Aunt Bessie Knows (An Isle of Man Cozy Mystery Book 11)

by Diana Xarissa

  “Thank you, Bessie. You’re a dear,” Mary told her. “Although I’m rather certain I didn’t say anything like that last time.”

  Bessie could hear Mary speaking to Anna Lambert, but she couldn’t hear with the policewoman was saying. After a moment, Mary sighed. “I don’t suppose you remember exactly what I said,” she asked Bessie.

  “No, and I don’t remember what I said, either, but I’m sure we only talked for a moment or two. I’m going to hang up now and go and get ready, otherwise I’ll be late.”

  “See you soon, then,” Mary replied. She put the phone down quickly, no doubt happy to end the call that was being so closely monitored.

  “It seems the reconstruction has begun,” Bessie said. “I’d better get moving. I don’t want to be late, although what Mary and I shall do for the next three hours is beyond me.”

  “You’re meant to do exactly what you did on Thursday,” John reminded her.

  “Sit around and nibble on the hors d'oeuvres? But there won’t be any of those, I’m sure. Mary didn’t have time to organise another party, after all.”

  Still wondering how she and Mary were going to fill their time until the rest of the guests began to arrive, Bessie headed up the stairs and pulled her dress out of the wardrobe. It was wrinkled and it still smelled a bit damp, but she had little choice but to climb into it, all the time wishing she’d had time to take to the dry cleaners. In the bathroom she combed her hair and had another go at her makeup.

  “Even more smudgy than last time,” she laughed at herself.

  Back in the kitchen, Hugh, Doona, and John were talking.

  “You look much better than I will,” Hugh told Bessie.

  “I’m not sure that isn’t faint praise,” Bessie replied. “But all things considered, I’ll take it.”

  “I’m going to drop Doona off at home and then go home myself,” John told her. “We’ll see you at the party at the appropriate times.”

  “You’re welcome to come back here to wait if you want,” Bessie said. “I went to the shops today, so the cupboards are full. You can make yourselves something to eat and be close by when it’s time for you to join the party.”

  Doona and John exchanged glances. “That’s a great idea,” John said. “I’m sure Hugh won’t mind some company while he waits.”

  Bessie glanced at Hugh. He was quite pale and looked miserable. “Hugh, what’s wrong?” she asked.

  “I’m going to have to see Grace,” he said. “And relive those awful moments when I made her so angry with me.”

  Bessie gave him a hug. “It will all be worth it in the end,” she whispered. “Just hang in there and keep a stiff upper lip.”

  Hugh nodded, but Bessie could see how upset he was. “Really, you must be brave,” she insisted.

  “I will be,” he told her in a soft voice.

  Bessie pulled on her Wellington boots and her raincoat.

  “Why don’t I drop you off on the way,” John suggested.

  “I arrived that night on foot and I should do the same tonight,” Bessie replied. “It’s fine, it’s only a little rain.”

  As John and Doona got ready to leave, Bessie pulled open the door. She gasped when she realised someone was standing on her doorstep.

  “Grace? How lovely to see you,” she said, pulling the girl into the cottage.

  “Oh, Bessie, hello,” Grace stammered. She glanced over at Hugh and turned bright red.

  “Of course, you arrived at the party with Hugh,” Bessie said.

  “Yes, and the inspector was insistent that we do everything exactly the same,” Grace said, staring at the floor.

  “John and Doona are just going to get changed and then they’re going to wait here with Hugh until they have to go to Thie yn Traie,” Bessie told her. “So, of course, you’re more than welcome as well.”

  “Thank you,” Grace said quietly.

  “You’re going to be late,” John pointed out quietly.

  Bessie glanced over at Hugh, who was studying his shoelaces, and then at Grace. She was busy staring at her hands.

  Bessie sighed and shook her head. “You two should talk while I’m gone,” she suggested. “And eat something before you head up to the party.”

  “Doona and I will bring back something from somewhere,” John said vaguely. “But we all have to get moving.”

  Bessie let John and Doona precede her out of the house. As she pulled the cottage door shut behind her, she frowned.

