Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden

"It was booked as single accommodation. I must charge you double."

"Go ahead, and get my bill ready. I'm leaving today," snapped Agatha and replaced the phone.

She looked in the mirror and let out a squawk of alarm. He hair was all tousled and her unmade-up face looked old. Charles was at least ten years younger than she was. Then she sat down wearily. What did it matter? She wasn't in love with Charles. When he came out of the bathroom, she took his place and ran a bath and then found to her fury that he had used all the towels. She rang for fresh towels. No doubt those would go on her bill as well.

Charles, unconcerned and deaf to her complaints, was watching a morning television show.

Agatha finally bathed and changed and made up her face. Then she fed the cat and switched off the television in the middle of a game show. "Now I'll never know who won the car," complained Charles.

"We'll have some breakfast," said Agatha, "then I'll return my own car and buy a travelling cat box for Scrabble and you can run me to Carsely. I'd better drop in at the police station and return the ring." She sat down at the desk. She would need to write to Jimmy.

"Okay," said Charles indolently.

"By the way, how was it you just walked up to my room? Why didn't the desk phone me?"

"There was no one at the desk and when I looked into the lounge, there was a tortoise-looking old man who told me to go right up."

"Harry," said Agatha bitterly.

"I think he's mad, Agatha. In fact, they're probably all mad in this hotel. Did that ever occur to you? All of them sitting here, year in, year out, their old brains fossilizing?"

"Murder makes everyone seem mad," said Agatha wearily, "including me." She wrote a brief note of apology to Jimmy, and put the ring in its little box. Then she stood up. "Let's go. We'll ear later."

Agatha, followed by Charles, drove to the car rental firm and turned in the car. Then she got in beside Charles and directed him to the police station.

"Want me to come in with you?" asked Charles.

"No, I won't be a moment."

Agatha went into the police station. The police sergeant at the desk was talking to policewoman Trul and Detective Constable Tarret. They watched her in silence as she approached the desk.

Agatha handed the letter and jeweller's box over to the sergeant. "Would you be so very good as to give this to Inspector Jessop?"

He silently took the box and letter. Agatha turned and walked out. "Bitch!" said Trul loudly to her retreating back.

Her face flaming, Agatha got into the car beside Charles. "It was awful," she said. "Jimmy must have told everybody."

"What do you expect, you harlot?" laughed Charles. "Where to?"

"I'll direct you to the car-park in the centre of the town. I've got to buy a cat box."

After she had purchased a cat box and Charles was driving sedately back to the hotel, he suddenly let out an exclamation and braked. "Look at that!"

"What?"

"Casablanca's showing at the cinema."

"So?"

"I adore Casablanca. I want to see it. Showing at two this afternoon."

"We're checking out at twelve."

"One more night. I'll pay. Come on, Aggie."

"Oh, all right. But you go on your own. I can't bear to see that old movie again."

"And I'm starving. You didn't let us stop for breakfast." Mr. Martin agreed that, yes, she could have the room for another night. "He's paying," said Agatha, jerking a thumb at Charles. "We'll have lunch."

They put their coats and the cat box up in the room and then went down to the dining-room. Jennifer, Mary, Daisy and Harry stared openly at them.

"What a bunch of freaks," said Charles cheerfully. "Very Arsenic and Old Lace."

They ate their heavy lunch in silence. Then Charles went up to fetch his coat and go to the cinema. After he had left, Agatha began to feel the silence of the hotel oppressive. She wished she had not agreed to stay another night. What if Jimmy called and made a scene?

She realized the heavy meal and her activities of the night before had made her feel tired. Agatha lay down on the bed next to Scrabble and soon was fast asleep. She did not awake until six o'clock. She struggled up. Where was Charles?

James Lacy walked into the Garden Hotel. The morning television news had reported on the death of the colonel and that Mrs. Raisin was helping police with their inquiries, but there had been nothing further in that morning's news bulletin. He felt it was his duty for old time's sake to go down and see if he could help Agatha.

He was approaching the desk when the slim neat figure of Sir Charles Fraith walked past him.

"Charles!" called James.

"Hullo," said Charles cautiously.

"I came to see if I could help Agatha."

"She's all right," said said Charles. "That old boy died of natural causes. I'm just visiting."

Suddenly Mr. Martin was next to them. He said to Charles, "As you are paying for the room you are sharing with Mrs. Raisin, I would like you to sign the registration form."

"What? Oh, sure," said Charles, wilting before the blazing rage in James's eyes.