will never trust any man ever again.” She smiled warmly at Joe. “Present company excepted. I said on the day Martin and I married, that the one thing which would never change is my love for you two, but it very nearly did fail. I hurt you badly. Both of you. And for that I am so very, very sorry. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to you. I didn’t listen and it could have cost me my life. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”
Tears began to trickle down her cheek. Joe turned away. Women who cried always made him feel guilty… even when he had nothing to feel guilty about.
Brenda, also on the verge of tears, took Sheila’s hand. “We can never put a price on friendship, and it never incurs debts. We may be sad, disappointed at the way things turned out for you, and it’s put a damper on a time of year that we’ve always enjoyed, but we’re overjoyed that you’re still with us. Aren’t we, Joe?”
“Can’t argue with that.”
“You owe us nothing,” Brenda assured their friend.
Joe grinned. “Well, maybe a pint when we get to Tenerife.”
The women dissolved into tearful laughter, and when it trailed off, Sheila cast him a quizzical glance. “Tenerife?”
Brenda nodded at their friend and employer. “Mastermind’s idea. A week in the Canary Islands sometime around Easter. He thinks the sunshine and free-flowing drink will do us all the power of good.”
Sheila tried to smile again. “Don’t let anyone tell you that you don’t have the best ideas, Joe.”
He beamed broadly at them. “In that case, I’ll get onto the travel agent tomorrow morning.” He raised his distasteful glass of sherry. “In the meantime, here’s to a Merry Christmas.”
THE END
The STAC Mystery series:
The Filey Connection
The I-Spy Murders
A Halloween Homicide
A Murder for Christmas
Murder at the Murder Mystery Weekend
My Deadly Valentine
The Chocolate Egg Murders
The Summer Wedding Murder
Costa del Murder
Christmas Crackers
Death in Distribution
A Killing in the Family
A Theatrical Murder
Trial by Fire
Peril in Palmanova
The Squire’s Lodge Murders
Murder at the Treasure Hunt
A Cornish Killing
Merry Murders Everyone
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