  “They aren’t going to speak to one another, are they?” she asked Doona.

  “Probably not,” Doona agreed. “Maybe John and I can help things along when we get back.”

  “Do hurry,” Bessie suggested.

  Doona nodded and then followed John to his car. Bessie listened to the sound of the engine getting further away as she began her walk along the beach. When she reached the bottom of the steps that led up to Thie yn Traie, she was met by a young constable.

  “Inspector Lambert said to expect you a few minutes ago,” the man told her.

  “I must have walked faster on New Year’s Eve,” Bessie replied. “I hope I haven’t caused you any trouble.”

  “No, it’s fine,” he replied. “I’m stuck out here all night anyway. I’m not sure why, but Inspector Lambert says so.”

  “Good luck to you,” Bessie said. “It’s very wet.”

  “I don’t mind the rain as much as the cold. But I don’t have a choice with either.”

  Bessie nodded and began a slow and careful ascent towards the mansion above her. While she agreed that the reconstruction was a good idea, she was already feeling quite nervous about it.

  “I just hope Inspector Lambert knows what she’s doing,” Bessie muttered as she headed towards Thie yn Traie. Tonight the mansion looked dark and ominous, and Bessie was reminded of Maggie Shimmin’s words earlier. Thie yn Traie couldn’t possibly be cursed, could it?

  Chapter Thirteen

  Bessie pressed the bell and waited anxiously for someone to open the door. Only a few seconds later, the door swung open and Bruce smiled out at her.

  “The party doesn’t start until seven,” he told her.

  Bessie smiled back. “Do we have to go through that whole conversation again?” she asked.

  “Hello, Bessie,” Elizabeth said in a quiet voice from where she was standing behind Bruce. “The inspector wants us to try to recreate everything as exactly as we can, even the conversations.”

  “Yes, well, I can’t remember one word of what was said when I arrived,” Bessie told her. “So she’ll just have to settle for my being here.”

  “Two minutes late,” the inspector’s cool voice seemed to echo around the corridor.

  “I am sorry,” Bessie said sweetly. “The wind is stronger than it was that night. I did my very best to walk as quickly as I could, though.”

  Anna Lambert frowned at her and then shrugged. “Do try to remember at least some of your conversation, please,” she said.

  Bessie glanced at Bruce and Elizabeth and then shrugged. “I’m sure I said something about how nice it was to see you,” she told Elizabeth.

  “You did, and then you explained that mum had rung you,” Elizabeth replied. “Then I told you that you were very clever to walk over in Wellies, and introduced you to Bruce.”

  Bessie changed out of her boots and into the same black shoes she’d worn to the party as Elizabeth introduced her to Bruce again, then she took the arm that Bruce offered and the trio headed down the corridor, with Anna on their heels.

  In the great room, which was once again decorated for New Year’s Eve, Mary was on her mobile. Bessie realised, as she entered, that Mary was only pretending to use it, though.

  “I have to go,” Mary muttered into the device. “I’ll see you in a little while.” She crossed to Bessie and greeted her with a hug.

  “I hope that wasn’t an important phone call,” she said, winking at Mary.

  Mary laughed. “Just George,” she said. “He wa
nts helping selecting the perfect tie, but I’ve told him I’m too busy to dash down to Douglas just now.”

  “I’ll go and help daddy,” Elizabeth offered.

  “Take some of your friends with you,” Mary suggested. “They’ll just be bored here.”

  “I’ll go,” Bruce offered.

  “Oh, no, you stay here and relax. I’ll take Howard,” Elizabeth replied. She headed out of the room and then stopped in the doorway. “And then I went down to Douglas with Howard,” she told Anna. “I’m not sure what you want me to do now.”

  “You can sit in the room we’ve designated for waiting,” Anna told her. “There’s a constable in there and he has copies of everyone’s statements, in case you can’t remember what time you arrived back.”

  “Is that where you’ve stashed daddy?” Elizabeth asked.

