MURDER IN PEMBROKESHIRE an absolutely gripping crime mystery full of twists (Tyrone Swift Detective by GRETTA MULROONEY (free reads .txt) 📗

‘Content is too strong a word,’ Guy answered. ‘We’re here now and settled. It’s a beautiful area and I love being near the sea. I like it for the peace and quiet and being able to work in this studio, but I can take or leave most of the people here — preferably leave. I avoid them, stick to my work, gardening and cycling.’

‘They’re not your cup of tea?’

Guy laughed. ‘Suki’s okay, if a tad wishy-washy. Bryn’s an arrogant fool, Kat’s emotionally retarded, Bruno’s in a world of his own most of the time, and as for the Merchants! Where to begin? Jasmine’s a pompous bitch. She wears the trousers and Peter’s her doormat. They could do a lot more with this place, bring in more interest and income and it would benefit us all. We get by okay but Tir Melys is a tad stagnant.’

Swift had heard this kind of comment several times now. ‘Why don’t they do more?’

‘No idea. Status quo, I suppose. People have made various suggestions at the colloquy. Kat wanted to set up foraging groups and dawn chorus walks, Bryn was keen on running a course on sustainable smallholding and Suki fancied setting up classes on Shamanism. Jasmine’s always batted them away.’

‘Must be frustrating.’

‘I suppose. I don’t get involved. I’ve no wish to conduct extracurricular activities. This business keeps us going nicely, so I don’t pay much attention to any of them. I eat supper with them all once a week to keep things sweet, which is pure purgatory. The quality of their conversation makes me yawn. Sometimes, I struggle to stay awake. Elinor spends more time at the Bivium and goes visiting, but then she’s keen on what she regards as stimulating dialogue.’

Swift shook his head. ‘I couldn’t live among people I thought so little of.’

Guy held his pad up and away from him, regarding it. ‘Like I said, the environment here suits me.’

‘Do you ever wonder about their opinion of you?’

‘No. I’m not interested in other people’s opinions about me, especially when they’re not my intellectual equals.’

Swift had to stifle a laugh. ‘The people here might not drive me away, but the not-quite-hot-enough water would. Why is the shower always tepid?’

‘That’s the air source heat pump. It extracts heat from the air outside. We’re used to the water temperature, but it can come as a bit of a shock when you’ve been used to traditional gas or electric heating. Visitors always comment on it. The upside is that you’re benefiting the planet.’

Swift supposed he’d just have to accept his water-induced goose pimples in a good cause. He got up and studied the display cases. ‘Did Afan ever buy any of your jewellery?’

Guy’s pencil slowed. ‘Can’t recall that he did, unless he got something from Elinor. He was a favourite with the ladies here, with his oh-so-gentle ways.’

‘You didn’t like him either, despite the fact that he was highly intelligent? He had a Master’s in criminal law. Surely you’d have found him someone you could converse with. An intellectual equal.’

If Guy clocked the sarcasm, he didn’t react. ‘Did he have a Master’s? He never mentioned it. I can’t say I noticed his brains and no, I didn’t like him much. I’m sure the ladies found him emotionally intelligent. I didn’t have much to do with him. He was one of those weak, colourless men who hide their feebleness with a grave expression.’

‘You don’t mince your words, do you? He was my friend. I didn’t find him hollow.’

Guy glanced up and said pointedly, ‘You asked me if I liked him. DI Weber asked me the same question and I gave her the same answer. I can’t be bothered skirting around social niceties, and I’m not one of those people who think that you have to speak well of the dead, no matter what they were actually like. Afan didn’t care for me much either, so he was an unlikely customer. He didn’t seem the jewellery type. I never saw him wear any, not even a watch.’

‘How did you get into making jewellery?’

‘Through Elinor. She was doing a diploma in silversmithing when I was studying for my doctorate. I tried my hand at it and found I had a real aptitude. I was planning to have an academic career, but I changed my mind when I discovered this unexpected flair. Elinor says I’m more talented than she is, and I believe I agree. She doesn’t have my concentration. Certainly, I sell a lot more than she does.’

‘I suppose Elinor won’t have so much time for working once you adopt. Unless you’re planning to co-parent fifty-fifty, that is.’

Swift had tried to keep his tone neutral but Guy sounded suspicious. ‘I’ll leave the day-to-day childcare to Elinor. One of us has to make a living, and I’m best suited to that. That’s if the adoption ever actually happens.’

‘Oh? Why wouldn’t it?’

Guy was off on his favourite topic. ‘The social worker doesn’t like me. You can tell poor old Terry’s got a chip on his shoulder about my academic success, and he doesn’t like the way I refuse to tick all his little boxes. He expects us to toe the line and be grateful. Elinor does — she sucks up to him, gives him coffee and cake and does all her homework like a good girl, but I question and challenge him. Once bureaucratic idiots like that take against you, you’re done for.’ Guy smirked. ‘Terry sits there with his mouth opening and closing like a goldfish.’

Swift could almost taste his dislike of this arrogant man. ‘It has to be a rigorous process, surely. The social worker has a big responsibility.’

‘Yes, which is why I’d expect to be visited by someone who’s literate and articulate, rather than a guy who’s educationally challenged.’ He