Aunt Bessie Provides (An Isle of Man Cozy Mystery Book 16)

by Diana Xarissa

  “Did you know Christopher well?” Bessie asked Anna.

  The woman looked up at her and blushed. After a moment, she shook her head. “I don’t think I truly did,” she whispered softly. “Please excuse me.” She pulled her hand out of her husband’s grasp and slipped away into the crowd.

  “I didn’t mean to upset her,” Bessie said thoughtfully.

  “Her own mother died a few years ago. Losing Mother has brought back a lot of sad memories for her. She just needs time to get over it all.”

  Bessie nodded. “Please tell her that I’m sorry if I upset her in any way,” she replied. “And I’m very sorry for your loss.”

  “Thank you,” the man replied with a small bow. He looked past Bessie towards the door. “If you’ll excuse me,” he said as he walked away.

  “That was odd,” Doona said softly as she and Bessie watched the man walk across the room to where his brother was standing. “They’re talking about you,” Doona told Bessie after a minute.

  “It certainly looks that way,” Bessie agreed as she watched Adam gesturing towards her and Doona.

  “He’s probably warning Brian not to talk about Christopher,” Doona sighed.

  “Maybe we should try to find Dorothy before Adam does,” Bessie suggested.

  “She’s over by the door,” Doona replied.

  The pair crossed the room. Bessie smiled and nodded at several friends but didn’t stop to speak to anyone.

  “Dorothy, I’m not sure I would have recognised you if you hadn’t spoken at the service,” Bessie said when she and Doona reached the other woman.

  “I’m Dorothy Ackers now,” the woman replied. “It was kind of you to come. Henry, this is Elizabeth Cubbon. She was a regular at the market stall in Laxey for many years. Bessie, my husband, Henry.”

  Bessie shook hands with the man and then introduced them both to Doona. “I’m very sorry for your loss,” she added.

  Dorothy nodded. “Thank you. My mother and I didn’t always agree on much, but, well, I will miss her.”

  “I was just talking to Adam about Christopher,” Bessie said. “You must miss him as well, especially at times like this.”

  Dorothy glanced over at Adam, who was still talking with Brian. “Of course I miss Christopher,” she said after a moment. “He was the most fun of all my brothers. We were very close.”

  “Does that mean you stayed in touch when he left the island?” Bessie asked.

  Dorothy shook her head. “Mother kept in touch. Because Adam and Christopher had had such a huge fight, she felt it was best if neither Brian nor I had any contact with Christopher. She didn’t want us fighting with Adam as well.”

  “So he doesn’t know that your mother has passed,” Bessie said.

  Dorothy shrugged. “I don’t know if Mother’s advocate has any contact information for him. Maybe he let Christopher know about her death.”

  “That’s an interesting idea,” Bessie exclaimed. “Of course, he’d need to know where to find Christopher if he’s due to inherit anything under your mother’s will.”

  “I don’t know that he is,” Dorothy said thoughtfully. “Father didn’t leave anything at all to Christopher. Mother may well have followed suit.”

  “Still, perhaps the police can talk to your mother’s advocate,” Bessie said. “Maybe he can help.”

  “I’m not sure I understand why the police want to find Christopher,” Dorothy replied.

  “They’re trying to identify the remains that washed ashore twenty years ago, about the same time that Christopher left the island,” Bessie explained. “Hugh Watterson has a list of names of men who were about the right age and who left the island around that time. He’s simply trying to find them all so that he can eliminate them as possibilities.”

  “Mother kept in contact with Christopher for many years,” Dorothy said. “I do believe that she lost touch with him in the past year or so, but there’s no way the body could be his.”

  “I’m sure you can understand that Hugh would really prefer to speak to Christopher himself before he eliminates him from the list of possibilities,” Bessie replied.

  “Not really, but I suppose it gives the man something to do with his time,” Dorothy replied.

  “If Hugh does find him, would you be interested in having his address?” Doona asked.

  Dorothy stared at her for a minute. “I don’t know,” she said finally. “It’s been a long time. We’ve all moved on with our lives. I don’t know.”

