Small Town Christmas (Some Very English Murders Book 6) Read Online Free Page A

unpopular gossip. She was sitting next to the trim,
neat figure of Reg Harris who was in his usual old school blazer and county
cricket team tie. Francine, who was Penny’s friend, was excited to be on the
committee, and Shaun the local butcher was also present.
    But most mortified of all was Linda, Clive’s sister.
    Everyone else stayed seated, but Linda stood up, and
suddenly Penny felt awkward because it had started to feel like a family row.
They were both tall and broad people, and though their twin-ship was
non-identical, they shared the same mannerisms. They shook their fists and it
was like there was a mirror between them.
    Clive’s main objection seemed to be the waste of money that
he perceived in the activities of the Christmas Planning Committee. Now it was
December, he wasn’t going on about the lights being too early any longer. He
had found a new focus.
    “Who pays for all this, eh? Who pays?”
    “You know that it’s a consortium of local businesses who
contribute, and there are also various fundraising events throughout the year,”
Linda snapped. “It is all above board.”
    “Oh, yeah, but there are ancillary costs. I bet you haven’t
thought of that, have you? Have you? My taxes pay her wages,” he shouted, and
pointed at Cath. “Therefore, my taxes are being used to fund the policing for
this event! What if I don’t want to go, what about that?”
    What a load of rubbish , Penny thought. She bit her
tongue. This was not her fight.
    But it quickly and unexpectedly became her fight, because
Clive was ignoring Linda’s protests, and looking around at the rest of the
committee. He was very obviously looking for someone else to pick on. Someone
who might present a new, fresh target.
    “Oh, yes, it’s you, isn’t it!” he said. He pointed at
Penny.
    Penny looked at Cath, and stayed silent.
    She was feeling pretty pleased with her amazing display of
restraint. The man needed shaking, but she bit her tongue. What could he
possibly have against her, anyway? They had never even spoken together.
    But then Clive said, “Yeah, you, I know that you’re that woman
who littered the whole town with these dreadful posters!” He pulled a crumpled
example from his pocket and waved it at the committee. “She’s fly-posted every
inch of wall in Glenfield, and beyond. I wouldn’t mind so much, but it’s an
appalling design. Who did it? A five-year-old kid? There are laws against this
sort of thing, you know.”
    That was it. Penny leaped to her feet. “I did the design,
actually. And I think you know that. It was approved by the committee, and
you’re not a member of the committee, so you don’t get a say, and I don’t think
you even ought to be here. What do you hope to achieve by coming in here and
upsetting everyone?”
    “I’m merely exercising my democratic right as a citizen.”
    Linda waded in. She couldn’t bear to be left out of a good
argument. She was red in the face. “No, you’re bored and retired and can’t
stand the fact that anyone else can make decisions except you. Go on, she’s
right, you ought to not be here. You’re trespassing. Get out!”
    Cath was now on her feet, and that triggered everyone else
to get up, too. As soon as everyone was standing up, the atmosphere changed
from tension to all-out aggression.
    Cath went towards Clive and Penny could hear the police
officer using her firm-but-calm-but-don’t-mess voice, asking Clive to leave the
building. He replied far more loudly, apparently pleased that he had caused an
upset.
    Linda turned to Penny, and half-smiled. “Don’t you mind
what he says about your posters. You can easily improve. Hard work goes a long
way to replace talent.” She turned away before Penny could rally and reply,
which was probably for the best, because the only reply that Penny could think
of was going to be a slap in the face.
    Jared appeared at Penny’s side. “Your posters are
excellent,” he said quietly. “Ignore them both. They