Superintendent McDougall nodded slightly and agreed to look into the theory. He said he would have Detective Donnelly contact dermatologists in the area who provided laser tattoo removal, and Detective Thom would be tasked with coordinating with the forensics team to see if Angela could have committed the crime.
“We will also gather fingerprints from your window,” he said. “Someone obviously broke in to leave the memory card. They may have been wearing gloves, but it certainly is worth a look.”
“Thank you Superintendent McDougall, but I doubt that Angela would have left any prints behind,” she said. “Why don’t you just ask her to show you her leg to see if the mark is there?”
“If what you are saying is true, we need to get some more probable cause to bring Angela in,” he said. “We don’t want to show our hand making her decide to disappear.”
Diane understood. Angela Godfrey had lived a charmed, wealthy life thanks to her father. There surely was enough money available to her if she chose to run.
“I’m sorry you were dragged into this,” McDougall said. “I hope you understand we can only go where the evidence leads and, for a short time at least, the evidence was leading to you.”
“I suppose so,” she said. “I take it I am free to go back to Apple Mews now.”
“Absolutely,” he said. “After all you’ve said and been through, I thought you might want to stay long enough to see this sorted out.”
“I have no doubt you will get things sorted out by tomorrow,” Diane said. “Regardless, that will be when I leave.”
Chapter 17
Detective Donnelly took Diane back to her chalet and walked her in. She took out a small fingerprint kit and dusted the window sill, latch and the panes surrounding the latch. She pulled out what appeared to be clear tape and lifted a number of prints.
“I expect some, or all of these will belong to you,” Detective Donnelly said.
“I imagine so,” Diane said. “It will be like umbrella déjà vu.”
Detective Donnelly let out a small laugh, and Diane offered her a warm smile in return. “I did want to thank you for showing up in the nick of time,” Diane said. “I still do not think Charles would have harmed me, but it does not mean that I was not scared.”
“It’s my job,” she said. “I do hope that your time in Devon was not all bad.”
This reminded Diane of her nephew’s wedding, which seemed so long ago. She had been happy to be there and enjoyed seeing her family. Oh drat, she thought. She had told her brother that she would come to dinner before leaving town. He still had no idea what had happened.
“Thank you Hazel,” Diane said, jumping to her feet and escorting the detective to the door. “I’m afraid I must say a quick goodbye. I owe my brother a visit before I leave, and I fully intend on leaving tomorrow.”
Detective Donnelly left, and Diane called her brother. She filled him in on what had occurred over the past few days. Although annoyed she had not told him earlier, Martin knew his sister would not have wanted to worry anyone. She made plans to come by in the morning for brunch before heading back to Apple Mews. Diane then spent the next few hours cleaning up her chalet, packing her clothes and getting ready to leave the next morning. She gathered any leftover food and prepared it to take to the food pantry on her way to Martin’s house the following morning. It was close to 9 p.m. when the gravity of the last few days finally caught up with her. Although she had planned to spend a little time writing, her eyes and body became too heavy, and she decided to turn in.
Chapter 18
After waking up a little after dawn, Diane was eager to get back to Apples Mews. She popped out of bed, got ready and finished loading her hire car. She left a thank you note and the key to the chalet before heading to her brother’s house. When she arrived, Martin and Suzanne were sitting on the front porch drinking coffee and reading the paper.
“Well, there she is,” Martin said, walking to Diane and offering her a hug.
“Good morning,” Diane said.
“I cannot believe you kept us in the dark about this,” Suzanne said, holding up the morning paper.
On the front page was a picture of Maxwell Carter, next to pictures of Angela and Charles Godfrey. The headline read PROMINENT LAWYER’S DAUGHTER ARRESTED FOR THE MURDER OF MAXWELL CARTER.
“They did work fast,” Diane mumbled under her breath.
“What was that?” Suzanne asked.
“Oh nothing,” Diane said.
“Now explain to me again what happened,” Martin said. “And don’t leave anything out.”
“I will,” she said. “Let’s have something to eat, and I will tell you the whole sordid tale.”
They all sat down to brunch, and Diane relived the past few days in detail. When they were done, Martin walked Diane to her hire car, and she asked him if she could have the copy of the paper.
