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

by Diana Xarissa

  “Yes, that’s what we usually try to do, but with everything coming in all higgledy-piggledy this time, we haven’t managed it.”

  “I’ll go and get the cards written,” Bessie said. “You can start organising in here, if you want.”

  “I need to ring a few people first, but then I’ll see what I can do.”

  “I’ve invited a few friends for tonight, by the way,” Bessie said. “John Rockwell and Hugh Watterson.”

  “From the police? Do you think we need police here?”

  “They’re investigating the murders. It might be good for them to be here.”

  Agnes nodded. “We do have a couple of men working security tonight. We’ve hired them from the Peel constabulary. We always do, when we’re having auctions, because some people will pay cash.”

  “That’s a good idea. John and Hugh are coming to observe, that’s all.”

  “I’ll make sure there are tickets at the door for them.”

  “I’m happy to pay for them,” Bessie offered.

  “After all the time and effort you and your friends have put in this week? You’re welcome to bring as many friends as you’d like.”

  Bessie smiled and then headed for the conference room, hoping that these would be the last of the cards she’d need to write. Writing neatly took a great deal of effort and she was a little bit fed up with having to work so hard.

  “I’m here,” a voice called as the conference room door swung open a short while later.

  Bessie looked up and smiled at Nicola. “Good afternoon,” she said.

  “Oh, goodness, I thought you’d be Agnes,” Nicola laughed. “I promised her I’d be here by one, and then one of the kids didn’t want to go and stay with my mother-in-law, and that made the other one cry, just because, and, oh, never mind. I was just so excited to finally be here, and you aren’t even Agnes.”

  “I’m happy to see you, though,” Bessie told her. “Agnes is worried that the auction items are all mixed up instead of organised like they usually are. Maybe you can sort that out for her?”

  “Of course I can,” Nicola said. “It won’t take two minutes. I have all of the items on a spreadsheet.” She pulled a laptop computer out of her huge bag. “I can sort everything by category and then renumber them accordingly. Then I’ll print out a new list and we can arrange the items using the new list.”

  “That all sounds terribly efficient,” Bessie said.

  “I try,” Nicola laughed. “Agnes isn’t all that fond of technology, but the more I can get the computer to do, the better, as far as I’m concerned.”

  “Are you handing out lists of the auction items tonight?” Bessie asked.

  Nicola shook her head. “We’ll have a few copies of the master list, but we decided it wasn’t worth the expense of printing lists for everyone. We’re also hoping that not having a list will make everyone walk around and look at everything. The more they see, the more they might want. At least, that’s what we’re hoping.”

  “It sounds like a good theory,” Bessie told her.

  Nicola sat down next to her and spent a few minutes tapping away at her keyboard. “Are those new items?” she asked Bessie after a while.

  “Yes, Agnes said these were the last few things.”

  Nicola picked up the cards that Bessie had just finished and began to enter the information into her database. A few minutes later, Bessie was done, and Nicola only needed another minute to enter the last of the items.

  “Now we sort, renumber, and print,” Nicola said, pulling out a cable and attaching it to the printer in the corner. A moment later it whirred to life and began to spit out pages.

  “Here we go,” Nicola said. She showed Bessie the report. “The first number is the item’s new, sorted number,” she explained. “The second number is its old number, before sorting. So you should be able to go into the party room and find item number thirty-six easily enough. It’s now item number two.”

  Bessie nodded. “This is wonderful,” she said. “Unless Agnes needs me for something else, I’ll get to work on this right away.”

  “Let’s take all of these things with us,” Nicola suggested, nodding towards the items on the table. “Then we can get them into their places as well.”

  Between them, they just managed to carry everything from the conference room into the party room. Bessie could see Agnes pacing in tight circles at the back of the room, talking on her mobile phone.

  “You get started on the sorting,” Nicola suggested. “I’ll go and see what else Agnes needs.”

