Bobby McGee

Chapter Fifty-five. The Burglar Alarm

Chapter Fifty-five

The Burglar Alarm

The rain had started mid-morning, and showed no sign of letting up as night fell. The wet conditions had obviously put a damper on criminal activity in the village. There had been no emergency calls all day, not even from the vicarage. As a result McGee was up to date with his paper work, and had a free evening. Normally he would take advantage of the lull by watching some television. He loved westerns, especially "Gunsmoke". However, this time he decided to read a book, one that Meg had bought him. She had said he would enjoy it. The book lay, still unwrapped, on the coffee table next to his favourite armchair.

McGee, lit his pipe, settled in his seat and picked up the package. The wrapping indicated the book had been bought at Atkinson's, a bookstore in Ulverston. McGee was impressed, it was a new book. He tore open the package and smiled. Meg had remembered how much he used to enjoy watching the game show "What's My Line".

The book entitled "My Life Line" was an autobiography of Isobel Barnett, one of the panellists on the show. Had Meg guessed that she was his sole reason for watching the show? He turned the book over. On the back cover was a black and white picture of Isobel, looking as beautiful as ever.

McGee, who had been parted from his wife for more than three years, found himself fantasizing over the photograph. What would it be like to bed someone like Isobel Barnett? Where could he find such a woman?

A burglar alarm came to mind. He also had an excuse. Caroline Kane possibly had some information on Meg's latest suspect - Colin Copland.

McGee donned his uniform. He didn't want his nosy neighbours to think he was calling on Caroline for anything other than official business. McGee didn't take his bike. It was only a five-minute walk to her house. He rang the bell. The porch light came on. The door partially opened and a red- cheeked face topped with a blue plastic shower cap peeked around the edge.

"I'm sorry. Have I come at an inconvenient time, Caroline?"

"That depends," she replied with a smile. "Have you come to fix my burglar alarm?"

"I'm afraid not. It's more official business."

"More's the pity. Come on in anyway. Take off your boots if you don't mind. I've just had new carpets put in."

McGee stepped in to the hallway and removed his cape, helmet and boots under Caroline's watchful eye.

"You may as well take off your tunic too, Robert. It's very hot in the living room." McGee took her advice, despite the fact that this revealed his braces.

"This way, please"

As McGee followed Caroline down the corridor he feasted his eyes on rounded buttocks and muscular legs. She was barefoot and wearing a knee length bathrobe made of pale blue terry towelling.

The living room was the first door on the left. A three- piece suite, with burnt gold upholstery was arranged in conventional semi circular pattern around a ceramic tiled fireplace. Above the fireplace hung an original oil painting of a Lakeland scene. Antique horse brasses dangled on either side of the picture. A huge walnut display cabinet stood alongside the wall opposite to the fireplace, its shelves replete with pictures of Caroline's two children at different life stages and porcelain figurines. "What a cleaning job!" McGee thought.

Caroline ushered McGee to an armchair close to the fireplace and clambered in to a chair opposite. As she did so the robe parted to reveal her right thigh. She nonchalantly readjusted her robe and without a trace of embarrassment opened the conversation.