Jozsa Challenges of Neptune King

1. Auflage 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4835-4568-4
Verlag: BookBaby
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 161 Seiten

This is the 15th book in the series with three new and challenging cases for the detectives to solve. In The Case of the Crooked Politician, Shark's father-in-law comes to him with a concern that one of his colleagues - the minister for Immigration is extorting money from desperate migrants. The investigation turns out to be a family affair as Shark enlists the aid of his mother, who is still waiting to find out about her own citizenship applications, to help trap the dishonest politician. Once again his little sister Suzy gets involved and shows her courage, mettle and natural aptitude for detective work. In The Case of the Oxford Terror, Neptune is once again back at Oxford University as a teacher, and Shark goes undercover as a student. This time Neptune is more than a match for the crotchety old professors who made his life hell when he was there before, and is more comfortable teaching. Two professors have been attacked, the art teacher humiliated and the rowing team coach viciously assaulted. They hope that by blending in they'll be able to catch the culprit, but not before he strikes again and a student is murdered. In The Case of the Uncertain Killer, young Aysha Daniels comes to them terrified that her father is a murderer as every man she has ever gone out with has ended up dead. The father's behaviour is certainly suspicious, but what their investigation turns up surprises even them.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Jozsa, Magda

Leseproben

CHAPTER TWO

THE CASE OF THE OXFORD TERROR

I

The alarm sounded shrilly, cutting into their lovemaking. Shark raised himself slightly and cursed, trying to slap at the clock without moving too far.

Becky giggled and hooked her legs around him and said, “Try it now.”

He rolled over, bringing her with him, turned the clock off and pulled her closer. She was on top now and leaned down to kiss him.

Half an hour later Shark got up. Rebecca admired his hard muscled torso and smiled. So far she loved every minute of married life—all five and a half months of it. If it was possible, Shark was even more handsome now than he was on their wedding day. Perhaps it was because she knew him intimately now. Blond hair rumpled, and in need of a shave; he was still a desirable man in anyone’s book, and more importantly, he was all hers.

“Do you really have to go to work today?” she asked. “Couldn’t you stay home? After all, you did work on the weekend.”

“Only Saturday. I had yesterday off.”

“Yes, but we spent nearly all day with my parents.”

Shark grinned at her. “Well, I could hardly refuse his invite. It would’ve been rude. You keep tellin’ me not to be rude.”

Becky poked her tongue out at him. “I keep telling you not to swear.”

“Same thing.” Still naked, he stepped over to her and kissed her again before disappearing into the bathroom to shower.

Becky pondered if she should get up and join him, but couldn’t be bothered. She felt relaxed and lazy at the moment, still savouring the aftermath of their lovemaking. She sighed and wriggled her toes; her blue-grey eyes shining with the contentment of woman fulfilled. She ran her hand over the small bump of her abdomen and smiled. So far she had felt very little from the pregnancy. Not even morning sickness. If it weren’t for the slowly growing bump, she wouldn’t even have known she was pregnant. It hadn’t affected her libido any. Shark certainly had nothing to complain about.

He returned to the bedroom a short while later, hair damp, freshly shaved, and with a towel wrapped around his waist. He went to the chest of drawers and began to hunt around for clean underwear, finding only a ratty old pair of underpants. He looked at it dubiously for a minute, searched again and, on finding nothing else, put it on. “Honey, I’ve worked the last two weekends and haven’t had time to do the laundry. I’ve run out of clothes. Don’t s’pose you could do the wash today, could yuh?”

Becky smiled. When they were first married, they divided up the chores. Becky did the housework and shopping, while Shark did the laundry and gardening. They both shared the cooking, although lately Becky preferred doing the cooking because she was still learning. “Well…”

“I need stuff for tomorra. It won’t be dry if I do it tonight when I get home. I’ll cook tonight in exchange.”

“All right. Just for you.”

Shark grinned and kissed her again. “Thanks Honey. You’re a sweetheart.” He rummaged about in the wardrobe for a clean shirt and was soon dressed. “Do yuh want breakfast?”

Becky shook her head. “No. I think I’ll lie in for a bit. You don’t mind do you?”

“Nope. Rest all yuh want. I’ll feed the animals.”

Downstairs he fed Fang and Fluffchilla before making himself some breakfast.

? ? ?

Neptune was already at the office when he arrived. He was talking to Regina.

“G’day, Neptune,” greeted Shark cheerfully. “Rachel not in today?”

Neptune shook his head. “No. She had things to do at home.”

Shark noticed Neptune sifting through Monday’s mail. “Anything interesting?”

