Murder at home
CHAPTER 1 The Jones family lived in the country near London about half a mile from the nearest village and about a mile from the airport. They had a big, new house with a beautiful garden, a lot of flowers and many trees. One Thursday morning in July, Sarah came in from the garden. She was a tall, beautiful woman, twenty-eight years old. ‘I’m thirsty. I’d like some water’ said Sarah. She went into the kitchen to get a drink of water. Just then the phone rang. ‘Hello Sarah. How are you? It’s me, Jane. I’m calling from the student’s café. Is mum there? I’d like to talk to her.’ –said Jane. Jane was her younger sister. She was 21 and she was studying at the University. ‘I’m sorry, Jane’- Sarah said-‘But mum is not here. She’s at the doctor’s. ‘Oh…is she ill? I talked to her last Saturday and she didn’t say anything. What’s the problem?-asked Jane worried. ‘No. Don’t worry. She’s not ill. It’s just a check in. Are you coming next weekend? You know that mum wants to see everybody’-said Sarah. ‘Of course I’m coming. I miss you all, especially mum. I miss her hugs and kisses. And you? How are things going?’-Jane asked. ‘I’m ok. At work I’m working in a new project design and I’m very excited about it. In May I’m going on holidays with Mark. We’re going to New York.’-Sarah said. ‘That sounds really good. Well darling I must leave you now. I’m going to class. See you next weekend. A big kiss’-Jane said. After this phone call Sarah put the phone down. She took an orange juice from the fridge and began to drink. She thought about her sister. She didn’t know what to think. Jane was the youngest in the family. She lived in London in a flat with some classmates from the University. She was happy now she was studying Arts. She was very good at drawing. But just some months ago things weren’t like that. Just then the door opened and Kate, her mother came in.’ ‘Hello sweetie. It’s really cold outside. If you go out take your coat and your scarf and don’t forget to get your woolen hat’-Kate said. ‘No, no mum. Today I’m not going out. I’m going to stay at home. I’ve got some work to do. Jane called just some minutes ago. She was very happy and she told me that she missed us. She’s coming home next week to celebrate your birthday’-Sarah explained. ‘That’s wonderful news. I hope that everybody can come to my birthday party. I need to talk to you all’-Kate said.
CHAPTER 2 Kate was a tall, thin woman with brown and black, straight hair and big, blue eyes. Her character was strong, she was kind and generous with people she loved but cold and hard with her enemies. And she had many of them. Even some family members. Maybe the problem was that she was a really rich woman. The richer you are the more enemies you have. Sarah and Kate moved to the living room. Kate put some orange juice and biscuits on the table. They started to talk about Jane and the quarrel she had with her mother some weeks ago. ‘I’m happy to know that Jane is interested in her studies again. I was very worried when she told me that she wanted to drop out of the school’-Kate said. ‘She’s all right again. We don’t need to worry. By the way, John came this morning. He seemed disappointed and I think that he was angry with you’-Sarah said. ‘I’m going to phone him later. Now I’m going to the supermarket to get some things for the party. Would you like to come with me?’-Kate asked. ‘Of course, I’m coming. There’s no need to rush. We have plenty of time. I’ll finish my work in the evening’-Sarah answered. In the evening, after their shopping Sarah and Kate were tired. They had dinner together and then Sarah left to her room to finish work. Kate took the phone and called John. ‘Hi John. It’s me, Kate. Sarah told me that you wanted to talk to me’-Kate said. ‘Yes. I just wanted to say that I’m not going to work for you anymore. I quit.’-answered John. ‘But why? I don’t understand…I’m quite happy with your job at the office’-Kate replied. ‘I’m not sure about that Kate. I don’t trust you anymore. I have a better offer and I’m moving to London’-John said. ‘I think that you own me a better explanation. I’d like to talk to you and try to sort it out.’Kate said. ‘I don’t agree. I think that you have what you deserve. I wish you were dead. Bye’-answered John. John hanged up the phone furiously and left the office immediately. Kate was upse, she didn’t understand John’s behaviour.