Murder on the Hour Read Online Free

we can.” She handed Catrin a ten-pound note. “Here, you go over to the counter and get me a latte and piece of cake out of that.” Catrin took the money and returned a few minutes later with two coffees and a white plate with a piece of cake on a brown serving tray.
    Catrin smiled at her companion as she set the latte and the slice of cake in front of her. Tegwen did not return the smile, but frowned as a look of something Catrin couldn’t make out flashed across her grey eyes. Catrin placed the change from the ten-pound note in front of Tegwen as she sat down.
    â€œYou’re so lucky you don’t have a family to worry about, Catrin,” Tegwen sighed, ignoring the change and picking up the fork. She sliced the pale orange icing off the cake to save for last. “It’s just one thing after another.”
    â€œIs there a problem with the girls?” Catrin asked, wrapping her hands around the less expensive plain coffee she’d bought for herself. It would have been a nice gesture, she thought, if Tegwen had told her to pay for her coffee out of the ten-pound note.
    â€œNo, not the girls, no,” said Tegwen, tucking into the cake, all thoughts of sharing apparently forgotten. “Well, just the usual. You have no idea how difficult teenage girls are these days.” Actually, Catrin had a fair idea what was involved, having listened to Tegwen often enough going on about her two daughters and their insatiable demands for new clothes, makeup, and top ups for their phones. And how the girls were never off those phones, never lifted a finger to help out around the house, or showed the slightest bit of gratitude for all the things their parents gave them. And who raised them to be that way, Catrin was tempted to ask.
    â€œOf course, you never got married,” Tegwen continued, gesturing slightly with the fork held in fingers that bordered on chubby. “Lucky you just got yourself to worry about.” She took a sip of her latte and then licked a bit of foam off her top lip and shot Catrin a sly, measured look.
    â€œAnyway, it isn’t the girls I want to talk about today. It’s Brad.”
    â€œOh, yes.” Catrin didn’t want the conversation to go in this direction. There was something so unpleasantly intimate about listening to the details of someone else’s marriage. Tegwen sometimes recounted squabbles or disagreements she had with her husband, usually to do with his working long hours at his insurance business or having to spend his evenings visiting clients in their homes. What did Tegwen expect? She didn’t work outside the home and apparently someone had to pay for the expensive items on the girls’ ever growing list of wants.
    Tegwen cleared her throat and ran a hand under her chin. “This is a bit difficult, so I guess the best thing is for me to be direct. Apparently, there are rumours. A good friend of mine told me that Brad’s been seen with a woman, and well, I wondered if it was you.”
    â€œMe?” Catrin’s eyebrows shot up.
    â€œWell, yes, you. Apparently the woman has short blonde hair and wears a green coat. You always liked him and now that you’re, well, coming out of your shell, shall we say, men are starting to notice you. And you don’t have much experience of them, so you might easily be…”
    â€œIf that’s what you think, Tegwen, then obviously you don’t think much of me.” Catrin stood up. “Or your husband, either, for that matter.”
    â€œNo, wait, Catrin, I didn’t mean it like that. Please sit down,” said Tegwen, reaching out to her. The elderly couple turned their heads toward them and Tegwen lowered her voice. “I’m sorry, that came out all wrong. I’m very worried, that’s all. I’ve heard things, and I don’t know what to do. I thought I’d ask you if you knew anything.”
    â€œYou weren’t asking me,”