  “If you decide you do want it, let Hugh know,” Bessie suggested. “Maybe Hugh could give Christopher your contact information, if you’d prefer.”

  Dorothy looked at Henry, who shrugged. “I don’t know about that, either,” she said. “I’ll give it some thought after today is over and I’m feeling less overwhelmed. I’ll let Constable Watterson know what I decide.”

  “That’s fine,” Bessie told her. “I hope talking about him hasn’t upset you too much. I never meant to upset you.”

  “I know, and it’s fine,” Dorothy replied. “But now I must get a cup of tea and a biscuit, I think. I wanted wine or gin and tonic here, but Adam insisted on keeping it minimal.”

  She and Henry walked away, heading for the refreshments, while Bessie and Doona looked around the room again.

  “Adam and Anna are talking to the vicar,” Doona said. “That leaves Brian free to talk to us.”

  Bessie grinned and then followed Doona across the room. Brian and Edward were standing on their own, holding hands.

  “Brian, you look wonderful,” Bessie said truthfully as she looked at the handsome dark-haired man. His partner was equally handsome, although his hair was much lighter.

  “Elizabeth Cubbon, Adam was just warning me about you,” Brian replied after he’d introduced her and Doona to Edward.

  “Warning you? Oh, dear, what have I done to deserve that?” Bessie asked.

  “You’re asking questions about Christopher,” Brian told her. “And Adam doesn’t like it when people talk about Christopher.”

  “I am sorry,” Bessie said.

  Brian shrugged. “There’s a lot that Adam doesn’t like. I’ve stopped trying to keep track of it all.”

  “But you don’t have any information on where Christopher is now?” Bessie asked.

  “Mother kept in touch with him. She didn’t want us to take Christopher’s side against Adam. I think she was afraid that we’d end up leaving the island as well if Christopher had any say in the matter.”

  “Did you consider leaving?” Bessie wondered.

  “Oh, many, many times,” Brian laughed. “But my job has always been here, working for the family business. Once I met Edward, well, he’s happy here, so I’m happy here.”

  Bessie nodded. “I asked Dorothy if she wanted the contact details for Christopher if Hugh does find him. She wasn’t sure. What do you think?”

  Brian glanced over at Edward and then shrugged. “Sure, I mean, why not. It might be nice to see him again after all this time. He is my little brother, after all.”

  “Bessie, have you had any biscuits yet?” Adam’s voice interrupted. “I remember you used to bring biscuits to me and my siblings when we were small and used to spend our summer holidays at the market with Mother. I don’t think the biscuits here are as nice as yours, but maybe you should try a few.”

  “I will, thank you,” Bessie said. “It was lovely to see you again,” she told Brian. “And nice to meet you,” she said to Edward. She and Doona walked away slowly.

  “Adam doesn’t seem to like you,” Doona whispered as they both helped themselves to cups of tea and biscuits.

  “No, he doesn’t, does he?” Bessie replied. “It’s almost as if he has something to hide.”

  “You don’t really think the body is Christopher’s, do you?” Doona asked.

  “Not really. But I do wonder if he knows where Christopher is and has some reason for not wanting to share that information. Maybe it’s another case like Clarence Wi
therspoon. Maybe Christopher ended up in prison somewhere and the family doesn’t want anyone to know.”

  “Maybe,” Doona said.

  “Miss Cubbon?” the soft voice came from behind Bessie.

  “Anna, wasn’t it?” Bessie replied.

  “Yes, I’m Adam’s wife,” the woman said. “I was just talking with Dorothy. She was telling me about your conversation with her.”

  “I hope I didn’t upset her,” Bessie said quickly.

  “Oh, no, not at all. She was just saying how you asked her if she wanted to know where Christopher is, once the police have found him,” Anna explained.

  “Oh, yes, and Dorothy wasn’t sure whether she did or not,” Bessie replied.

  “If they do find him, please, can you let me know?” Anna asked. She looked around the room and then back at Bessie. “Let me know, but not Adam, please,” she whispered.

