Ann Purser: The Hangman’s Row Enquiry

She thought she heard a small voice saying, “But what about the poisoned biscuits?”

“Not meant to kill,” she muttered, and walked over to the narrow bed. She stretched out and closed her eyes. “Not fair,” she said quietly. “But then, it never has been fair.”

When they came in to collect her plate, she appeared to be fast asleep.

SITTING COMFORTABLY IN a last shaft of sunlight slanting into Springfields’ lounge, Ivy and Roy had been silent for several minutes. Then Ivy said, “Well, that’s that, then. Do you feel the same as me, Roy? Sort of flat?”

Roy said he was sure it wouldn’t be flat for long. “Shouldn’t we have an Enquire Within meeting with Gus and Deirdre to wrap up the case?” he asked.

Ivy nodded. “Ah yes, that’s it. No time like the present,” she said and took out her mobile from her handbag. “Hello? Gus? What’s that noise? Oh, Deirdre sniffing. I see. Anyway, this call is for her, too. Can you both be here for a meeting in fifteen minutes? Well, you can go to the pub afterwards! Good. Roy and me will be waiting in my room. Bye. Oh, and tell Deirdre to pull herself together, silly girl.”

The meeting began with a brief roundup of the recent happenings, and then Ivy said firmly that it was time to put the Beatty case behind them, and start planning for the future. “And don’t look at me like that, Deirdre,” she added. “You’ll soon get used to it. If you ask me, we’ve learned a lot on our first case, and I for one can’t wait to get going on the next.”

“Hear, hear!” said Roy, taking Ivy’s hand.

“Well, as a matter of fact,” Gus said, seating himself more safely on the edge of Ivy’s bed, “I had a call before we left the cottage, and if I’m not mistaken, Enquire Within is back in business…”