Found Guilty at Five Read Online Free PDF

had said to Lois, and Derek’s suggestion had been accepted. With nothing more to do, Mrs. T-J was ready for action.
    *   *   *
    D RIVING INTO THE VILLAGE, L OIS DECIDED TO TACKLE M RS. T-J straightaway. She would fill her in with the bare bones of what had happened, and leave it there. But, most importantly, she would impress on her again the necessity of reporting at once anything of use she might discover. “I shall expect you to tell me
everything
,” she had said.
    Stone House front door was open, with nobody in sight, and Lois reflected that Mrs. T-J would have to remember that she was living in the centre of a village with the pavement only yards away, instead of being cocooned inside a large mansion with acres of parkland protecting her from sudden intruders. “Yoo-hoo!” she called, and was answered by a faint shout from the garden at the back of the house. She walked through, and caught sight of a wide, green corduroy-clad bottom bent over a flower bed.
    “Mrs. Tollervey-Jones, can you spare a minute?” No harm in being polite, thought Lois. She had not admitted as much to Cowgill, but she was already deeply regretting the whole business of Mrs. T-J joining her ferretin’ team of one. New Brooms, yes, but Mrs. T-J had made it clear that she was not prepared to handle mop or duster. As for ferretin’, Lois supposed she would have to give her a chance, and then ease her out as soon as possible.
    Coffee appeared, quickly and efficiently made by Mrs. T-J in her new kitchen, and Lois sat on the edge of a massive armchair while details of the new case were explained.
    “Good heavens!” said Mrs. T-J. “Akiko will be absolutely heartbroken. You could tell by the way she handled it that she loved it dearly. Now, who do I know in the musical instrument world? Ah, yes, Lois, I have it. My late husband was on the board of Bowley and Weeks, the oldest dealers in London. He was very pleased with a new, young board member, who should still be around. He might well have some ideas.”
    She half rose, as if going at once to the telephone to make the call. Then she remembered that she was very much a new girl, and sat back. “What do you think, Lois,” she said. “Would that be a fruitful idea, do you suppose?”
    Lois did not reply immediately. She would have to get used to this. Then she considered carefully, and said she could see no reason why this should not be a first step. No doubt Akiko could supply details of the cello, including an estimate of its value. The motive for stealing would be important, she stressed.
    Mrs. T-J was tactfully humble, and pretended that this aspect of the theft had not occurred to her. “I see I have a lot to learn,” she said, as she saw Lois to the door. Then she rallied. “But ideas are my forte, my dear! Never short of them. I shall be in touch.”

S IX

    L OIS WAS BACK HOME JUST IN TIME FOR N EW B ROOMS’ weekly meeting. She had made a big effort to put thoughts of her son’s relationship with Akiko out of her mind, but decided to tell the whole team about the theft. Her girls, as she called them, though some were way past girlhood, came from several surrounding villages, and could possibly have heard or seen something revealing.
    Sheila Stratford was first. She greeted Lois cheerfully, as always, and said how much she and her colleagues had enjoyed the wedding. “Josie looked so beautiful,” she said, “and that young policeman, he’s a real catch!”
    Lois smiled. “Derek thinks Matthew has made the real catch. You know fathers and daughters! Matthew is a very lucky chap, according to Derek. He stressed the point a bit too much in his speech, didn’t you think?”
    The door opened, and the rest of the team filed in. They had met outside the house, exchanged greetings and all arrived at Lois’s front door together.
    “Ah, good. Now we can get on,” said Lois. She knew how they gossiped together, and was not in the mood for joining in. “Now, first of all,