Read The Ellsworth Case (A Markham Sisters Cozy Mystery Novella Book 5) for Free Online Page A

go.
    “If you’re sure,” Joan said, slowly.
    “I’m very sure,” Janet answered.
    After dinner, Joan insisted on sorting out
the washing up herself .   “You go and get some more work done in
the library,” Joan said.   “The
washing up is the least I can do, under the circumstances.”
    Janet put up a token protest, but she agreed
with her sister.   She didn’t fancy
being alone with William Chalmers, who had been far friendlier of late but had
been quite difficult to deal with when they’d first met him.   In the library, Janet slowly turned in
the centre of the room, wondering exactly where to
start.   She thought for a bit and
then giggled.   Perhaps it would be
best to start by reading a few of the books, she said to herself.  
    She ran a hand along a shelf, counting to
three.   On three, she pulled the
closest book off the shelf.   Murder Most Melancholy , she read off the
cover of the book.   “Could be good,”
she muttered to herself as she slid into the leather chair.   Half an hour later, she was three
chapters in and totally absorbed in the story.
    “Janet?” Joan was standing in the
doorway.   “I knocked, but you didn’t
seem to hear me,” she said a bit sharply.
    “I’m sorry, I was quite lost in this book,”
Janet said, blinking hard as she tried to drag her mind out of the story.
    “Is it that good?” Joan asked.
    “It’s very interesting,” Janet replied.   “It’s a murder mystery, although no one
has died just yet, but there are so many people who seem to deserve to die.   No one is very likeable and… ”   She stopped as
Joan held up a hand.
    “It doesn’t sound like my kind of story,”
Joan said.   “Anyway, I just stopped
in to tell you that I’m leaving now for Michael’s.   It’s gone seven, so you probably should
come out into the sitting room so you’ll hear the door when William arrives.”
    Janet nodded, slipping a bookmark into the
book and standing up to follow Joan out of the room.   “What about our guests?” she asked.
    “I haven’t seen either couple since they
arrived,” Joan told her.   “I do hope
they’ll both be in before it gets too late.”
    “Oh, I’ve forgotten the tantalus ,”
Janet exclaimed as they reached the sitting room.
    “You can grab it in a minute,” Joan told
her.   “I’d be grateful if you’d
watch me across the road.”
    Janet nodded.   “I’m happy to,” she assured her
sister.   They headed towards the
door, but Janet didn’t get to do the favour after
all.   As Joan opened the door, both
sisters were surprised to find Michael on the doorstep.
    “Ah, I was just coming to collect you,”
Michael told Joan.   “It’s quite dark
and I didn’t want you walking over on your own.”
    “It’s only a few steps,” Joan
protested.   Janet could tell that
her sister was delighted that Michael had been so thoughtful, though.
    After she shut the door behind the happy
couple, Janet went back to the library and carefully carried the tantalus through to the sitting room.   Then she went back and locked the
library door.   She was very
protective of the room and she didn’t want William to have any opportunity to
get inside it.   He seemed like the
type that might ask for a drink or something and then, when Janet’s back was
turned, try sneaking around the house to see what he could find.   Janet shook her head.   If she were honest with herself, that was exactly the sort of thing she’d like to do
if she had the nerve.
    At exactly half seven, she heard a knock on
the door.   She forced a bright smile
onto her face and swung the door open.   The smile faltered considerably when she realised that William Chalmers wasn’t alone.  
    “I told William you wouldn’t mind my coming
along,” Karen Holmes said in an ingratiating voice.   “We’ve just been to dinner and he said
you would have tea and biscuits, you see.”

 
    Chapter Five
    “You’re welcome, of course,” Janet