“Of course,” he said. “Although I’m not sure why you would want it.”
“Let’s just say it will be a reminder of how much I love Apple Mews,” she said before getting in the car and pointing it toward home.
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.
An Evening of Mystery: March 15 – March 22 2018
Click on the image below to obtain a whole bunch of short mystery stories for free.
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 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. Murder on the Village Green—A Diane Dimbleby Cozy Mystery is the first in a series of books by author Penelope Sotheby.
If you are a fan of cozy mysteries that contain an ingenious but modest woman sleuth then you will love Diane Dimbleby’s first adventure.
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. Murder in the Neighbourhood: A Diane Dimbleby Cozy Mystery is part of a series of books by author Penelope Sotheby.
If you are a fan of cozy mysteries that contain an ingenious but modest woman sleuth then you will love Diane Dimbleby’s second adventure.
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. Murder on a Yacht: A Diane Dimbleby Cozy Mystery is part of a series of books by author Penelope Sotheby.
If you are a fan of cozy mysteries that contain an ingenious but modest woman sleuth then you will love Diane Dimbleby’s third adventure.
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. Murder in the Village: A Diane Dimbleby Cozy Mystery is part of a series of books by author Penelope Sotheby.
If you are a fan of cozy mysteries that contain an ingenious but modest woman sleuth then you will love Diane Dimbleby’s fourth adventure.
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. Murder in the Mail: A Diane Dimbleby Cozy Mystery is part of a series of books by author Penelope Sotheby.
If you are a fan of cozy mysteries that contain an ingenious but modest woman sleuth then you will love this Diane Dimbleby adventure.
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. Murder in the Development: A Diane Dimbleby Cozy Mystery is part of a series of books by author Penelope Sotheby.
If you are a fan of cozy mysteries that contain an ingenious but modest woman sleuth then you will love this Diane Dimbleby adventure.
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?
Or was it a mysterious creature?
A dead body in a room that has been ripped apart, yet there are no marks on the body. What exactly happened in that room?
Diane seeks to find the answers that are puzzling the local police. But with someone or something dangerous on the loose and the hotel on lockdown, will she make it out of the Glen Gorm Castle alive?
If you are a fan of cozy mysteries that contain an ingenious but modest woman sleuth then you will love this Diane Dimbleby adventure by author Penelope Sotheby.
Click Here to Get Murder in the Highlands
About The Author
For many, the thought of childhood conjures images of hopscotch games in quiet neighbourhoods, and sticky visits to the local sweet shop. For Penelope Sotheby, childhood meant bathing in Bermuda, jiving in Jamaica and exploring a string of strange and exotic British territories with her nomadic family. New friends would come and go, but her constant companion was an old, battered collection of Agatha Christie novels that filled her hours with intrigue and wonder.
Penelope would go on to read every single one of Christie’s sixty-six novels—multiple times—and so was born a love of suspense than can be found in Sotheby’s own works today.
In 2011 the author debuted with “Murder at the Inn”, a whodunit novella set on Graham Island off the West Coast of Canada. After receiving positive acclaim, Sotheby went on to write the series “Murder in Paradise”; five novels following the antics of a wedding planner navigating nuptials (and crime scenes) in the tropical locations of Sotheby’s formative years.
An avid gardener, proud mother, and passionate host of Murder Mystery weekends, Sotheby can often be found at her large oak table, gleefully plotting the demise of her friends, tricky twists and grand reveals.
Fantastic Fiction
Fantastic Fiction publishes short reads that feature stories in a series of five or more books. Specializing in genres such as Mystery, Thriller, Fantasy and Sci Fi, our novels are exciting and put our readers at the edge of their seats.
Each of our novellas range around 20,000 words each and are perfect for short afternoon reads. Most of the stories published through Fantastic Fiction are escapist fiction and allow readers to indulge in their imagination through well written, powerful and descriptive stories.
Why Fiction?
At Fantastic Fiction, we believe that life doesn’t get much better than kicking back and reading a gripping piece of fiction. We are passionate about supporting independent writers and believe that the world should have access to this incredible works of fiction. Through our store we provide a diverse range of fiction that is sure to satisfy.
Murder on the Beach: A Diane Dimbleby Cozy Mystery Page 7