“Not so far. It’s all Milo’s and Garth’s department,” replied Neptune.

“That’s good. I feel like taking it easy for a change. We’ve been workin’ too hard.”

Neptune grinned. “I thought you liked it like that?”

“Every now and again. Wouldn’t mind havin’ a weekend off.”

They made themselves drinks in the tearoom, and then went upstairs to their respective offices to read the morning papers.

? ? ?

Becky got up around ten, had breakfast and washed the dishes, and then went to the laundry. The skip was overflowing with not only Shark’s clothes, but hers as well. She screwed up her nose and looked at the washing machine.

“How hard can it be?’ she said aloud. Before her marriage, she always took her laundry home and had her parents’ servants do it. That way she got it back clean and ironed. And since her marriage Shark did it.

“Okay,” she said, pulling the clothes out of the skip. She had heard somewhere that you had to separate clothes before washing, so she carefully separated her garments from Shark’s. Then she shoved all of Shark’s clothes into the twin tub—jeans, shirts, T-shirts, socks and underwear—altogether in one heap. Next she read the instructions on the washing powder box, and put in the required amount, then filled it with water.

“Now, let’s see. This thing is supposed to be automatic, so I guess that means it does all the work.” She turned the switch labelled wash cycle and was gratified to see the clothes start to agitate in the tub. “Cool. Easy as! No wonder Shark volunteered to do the laundry instead of the housework.” She put the lid on and went upstairs to make the bed.

When she came down again, the wash cycle had finished. She filled the machine with clean water and set the rinse cycle, and then left it to do its work while she started the housework. Half an hour later, with the rinse finished, she jammed the clothes into the spin dryer. When that was done, she pulled the clothes out and hung them on the line to dry.

“Well, now, that wasn’t so hard,” she said, smiling to herself as she finished hanging up Shark’s clothes. “This house-wifely stuff is a breeze.”

Humming happily to herself, she returned to the laundry and loaded her own clothes into the washing machine next.

By lunchtime Shark’s clothes were already dry thanks to the good weather, so she set up the ironing board and brought the clean laundry into the lounge room so that she could watch TV while she worked. She had never ironed before. It was a new experience for her, and time consuming. Still, she had it finished by four and was still feeling pleased with herself at having accomplished two new domestic chores. Shark was going to be so proud! To celebrate, she decided she would fix her specialty—spaghetti bolognaise. Shark liked that. He could cook another day. Her eyes twinkled suddenly as she thought of something else she’d once read in a book. Perhaps she would have another surprise for him as well.

? ? ?

“Vice-chancellor Godfrey, this is an unexpected surprise,” said Neptune, holding out his hand to the tall, extremely lean grey haired man that entered his office just after lunch.

“Professor King,” replied Godfrey, shaking Neptune’s hand and looking him over. The head of Oxford University knew Neptune well. First as an underage student, and then as a junior professor. He had been one of Neptune’s supporters. Other, older professors were against Neptune’s appointment, claiming he was too young. That he would be unable to control his classes, as he was no older than his students. It was true that Neptune’s classes were the most unruly, but they, from all accounts were also the most entertaining and his students did well academically.

He had been such a shy, introverted individual, often intimidated by some of his students, but he was a good teacher. He knew more about his subject than many of the older professors. Godfrey always hoped that Neptune would overcome his shyness as he matured, and would prove all the other professors wrong.

Neptune’s inheritance from his maiden aunt allowed him to quit teaching and start this detective agency, which, from all accounts, was very successful. It didn’t surprise Godfrey that this was so. He knew Neptune would excel at whatever he did, and was pleased to see him looking so well. He also couldn’t help noticing the other changes. The younger man now looked him directly in the eyes, his aqua eyes in stark contrast to his dark brown hair, and he carried himself with an air of confidence that had been lacking in his Oxford days. Gone was the slump from his shoulders, and the air of defeat, indecision, and awkwardness.

Godfrey smiled and dispensed with formality. “You are looking well, young Neptune. Being a detective must agree with you.”

Neptune returned his smile, and motioned the vice-chancellor to the couch. “It does. It was always my secret ambition, even when I was at Oxford. Solving Professor Muggins’ murder was the catalyst I needed to change professions. Best move I ever made.”

“Too bad. I always considered you to be a teacher with potential, and had hoped to have a hand in bringing forth that potential.”

Neptune nodded. “You and Marigold Walton were the only ones that believed that. I don’t think I ever told you how much I appreciated your faith in me, and your patience and support.”

Godfrey...