Sidney Chambers and The Shadow of Death (The Grantchester Mysteries)

Miss Kendall. Don’t know if I’ve ever seen an English cat so hip to the jive as your man.’
    The lights dimmed, a spotlight moved on to the drums, followed by the bass and then the piano. Sidney realised that Gloria was about to sing one of his favourite songs: ‘Careless Love’. He only hoped Amanda would appreciate it.
    Almost all of Gloria’s songs were about love, disaster and recovery. ‘I Aint Got Nobody’, ‘I’m Wild about That Thing’, and ‘Gimme a Pigfoot’, but they were brightened by one of the most unexpected moments in Sidney’s life. Gloria dedicated a song to him.
    ‘When you hear that the preachin’ has begin
    Bend down low to drive away your sin
    When you get religion
    You’ll want to shout and sing
    There’ll be a hot time in the old town tonight’
    Amanda was not amused. ‘How much more of this do we have to up with?’ she asked.
    ‘It’s a rare treat,’ Sidney replied. ‘I’m enjoying it.’
    Halfway through the song Sidney realised that Gloria was teasing him.
    ‘Please, oh please, oh, do not let me fall,
    You’re all mine and I love you best of all,
    And you must be my man, or I’ll have no man at all,
    There’ll be a hot time in the old town tonight!’
    The song came to an end, Gloria smiled, gave a little bow and blew him a kiss.
    ‘That was hardly necessary,’ Amanda said.
    ‘She doesn’t mean it.’
    Gloria Dee thanked the audience for coming. ‘Before we take a break, I’d like to introduce the band . . .’ she began, and then paused to take a large glass of water and a shot of bourbon.
    Sidney whispered to Amanda. ‘I need to see what happens in the drum solo; if people leave. It may give me a clue. I think this is the end of the first set.’
    ‘The first set. You mean there’s more?’
    The band struck up a version of ‘Embraceable You’ and the introductions were made at the end of each solo. As soon as Tony Sanders’s moment on the drums came some of the more experienced punters used his improvisation as an early opportunity to order a sharpener at the bar or get to the toilets.
    Sidney realised how easy it would be for a criminal to take advantage of the situation but also how risky. There would only be a very short time, and there was the constant danger of being discovered.
    When the first half came to an end a waitress approached the table to ask if they wanted to order food. Amanda said that if they weren’t leaving she would like fried chicken with some white wine. As Sidney looked up, a boy and a girl pushed past to go to the bar. He ordered another beer and asked for a steak. When the couple returned he remembered that they were Liza Richardson and Justin the driver. But what were they doing out front? They had told him that they always remained backstage.
    ‘Hello again,’ he called out.
    ‘Oh,’ said Liza. ‘It’s you. We were just fetching drinks.’
    ‘I didn’t expect to see you amongst the audience.’
    ‘Sometimes we need emergency supplies.’
    Sidney looked at the drinks and was surprised to see a key on the tray. He wondered what it could be for. ‘This is my friend Amanda . . .’ he told them.
    Amanda looked at Justin. ‘Do I know you?’ she asked.
    ‘I don’t think so.’
    ‘Was it at the Blakeleys?’
    Justin seemed keen to get backstage as the number was about to finish. Perhaps he was scared of his employer. ‘I don’t know any Blakeleys, I’m afraid.’
    ‘What’s your surname?’
    ‘Wild.’
    Amanda didn’t give up. ‘I’m sure we’ve met. I never forget a face.’
    ‘No, I don’t think so,’ Justin replied. ‘I would definitely have remembered you. But if you’ll excuse me I have Miss Dee to attend to.’
    After he had gone Amanda was puzzled. ‘That was very odd. As soon as he saw me he looked frightened.’
    ‘You do have that effect on some people.’
    ‘No, Sidney, this was different. It was as if he thought I was some kind of ghost . . .’
    ‘Well, I’m sure he’ll get over it.’
    ‘And quicker than you’ll get over Miss Dee. That singer has quite turned your head.’
    ‘Nonsense.’
    ‘She has.’
    ‘She has not.’
    ‘Then you won’t mind if we leave?’
    ‘So soon?’
    ‘It’s late, Sidney. I have to be at work at nine in the morning. We can’t all live the life of a clergyman.’
    ‘It has its pressures.’
    ‘Only because you create most of them. The next concert we go to will have to be at the Festival Hall. The Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra are