Skinner's festival

93

No one came to the door when Maggie Rose rang the bell. The porch of the Skinner bungalow in Fairyhouse Avenue was lit and welcoming, but no one answered.

'Surely they haven't gone out?' she said to Neil Mcllhenney. •Can't imagine so. But then the boss didn't tell them we were oming. It was an afterthought of his, this baby-sitting idea.'

'God, Neil, don't let Sarah hear that. Remember, the party line 5 that he decided he should expect anything from these characters, o with him and Andy out of town, he sent us down here as irotection.' •She'll never believe that.'

'Maybe not, but she won't take it out on us. She's a nice lady, lie doctor.'

'Try the bell again.'

They rang again, listening hard to make certain the bell had sounded, and waited for two full minutes more, before deciding to check round the back. They crept softly along the gravel towards the back door, and saw as they went that the garage door was open. Skinner's car was there, but Sarah's was gone. The garden was lit from the unshaded kitchen window arid from the back door, which lay slightly ajar.

They had their pistols drawn as they slipped nervously into the house. Moving quickly through the deserted kitchen, they went from room to room on the ground floor, checking each one cautiously. Then they climbed the short flight of stairs to the attic, to satisfy themselves that the three upper rooms were empty also, before returning to the living-room for a second look.

They saw that Sarah had prepared for Julia's arrival. A big oval plate of freshly cut ham and tomato sandwiches, American-sized, t on the low glass coffee-table between the two sofas. Alongside it were two plates, two china mugs, knives, spoons and paper napkins. Nothing there was out of place.

They went back into the kitchen. The coffee filter was primed and ready, waiting to be switched on. Two glasses, a bottle of Smirnoff Silver and a tin of diet Coca-Cola sat on the work surface beside the tall fridge-freezer. Without touching anything, Mcllhenney crouched down and studied each item closely.

One glass was three-quarters full. A few bubbles clung to the side, and a slice of greenish lime floated on the surface. Lipstick traces showed on the rim. He leaned over the glass and sniffed.

'Bacardi and tonic,' he said. He looked at the other glass. A slice of lemon was wedged at its foot in a finger of a clear liquid. He sniffed that, too, but found no trace of alcohol. He looked again at the bottle. Vodka and Coke in the making, probably.

'So what happened to them?' he asked Maggie. 'Sarah's got a drink on the go when Julia arrives, and she comes into the kitchen to mix one for her guest. She gets the ice and lemon from the fridge, drops them in the glass. Takes the Smirnoff and the Coke from the fridge as well. And that's as far as she gets… Then they decide to go to the pictures? Hardly!'

Maggie's face broke into a sudden, relieved smile.

'Neil, she's a doctor, isn't she? Not just with the police, but in a general practice. She's had an emergency call-out. Rather than leave Julia here, she's taken her with her. That's your mystery.'

Mcllhenney looked sceptical. 'Oh aye, and being an ACC's wife she just runs out the back door and leaves it wide open, with all the lights on.'

Maggie grimaced. 'I see what you mean.'

Then she made a decision.

"Look, let's wait here anyway, as ordered. But in the meantime let's try and check her practice. Then we can call in to Brian Mackie, when he gets back to the office.'