Murder at Teatime

  “All three are dead after tea?”

  “Yes, and you may find this interesting. Mrs. Beatrice Beaufort, the ex-wife, goes by a different name now.”

  “Anyone we know?” asked Diane as she held her breath.

  “Her full name is Beatrice Edie Morgan, she changed back to her maiden name after the divorce, she lives in Shrewsbury, but she has recently attended church in her old parish, right here in Apple Mews.”

  “Edie Morgan? I was introduced to her at church. It’s funny that I don’t remember her all those years ago, I should, she used to live here.”

  “She is nearly fifteen years older than you and lived in Manchester for the better part of the last three decades, I would be surprised should you have known her. I am astonished she is still alive. She must be spry because she still has a car registered to her name and a driver’s license.”

  “Inspector, with your permission I would like to pay a visit to her, she may be in grave danger.”

  “It may not be safe, she could be the next victim. I will post an officer to guard her residence until I can locate a suspect.”

  “I promise I will be careful, there will be an officer nearby. Just text her address to me and I will see how she is doing.”

  Inspector Crothers reluctantly agreed as Diane powered off the phone. She knew that Albert was taking this to heart and she patted his arm as he drove. “Albert, the first woman died before Mrs. Tamarland, you can’t blame yourself.”

  “I know, but I still feel to blame.”

  “Don’t, you may be the reason that Apple Mews can sleep safer tonight, you may have solved this mystery.”

  Chapter 14

  Diane slept fitfully that night as she waited for morning. Albert fell asleep after a nightcap, his guilt temporarily assuaged by single malt. In the morning Diane was awake with the sunrise. She did not have an appetite, although she tried to show her appreciation for Deirdre’s efforts by eating as much of the whole wheat oats and fresh fruit as she could. Dressing for a morning's errands, she kissed Albert goodbye. The frustration of the unsolved case was gone, and in its place there was anxiety. She hoped to arrive in Shrewsbury in time to save Edie Morgan.

  Checking the address as she crossed the border of the city limits, Diane carefully drove through traffic until she reached a modern apartment building. Parking the car, she was amazed that at first glance, the building appeared like any other contemporary design - sleek with cheerful landscaping to mask the steel girders and concrete. This was not the kind of place she expected to find a woman older than herself.

  A concierge greeted her at the entrance as she walked to the elevators. The address that the Inspector texted to her was correct. As she waited patiently for the elevator doors to close, she read a sign prominently displayed above the lighted buttons for the floors. This was an assisted living retirement community, its sleek lines blending in with the modern architecture of the expanding city limits of Shrewsbury.

  Stepping from the elevator, she wondered how the officer posted outside would ever be able to monitor any visitors that Miss Morgan may have or keep her safe. It was a question she would pose later, she thought as she walked down the corridor.

  Diane approached a brightly painted door that was decorated with a floral wreath. Raising her hand, she wrapped her fingers around the knocker. Inside the residence, a dog barked. From the sound of its voice, Diane knew it to be a small one, a Chihuahua or a Pomeranian or something else equally tiny.

  Knocking on the door only caused the little dog to bark excitedly as Diane wondered if anyone was at home. A voice on the other side of the door called out, “Who is it?”

  “Diane Dimbleby from church.”

  “Do I know you?”

  Diane wondered if she was standing in front of the right door, “Miss Morgan?”

  “Yes?”

  “It’s Diane, I met you at church.”

  “Diane, that’s right, married to Albert,” the woman said from the other side as she unlocked the door.

  The door opened and out bounced a terrier, a gray streak of lightning that barked at her from the hallway.

  “Oscar, get back in here this minute.”

  The dog glared at Diane as she was invited into the modern apartment. An open floor plan connected the kitchen to the living room, a television blared from the corner, and a large picture window displayed a view of the city.

  “Let me make you some tea my dear, sit down. I apologize for not remembering you; at my age, I don’t hear so good.”

  “Quite alright, my husband and I met you at church,” Diane said as she sat down on the couch.

  “Let me turn off that television, so we can have a proper chat.”

  The old woman shuffled in front of Diane. Her posture was slumped and her hair was gray, cut short, her eyes were bright and she moved surprisingly quickly for her age, or so Diane thought.

  “I don’t mean to bother you Miss Morgan, but the reason I have come to see you is to make sure you are safe.”

  “Safe?” asked the older women as she put the kettle on.

  Oscar the terrier jumped on the couch and sat beside Diane. He stared at her, his head turned to the side.

  “Does he bite?’

  “No, once he gets to know you he is harmless. He is a sweet boy and I am worried about him.”

  The kettle whistled as Oscar and Diane stared at each other. Diane reached out to pet the little dog as Miss Morgan set down a tea tray on the coffee table.

  “I don’t normally receive visitors, I hope you like chocolate biscuits.”

  “Yes ma’am.”

  “You said you wanted to be sure that I am safe?”

