Aunt Bessie Observes (An Isle of Man Cozy Mystery Book 15)

by Diana Xarissa

  “I may just do that,” Bessie replied.

  After she put the phone down, Bessie went up the stairs and ran a comb through her hair. A pat of powder on her nose and a light coat of lipstick were added before she went back down and pulled on a light jacket. It only took a moment to cross to the cottage next door.

  “Did you have any luck with anyone you rang?” Janet asked when they were all sitting around the small dining table with plates full of roast chicken and vegetables.

  “I found a caterer,” Bessie told them. It only took her a moment to tell the sisters all about Andy Caine and his recent good fortune.

  “We could only afford Doveby House because we were left some money by an aunt we barely knew existed,” Janet said. “I can’t begin to imagine being left a fortune by the father I never knew I had.”

  “It wasn’t actually his father that left him the estate,” Bessie said. “His father didn’t leave a will, as I understand it. But even if he had, he didn’t have anything to leave his son. Andy’s grandfather left the estate in trust for Andy, and cut his own son out entirely.”

  “Families are far too complicated,” Janet said.

  “I’ve also had a lot more auction items promised,” Bessie said. “Most of the local restaurants are going to donate gift certificates, and a few of the shops in Ramsey are going to donate items as well.”

  “I hope none of it is too tempting,” Janet said.

  “You must simply use a bit of self-control,” Joan told her. “I don’t intend on bidding on anything.”

  “Oh, I might bid on something,” Janet laughed. “I just don’t want to win anything and actually have to pay for it.”

  “Marjorie is going to have a student go through the archives and see what she can find to help with the decorating,” Bessie added. “Maybe some excerpts from the ingates and outgates would be useful.”

  “What are ingates and outgates?” Janet asked.

  “Lists of the duties paid on the various imports and exports that came in and out of the island,” Bessie explained.

  “I love the idea of having actual historical documents, or at least copies of them, at the fundraiser,” Janet said. “It’s probably the teacher in me, but I love the idea that the event might actually be educational.”

  “I’m not sure anyone will be paying much attention to the educational elements, but I like the idea as well,” Bessie told her.

  After everyone had cleared their plates, Joan served the Victoria sponge.

  “This is delicious,” Bessie told her after her second bite. “You should do bed and pudding, rather than bed and breakfast.”

  Joan laughed. “I don’t know about that,” she said.

  “I think it’s a great idea,” Janet said. “We wouldn’t have to get up in the morning to make breakfast if we did that.”

  “Meerooww,” a small voice chimed in.

  “And Aggie agrees,” Janet said. “She doesn’t like getting up in the morning either,” she told Bessie.

  Bessie leaned down and gave the cat a pat behind the ears. She didn’t really like animals and had generally disliked cats ever since she’d seen her sister badly scratched when they’d both been children, but Janet’s pet was better than most animals she’d met.

  Aggie purred up at her before walking back over to the sitting room and making herself comfortable on one of the couches.

  “She seems to be enjoying the holiday,” Bessie remarked.

  “She loves exploring new places,” Janet said. “And she really loves watching the sea and the people on the beach. I’m afraid she might be bored when we get home. There’s not that much to see out the windows at Doveby House.”

  Bessie helped the sisters load the cottage’s dishwasher. “I’ve never actually used one of these,” she said. “Do you like it?”

  “We have one at Doveby House,” Joan told her. “We don’t use it every day, but when we have guests, it’s wonderfully convenient.”

  “What shall we do now?” Bessie asked as the dishwasher began to gurgle and swish in the background.

  “Sleep?” Janet suggested, stretching. “I think I may have eaten too much.”

  “Perhaps a long walk on the beach would be useful, in that case,” Joan suggested.

  Bessie nodded. “I think that’s a great idea. I noticed on my way over here that the police tape is gone. We could walk to Thie yn Traie or even beyond.”

  “As long as we walk slowly,” Janet told them.

  It only took the sisters a few minutes to get ready to go out. Janet locked the cottage behind them, and then they headed out across the sand. It was starting to get dark, and it was definitely cooler than the day had been, so the beach was slowly emptying of visitors.

  Even though the police tape was gone, none of the holidaymakers from the cottages had made their way to that part of the beach. Bessie felt a bit odd as she crossed the obvious line where the tape had been. It wasn’t far from there to Thie yn Traie.

  “Should we turn back?” she asked the others.

  “Let’s keep going,” Joan said. “The fresh air feels wonderful.”

  “It does,” Janet agreed. “And we’re going to be spending a lot of tomorrow indoors, as well. Let’s enjoy it while we can.”

  “We haven’t worked out what we’re doing tomorrow,” Janet said after a moment.

  The trio debated the many different places on the island that they could go, finally agreeing on a trip to the island’s wildlife park.

  “We haven’t been there in many years,” Janet said. “And I love zoos and wildlife parks.”

  “We can spend the morning there before we head to Peel,” Joan agreed.

  They’d been so intent on their conversation that they’d walked as far as the row of new homes that were being built along the beach.

  “Only one is still for sale,” Bessie said as they walked past them. “Doona was thinking about buying one, but she may have left it too late.”

