[MaC] A pause in the music

[Margaret Dean]

Allen Veazey wrote:
> 
>  > > And then all those present saw her ... Nola Diamond.
> > >
> > > She was lying on the settee, and at first glance it seemed as though
> > > she had fallen asleep there, her dark red hair falling across her
> > > face.  But there was something strangely still about her.  Oswald,
> > > with an exclamation, walked forward and lifted the hair to reveal a
> > > little of her neck.  And then they all saw the marks left by a 
> > > ligature that had bitten deeply into the pale flesh.
> > >
> > > "I'm afraid," said Oswald, "she's dead."
> >
> >        "Well, best to be sure," Pamela said firmly. "Bear witness,
> > Mr. Skeffington-Nottle, won't you? Just as well I wore gloves this
> > evening." And she bent to touch her first two fingers to the pulse-
> > point in The Actress's lacerated throat.
> 
> The sight of Anton's ashen face and Oswald's "Come on!" did
> what even the blackout couldn't- got Warren off of his stool and
> through the door. It took him a little time, but he finally arrived
> at Anton's flat with the others.
> 
> "But she... she was just... right next to me!" he exclaimed.
> She was just right there... " and then he swallowed; he appeared
> to be trying to keep from vomiting.
> 
> "Sorry," he said, his eyes watering from the effort. "it's one
> thing to be flying and in combat... it's quite another to see
> this up close... and a lady..."

Marion had come up next to him and looked almost as white-faced
as he did, though this was not the first murder scene she had
ever viewed.

"But how could he..." she whispered, "...sit here playing ... and
not see it, till now?"


--Margaret Dean
  <margdean at erols.com>