  “That’s where your father is waiting, yes,” Anna told her. “You should go and find Howard, just like you did that night, and then the pair of you can wait in the room until whatever time you returned here. There’s a constable in the corridor who can accompany you to wherever you found Howard.”

  “Fun, fun, fun,” Elizabeth said brightly as she turned and left the room.

  “Sorry for the interruption; do carry on,” Anna told Bessie and the others now.

  “I think this is where I said something about having nothing to do,” Bruce said, frowning.

  “I believe you’re right,” Mary replied. “I suggested you take a car into Douglas or simply go for a drive.”

  “Yeah, and then I went back to my room and watched some telly until time for the party,” he recalled. “Am I to wait in my room tonight or am I to wait in the designated waiting room?” he asked the inspector.

  “You should wait in your room,” Anna told him, sounding impatient. “The waiting room is only for people who left Thie yn Traie at any point during the evening and then returned. Everyone else should do exactly the same things they did on New Year’s Eve.”

  “Got it,” Bruce said with a snappy mock salute. He turned on his heel and marched out of the room, pausing in the doorway to wink at Bessie and Mary.

  “And once he’d left, I had a good moan about how Elizabeth had invited an entire group of people to the party without warning me,” Mary said.

  “And you told me a little bit about them all,” Bessie remembered. “Although I’m not sure that I can remember anything specific that you said, especially now I’ve met them all myself and formed my own impressions of them.”

  “Yes, well, I probably said I didn’t like Nigel or Gennifer and that Sarah was sweet and Emma was quiet,” Mary said. “I’m sure I didn’t say anything nice about Howard, mentioned Jeremy’s lovely manners, and told you something or other about Bruce, but I can’t imagine what.”

  “I can’t recall a word you said,” Bessie told her. “But that all sounds about right, anyway.”

  “And then we chatted about all the lovely people that I’d invited before we headed over to the kitchen to get food and drinks,” Mary said.

  “That part I do remember,” Bessie said with a laugh.

  “Do you recall what time you left this room?” Anna asked before Bessie and Mary moved.

  Bessie looked at her friend and they both shrugged. “I wasn’t paying that much attention to the time,” Bessie said. “I knew it was hours until time for the party to start, so it didn’t seem to matter much.”

  “I didn’t notice either,” Mary said apologetically.

  “Where did you go from here?” Anna asked, glancing at the pile of papers she was holding.

  “The kitchen, to get food and wine,” Mary replied.

  “Off you go, then,” Anna said.

  Bessie and Mary turned and walked the short distance to the kitchen. Bessie shook her head at the chaos there that looked strikingly similar to what she’d seen the night of the party.

  “They’ve done a wonderful job in here,” Bessie said. “This is exactly how I remember it, with people rushing about everywhere.”

  “My friend and I would like a bottle of wine, please,” Mary said to a passing woman. “And maybe a sample of the food?”

  “Yes, of course,” the woman replied.

  It seemed to Bessie to take a little bit longer this time, but within minutes she and Mary were heading towards the office with their tray of food and bottle of wine. Anna Lambert followed them into the room and then, after Bessie and Mary were settled, sat in the second small desk chair.

  “I didn’t realise there would be food again tonight,” Bessie said, helping herself to a few of the tastier-looking samples.

  “We’re trying to be as exact as possible,” Anna reminded her.

  “Still, catering for this many people is expensive,” Bessie said. “Or are the police paying for it this time around?”

  “George and I don’t mind,” Mary said quickly. “We’re just hoping that the murderer will get caught tonight and that our lives can get back to normal.”

  “And what did you two talk about when you were in here?” Anna asked, glancing up from the pages in her hand.

  “Goodness,” Bessie exclaimed. “What did we talk about?”

  “It was just small talk, wasn’t it?” Mary asked her. “The weather and local politics and that sort of thing.”

  “I don’t remember talking all that much,” Bessie said. “We were doing a lot of eating and drinking, though.”

  Mary poured Bessie a glass of wine. “It’s non-alcoholic,” she told Bessie as Bessie reached for the glass. “The inspector thought it might be better if we used non-alcoholic drinks tonight, instead of the real thing.”