  “I’d love to be right on the water,” Janet said. “But I wouldn’t want my neighbours so close by.”

  “Yes, that’s one of the reasons why Doona has been hesitating,” Bessie told her.

  The threesome walked as far as the last of the new homes before Bessie stopped. “Maybe we should turn around. It’s grown quite dark, really.” She was surprised to see that the beach behind them was deserted now.

  As they walked back past the houses, Bessie found herself glancing into windows. Several seemed to be occupied by families, and Bessie grinned as she spotted more than one woman sitting with a child and a book on her lap. They were only a few paces away from the only house that was still for sale when a light suddenly went on inside of it.

  “That’s odd,” Janet said.

  “It’s probably just a security light on a timer,” Bessie said. After a few more steps forward, she stopped, her eyes on the house that was meant to be empty.

  “Please tell me that isn’t another body,” Janet whispered from behind Bessie.

  CHAPTER 8

  Bessie reached into her handbag and found her mobile phone. She rang John’s home number first.

  “Hello?”

  “John, it’s Bessie. I’m afraid, well, I believe we’ve found another body.”

  “Where are you?”

  “At the new houses down the beach from the cottages,” Bessie told him. “The police tape was gone, so we thought we’d take a long walk. One of the houses is still for sale and it was dark when we first went past. On the way back, a light went on and, well, we can see, that is, it looks as if a body is lying on the floor in what is meant to be the dining room.”

  “Hold on,” John said.

  Bessie could hear him speaking on his mobile phone as she stood, unable to tear her eyes off the crumpled form in front of her.

  “Hugh is on his way,” John said after a moment. “He’ll secure the scene until I can get there with a crime scene team. I don’t suppose there’s any chance it’s just a mannequin or a dumm
y of some sort?”

  “There’s an awful lot of blood,” Bessie said softly.

  “I’m on my way.”

  Bessie dropped the phone back in her bag and took a step backwards. As tears began to form in her eyes, she felt an urge to put as much distance between herself and the dead man as possible.

  “Careful,” Janet said. “You’re nearly in the sea.”

  Bessie blinked and then looked around. The tide had been coming in slowly. Janet was right; she’d nearly backed up into the sea.

  The three women stood together, waiting. Bessie was careful not to look at the body again, and the other women didn’t seem to want to look in that direction either. Instead, they all stood looking down the beach in silence.

  “Bessie?” a familiar voice called from somewhere on the other side of the houses.

  “I’m on the beach,” Bessie called back.

  A bright torch appeared between two of the houses, and a moment later Bessie could just make out Hugh’s lanky frame as he walked down the beach towards her. It had grown a lot darker in the short while that they’d been waiting and Bessie shivered as she glanced around the beach.

  “Are you okay?” Hugh asked as he reached Bessie and the Markhams.

  “I’ve been better,” Bessie replied. “I think we all have.”

  Janet and Joan both nodded. Bessie noticed, by the light of Hugh’s torch, that both women were pale and looked shocked.

  Hugh looked up at the house behind him. “John’s on his way,” he said. “He’s having someone ring Pete Clucas to meet us out here.”

  “Who’s Pete Clucas?” Janet asked.

  “He’s the contractor who built these houses,” Hugh replied. “His company still owns this one.”

  “He’s going to struggle to sell it now,” Joan said.

  Bessie glanced at the blood that seemed to be everywhere and shuddered. Joan was probably right about that.

  “As much as I hate to say this,” Janet said. “I think I’d like a closer look. I’d like to see if it’s Norman or Nathan or whatever his proper name is.”

  Hugh shook his head. “Let’s wait until John gets here,” he said. “It’s too dark for me to see if there are any footprints that might be valuable behind the house.”

  “I don’t think there will be,” Bessie said. “There were people playing on the beach when we first started our walk. They were running all over the place out here.”

  Hugh sighed. “You’re probably right, but I don’t want to take any chances. Let’s wait for John.”

  “How’s Grace?” Bessie asked after Hugh’s wife.

  Even in the dim light, Bessie could see the huge smile that flashed across Hugh’s face. “She’s good,” he told her. “I miss her like crazy when I’m working nights, but it’s only for a few more weeks. Next week we’re going house-hunting, and if we’re lucky we’ll find something we can afford with the deposit we have now and I can go back to working days.”

  “I hope you find something,” Bessie told him. “I’m sure Grace is excited.”

  “She is, aye,” the man agreed. “I just wish I could afford to buy her something wonderful, with three or four bedrooms and multiple bathrooms. I think we’ll be lucky to get two bedrooms and working plumbing on our budget.”

  “Wait and see,” Bessie told him. She really hoped that the pair would find something suitable. The housing market on the island was a little bit crazy at the moment. They needed to get on the property ladder soon.

  A large police van arrived next. Constables set up huge spotlights on the beach behind the house. While they were working, Hugh went door to door to reassure the neighbours. Bessie and the sisters stood together with a constable Bessie didn’t really know, watching the scene unfold.