  Thanks to Nicola’s lists, it didn’t take Bessie very long to rearrange all of the silent auction items. The handful of larger items that would be sold during the traditional auction she left alone.

  “Ah, Bessie, I knew I’d find you here somewhere,” a familiar voice called from the doorway as Bessie set the last item onto its crate.

  She turned around and rushed across the room to give Andy Caine a hug. “But you look wonderful,” she exclaimed, examining the young man carefully. His dark hair was neatly cut and combed and his brown eyes were sparkling.

  “Ah, thanks,” he said, grinning sheepishly.

  “How are your plans for tonight coming?” she asked.

  “Everything is sorted,” he assured her. “I came in this morning with all of the shopping and did as much prep work as I could. Now I’m going down to Ronaldsway to collect a few friends who are coming over to help out. We’ll all be back in a few hours to get started on the actual cooking.”

  “I can’t wait to see what you prepare,” Bessie said. “I’m sure it will be wonderful.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Andy shrugged. “But we’re going to try our best.”

  Bessie gave the man another hug and then sent him on his way. “You never know how busy the airport will be,” she said. “Or at least the car park.”

  Andy nodded. “It can be a problem when a bunch of flights come in at the same time,” he agreed. “I’ll see you later.”

  Janet and Joan were just about finished with the copied historical records. Stuck to crates and tucked into random corners, they helped tie the whole theme together, Bessie thought.

  “Did you want to do anything special with the stage?” Bessie asked as she joined the sisters at the front of the room.

  “Agnes said she had some photos of the children that Mannanan’s Kids has helped over the years,” Janet told her. “I think the focus on the stage should be on that. It might make people a little bit more generous.”

  With Bessie’s help, the trio hung photographs along the stage’s backdrop and used them to cover the podium where the auctioneer would stand. They were nearly done when the door at the back of the room swung open.

  “Mummy,” a small voice called. Bessie looked over and grinned as a small boy flung himself into Nicola’s arms. “Mummy, I don’t feel well at all,” he said sadly.

  Nicola kissed his forehead and frowned.

  “Yes, I thought he might have a slight temperature,” the woman who’d followed the child into the room said. “I think they both might be brewing something.” She was holding hands with a little girl who now gave Nicola a hug.

  Bessie studied the older woman. She was probably sixty, with short grey hair and brown eyes. She was sensibly but stylishly dressed in a pretty dress with leather flats. She looked concerned about the children, and as if she’d had an interesting life.

  Nicola pressed her lips to the girl’s forehead. Bessie could hear Nicola’s sigh from across the room. “How do you feel?” she asked the girl.

  “Icky,” the girl told her.

  “I am sorry,” the older woman said. “I tried ringing you, but you didn’t answer your phone.”

  Nicola looked surprised and then began patting her pockets. “I must have left my phone at home,” she said after a moment. “And you don’t need to be sorry. You have enough to worry about without looking after poorly children.”

  “They’re my grandchildren,
” the woman replied. “You know I don’t mind having them, even when they are ill.”

  “I know, and I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Nicola replied. “But now I suppose I should take these two home, dose them up with something, and put them to bed.”

  “If you can’t get back for the party tonight, that’s okay,” Agnes said quickly. She’d still been on her mobile when the children had arrived, but now she’s slid it into a pocket.

  “Oh, I’ll be here,” Nicola told her. “Hubby can manage the children.”

  “Let me know if you have to change your plans,” Agnes said.

  Nicola nodded. “If I can’t make it, I’ll send Linda in my place.”

  “I was planning on coming anyway,” the older woman said. “But I’ll stay with Walter and look after the children if you need me to do that.”

  “I think Walter can manage on his own,” Nicola said. “Actually, I think he’ll struggle, but it will be good for him. They are his children and he’s far too used to me dealing with them whenever they’re ill.”

  “Remember that Walter is my baby,” Linda said with a grin. “Are you sure you don’t want me to help him?”

  “Not even a little bit,” Nicola replied. “We’ll only be out for a few hours. He’ll survive.”

