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I was smiling as I left the kitchen and made my way towards Melvin s study,
but I was shaking inside. My brief but dramatic encounter with Muriel had been
disturbing to say the least. However, there was no way I was going to let anyone else
see that I had been shocked  by her manner as much as her words. She had actually
seemed to feel oppressed by the sense of evil she felt around her. This was stupid of
me! I couldn t afford to let her get to me - it was very important that I kept my wits
about me for the time being.
Something was going to happen and, if my instincts were right, it would
happen quite soon.
I rang Steve from the study. His office answering machine was on and his
mobile wasn t working.
 Come on, Steve, I muttered, as I was requested to leave a message.  I need
some answers. You were right, there is something very odd going on down here 
and dangerous. A psychic has just warned me that I am in danger  and, failing my
death, I m going to be the cause of terrible destruction. The poor dear couldn t seem
to make up her mind, but she felt the evil in this house  and I have too, Steve. I
couldn t feel it when I first came down here, but it is much stronger now and, even if
I m not in danger, someone else is. I ve done some research myself, and I think I m
on the right track  but any help you can give me will be appreciated. I m going to
try ringing Inspector Thorpe now. I m not going to tell him what I told you, but I
want to ask him something. My mobile is out of order at the moment, so ring me on
Sir Melvin s number. And make it soon, please!
I replaced the receiver and dialed Inspector Thorpe s number. I was told that
the service was temporarily unavailable, and frowned as I left my brief message.
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 Would it be possible for me to pick up April s laptop sometime? I asked.  I
would like to check something out  unless you still need it? Let me know please.
I m a little anxious about something& 
I was thoughtful as I went upstairs. I had been warned a couple of times now
 what would the murderer do next?
*****
The afternoon passed without incident. After a light lunch of salad, cold ham
and jacket potatoes, Melvin went up to rest on his bed and I spent the time working
on an article I had been planning. It wasn t easy to concentrate because other
thoughts kept intruding, but I did my best to shut them out.
There was really nothing I could do now but wait. I had been given several
warnings and refused to heed them. She was going to have to push a little harder if
She wanted to be rid of me. I was alerted to the danger, and it was a bit frightening
but I was fairly certain that I would be the next victim.
I had been confused about the murderer s motives, but that was before I d
really begun to understand what was going on here  and I was almost sure that at
long last I did. She was devious and clever, but she had made a couple of mistakes 
and this time I was thinking! After April s death I had been too stunned to notice
small things, but that was no longer the case.
Inspector Thorpe rang while I was working. I hadn t connected to the
Internet, because Melvin s phone was now my only line to the outside world and I
needed my calls to come through. Of course, if the house phone were cut off& but I
must hope that thought hadn t occurred to her.
 You rang about your sister s laptop, Miss Langley?
 I was wondering if I could have it, please?
 My computer expert is still working on the codes  but I can tell you that
there was an attempt to transfer money from Miss Langley s online banking account.
It failed because the wrong password was given, but the attempt was made.
 Really? That surprises me, Inspector. I wouldn t have thought Greg capable
of using a computer  would you?
 We think someone else had it for a while. Someone who had a little
knowledge of how to use a computer, but not enough, apparently. I believe that
Greg was telling the truth when he said he found it. I think whoever killed your
sister and her husband took the computer  and I believe that person may be clever
and ruthless. I also think it may be someone local.
 Oh yes, I agree, Inspector. I think that person is very clever and also ruthless.
Has your expert thought of looking to see if there is an email account set up in the
name of Atlas? And was the account used through a WAP phone registered to my
sister?
 How did you know that  or was it a guess?
 Call it intuition. My sister usually kept the two together, and our murderer is
very clever and very careful to cover his or her tracks. The emails were sent to me
from April s laptop  which was how the murderer was able to make the first one
seem it had come from April herself. It must have been abandoned after it was no
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longer of use to the murderer. I wonder where the phone is & perhaps the murderer
still has it. I might try calling the number.
 That would be foolish and possibly dangerous. Just what do you know that
you aren t telling me, Miss Langley? I think you are hiding something  and that is
very foolish of you. He sounded suspicious and a little annoyed.
 Don t you think it s time you called me Georgie? Unless I m still a suspect, of
course?
 Should you be, Miss Langley? Let me tell you, I think you know you are
playing with fire. If you know something important tell me now, for your own sake.
This isn t a game.
 If I knew anything that would lead to an arrest I would tell you, I said.
 Please don t worry about me, Inspector. I m tougher than you think, believe me.
 That s what worries me, he said wryly.  My mobile is staying open tonight,
Miss Langley. Please ring me if you decide there is anything I ought to know.
He shut off his phone. I held on for a moment or two longer and heard the
click I had been expecting. An icy trickle went all the way down my spine. Someone
had been listening in on one of the extensions. I knew there was one in the hall and [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]