Free Shallow Grave by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles Page B

you meet Jennifer?’
    ‘I met her at the birth-control clinic when we moved to Chiswick. We sort of hit it off. She didn’t have much good to say about men either, and no wonder. Worst thing she ever did was marry that Eddie.’
    ‘You don’t like him? Why is that?’
    ‘Oh, what, apart from the fact that he’s murdered her, you mean?’ she said sarcastically, and then took a puff at her cigarette to compose herself. ‘No, I’ll tell you. He’s one of those men who has to own a woman. Thinks if you put a ring on a woman’s finger she’s your property, at your beck and call every minute of the day. Jen couldn’t have any life of her own. And jealous? He’s mad. I mean literally – unbalanced, if you ask me. Always following her about and spying on her, accusing her of this, that and the other.’ Mostly the other, Slider gathered. ‘Terrible rows they had, because of course she wouldn’t take it lying down. You can’t, can you? Let ’em start walking all over you and you might as well be dead. But it didn’t matter what she said. He wouldn’t have been happy unless he had her under lock and key twenty-four hours a day.’
    ‘Did they have money problems?’
    She looked surprised. ‘Why? Did someone say they did?’
    ‘I was wondering why she took the job with you.’
    ‘Oh, it wasn’t for the money, it was just to get away from him for a bit. He’s got plenty of money – doing very well for himself.’
    ‘Generous with it?’
    She seemed unwilling to grant Eddie Andrews any mitigating features. ‘She never wanted for anything. But then she never asked him to keep her. She had her own career.’
    ‘Working for the estate agent?’
    ‘That’s right.’ She nodded. ‘She was earning her own living before she met him, and if you ask me she made a big mistake ever giving it up, because it just gave him ideas. She couldn’tstand being stuck at home doing nothing all day, so she took it up again part time.’
    ‘Why part time?’
    ‘Because
he
made such a fuss about her going out to work! That’s why he built her that house – thought it would keep her home. It was a cage, that’s what that was. But Jen was wise to it. She came to me and asked me for a job, to give her a reason to get out.’
    ‘Why didn’t she do the other thing full time?’
    ‘Meacher’s didn’t want her full time. Anyway, it was evenings she wanted to get away from him. Of course, he was furious. He couldn’t stand any wife of his working in a pub.’
    ‘I thought she worked in the restaurant?’
    She looked at him shrewdly. ‘Is that what
he
said? God, he’s a snob! He makes my blood boil! He’s not the bloody Duke of Westminster, he’s only a bloody builder, but he thinks himself so-o superior! Can’t have his wife being a barmaid, oh no! Can’t have her consorting with people like Jack and me! Publicans? The way he talked to me, you’d think I was a common prostitute! I said to him, you want to change your attitude, mate, I said, ’cause if you’re not careful they’ll stuff you and stick you in a museum, and good bloody riddance!’
    ‘They didn’t have any children, I understand.’
    ‘Jen didn’t want any, and who can blame her?
He
wanted ’em, but then it wouldn’t be him had to go through it all, would it? Jack’s the same way – all sentimental about “kiddies”. Never mind morning sickness and backache, losing your figure, to say nothing of childbirth, and then being stuck in a house for the best years of your life changing nappies and wiping noses. No, she wasn’t having any of that, thank you very much. Of course, it was another thing he held against me – as if I made her mind up for her!’
    ‘You say he accused her of having affairs,’ Slider said. ‘Was there any truth in the accusations?’
    She coloured angrily. ‘Of course there wasn’t! What are you trying to say?’
    He made a small open gesture with his hand. ‘Mrs Potter, I don’t
know
the people involved. I’m not