  “But will they?” Linda asked, nodding at her grandchildren.

  Nicola laughed. “Right, off we go home,” she told the children. “I am sorry,” she said to Agnes. “But I think I did everything that was on my list of jobs, anyway.”

  “I’m sure you did,” Agnes replied. “Thank you so much.”

  “If there are other little jobs to do, I’m happy to help,” Linda offered.

  Agnes looked around the room and then shrugged. “We need to get the bar set up, but I was waiting for one of the men to arrive to do that.”

  Linda laughed. “I know my way around a bar,” she said. “I can certainly manage that.”

  Bessie crossed to the tables that were serving as a bar for the evening. “I’m happy to give you a hand,” she told the other woman as she reached the tables. “But you’ll have to tell me what to do.”

  “I’m Linda Cotton. I’ve been behind the bar at just about every pub in the south of the island since I was twenty-one,” she introduced herself.

  “I’m Bessie Cubbon. It’s nice to meet you.”

  “I’m surprised we’ve never met before,” Linda remarked as she began to open the boxes behind the tables. “We’ve both lived on the island for many years. I know who you are, of course.”

  Bessie felt herself blush. Really, she shouldn’t have been surprised that the other woman knew who she was, but she still felt caught off guard by the revelation. “I’m sorry that I can’t say the same about you,” she said after a moment.

  Linda laughed. “I try to keep a low profile,” she said. “After a rather wild youth, I ran away from the island, determined to make my fortune in London. Instead, I came home a few years later absolutely penniless and equally pregnant.”

  “I am sorry,” Bessie said.

  “Oh, I’m not, not one bit,” Linda assured her. “Walter was the best thing that ever happened to me. He made me straighten out my life. I didn’t have any qualifications, but you don’t need any to work in a pub. I waited tables and then, after a while, learned that the money was better and easier behind the bar. I’m retired now, of course. Now I look after my grandchildren, and life couldn’t be better.”

  “I know Nicola appreciates having you to look after the children,” Bessie said.

  “Yes, I’m afraid she feels guilty sometimes, leaving them with me every day, but I love having them. It works out well for both of us. She’s much happier working with Agnes and knowing that she’s doing something useful.”

  “I understand you’re friends with Jacqueline Garrett,” Bessie said, trying to sound casual as she pulled wine bottles out of boxes.

  “We’ve known each other a long time,” Linda told her. “I’m sorry to say that we’ve drifted apart in the last year or so, though.”

  “Really? Someone told me that you were the one who asked her to join the committee for this event,” Bessie said.

  “I may have mentioned it to her,” Linda said in an offhand fashion. “But only for Nicola’s benefit. All of the island’s charities are always looking for wealthy board members.”

  “I’m sure that’s true.”

  “Jacqueline has always been reluctant to get involved in things on the island. She keeps quite busy with her own life. I don’t blame her, really.”

  “No, I suppose not,” Bessie said.

  “I can’t say, if I had her money, that I’d be keen to get involved with every charity that came begging, either,” Linda continued. “I mean, I’m sure she gets asked to join boards and committees nearly every day.”

  “Agnes was lucky to get her to agree, then,” Bessie suggested.

  “Yes, I suppose she was.”

  “And it so nearly went wrong,” Bessie added. “With those two men from across involved.”

  “We want to keep the white wines together,” Linda said, pointing to a bottle that Bessie had just unpacked. “Pass me that one, will you?”

  Bessie handed her the bottle in question. “All of these are white wines,” she pointed out, waving a hand at the dozen or so bottles in front of her.

  Linda nodded. “They should be lined up across the back in the left corner,” she told Bessie.

  While Bessie moved the bottles, Linda crossed to the other wall and began to open boxes there. She was now as far away from Bessie as she could be while still working on the bar. Bessie couldn’t help but wonder if Linda was trying to avoid the direction that the conversation had gone.