  “That’s probably very wise,” Bessie said. “Although it would be more realistic if half the party were drunk by midnight.”

  “More realistic, but possibly less helpful,” Anna said. “I’m hoping someone will suddenly remember something that points us in the right direction. That seems less likely if people are intoxicated.”

  “Did Elizabeth’s friends complain much when you told them?” Bessie had to ask.

  “They’re all so eager to get off the island that they probably would have agreed to just about anything,” Mary replied. “Besides, Elizabeth promised them champagne once the reconstruction is finished, whatever time that is.”

  “Let’s hope we’ll have something to celebrate,” Bessie murmured.

  Bessie and Mary chatted self-consciously about the food, the wine and the weather, painfully aware of the inspector’s presence.

  “There’s more than enough food for you to have some,” Mary offered the woman after a while.

  “No, thank you,” Anna replied.

  “Would you like some wine?” Mary asked. “As it isn’t really wine, you could have some.”

  “No, I’m fine,” Anna said, making another note on the sheet in her hand.

  Mary exchanged glances with Bessie and then shrugged.

  “So, tell me about the grandchildren,” Bessie suggested.

  Mary could talk happily about her grandchildren for hours and Bessie was more than happy to listen. Bessie drank half of the bottle of wine and ate at least as much of the food as she had on the night of the party.

  “The wine is good,” she told Mary. “It tastes very like the real thing. I’m enjoying it and staying quite sober, which seems slightly odd.”

  “I often drink this when we have a party,” Mary told her. “It’s so much like the real thing that no one knows I’m not drinking, but I don’t have to worry about having too much. It’s a good thing, too, as we had a couple of cases of it in Douglas that we could use for tonight. I’m not sure I could have arranged to get sufficient supplies quickly enough, otherwise.”

  Bessie found herself watching the clock on the wall, wondering if it was possible that it was broken. Time seemed to be almost standing still. Bessie usually enjoyed talking with Mary, but tonight it felt like hard work, in spite of the food and wine.

  “I’m fairly certain this is about when G
eorge came in,” Mary said after a while. “Isn’t it?” she asked Bessie.

  “It feels about right,” Bessie agreed.

  “According to my notes, we have another ten minutes to wait,” Anna said.

  “Goodness, I can’t possibly sit here for another ten minutes,” Mary said. She flushed. “I’m sorry, but this is incredibly difficult.” She got to her feet and began to pace around the small room.

  “Things should move much more quickly once it gets to seven o’clock,” Anna replied. “When the guests start arriving, there will be a lot more happening.”

  “Yes, that should help,” Mary said thoughtfully. “The night of the party, I really enjoyed having this quiet time with Bessie, but tonight I’d much rather just get things moving.”

  The knock on the door had Mary scurrying back to her seat. She’d only just sat down when George walked in.

  “Hello, hello,” he said in his booming voice. “I can’t recall a word I said in here, but here I am.”

  “It’s lovely to see you again,” Bessie said, standing up and getting a hug. “I think you said something quite unkind about spinach,” she added as she returned to her seat.

  “Oh, yes,” George exclaimed, his eyes on the half-eaten tray of food. “I mustn’t eat those green ones, as they are full of slimy spinach. I remember that now.”

  “You were only here for a few moments before we were told that guests were arriving,” Mary reminded him.

  As if on cue, someone knocked on the door. The same man in the same black suit announced the arrival of the first guests.

  “So I went to finish getting ready while George went to greet everyone,’ Mary told Anna.

  “And what did you do, Miss Cubbon?” she asked.

  “Oh, I just sat here and drank wine and nibbled on the food until Mary came back for me,” Bessie said.

  “Right, off you go, Mr. and Mrs. Quayle. Miss Cubbon and I will wait here,” Anna said.

  Bessie resisted the urge to make a face as she settled back in her chair. She sipped her wine and watched the clock again, wishing Mary would hurry. Fifteen silent minutes later, Mary was back.