Murder in Hampstead

by Sabina Manea

  Lucia wasn’t wholly convinced, but she decided to let it go for the time being. All that hanging around the Professor’s library pretending to sort out her papers – what was to say Emilia and Glover weren’t making sure that no incriminating evidence had been left behind? Nevertheless, Emilia had owned up to her transgressions with full knowledge of the consequences, as was her prerogative. Right now, there was another matter that she wanted to set straight. ‘What happened with Danny in the end?’

  ‘We charged him. Given how much coke he had in the van, he’s in a lot of trouble,’ replied Carliss, sipping his fresh martini.

  ‘And the pub?’ It was Leila and Becky that Lucia was worried about.

  ‘Not enough evidence to close it down. In all likelihood, that’s where he was selling his wares, but none of his suspected customers would talk, and we found nothing. We questioned the landlady – that was an experience that nobody at the station is likely to forget any time soon – and that young barmaid, but they seemed innocent enough, at least for the record.’

  Lucia had her own suspicions but decided to keep them close to her chest. Becky was probably not in on it – for all her airs, she was surprisingly naïve. Recalling Leila’s erratic behaviour, Lucia had surmised that the landlady was turning a blind eye to Danny’s line of work in exchange for a steady supply of the product. You couldn’t hold it against her – one of the more plausible stories about the woman’s escape involved a high price paid to the guards on the Turkish border, the kind that didn’t involve any money.

  The detective’s eyes were on Lucia, weighing her up. ‘What would you have to say about joining the police as a civilian investigator?’ He watched and waited for her reaction.

  This really had come out of the blue. Lucia was speechless. Nina too was watching her closely.

  ‘Well? I hadn’t banked on total silence,’ the inspector said.

  ‘I don’t know. I need to think about it. It’s a tempting idea, I must admit.’ The grin on Lucia’s face said it all. ‘Is that actually a thing? Don’t you need… qualifications?’ It sounded too good to be true.

  ‘Yes and no. You need investigative experience, and I’d say you’ve got plenty. Worth a shot, in any case, if you’re up for it,’ replied Carliss, as if he dared her to refuse.

  Martinis morphed into a lavish dinner, and they found plenty to talk about that wasn’t murder. Hours later, after all the champagne had been drunk, Nina kissed them both goodbye and ordered a taxi. ‘Good night, darlings. I know when I’m a third wheel so I’m off. I’ve just remembered I’ve got a husband.’

  Lucia rested her arm on the back of the sofa and beckoned to the waiter for the cocktail list. For tonight at least, all was good with the world.

  List of Characters

  Lucia Steer – heroine, interior designer and former lawyer

  DCI David Carliss – Senior Investigating Officer, Metropolitan Police

  Professor Alla Kiseleva – victim

  Adam Corcoran – Professor’s nephew

  Dr Edmund Glover – Professor’s GP

  Emilia Poole – Professor’s assistant

  Orla Byrne – Professor’s housekeeper

  John Walker – barrister, Professor’s neighbour

  Margaret Walker – John’s wife

  Frieda Alexander – judge, John’s lover

  Nina Chanler, née Lexington – Lucia’s best friend

  Walter Chanler – Nina’s husband

  Virginia Lexington – Nina’s mother

  Danny Garrett – builder, Lucia’s competitor

  Jimbo – Danny’s apprentice

  Dr Oleg Ivanov – Professor’s former colleague

  Herbert Jennings – caretaker at the Collaborative Mathematical Society

  Gemma – receptionist at Runciman Parry

  Becky – bar tender at the Red Lion

  Leila – publican at the Red Lion

  Julius Platt – Professor’s solicitor

  PC George Harding – Metropolitan Police officer

  More books in this series

  Coming soon

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