by Luna Snow
“But why?”
Abby was finding it difficult to take everything in.
“I’m not sure, but it means that your friend Pam and Ben are off the hook.”
Abby looked across to where Miss Simpson was heartily eating her breakfast.
“Poor old thing. What will happen to her now? How will she manage without her sister?”
As she spoke a lady police officer approached the old lady and sat opposite her at the breakfast table.
Jo patted Abby on the hand. “I’m sure she will be looked after. Now let’s get back, Ben and Pam will be released shortly.”
Epilogue
Arnold Beecher had recognised the worth of the ‘old Indian vase’ immediately. It was one of a kind and the value was unimaginable. Unfortunately it had cost him his life.
Despite her looks and gentility, Veronica Simpson had been an infamous crook in her day, going by the name of Nellie Swinburne. She had been straight for 20 years, nursing her poor and innocent sister Jean through illness. When Veronica had seen the vase, she too had guessed at its worth and had resolved to come back that night and steal it. Arnold Beecher had been of the same notion. It was obvious that Pam Stevens wasn’t going to sell it to him, and the only other way to own it was to steal it from her.
Arnold had managed to pick the lock of the front door and gain entry to the shop, whilst Veronica had broken in via the back kitchen door. She hadn’t planned on Arnold Beecher being there, and there was no other way but to eliminate him; he definitely wasn’t the kind of man who was going to share the proceeds of crime. The ceremonial sword on display in the shop had come in very handy, and the old lady had stabbed him in the back before he had time to look round and see his killer.
When the vase wasn’t on the shelf, Veronica had left through the back door, but not before sampling the orange marmalade cake. She had such a sweet tooth that she couldn’t resist.
A few days later when the cafe and shop had re-opened, the old woman had seen the vase on display once more and vowed to try and steal it again that night. She would have almost got away with her crime had it not been for her sweet tooth. She couldn’t resist taking another piece of Abby’s delicious cake; an act that saw her carrying out the rest of her life behind bars. She had awoken that morning to see a look of alarm on her sister’s face. When she had looked in the mirror she had seen why; the orange stain of the indelible ink icing covered her face and it would take several weeks to fade.
Ben and Pam were released immediately with an apology from Detective Mike Brown. He was quite happy to free the two young people and decided it would be his last case before retirement. Yet one thing had troubled him throughout the case- why had Ben Slater disappeared that night? The young man had eventually come clean. Although outwardly confident, he was very shy. He was so worried that Pam would invite him inside the kitchen on the night of the murder, that instead of waiting for her, he had run all the way home and had been too cowardly to admit it to the police or to Pam. His silence was taken for guilt, and with his previous criminal record he was charged.
After their release Pam and Ben were soon dating. Pam had the old vase valued and eventually decided to sell it. She would never be without money for the rest of her life.
That night Jo had brought a bottle of wine round to the flat above the shop. Pam and Ben had decided to celebrate their freedom at the Old George, and the two were quite alone.
As Jo poured the red wine and handed Abby a glass, he pulled her close to him.
“Do you know what I would like right now?” Jo looked deeply into her eyes and she felt a shiver run the length of her body.
“A slice of my orange marmalade cake perhaps?”
Jo laughed as he reached forward to kiss her tenderly on the lips.
“That’s not quite what I had in mind.”
The End.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Traditional Orange Marmalade cake recipe
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Epilogue