Bones Under The Beach Hut Read Online Free PDF Page B

another
investigation.
        Pathologically
punctual as ever, Carole had the Renault parked by the promenade and was
standing outside the beach hut at ten to eleven. Gulliver wandered down by the
shoreline, intrigued by a whole new palette of smells.
        Of
course Carole could have unlocked the hut, but something told her she should
wait until Kelvin Southwest's arrival. She felt rather foolish, just standing
there, particularly as she knew that anyone less uptight than Carole Seddon
would have kicked their shoes off and sat down on the sand to wait. She wished
she'd brought The Times crossword with her.
        Kelvin
Southwest arrived about ten minutes past eleven, carrying a plastic-covered
clipboard. He made no apologies for his lateness, but stretched out a hand,
saying, 'Carole, how nice to see you. Now I didn't get it on the phone. Am I
talking to Mrs or Miss Seddon?'
        'Mrs,'
replied Carole, a trifle frostily.
        'Lucky
Mr Seddon,' said Kelvin Southwest with what he must for some reason have
thought was a seductive smile.
        'I'm
divorced.' That was even frostier.
        'Ah-hah,
on the market again. That's going to be good news for someone.' If there was
one masculine quality Carole Seddon disliked it was roguishness. And she would
have thought her expression made that clear. But evidently it didn't, as Kelvin
Southwest continued, 'So you're the lovely lady who is now the tenant of Quiet Harbour.'
        'Yes.
Miss Rose assured me that you knew all about the handover and were quite happy
about it.' He looked at her with an enigmatic grin. 'I mean that you said it
was quite legal.'
        'Ooh,
I wouldn't go so far as to say "legal", Mrs Seddon.' He then
compounded his roguishness by winking. 'Let's say I was happy to sanction the
arrangement. I won't tell on you.' He punctuated this piece of schoolboy slang
with a chuckle. 'I can never say no to a pretty woman, you know.'
        'Ah.'
        'Still,
unfortunately I can't spend my morning gazing into your blue eyes - much as I
would like to.'
        Carole
very nearly made a sharp rejoinder to that and might well have done so, had not
Gulliver, curious about who his mistress was talking to, at that moment bounded
up to her.
        'Is
this your dog?'
        'Yes.'
        'Ah.'
He raised a plump finger and shook it in mock reproof. 'Naughty, naughty.'
        'What?'
        'During
the summer months dogs should be kept on a lead on Smalting Beach. Fether
District Council regulations.'
        'There's
no sign up to say that.'
        'No,
I agree there isn't. It's just one of those things that everyone who uses the
beach knows.'
        'Well,
I don't.'
        'Clearly,
Mrs Seddon. And I'd love to make an exception to the rule - especially when it
concerns such a lovely lady as yourself - but I'm afraid in this instance my
hands are tied. It's not like you taking over the rental. With dogs it'd be the
other beach users who'd object, you see. They'd accuse me of favouritism, and I
can't have that, can I?'
        'I'll
put his lead on,' said Carole shortly. 'Come on, Gulliver, come here, boy.'
Once a rather miffed dog was secured, she turned back to the Fether District
Council official. 'I believe we were discussing the legality of my having taken
over the rental of this beach hut from Philly Rose, Mr Southwest.'
        'Yes,
of course we were. And I have already told you I have no problems with that.
Waiting lists can always be circumvented, you know, for the right person.' He
leered at her. 'But I am here this morning as a result of your phone call
yesterday. I am employed by the Fether District Council to do a job, and that
is what I must do.' He somehow managed to make it sound as though Carole was
preventing him from discharging his duty. 'Now, Mrs Seddon, you spoke of a fire
having been lit under this beach hut. . .'
        'Yes.
Do you want to see inside?' She reached into her trouser pocket for the