  Diane was not sure how to word what she needed to say, so simply decided to be honest, “I don’t want to alarm you, but there is someone in Shropshire that has murdered two women, and possibly a third. They seem to be connected and I am afraid that you may be targeted.”

  “It is very thoughtful of you to drive all the way here from Apple Mews, but I assure you I am safe. Tea?” Miss Morgan asked as she poured the steaming hot liquid into a cup.

  “You may be, you do have a concierge that could provide security,” Diane replied.

  “Oh no dearie, that is not the reason I am safe. I am safe simply because I have no one left on my list.”

  Diane reached for the cup of tea and wondered if she had heard the older woman correctly. “Your list?”

  “Yes, you see I am dying and I had a list that I wanted to complete before I died. I have finished it, so I am ready to go now. I want to be buried in the churchyard in Apple Mews near my husband but that is all I have left to do, that and find a good home for Oscar.”

  Diane slowly put the tea and its saucer down on the table as she looked at the old woman. She felt confused.

  “Oh dear, Oscar,” the woman said as she addressed the terrier, “we have upset our guest. Let me help you, I think the young people call it a bucket list, does that help?”

  “Miss Morgan, the people on your list, they would not happen to be the murder victims, would they?”

  “Yes, indeed they are!” said the woman as she reached for a sweet. “Do try one of these biscuits, they are the best.”

  Diane felt her world spinning out of control; this kindly older woman was confessing to multiple murders and smiling about it. “Miss Morgan, maybe you are confused?”

  “Not at all, my mind is sharp as a tack, these women had affairs with my husband and caused our break-up. I waited until after he was dead so I wouldn’t upset him and then I took care of each one.”

  “Took care of, you mean murdered?”

  “Yes, the first one was easy. I remember from my days working at my husband’s office that she was allergic to almonds and nuts. I made her death look like an accident, a tin of tea biscuits did the trick. I have been planning this for a long time, can you tell? The second one was lucky for me, no neighbors or witnesses, a quick shot with my little gun and she was gone. The la
st one met me for tea; poisoning her was easy as pie when she excused herself to the powder room.”

  Diane thought of the gun. She was in the presence of a murderer. She felt a cold chill climb up her spine as she stared at the cup of tea in front of her. Miss Morgan may try to poison her or shoot her; either way, she could be dead soon.

  “Miss Morgan, I don’t know what to say, perhaps I better go.”

  “Not yet, stay for just a little while longer, you are quite safe. You didn’t run around with my husband so I have no reason not to like you, none in the least.”

  “You do know you had gotten away with this crime until you confessed. I thought you were a victim.”

  “I must admit I am disappointed in the Inspector. I hid my tracks just long enough to get away with all three murders. I was rather hoping he would be around to arrest me.”

  Diane was flabbergasted as she stared at the woman seated across from her. “You want to be caught? You said you were dying, are you sure you want to spend the remaining days of your life in jail?”

  “It will be worth it. I will finally be able to tell the world about these lying adulterous women and what they did to deserve being murdered. I know you aren’t the police, but a confession to you is as good as anyone. Oscar likes you, and I can tell you like him. Promise me you will take care of my little boy and I will let you walk out of here,” the woman said as she slid the small gun from her pocket.

  She had never been held at gunpoint before, or met a woman that confessed to a triple murder. “There is a lot about this that bothers me, but I have one question. How did you get these women to agree to see you?”

  “That was easy too. Turns out that if you write a nice card or letter or make a phone call, you can convince a person you want to reconcile with them before you die. That’s not all, you can even talk them into meeting for tea, who can turn down tea?”

  “You preyed upon their kindness, doesn’t that bother you?”

  “Not in the least. Now, about Oscar?”

  “Oscar will be fine, I promise you, he is innocent and my husband and I could be persuaded into giving him a good home. What about you? What are you going to do? I can’t forget this conversation happened.”

  “I don’t want you to forget. Once you agree to take Oscar with you, you and I will take a little drive, you can take me to the police station. I can turn myself in. I was planning to confess this weekend but with you here, I will let you drive. I hate driving these modern cars. I don’t care for power steering.”

  “How do I know you won’t kill me?” Diane asked.

  “Just be a good girl, it’s not your fault you are married to that man that represented my husband in court, I forgive you.”

  “Albert, he isn’t on your list, is he?”

  “No, although he should have been. I didn’t want to get greedy, I only killed those women that were personally responsible for ruining my marriage. I am not a bad person, it would have been wrong to kill anyone else.”

  “Miss Morgan, how about we don’t drive anywhere. I can call a good friend of mine, the Inspector, and I am sure he will drop everything he is doing and come right over.”

  The older woman put the gun down and smiled, “That is a better idea, it will give you and Oscar an opportunity to become friends.”

  “Yes ma’am, it will,” Diane said as she reached into her purse and removed her phone.

  “Invite that nice Inspector around for tea, I don’t know a man or woman alive that doesn’t love a good spot of tea.”

