Episode 6 - Getting at truths

Friday cont.

Cleo finished her coffee at the Huddle Inn and drove to the school.

On the way she phoned Gary to tell him the identity of the dead man and that she would break the news to Jessie. He said thanks, but inside he was smouldering.

Episode 5 - Facts and Figures

Thursday cont. then Friday

Cleo’s realised that she would have to talk to Molly again, since Molly was well informed about what went on in her village, so she drove back to the Huddle Inn. Molly was wiping tables and generally tidying up.

Episode 4 - Ali et al

Thursday May 4th

Dorothy had been too busy to call on Cleo on Wednesday evening, though her curiosity nearly got the better of her. But she had been promising to go to the vicarage for supper for simply ages and thought Edith would be offended if she refused again. So on Thursday morning Cleo and Dorothy had plenty to tell one another.

***

Episode 3 - Mrs Coppins

Wednesday May 3rd

On Wednesday morning Chris Marlow delivered the initial forensic report to Gary Hurley. It stated categorically that the stab wounds had been delivered soon after death but were not the cause of death. Though they had made a lot of mess, they were relatively superficial and probably only meant to mislead. The police were to believe that Kitty Oldfield had been stabbed to death by an intruder.

Episode 2 - Jessie

Monday cont. then Tuesday May 2nd

On Monday evening Robert Jones delivered the usual order to the school. Cleo had phoned him and told him what had happened. He wondered how everyone would be fed that evening and in the near future. Mrs Oldfield's gormless  assistant would do nothing to ease the situation.

Episode 1 - Prelude

Monday May 1st

She was lying on the kitchen floor; motionless because she was stone dead; face down because she had been attacked from behind; bathed in blood because she had been stabbed. The murder weapon lay on the floor beside her. It was her own favourite kitchen knife, one of those smart Japanese knives chefs use in smart kitchens: long, sharp, lethal and glistening, except that this blade was now dulled by congealed blood.