A Mrs. Jeffires Mystery 11 - Mrs. Jeffries Questions the Answer Read Online Free

door just as the inspector pulled it open. He elbowed his employer to one side and planted his big body directly in front of him. “That’s what I’m afraid of, sir. You’ve put enough killers away to have plenty of enemies out there.”
    “Uh, excuse me.” Constable Sayers blinked at the sight of the huge burly man standing like a mountain on the other side of the door. “But is this the home of Inspector Gerald Witherspoon?”
    “It is,” Smythe replied as he eased to his left. “And I take it ya want to see ’im?”
    “It’s a police constable, Smythe,” Witherspoonsaid cheerfully. “I do believe it’s quite safe to let him in.”
    “Sorry to bother you, sir,” Constable Sayers apologized as he came in, keeping a wary eye on Smythe. “But Chief Inspector Barrows sent me round to get you, sir. There’s been a murder.”
    “A murder?” Witherspoon repeated. He hated getting rousted out at all hours for a murder. But then, murderers were not by nature the most thoughtful of people.
    “Yes, sir,” the young man replied. He noticed that both the woman, who he assumed was a housekeeper, and the big man, who looked more like a thug than a coachman, were still standing beside the inspector. “Chief Inspector Barrows thinks you should come quick, sir. That’s why he sent me along to fetch you. A woman’s been stabbed, sir.”
    Witherspoon stared at the young man for a moment. “Chief Inspector Barrows sent you?”
    Constable Sayers nodded. “The Chief asked for you, sir, though Inspector Nivens was against it.”
    Mrs. Jeffries and Smythe looked at each other.
    “Inspector Nivens?” the inspector repeated. Gracious, this was most odd. Most odd, indeed.
    “Yes, sir. He’s on the scene because we thought it was just a burglary. Then the Chief Inspector arrived and said it weren’t, that it were murder and we’d best send for you. We’ve sent along for Constable Barnes as well, sir. He’ll meet us there, sir.”
    “Thank you, Constable.” Witherspoon decided to wait till he got to the scene of the crime before asking any more questions. “If you’ll have a seat in the drawing room”—he gestured down thehall—“I’ll be ready to go back with you in just a few moments.”
    But Mrs. Jeffries wasn’t going to let a golden opportunity like this pass. “Inspector, it’s quite cold outside. Why don’t I take the constable down to the kitchen for a nice cup of tea or cocoa while you’re getting ready?”
    “How very thoughtful of you, Mrs. Jeffries,” the inspector replied as he headed for the steps. “I’m sure the constable could use something warm to drink.”
    “Thank you, ma’am, I’d be most obliged,” Constable Sayers replied honestly. Truth was, he was frozen to the bone.
    “Come this way, then,” she said, smiling cheerfully as she took his arm. “We’ll have you fixed up in no time.”
    Smythe, following on their heels, grinned hugely. Mrs. Goodge would really get her apron in a twist now. It looked as if they had them a murder. Even better, if he knew Mrs. Jeffries as well as he thought he did, she’d grill this poor lad until she’d wrung every single little detail out of him.

    Barnes was indeed waiting for the inspector when he and Sayers slipped past the police constable, who nodded smartly, and into the back sitting room of the elegant Mayfair home. So was Inspector Nivens.
    Feeling a bit awkward, Witherspoon smiled faintly. “Good evening,” he said. “I understand Chief Inspector Barrows wanted me to have a look in.”
    Nivens grunted in reply, so the inspector turnedhis attention to the scene of the crime.
    The room was small, and in the daylight probably quite a cheerful little place. The floor was covered with a cream colored carpet. Bright yellow-and-white striped wall paper, adorned with colorful prints of pastoral scenes, graced the walls. A small but delicately carved mantel stood guard over the fireplace. A silver pitcher brimming with orange and