Something, perhaps, to do with Aunt Ada’s funeral forms.
True child of his time, Tommy immediately assumed that it must be a question of some form or other – something he ought to have signed, or Dr Murray ought to have signed.
‘Hullo,’ he said, ‘Beresford here.’ ‘Oh, I’m glad to catch you. You remember me, I hope. I attended your aunt, Miss Fanshawe.’ ‘Yes, of course I remember. What can I do?’ ‘I really wanted to have a word or two with you sometime. I don’t know if we can arrange a meeting, perhaps in town one day?’ ‘Oh I expect so, yes. Quite easily. But – er – is it something you can’t say over the phone?’ ‘I’d rather not say it over the telephone. There’s no immediate hurry. I won’t pretend there is but – but I should like to have a chat with you.’ ‘Nothing wrong?’ said Tommy, and wondered why he put it that way. Why should there be anything wrong?
‘Not really. I may be making a mountain out of a molehill.
Probably am. But there have been some rather curious developments at Sunny Ridge.’ ‘Nothing to do with Mrs Lancaster, is it?’ asked Tommy.
‘Mrs Lancaster?’ The doctor seemed surprised. ‘Oh no. She left some time ago. In fact – before your aunt died. This is something quite different.’ ‘I’ve been away – only just got back. May I ring you up tomorrow morning – we could fix something then.’ ‘Right. I’ll give you my telephone number. I shall be at my surgery until ten a.m.’
‘Bad news?’ asked Albert as Tommy returned to the d’ming-
‘For God’s sake, don’t croak, Albert,’ said Tommy irritably.
‘No – of course it isn’t bad news.’ ‘I thought perhaps the missus -‘ ‘She’s all right,’ said Tommy. ‘She always is. Probably gone hating off after some wild-cat clue or other – You know what she’s like. I’m not going to worry any more. Take away this plate of chicken – You’ve been keeping it hot in the oven and it’s inedible. Bring me some coffee. And then I’m going to bed.
‘There will probably be a letter tomorrow. Delayed in the post – you know what our posts are like – or there will be a wire from her – or she’ll ring up.’ But there was no letter next day – no telephone call – no wire.
Albert eyed Tommy, opened his mouth and shut it again several 6mes, judging quite rightly that gloomy predictions on his part would not be welcomed.
At last Tommy had pity on him. He swallowed a last mouthful of toast and marmalade, washed it down with coffee, and spoke ‘All right, Albert, I’ll say it first – Where is she? What’s happened to her? And what are we going to do about it?’ ‘Get on to the police, sir?’ ‘I’m not sure. You see -‘ Tommy paused.
‘If she’s had an accident -‘ ‘She’s got her driving licenee on her – and plenty of identifying papers – Hospitals are very prompt at reporting these things – and getting in touch with relatives – all that. I don’t want to be precipitate – she – she mightn’t want it.
You’ve no idea – no idea at all, Albert, where she was going Nothing she said? No particular place – or county. Not a mention of some name?’ Albert shook his head.
‘What was she feeling like?’ Pleased? – Excited? Unhappy?
Worried?’ Albert’s response was immediate.
‘Pleased as Punch – Bursting with it.’ ‘Like a terrier off on the trail,’ said Tommy.
‘That’s right, sir – you know how she gets ‘ ‘On to something – Now I wonder -‘ Tommy paused in consideration.
Something had turned up, and, as he had just said to Albert, Tuppence had rushed off like a terrier on the scent. The day before yesterday she had rung up to announce her return.
Why, then, hadn’t she returned? Perhaps, at this moment, thought Tommy, she’s sitting somewhere telling lies to people so hard that she can’t think of anything else!
If she were engrossed in pursuit, she would be extremely annoyed if he, Tommy, were to rush off to the police bleating like a sheep that his wife had disappeared – He could hear Tuppence saying ‘How you could be so fatuous as to do such a thing! I can look after myself perfectly. You ought to know that by this time? (But could she look after herseh. ) One was never quite sure where Tuppence’s imagination could take her.