The Cold Light of Mourning - By Elizabeth J. Duncan Page 0,53

in a firm line and nodded.

“Would you like a cup of tea or coffee?” she asked. “Victoria was just about to put the kettle on, weren’t you?”

“I was,” she said as she left the room. “Really, I was.”

“How long is she going to stop with you?” Davies asked. “Just out of curiosity. I thought she was just coming over to sit with you for an hour or so.”

“We’re not sure, but we’re enjoying each other’s company, and I’m in no hurry for her to leave and she’s in no hurry to get back to her cousin, so I expect she’ll stop with me for another day or two,” Penny replied.

Davies nodded thoughtfully.

“Look,” he said, “I think if you don’t mind I won’t have that coffee now. We’ve got a lot on just at the minute and I need to get back to the station.” He hesitated, looked over Penny’s shoulder, and finally managed to bring his eyes back to hers.

“I wondered if I might take a rain check. On the coffee. Another time when we’re not so … when things aren’t …”

“Yes, of course,” said Penny. “When everything is more …”

She smiled at him, tentatively at first, but then openly and comfortably.

“I really want to thank you for taking the time to come by and tell me yourself. Maybe when you know more, you’ll—”

She was interrupted by Victoria returning with the coffee tray.

“Victoria, the chief inspector won’t be staying for coffee after all,” said Penny, as Davies stood up. “He’s got rather a lot on today, and he’s decided to leave.”

“Right,” said Victoria. “Well, another time, perhaps.”

“Yes,” said Davies. “I’ll see myself out.” He nodded at the two women and then made his way to the door at the top of the stairs.

Victoria watched as Penny’s eyes followed his progress.

When the door had closed behind him she looked thoughtfully at her new friend.

“This is so awful, I know, Penny, but you have to admit it’s also terribly exciting. You’re at the centre of a murder investigation! Now why don’t I pour our coffee and then we can go over everything that happened that morning? Maybe you’ll remember something else that could help the police!”

Penny sighed, closed her eyes, and leaned her head back on the chair.

“You know, Victoria, we were up really early for this today and I’m suddenly totally knackered. I didn’t sleep much last night, as you can imagine, and I think I’ll go back to bed for an hour or so before it’s time to open the shop. I really can’t deal with any more of this right now.”

Victoria looked aghast.

“Oh, how stupid of me! Of course, you must be exhausted. I should have thought. What a moron I am!”

Penny smiled at her.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself and don’t talk about yourself like that. Your brain might be listening! We’ll definitely have this little chat, though, because I do want to go over everything very carefully and try to remember as much as I can. I might have missed something, but I can’t think what. Maybe it’ll come to me. Or maybe that’s really all I do know.”

She yawned as she stood up and nodding at the coffee tray, suggested Victoria put some in a flask to keep warm and she’d have it in an hour or so.

“Penny, how about this?” said Victoria. “What if you go back to bed and get a bit more sleep and I’ll open up the shop? I can’t do your appointments, but I can call everyone and re-book, and take messages, tidy up a bit, make sure everything’s in good order, and be all ready for you. You could come down for lunch, and you’d probably feel much better for the morning off.”

Penny gave her a grateful look and agreed.

“That would be absolutely wonderful, Victoria! Thank you. I’d love to get my head down.”

A few minutes later she had undressed, slipped under the covers, and was fast asleep.

Victoria puttered about in the shop until late morning, and then went out to buy a new magazine for the waiting area and some salad for lunch. In the shops, there was only one topic on everybody’s lips and she thought how the pubs would be buzzing that night.

As Victoria stood in the short queue at the supermarket, Morgan and Davies were on their way to Ty Brith. Of all the aspects of her job, Morgan found giving people bad news the most difficult, and what they had to tell the bridegroom was