A Coffin for Charley Read Online Free

had told me before.’
    Stella was silent. ‘I thought I was being foolish to worry. It might have been kind of flattering …’ Her voice died away. ‘But it’s not. Doesn’t feel right.’
    â€˜Why does he frighten you?’
    Stella said slowly: ‘I feel his concentration. It’s obsessive. Not admiration … something else. Hungry.’
    His sister Letty said: ‘I think he’s watching me too.’
    â€˜Oh, I don’t believe that’s likely.’
    â€˜Well, thanks, brother. You do know how to make a girl feel attractive.’
    â€˜What I meant was, men like that are usually, invariably, obsessed with one person at a time.’
    â€˜I’ve seen him there, too. I wish I’d said something sooner. He’s just as Stella said: dark glasses, soft hat pulled over the face.’
    â€˜You’re welcome to him,’ said Stella. ‘He’s all yours and good luck to you.’
    â€˜There’s another thing: I think he uses binoculars.’
    â€˜If you saw that you certainly should have told me, Letty.’ Coffin was angry.
    Letty shrugged. ‘London’s full of weirdos. New York is full of weirdos, so is Paris. The world is full of weirdos.’
    I have a weirdo all my own. Charley, Stella thought without pleasure. Who would like to take on my Charley? Letty can have him.
    Coffin stood up and went to the telephone. ‘Stella, I should look at that casserole. There’s burning and there’s burning and there’s incineration.’
    â€˜What are you going to do?’
    â€˜I can order a patrol car to call regularly, and the constable on the beat to look in as well. That ought to frighten the man away. If he hangs around, then we’ll take him in.’
    Stella nodded. ‘It was a wig, you know … and the face, there was something not quite right there, I swear it.’
    â€˜You serve the meal.’ If it could be served, and not put out with water. ‘And after I have made this call, then I will walk around and see if he’s there now.’
    Stella looked relieved. ‘So silly to mind, makes me feel a fool, but he has worried me.’
    â€˜Me too,’ said Letty, anxious not to be left out.
    Coffin called the dog, ‘Come on, Bob,’ attached a lead to his collar and went out. Bob was, as ever, eager and dragged ahead, breathing heavily in expectation.
    It was dusky outside with a light rain falling, the street lights were on, but the pavements were empty. The theatre was dark tonight, with no performance, but that didn’t mean it was empty. A read through, a rehearsal, or just a meeting of the Friends of St Luke’s Theatre might be going on. There was never a really dead night. Letty and Stella encouraged activity.
    He walked slowly, his thoughts anxious. He knew what the women did not: that there was a killer in the district.
    He looked up and saw Stella profiled against the kitchen window. He could see her turn her head as if speaking to someone, she appeared to be opening the window and in the circumstances of the chicken casserole, he could see why; then she moved away out of his vision. He must remind her to keep the blind down. He felt very protective of her and yet awkward at the same time.
    He was surprised how powerfully and vigorously that sight of Stella had affected him. Strong feelings came and went with him at the moment. He was floundering with Stella just now. It was odd, this marriage thing.
    Although they each kept their separate apartments, and although they had, let’s face it, been lovers on and off for years, marriage had subtly and definitely altered their relationship. He was less sure of himself with Stella than ever. She was trying to be everything she could to him, he could see that, but he didn’t want her to try, he wanted her to be, just to be. Spontaneous. Happy.
    He walked on. No dark-spectacled figure to be seen under the trees or on