Authors: Catherine Aird

The Stately Home Murder (24 page)

“That's right.”

“Only when he's not at work of course.”

“That's right, sir.”

“What's his dinnertime?”

“I couldn't say, sir. It is important?”

“And if it's a smashup he rings his boss.”

“I expect so, sir. They don't pay them a lot you know. Not apprentices.”

“And his boss comes out with the breakdown truck on the off chance.”

“They do it in other places,” said Crosby defensively. “Big mainroad counties. Near black spots and so forth. The truck just follows the ambulance.”

“Maternity cases,” said Sloan sarcastically, “must be a big disappointment to them.”

“It's probably worth it,” said Crosby. “One good roundabout's worth a lot of swings in the car trade.” He said anxiously, “Is it important, sir? Shall I have to tell him to stop?”

Sloan breathed very deeply. “No, Crosby. Just to drive more carefully.”

He reached into his briefcase for the formal charge sheet.

Presently he read it out to a sullen silent prisoner.

“Michael Joseph Dillow you are charged that on Friday, June 20, last, you did feloniously cause the death of one Osborne Meredith, against the Peace of Our Sovereign Lady the Queen, her Crown and Dignity â¦”

Sloan paused.

He hadn't thought of it like that before either.

About the Author

Catherine Aird is the author of more than twenty volumes of detective mysteries and three collections of short stories. Most of her fiction features Detective Inspector C. D. Sloan and Detective Constable W. E. Crosby. Aird holds an honorary master's degree from the University of Kent and was made a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her services to the Girl Guide Association. She lives in a village in East Kent, England.

All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cover design by Tracey Dunham

ISBN: 978-1-5040-1069-6

This edition published in 2015 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.

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