  “It will be Hugh Watterson who will have the information,” Bessie told her. “I don’t expect he’ll share it unless Christopher agrees, though.”

  Anna blinked a few times and then nodded. “Of course, Chris might not want me to know, especially if he hears, but, never mind. I’m awfully sorry I bothered you.” The woman looked around the room again and slipped away before Bessie could speak.

  “That was odd,” Doona said.

  “I wonder if she and Christopher were more than friends before he left,” Bessie said.

  “She married his brother just a few months later,” Doona pointed out.

  Bessie shrugged. “Maybe we’ll get the whole story when Hugh finds Christopher,” she suggested.

  “Was there anyone else you wanted to talk to?” Doona asked.

  Bessie looked around the room and then sighed. “I probably should speak to a few of Agatha’s old friends. Agatha might have said something to someone over the years about where Christopher was or how he was doing, but I don’t know how much weight we can give secondhand information, anyway.”

  “Most of them seem to have gone, anyway,” Doona said. “The people who are still here seem to be Adam’s business associates.”

  Bessie had to agree. Nearly all of the remaining people were men in suits who were gathered around Adam, listening to him speak. Anna was standing with Brian and Edward on the edge of the group. Henry and Dorothy had found chairs in the corner and were sitting together in silence.

  “I think it’s time to leave,” Bessie said softly. “I’d rather not talk to Adam again.”

  Doona nodded. They finished their drinks and put their cups down. No one seemed to notice as they left the church hall.

  “Bessie Cubbon, it’s always a pleasure to see you,” a voice called as they headed for the door.

  Bessie turned and smiled at the vicar, who had appeared in the corridor behind them. “Always nice to see you, as well,” she told the man. She introduced him to Doona.

  “Such a sad occasion,” he said. “Of course she’d been ill for a very long time. At least it wasn’t a shock to anyone, her passing.”

  “I was hoping her other son might come back to the island for the service,” Bessie said.

  “I understand the police are looking for him,” the man replied. “Maybe he has a good reason to stay away.”

  That thought kept replaying in Bessie’s mind as Doona drove her home. “What sort of reason could Christopher have for staying away?” she asked Doona as Doona parked the car.

  “I don’t know. Maybe he was in trouble with the police before he went or something,” Doona suggested.

  “Surely Hugh would know about such things?”

  “I would hope so. Maybe he left behind an angry girlfriend,” Doona suggested.

  “She’s had twenty years to get over it,” Bessie pointed out.

  “His siblings didn’t suggest that he’d run away, just that he’d gone because he’d wanted to,” Doona said.

  “Then why hasn’t he come back, at least to visit?” Bessie asked.

  “It sounds like you’re starting to think that the body is his.”

  “I don’t know about that, but I’m starting to think there’s more to the story than I’d initially thought. Agatha was hiding something, and now Adam is doing the same. Maybe Hugh should stop worrying about Craig Fox and focus on Christopher for a while.”

  “Let’s just hope that nothing else that’s more important comes up,” Doona said. “Hugh’s already only meant to be spending a few hours a week on the case. If we have a burglary or a stolen car or two the whole case will be forgotten in no time.”

  Doona insisted on going inside Treoghe Bwaane with Bessie to check that the cottage was undisturbed.

  “What would you do if you did find a burglar hiding under my bed?” Bessie asked as Doona walked back into the kitchen.

  “Scream,” Doona replied. “At least then you could run out the door and ring for help.”

  Bessie shook her head. She hated when Doona fussed over her, but Doona already knew that. “Did you want to stay for dinner?” she asked.

  “I wish I could, but I’m working an evening shift tonight,” Doona told her. “John has changed the hours the station is open around again and changed all of the shifts as well. We’re all meant to take a turn on this new evening shift and then tell him what we think about it.”

  “I think it sounds awful,” Bessie told her.