  “You ladies look as if you know what you’re doing,” Trevor said from behind Bessie.

  She spun around and smiled. “I didn’t see you come in,” she said.

  “I snuck in the back way,” he explained. “I’d promised Agnes that I’d get the bar set up for her, but you look as if you have it in hand.”

  “I’m just helping Linda. She’s the one who knows what she’s doing,” Bessie explained.

  “Years of experience,” Linda called.

  “I’ll just help you unpack, then,” Trevor said. “We should be done in no time.”

  With Trevor there, Linda soon moved closer to Bessie. The trio had the bar done a short while later.

  “Perfect,” Trevor said as he looked around. “Scott and Anthony won’t be able to complain about the setup. Everything is easy to find and ready to go.”

  “They’ll be behind the bar, then?” Bessie asked.

  “All three of us will be,” he replied. “If you have a favourite tipple, tell me now and I’ll make sure we have plenty of it available.”

  “I’ll probably have a few glasses of white wine,” Bessie said. “But I’m not fussy about wine.”

  Trevor shook his head. “You should take a class in wine tasting,” he told her. “You’d be amazed at the differences and you’d learn to appreciate the really good stuff.”

  “Maybe, but my budget doesn’t really run to the really good stuff anyway,” Bessie told him.

  Linda laughed. “That makes two of us,” she said.

  “Everything we have for tonight is fairly good, anyway,” Trevor said.

  “Okay, everyone?” Agnes shouted from the centre of the room. “I think we’re just about done here. Does anyone know of anything else that needs doing?”

  Bessie looked around and smiled. The room looked amazing, the bar was ready to go, and the pictures that surrounded the stage were the perfect reminder of why the event was taking place. The auction items all looked good in their places on top of the wooden crates and Bessie couldn’t imagine anything else that anyone could do to improve things.

  “Okay, then, I suggest you all go home and get a short rest. We need to be back here at half five, ready to add the final touches. I’m having a dozen pizzas delivered for all of us. Th
ey’ll be in the conference room from half five as well. The party starts at seven.”

  Bessie turned around, hoping to ask Linda a few questions, but the other woman had already slipped away and was nearly to the door. Janet and Joan joined Bessie at the bar.

  “Are we ready to go, then?” Janet asked.

  “I think so,” Bessie replied.

  “I’ll see you all later,” Trevor said. “It should be an interesting evening.”

  CHAPTER 14

  T he women were quiet on the drive back to Laxey. Bessie couldn’t stop thinking Linda and how she had behaved when Bessie had questioned her about the two murdered men. Was it possible that Linda knew more about them than she wanted to admit? Or maybe she just needed to work at the other end of the bar and you’re reading too much into things, Bessie chided herself.

  “We’ll come and collect you around five,” Joan said as they all emerged from the car outside of Bessie’s cottage.

  “That sounds good,” Bessie told her.

  Inside Treoghe Bwaane, Bessie rang the police station. “John, I just wanted to let you know that there will be tickets at the door for you and Hugh tonight,” Bessie said when she was connected to John Rockwell.

  “Thank you,” John replied. “I’m looking forward to the evening.”

  “I don’t suppose there is any news about anything?”

  “I’m afraid not. We’re still investigating. I’m still eager to talk to Linda Cotton, but I’m having trouble pinning her down.”

  “I met her today. She seemed as if she didn’t want to talk about the dead men. She also said that she and Jacqueline have drifted apart.”

  “Interesting. At least now I know why she wasn’t home when I rang her earlier. Maybe I’ll try ringing again. Maybe she’s home now and will have time for a chat.”

  Based on what she’d seen of the woman earlier, Bessie doubted that Linda would want to speak to John, but she didn’t bother to tell the man that. Instead, she put the phone down and looked at the clock. She had about an hour before she needed to get ready. While the half-finished murder mystery on her bedside table was incredibly appealing, Bessie knew that she should go over her paper instead. Sunday was rapidly approaching and she needed to be ready.