The Bones in the Attic Read Online Free PDF Page B

fascinating story about the bones. Rather horrible and terrifying too, of course! But happening here!”
    Matt rather thought the stuff about the bones had come well before there had been any mention of Houghton Avenue. The lady was clearly of the type that wouldn’t admit to listening to anything less than Radios Three or Four.
    â€œIt was certainly a rather unpleasant surprise to come across them,” he said.
    â€œIt must have been! I’m Delphine Maylie—Del to my friends. I can just hear that like me you’re from the south.”
    Except that I’m Cockney, and you’re stockbroker Sussex, thought Matt.
    â€œThat’s right. Bermondsey. But I left when I was eleven.”
    â€œI bet you wouldn’t go back, would you?”
    â€œWell, no, not willingly.”
    â€œPeople down there have such a strange view of the north, don’t they? They think it’s all blackened stone and belching chimneys, but it’s lovely !”
    Something in Delphine aroused a spirit of contrariness in Matt.
    â€œThere are plenty around who wouldn’t mind seeing a few belching chimneys, I’d guess.”
    â€œOh, come on, ” she said protestingly, with a winsome smile. “There’s hardly any unemployment in Leeds, and all the jobs now are much cleaner and more hygienic than the old ones. When you consider the asbestosis and the phthisis and all that sort of thing that people got from the old jobs . . . But now, tell me about the bones.”
    â€œThere’s really nothing to tell beyond what I said on the radio. The police got a few calls after the program, and they’re following them up, but they’re pretty cagey about details. You probably know more about who used to live around here than they do.”
    â€œNot really,” said Delphine, her eyes showing her sense that he had failed in his duty of gorging her curiosity. “We’ve only been here five years. Mr. Farson was one of the old-timers. He’d been here about twenty years, I think. But the families who’d been here almost since the houses were built have all gone now, and had even when Garrett and I arrived.”
    â€œI suppose that’s not surprising,” said Matt. “I believe the houses are eighty or ninety years old. I suppose you don’t know where any of the old-time people are now?”
    Delphine frowned.
    â€œNow you mention it, I have heard talk about someone who grew up here—I don’t remember which house. She’s living down in Lansdowne Rise—which is rather going down in the world, in spite of its name. Now what was the family? But I don’t think that would help, because I’m pretty sure she married. I expect Mr. or Mrs. Cazalet could help you.”
    He gave her a loaded glance, which she returned in good measure.
    â€œI’m not sure they would want to,” Matt said. “He gave me the impression that he blamed me for finding the skeleton at all.”
    She raised her eyebrows, then leaned forward and tapped her forehead.
    â€œNot the neighbors one would have chosen for you. But you’d think they’d want the poor little thing to have a decent burial, wouldn’t you?”
    â€œYou would,” said Matt, mentally making the decision to pay for it himself if necessary.
    â€œHere’s your decorator,” said Delphine as Tony’s van drew up. “I do hope things go smoothly. Good luck with your inquiries. And I do hope you and your partner will come for drinks with Garrett and me as soon as you’re settled in.”
    Her eyebrows were raised a fraction, as if inviting him to confide in her why his partner had not so far put in an appearance. Matt did not feel impelled to tell her that Aileen was currently nursing the father of her children through leukemia in his native South Africa. Still less did he want to confide that the man was still legally her husband. He was not yet sure that he