Murder by Mistake Read Online Free PDF Page B

didn’t have any children of his own, you see. He always took an interest in me, encouraged me, praised me. Which was more than my stepfather ever did. I used to like my Uncle Bob more than I liked my stepfather.
    ‘Anyway, he was one of those who . . . after . . . when I was kept prisoner at home, he came in and . . .’
    ‘Yes,’ said Thomas. ‘Give that bit a miss.’
    She shuddered. ‘I can’t think about what happened even now without getting into a state. I know they’re all locked up and can’t get at me. None of them got bail except Uncle Bob and my mother, who swore she knew nothing about my being kept in my room . . . though how anyone can believe that, I don’t know. But then, they don’t know what she’s like, do they? Uncle Bob got bail because he was diagnosed with cancer of the liver. He died six months ago. The solicitor asked me to see him, as he had a letter for me from Uncle Bob and I was mentioned in his will. I thought Uncle Bob wanted to say sorry for what he’d done to me; perhaps he’d left me a keepsake? I didn’t want it. I didn’t want to hear that he was sorry, either. But Ursula . . .’ She sighed.
    ‘Of course you didn’t want to,’ said Thomas, ‘but Ursula was right. You had to find out what he said.’
    ‘I suppose so. Anyway, I stayed at Ursula’s that first night, but you know, her mother isn’t exactly . . . Well, it is a tiny flat, and I suppose I was in the way. So Ursula asked Ellie if I might come and stay here last night, to make sure I got to see the solicitor today. Ursula would have looked after me herself, but she had job interviews to go to. Ursula thought – and she’s probably right – that I’d duck out of going to the solicitor if someone didn’t make me go. Ellie said, “Yes, of course.”’
    ‘Of course,’ said Ellie. ‘Stay for as long as you like.’
    Mia gave Ellie a smile so sweet and genuine that both Ellie and Thomas caught a glimpse of the charm that had once been hers. Ellie could feel Thomas turn to look at her, and knew that sooner or later she was going to have to apologize to him for arranging to take the girl in without asking him.
    ‘Ellie was lovely. She collected me from Mrs Belton’s and brought me here and showed me her beautiful guest room and we ate with Rose in the kitchen, and although everything was very strange, I did manage to sleep for a couple of hours last night. Ursula rang this morning, before we went to the solicitor’s, and said she was on the track of a nice B & B for me, and she’d ring later to confirm. Which she did a little while ago, but if you really mean I can stay on here for a bit, I’d really like to.’
    Ellie saw Thomas take this in, but to his credit he showed no dismay at the news.
    ‘Then this morning Ellie delivered me on time to the solicitor’s and stayed in the waiting room while I went in to see him. He gave me a letter from Uncle Bob, asking for my forgiveness. I read it through and couldn’t feel anything. Not a thing. Then I got angry. How dared he! Did he really think I could forgive what he’d done to me?’
    She was trembling, on the verge of tears. ‘I didn’t know what to say to the solicitor. I wanted to tear the letter up, but it was on very good thick paper and I didn’t know if I had the strength to do it. The solicitor said something about the will. He wanted to read it out to me, but I couldn’t concentrate. I said I needed to go, that Ellie was waiting for me. He gave me a copy of the will to take away.’
    She started to cry. ‘I trusted Uncle Bob! When he came into my bedroom, I thought he’d come to rescue me and I ran to him, only . . . he . . .’ She broke off and covered her face with her hands.
    Ellie got herself off the settee and put her arms round the girl. ‘There, there.’
    ‘I trusted him. How can I forgive him?’
    More silence. There was a stir in the corner of the room. Rose had come in and seated herself near the