  John arrived not long after the van. He walked between two houses further down the beach and then approached from there. When he reached Bessie, he gave her a hug.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “I’m cold and tired,” Bessie told him. “But I’ll be fine.”

  John nodded. “Tell me exactly how you happened to find the body.”

  Bessie told him about the long walk on the beach, the empty house, and the light that suddenly turned on. As she finished speaking, the light in the house switched off.

  John tensed. “Watch all of the doors and windows,” he called.

  “There’s no need,” another voice said. Bessie watched as Pete Clucas walked out from between two houses. “That light is on a timer.”

  “I’m going to ask you to unlock the door for me,” John told him. “And then stay out here while we investigate.”

  “Can you tell me what’s going on?” the man asked.

  “We think there’s a dead body in the dining room,” John said tersely.

  “Dead? How on earth…” Pete trailed off and then sighed. “I thought, once most of the houses were occupied, that our troubles with people breaking in were over. It’s probably just some homeless person who broke in to get out of the rain or something. Maybe I need to take down the ‘For Sale” sign. Maybe then people wouldn’t be able to work out which house is empty.”

  “I don’t think it’s that simple,” John told him.

  “Let me open the door, then,” Pete replied. “Do you want to use the front entrance or the patio door at the back here?”

  “Let’s use the front,” John said. “The walk there is paved so there won’t be any footsteps to disturb.”

  “Footsteps? Hang on a minute, you don’t think the man inside was murdered, do you?” Pete demanded.

  “I’m reserving judgment until I get a better look at the scene,” John said evenly.

  “But you’re CID,” Pete said as if he’d only just remembered that. “I’m never going to be able to sell that house if someone has been murdered in there. I really hope whoever it is had a heart attack or something.”

  John nodded. “Shall we?” he asked.

  Bessie and the others watched as the pair walked away.

  “Do we have to stay?” Joan asked the constable who was still standing with them.

  “I’m afraid so, for now,” the man replied. “Inspector Rockwell will want a word with you once he’s taken a look at the scene.”

  Bessie nodded and swallowed a yawn. It was going to be another late night. A few minutes later Pete walked back to rejoin them.

  “The inspector said that I could wait back here,” he told the constable as he approached. “The press are gathering at the front and I really don’t want to answer any questions right now.”

  Bessie watched as first one light and then another was switched on inside the property.

  “What the he, er, what happened in there?” Pete demanded, as the dining room was flooded with light.

  “That’s what we’re here to find out,” the constable told him.

  Pete stared through the window for a moment and then turned around to look at the sea. His face was as white as a sheet.

  “Take some long deep breaths,” Bessie told him. “And don’t look again.”

  “I won’t look again,” he assured her. “I’m desperately sorry I looked in the first place. I’ve never seen so much blood…” he trailed off and shuddered.

  Bessie stepped closer to the man. “Try not to think about it,” she said softly. “Tell me what your plans are for the summer.”

  “The summer?” he repeated, sounding confused. “I don’t, that is, I can’t,” he shook his head. “I’m sorry, I can’t make small talk. Someone was killed in a house that I built. I can’t, I’m, I don’t…” he trailed off again.

  Bessie stood next to him as the man took several deep breaths. Janet and Joan exchanged glances, but didn’t speak.

  “What happens next?” the man asked eventually.

  “Inspector Rockwell will conduct his investigation,” the constable said.

  “Yeah, but how does that work?” Pete asked.

  “The first job will be identifying the body,” Bessie t
old him. “Once the police know who has died, they can try to work out who might have had a motive for killing him.”

  “I don’t think I recognised him,” Pete said. “And I don’t want to look again to be sure. If he’d been one of the people who’d bought a house from me, I’m pretty sure I would have recognised him, though, even with just a quick look.”

  “I think I know who it is,” Janet told him. “And if I’m right, this case is tied to the murder that happened further down the beach a few nights ago.”

  Pete nodded. “I read about that in the local paper. The paper said that the killer was probably the man’s business partner and that they’d been involved in a number of criminal activities together.”

  “If I’m right, that was his partner,” Janet said, nodding towards the house behind them.

  “I’m terribly sorry, but I’m going to have to ask you to not discuss the case,” the constable said. “Either this case or the killing at the holiday cottages.”

  After several more minutes where Bessie and her friends stood in silence, John Rockwell appeared around the back of the house. He spoke to one of the constables standing guard near the house and then crossed back down the beach to Bessie and the others. As he walked, the constable behind him began unrolling police caution tape.

  “I’m sorry that I’ve kept you all waiting so long,” John said. “Pete, thank you for letting us in. I’m going to have you give a statement to one of my men. He’ll want to know everything that you did today, but more importantly, he’ll want to know about the keys to this property.”

  Pete nodded. “I was in my office all day today. I can even prove it because I had several meetings back to back. Not only was my secretary there, but my advocate and his assistant were there all day as well. I’m putting together a proposal to purchase some land in Ramsey to build a new housing estate. Today was day one for planning.”

  John nodded. “This is Jack,” he said, gesturing towards a young uniformed constable who’d just joined them. “You can tell him all of the details. I’m really more interested in access to the keys, though.”