  Diane put the phone to her ear and waited for Inspector Crothers to answer. As she looked at the tea in her cup, she decided that she would not invite him or anyone else to tea ever again. She was certain that the Inspector, like herself, would see tea differently for the rest of their lives. As his familiar voice answered the phone, she considered switching to coffee starting first thing the following morning.

  Get Your Free Copy of "Murder at the Inn"

  Don't forget to grab your free copy of Penelope Sotheby's first novella Murder At The Inn while you still can.

  Click here to find out more.

  Other Books By This Author

  Murder on the Village Green

  The discovery of a dead man leads Diane Dimbleby onto her most macabre case yet.

  When Diane discovers a dead stranger while taking a stroll through the village green, she and everyone else are shocked. Who is he? How did he die? Diane decides to find out. An overlooked clue leads Diane to a hotbed of evil. The like of which she has never seen before. With her life now at stake, just how far will the killers will go to protect their empire.

  Join Diane as she races against the clock to uncover the truth and to fend off a diabolical criminal ring. A criminal ring that has now set their sights on Diane.

  A curious writer. Double-crossing killers. A determined detective.

  Click Here to Get Murder on the Village Green

  Murder in the Neighbourhood

  A fatal “accident”. A caretaker who knows more than he is letting on. Diane Dimbleby has her work cut out.

  When Diane’s dear friend and neighbour is found dead by one of her caretakers, Diane is traumatized. The caretaker’s story of an accidental fall isn’t adding up and Diane uncovers a clue that contains a cryptic message.

  The evidence leads Diane to a remote Island. What she finds there points to something premeditated, something sinister. Soon, Diane finds herself in the centre of a whodunit and she must once again use her ingenious wit to save her own life and uncover the killer.

  A curious writer. A determined detective. Suspects crawling out of the woodwork.

  Click Here to Get Murder in the Neighbourhood

  Murder on a Yacht

  A murdered ex-spy. A government agency that will kill to protect its secrets. Diane Dimbleby had better be careful.

  Diane goes on a trip on a yacht belonging to her ex-spy and fellow author Mike. When Mike receives threats and ends up murdered on his yacht, a single clue leads Diane to Mike’s publisher. It isn’t long before the British Government intervenes and pressures the police into inaction.

  Diane, driven to find the truth, will not back down so easily and is determined to bring Mike’s killer to justice.

  However, when the main suspect is found dead, the case takes a cataclysmic turn and heads straight for Diane’s beloved hometown Apple Mews. Has she finally met a foe who will outwit her?

  A curious writer, a determined detective, and a powerful government agency with a reputation to protect—everyone is a suspect and no one is safe.

  Click Here to Get Murder on a Yacht

  Murder in the Village

  One Small Village. Two Connected Murders. Diane must use all her cunning in her attempt to stop a third…

  Diane is attending the local village Fête. All is well until a murder during the festivities plunges her into yet another mystery.

  The retired teacher-turned-author knew the baking competition this year was especially fierce, but would one of the participants really kill to win? Diane finds clues and suspects galore in her quaint, picturesque town. When another contestant is murdered in the meantime, it turns out the victims had a dark secret they were hiding, and Diane believes someone familiar—someone from the village—is responsible for their deaths.

  Apple Mews is supposed to be peaceful. You should be able to trust your neighbors. Diane is tasked with her most personal case to date and it looks like timing is running out to save the next victim.

  A curious writer. A determined detective. Too many suspects and not enough evidence.

  Click Here to Get Murder in the Village

  Murder in the Mail

  Just when things were getting back to normal in the small English village of Apple Mews, Diane is knee-deep in the middle of another whodunit.

  When Monica, a traumatized girl from a nearby town appears on her doorstep, mystery author Diane Dimbleby is baffled by what Monica received in the mail – a macabre
package that contains a severed finger.

  Clues are beginning to add up, and so are potential suspects. How is Monica involved? Whose finger did she receive in the mail? And can Diane catch the killer before he or she strikes again?

  A curious writer. A determined detective. A not-so-special delivery.

  Click Here to Get Murder in the Mail

  Murder in the Development

  A Missing Man. A Vandalized Home. Another Mystery for Diane Dimbleby.

  Diane gets a surprise visit one day from Monique, a young woman whose husband Jonathan has gone missing and whose house has been vandalized. She wants Diane to help find out what happened.

  Diane finds out that Jonathan had made several enemies as a result of his job but did anyone hate him enough though to commit murder? That is what Diane must find out quickly because if somebody killed Jonathan, they would have no hesitation in killing again in order to cover it up.

  A curious writer. A determined detective. A missing man.

  Click Here to Get Murder in the Development

  Murder in the Highlands

  In a Castle in the remote Scottish Highlands, nobody can hear you scream.

  When Diane Dimbleby, a retired school teacher, travels to a remote castle in the Scottish Highlands to visit her friends, the last thing she expects to encounter is an apparent murder. But she does just that and is asked for help in finding out who or what the killer is.

  Was it the lover of the victim?

  Was it the husband of the lover?

  Was it an animal activist who has a history of making violent threats?