LS 13 - Murder in a Different Place Read Online Free PDF Page A

nice,’ said Libby, and Harry smiled at her.
    Alicia led the way through the house to the large sitting room that took over the whole of the seaward side. Against the left-hand wall stood a beautiful old desk on top of which, looking rather apologetic, sat a very large computer.
    ‘State of the art,’ said Peter, raising his eyebrows.
    ‘Was he still working?’ asked Ben.
    ‘He still got commissions,’ said Amelia.
    ‘And an occasional – oh, what did he call them?’ said Alicia. ‘Brain piece, was it?’
    ‘Think piece,’ said Peter. ‘Basically an opinion on something topical or relevant to life as we know it.’
    ‘Yes, well, he had opinions,’ said Amelia. ‘Too many of them, if you ask me.’
    ‘Who’s going to have a go at the computer?’ asked Ben.
    ‘Harry and I’ said Peter. ‘I’m probably the best one for the technology and Harry knew him best.’
    Libby turned back to the sisters, who were waiting in a patient row in front of the long couch.
    ‘You said you found Matthew collapsed by the French windows?’
    ‘Yes,’ said Alicia. ‘I know they aren’t really French windows, they’re just sliding glass.’
    ‘Where exactly?’ asked Libby.
    The sisters looked startled.
    ‘Er –’ said Alicia.
    ‘That side, wasn’t it?’ said Honoria.
    ‘Just there,’ said Amelia.
    ‘Right by the telescope,’ said Libby.
    There was a sudden silence, then Ben whistled. ‘Of course!’
    ‘Of course what?’ said Alicia, still looking bewildered.
    ‘He probably saw Celia killed,’ said Libby.
    Alicia’s hand flew to her mouth, Amelia’s to her chest, and Honoria’s hit the back of the couch.
    Peter nodded slowly and moved towards the telescope. ‘Have you looked through this since that night?’
    The sisters all shook their heads. Peter bent down and looked. When he stood up, he beckoned Libby, but before she could join him Amelia rushed forward.
    ‘I want to see.’
    Peter obligingly stood aside.
    ‘I can’t see!’ Amelia wailed and stood aside. ‘Why can’t I?’
    ‘Because Matthew was taller than you are,’ grunted Honoria. ‘Let me have a look.’ She strode over and bent to the eyepiece. After a moment she stood up and nodded, her expression grim. ‘Beach House.’
    Amelia and Alicia sat down abruptly on the couch.
    ‘He might not have seen Celia killed,’ said Honoria. ‘She was inside.’
    ‘Was she, though?’ said Fran.
    ‘He might have seen her killer,’ said Libby. ‘I expect he was watching to see what happened as he’d sent her down there.’
    ‘But he would be expecting to see the killer if he’d sent her,’ said Harry. ‘Perhaps it was something else he saw.’
    ‘Or didn’t see,’ said Ben. ‘He didn’t see Celia come out.’
    There was another silence.
    ‘I expect we’re jumping to conclusions,’ said Libby. ‘We can’t know if that was what happened, but it does seem to be a workable theory.’
    ‘It’s not a workable theory,’ said Amelia angrily. ‘You’re talking about my dead sister.’
    ‘Ssh, dear,’ said Alicia, patting her sister’s hand. ‘We asked Libby and her friends here because we think Celia was killed. We can’t complain when they do their job.’
    Uncomfortable with having sheer nosiness called a job, Libby said hastily, ‘We’re not being thoughtless, just trying to see if there’s any proof. We have to – well, the police should – look at – um, well – all angles.’ She shifted her feet and looked at the floor.
    ‘Let’s look at the computer,’ said Peter after a moment, and they all turned thankfully to the desk. He turned on the power, and after a short wait up came the password prompt. ‘Here we go, Hal, first hurdle.’
    ‘What do you mean, hurdle?’ said Honoria.
    ‘We can’t open the computer without a password,’ explained Libby. ‘This could be difficult.’
    ‘Try Lucifer,’ said Harry.
    ‘Lucifer?’ echoed everyone else. Peter typed it in and the screen sprang to life.
    ‘Why