  Doona laughed. “It might not be too bad. The station should be nice and quiet. John will be there, trying to catch up on paperwork. Otherwise, I’ll get to see some of the night shift who don’t usually have a receptionist on duty. I’m expecting them to be hugely grateful to have me around.”

  “Good luck.”

  Once Doona was gone, Bessie made herself some dinner and then rang Hugh at home.

  “I just wanted to tell you about the memorial service,” she began. Hugh was mostly silent while Bessie took him through the various conversations she’d had after the service. When she was done, Hugh sighed.

  “There’s something odd there, for sure,” he said. “But I’m not sure it has anything to do with my body. I hate the thought of upsetting the whole family if it’s just something embarrassing but not criminal.”

  “They should just tell you where to find Christopher,” Bessie replied. “They’re the ones who are making this difficult for you.”

  “I suppose so. Tomorrow I’ll start digging harder into Christopher’s whereabouts. I’ll talk to Agatha’s advocate, as well. Even if he won’t give me Christopher’s address, maybe he’ll be able to confirm that he has an address for the man.”

  “I do hope so,” Bessie said.

  She read her book for a while and then took a short stroll along the beach. Back at home she finished off the fairy cakes that Andy had given her and then headed to bed. She slept soundly in spite of her unsettling day.

  Chapter 13

  After Bessie’s walk the next morning, she found a half-finished book of logic puzzles and a sharp pencil and got to work. The phone was a welcome interruption some hours later.

  “Bessie, how are you?” Doona asked.

  “I’m fine. I was just working on some logic puzzles that I’d been neglecting because I’d been doing so much research before the conference. Now that the conference is over, I thought it would be nice to get back to my puzzles.”

  “Good for you.”

  “Yes, except now I’ve done all of the easy ones in the book and I keep getting fed up with the more difficult ones. I’m glad you rang. I needed a break.”

  Doona laughed. “John asked me to ring. He and Hugh would like to have another gathering at your cottage tonight, if you don’t mind.”

  “Will you be coming as well?”

  “Oh, yes, I wouldn’t miss it. John’s offered to bring fish and chips and now I can’t stop thinking about it.”

  “Oh, that does sound good. I’ll make something for pudding. What would you like?”

  “Those American brownies,” Doona said quickly. “Or chocolate chip cookies, one or the o
ther. Something chocolatey and delicious.”

  “I’ll have to see what I have in the cupboard, but I should be able to manage one or the other.”

  “Expect us around six, then.”

  “I will.”

  “Hugh is hoping he might have something to tell us by tonight, but even if he doesn’t, we’ll find plenty to talk about.”

  “We always do,” Bessie chuckled.

  It was later than Bessie had realised, so after she’d put the phone down, she made herself a light lunch. She didn’t want to eat too much, not if she was having fish and chips for dinner. A search through her cupboards revealed that she had nearly everything she needed for either recipe, but she was sadly missing the chocolate chips that they both required. After briefly considering baking something else entirely, Bessie slipped on her shoes and headed up the hill to the shop. Now that Doona had put the idea into her head, she simply wouldn’t be happy without something chocolate for pudding.

  “My goodness, you’re here nearly as much as I am,” Anne teased when Bessie pushed the shop door open.

  “I feel as if I am, too,” Bessie told her. “But today I just need chocolate chips.”

  “Are you baking something wonderful?”

  “American-style brownies, I think. They’re easier than chocolate chip cookies in that you simply mix them up and dump them into a pan. Cookies have to go on trays and then in and out of the cooker every ten minutes for ages. Although, now cookies sound better than brownies,” Bessie sighed.

  “They both sound good to me. Although at the moment I’m getting more than my fair share of puddings of all sorts. I’m so happy that Andy is making your friend’s wedding cake. It’s given him something to do so that he stops baking for me all the time.”

  Bessie added a few magazines to her shopping basket and a new logic puzzle book as well. A new book would have several simple puzzles at the start and let her ease back into doing the puzzles before they started getting more difficult. She fully intended to go back and finish the more difficult puzzles in the other book one day, maybe. But for today she felt that simpler puzzles were what she needed.