Murder Out of Tune - A Libby Sarjeant Murder Mystery Read Online Free PDF Page A

drive over, then you don’t have to make a detour to take me back. See you in – what? Half an hour?’
    ‘It’ll be nice seeing George again,’ said Libby, putting her phone back in her pocket. ‘That’s another of Patti’s churches, isn’t it? St Martha’s?’
    ‘George told you it was,’ said Fran. ‘Now, how do we get to Heronsbourne from here?’
    ‘After we go through Bishop’s Bottom, shouldn’t we hit that narrow lane that leads off the Canterbury road to St Aldeberge? Then we can turn right on to that.’
    ‘Oh, yes, and it comes out almost opposite the road to Heronsbourne, doesn’t it?’
    Bishop’s Bottom, which proved to be as small as, or smaller than, Itching and Shott, was nothing more than a crossroads with a couple of large houses on the outskirts, one of which was the twin of the big house in Shott.
    ‘Same builder,’ said Fran. ‘Here’s where we turn right.’
    Libby and Fran had first been to The Red Lion in Heronsbourne some years ago when looking into another murder. George, the landlord, had subsequently provided them with odd snippets of information in the course of their other adventures. He beamed a welcome as they entered the bar.
    ‘And what is it now?’ he asked as he handed over two large coffees. ‘Had a new murder, I hear.’
    ‘No,’ said Fran. ‘We’re taking Patti to lunch.’
    ‘And we went to another one of her villages earlier,’ added Libby. ‘Shott – do you know it?’
    ‘Course I know it. Sid Best has The Poacher over there.’
    ‘Yes, we had coffee there, too,’ said Fran.
    George narrowed his eyes. ‘Ah. You are looking into it, then.’
    ‘What do you mean?’ said Libby.
    ‘Ron Stewart lives there.’
    ‘Yes?’ prompted Fran.
    ‘He belonged to that group. Where the bloke was found dead. In your village,’ George said to Libby, who sighed.
    ‘No fooling you, George, is there? But we’re not actually looking into it. I was just being nosy. We didn’t know it was one of Patti’s churches until she told us when she said she knew Ron Stewart. Well, not knew exactly, but she’d met him.’
    ‘He gets wheeled out for the odd event,’ said George. ‘We have a joint Villages Show in autumn, Shott, us, and St Aldeberge, and old Screwball presents the odd prize. He’s donated a cup for something or other. Can’t remember what.’
    ‘What’s he like?’ asked Fran.
    ‘Quiet bloke,’ said George, turning to serve another customer. ‘Looks the part, though.’
    ‘How do you mean?’ asked Libby.
    ‘Oh, you know, leather jacket, T-shirt, jeans, big boots. Longish hair, although he’s going a bit bald now. Leastways, he was when I saw him back in October.’
    ‘At the village show?’
    ‘No, he came in here. Gawd knows why. He uses The Poacher mostly.’
    ‘Was he on his own? Perhaps he had a friend who lives here,’ suggested Fran.
    ‘He was with someone else, but I didn’t know him,’ said George. ‘Look out – here comes the vicar!’
    Patti hurried up to the counter.
    ‘I’ve just found something out,’ she said, in a breathless voice. ‘Vernon Bowling lives in Shott too.’

Chapter Five
    When Patti had been provided with coffee and they had all ordered, they settled at a table in the window.
    ‘I suppose it’s not so surprising, is it?’ said Libby. ‘Some of the members of the group are bound to live in the same villages.’
    ‘Who set it up in the first place?’ asked Fran.
    ‘I couldn’t remember who it was who got in touch with us in the first place, but Ian told us last night it was Doctor Robinson, and I can’t actually remember if they approached Sir Andrew before they asked us or the other way round.’
    ‘ Sir Andrew?’ said Fran.
    ‘So we don’t confuse him with the other Andrew. Prof Andrew.’
    ‘D’you know, I hadn’t thought of that,’ said Patti. ‘And I’ve met them both.’
    ‘Well, while Sir Andrew is messing about down here, I suggest we don’t bring Prof. Andrew over,