Free The Donaldson Case by Diana Xarissa Page B

another bite of her sandwich.   Joan didn’t rush to the door unless she
was expecting him.
    A few minutes
later Joan was back with Michael in tow.   “I really don’t want to interrupt your dinner,” he was protesting.
    “It’s just a
light meal,” Janet told him.   “We
had a huge lunch in Derby.”
    “Ah, yes, Owen
told me you’d visited when I rang him earlier,” Michael replied.
    “We had a lovely
little visit with him,” Joan said.  
    “And did you
stop and see George as well?” Michael asked.
    “We did,” Joan
confirmed.
    “So, have you worked
out who has been stealing from the shop?” Michael asked eagerly.
    Janet looked
at Joan and then both sisters shook their heads.
    “They both
seem like nice men,” Janet said.   “I
find it hard to believe that either of them is capable of such a deplorable
thing.”
    “Yes, I’m
finding it hard to believe anything bad about either of them,” Michael agreed.
    “Has Robert
been back to see you?” Janet asked.
    “He stopped by
with a few more questions earlier today,” Michael replied.   “Really, we just went back over the same
things again.”   He sighed deeply.   “I just feel so helpless.   There should be something I can do to
help Robert work this out.”
    “Surely the
inspector from Derby is meant to be doing that,” Joan said.
    “I suppose,”
Michael said with a shrug.   “But
they don’t seem to be getting very far, at least not yet.”
    “It’s only
been a few days,” Janet said.   “Investigations take a long time.”
    Joan shook her
head.   “On what are you basing that
assumption?” she demanded.
    “In the books
I read, investigations take a long time,” Janet answered defensively.   “The detective always follows a few
false leads and suspects the wrong person for a while before he or she works it
all out.”
    “Maybe they do
suspect me, then,” Michael said.   “As I’m the wrong person.”
    “They always
catch the criminal in the end,” Janet said reassuringly.
    “If only we
lived in a fictional world,” Joan said dryly.
    Janet
flushed.   “I’m sure there are
similarities,” she muttered.
    The trio
chatted about nothing much for several minutes while Janet and Joan finished
their meal.   Joan fixed tea for
everyone and put out biscuits, but it was clear that everyone was distracted.   Michael didn’t stay long.
    “I’m sorry,
but I’m not very good company tonight,” he told the sisters as they walked him
to the door.   “Anyway, you’ll want
an early night with guests coming tomorrow.”
    “What time are
you expecting our guests?” Janet asked her sister before she headed up to bed.
    “Sometime
after midday and before three,” Joan replied.   “Mr. Nicholson was a bit vague when I
talked to him.   I suppose a lot will
depend on traffic.”
    “I think I’ll
have a very lazy start tomorrow, then,” Janet said.   “Since we’ll have to be up early while
the guests are here.”
    “That’s a good
idea.   Maybe I’ll try to lie in as
well,” Joan replied.
    Janet knew
that her sister would probably be up at six, just as she nearly always
was.   Even in childhood Joan had never
been very good at having lazy mornings.   As she climbed the stairs, Janet was again reminded of how much she
loved Doveby House.   In their old cottage, with its single
bathroom situated between the two small bedrooms, Janet had always been woken
when Joan got up for the day.   Now,
the sisters were on separate floors and each had her own bathroom.   Janet could sleep even
when her sister couldn’t.
    It was nearly
midday before Janet made it down the stairs the next morning.   She felt refreshed after several extra
hours of sleep and a long shower.   She found her sister in the kitchen.
    “You look
terrible,” she greeted Joan, who didn’t look as if she’d slept at all.
    “I couldn’t
sleep,” Joan replied, refilling her coffee mug as she spoke.
    “Oh, I am
sorry,” Janet said.