Margaret. I still think you should sell it.â
âI probably will one day. Now, how are you, Harry?â She wished she hadnât asked that question when he began to tell her.
CHAPTER FOUR
M aggie had been wakened several times during the night by the branches on the big old maple tree banging against her bedroom window. Tired and bad-tempered, she groggily made breakfast for herself and the two animals.
âI donât suppose youâd use the back garden?â Maggie asked the dog, who was waiting patiently at her feet with his lead in his mouth. Oscar, reared in the cold winters of Quebec, just thumped his tail and headed for the front door. Emily, looking disdainfully at both Maggie and Oscar, curled herself into a tight ball and went back to sleep in her basket.
The walk in the wet and windy morning did them both good, and Maggie was in a better frame of mind when she let the dog back inside the house. âThat will have to do you until Carole comes,â she said as she removed his leash. Carole, a teenaged neighbour, loved Oscar and willingly took him for a walk after school each day.
After making sure the door was firmly locked, Maggie walked down the long back garden to the garage where she kept her car, her mind already on the day ahead.
As usual, Henny was in the office before Maggie and Nat. A sombre grey suit and matching grey lisle stockings had replaced her usual brown serge. The only concession to contrast was a mustard yellow hand-knitted sweater, but her shoes were still her everyday no-nonsense brown oxfords.
âYour face all rosy,â she greeted Maggie.
âI had a long walk with Oscar,â she answered.
âMr. Natâs old wife called already.â
âAnd what did Nancy want?â
âShe said to tell him she is coming in to see him about ten oâclock.â
âThatâs all we need.â
⢠⢠â¢
âHOW ARE WE GOING to split these interviews up?â Maggie asked. They were seated in her office, going over the list of names.
âWhy donât you tackle Jerrell Bakhash and Iâll visit Romeoâs Palace? And although youâve interviewed Stella Edgeworthy, Iâd like to have a chat with her husband.â
âThe real estate angle, you mean?â
âYeah.â
âThatâs a good idea,â Maggie answered. âAlthough Stella did give us a good description of the guests staying at the lodge, her husbandâs view could be quite different. Oh, and by the way, did Henny tell you that Nancyâs coming in this morning?â
âYeah,â he grimaced. âCanât think what she wants this time.â
⢠⢠â¢
âI SAW YOU AT the funeral last Thursday,â Nancy hip-checked Natâs door closed and flung her imitation leopard skin coat over the back of a chair. âI suppose it was too much for you to speak to me?â
âDidnât see you, Nancy. What do you want?â
âI want to know how the investigation is going.â
âWhy do you need to know?â
âI invested in Mauriceâs ski resort.â
âWhat ski resort?â
âItâs on Hollyburn.â
âThat big clear-cut on the north side?â
âHow should I know? I donât ski.â
âWhere did you get the money to invest?â
âNone of your business,â she said defiantly.
Nat shrugged. âWhat about the Pender Harbour deal? Did you get involved in that scheme, too?â
Nancy laughed. âYou have to have real money for that one. He was asking thirty thousand a share.â
âWell, if youâre so worried about your investment, go and see your friend Jacquelyn.â
âSheâs not a friend, Nat. After all, the girlâs only in her early twenties and she hadnât a clue what her husband was up to. Sheâs only interested in getting Mauriceâs will settled, because sheâs running out of money. I