The Brides' Club Murder: the 3rd Jasmine Frame novel (Jasmine Frame detective)

by P R Ellis

  All except Jasmine. ‘It’s all more elaborate that I expected.’

  ‘I really can’t believe that Vernon didn’t give you all the details,’ Matthew said, tucking in to his breakfast now that Richard had left.

  Melody reached across the table and tapped Jasmine’s hand gently. ‘Don’t worry about it. Just enjoy the feeling of being the most beautiful bride for the day.’

  ‘It’s a fantasy, which we all share,’ Gerald added, ‘Of course, Valerie always had to be the centre of attention, the middle of the photo, the first in the procession, the queen of brides.’

  ‘Are you talking about me, love?’

  Jasmine looked around to see who the owner of the high-pitched voice was. It was a tall, incredibly thin woman or more accurately, drag queen. She had a pink wig that matched her clingy, minidress which left a six-inch gap of pale flesh above her black patent thigh boots.

  ‘Oh, it’s you Flambo,’ Matthew muttered.

  ‘Flamboyancé, please!’ the new arrival said, waving her arms in the air and striking a pose. A man in jeans and white shirt stood behind her, who Jasmine reckoned was just a few years older than her. This was the gay pair, Freddie Derham and Robbie Jones, she recalled from the list of Belles. The next youngest members of the group after herself.

  ‘We were referring to Valerie,’ Melody said.

  Flamboyancé pouted, ‘Oh, her. Well, she’s not here anymore to compete with me.’

  ‘She’s dead,’ Matthew said, glowering at the drag artiste.

  Flamboyancé put on a sad clown expression. ‘I’m so sad. What a loss. But hey, it’s wedding day. Let’s get on with the fun.’

  The rest of the gathering remained quiet. Jasmine wondered if secretly they agreed with Freddie although propriety said they should mourn the dead. Certainly they had not shown much regret at Vernon/Valerie’s death earlier.

  Emma Preston broke the silence. ‘Is that your wedding outfit, Freddie?’ Jasmine noticed Gerald raise his eyes and sigh.

  ‘No, of course not, you silly thing.’ Flamboyancé said giggling, ‘It’s my breakfast costume. You wait till you see my wedding dress.’ She did a little jig and seemed to notice Jasmine, ‘Oh, and who are you?’

  Jasmine held out a hand. ‘I’m Sindy.’ Freddie bent down and took the tips of Jasmine’s fingers in her hand in a parody of a handshake.

  ‘She’s just joined us,’ Matthew said, ‘She’ll follow you in the wedding procession.’

  ‘Oh, I’m not at the back anymore. That’s a nice change.’

  Her partner took her arm. ‘Let’s get some breakfast, shall we, Freddie.’

  ‘It’s Flamboyancé, I keep telling you,’ she said as she was dragged off.

  ‘She’s an extrovert,’ Jasmine said quietly.

  Matthew Preston answered. ‘Yes. She used to irritate Valerie something rotten.’ He pushed his plate into the middle of the table. ‘I think it’s time to start making preparations.’ He stood up. ‘Are you coming, Emma?’

  The woman smiled and said goodbye to Jasmine but ignored Gerald and Melody as she rose and followed her husband.

  Jasmine glanced at her watch. There was still well over two hours until the assembly of the brides was due.

  ‘I suppose it takes a while to get ready,’ she said.

  Melody chuckled. ‘Longer for some than others.’

  Gerald playfully elbowed her. ‘Don’t be catty, my love.’

  ‘Well, it’s true,’ Melody insisted, ‘For older men to look like blushing young brides takes…’

  ‘An eternity. Yes, I know love, and that will be me tomorrow. You of course will always be my beautiful betrothed.’

  ‘Oh, you are lovely.’ Melody kissed Gerald on the cheek.

  ‘Are you wearing a wedding dress today, Melody?’ Jasmine said.

  ‘Oh no. Not today. I’m saving mine to be revealed tomorrow.’

  ‘Like me,’ Gerald said, ‘That’s why I offered to be the “Father of the brides” today.’

  ‘And I’m going to be just one of the congregation with Emma and Sally,’ Melody added, ‘except that Sally operates the music and the video camera, so she’s really important.’

  ‘So who is the Reverend that Richard mentioned?’ Jasmine said.

  ‘Ah, now that’s going to be a surprise,’ Gerald said tapping his nose. ‘Vernon cooked up something with Belinda but he didn’t let on who it is going to be. Something else for Richard to worry himself sick about’

  ‘Perhaps it’s Belinda herself?’ Jasmine said.

  Melody shook her head, ‘I doubt it. She has enough to do organising this lot.’ She waved a hand in the general direction of the rest of the dining room.’ Jasmine looked around and noticed how full the room had become. Most of the tables were now fully occupied and there was a queue at the buffet bar. She realised again how big an event the Butterfly Ball was and that the Wedding Belles were just a small part of it. She hoped for Tom’s sake that the killer was one of the Belles and that they didn’t have to consider all the other cross-dressers and their partners as suspects.

  Gerald began to rise from his chair. ‘I think we’ll go and have a bit of peace and quiet before the big show starts. Do you agree my love?’

  ‘Of course,’ Melody produced a wicked giggle and got up. ‘See you soon, Sindy. I’m sure you will look wonderful.’ They went off hand in hand as Flamboyancé and her partner returned, Freddie with a plate piled high with fried breakfast while her partner had a more diet conscious bowl of fruit. They joined Jasmine at the newly empty table.

  ‘Did you just drive everyone away or was that me,’ Flamboyancé said sitting in Gerald’s former seat.

  ‘I think they wanted a quiet time together,’ Jasmine said.

  Robbie sat beside her and offered Jasmine his hand. ‘Hi, I’m, Robbie.’ They shook hands firmly. ‘So what made you want to join this weird and wonderful gathering?’

  Why indeed? Jasmine hadn’t thought through an answer to that specific question. Her cover story was that she was a single cross-dresser from Hastings who worked in local government. Why would she join this largely middle-aged group of men to dress up as fake brides and go through some kind of comedy wedding?

  ‘I just like all the clothes and the make-up and the jewellery of weddings,’ she said, hoping that it sounded convincing.

  ‘Yeah, me too.’ Freddie replied, ‘It’s such a wonderful opportunity to be outrageous. Vokins didn’t like it though.’

  ‘Really?’ Jasmine replied.

  Robbie leaned towards Jasmine. ‘Freddie’s outfits and antics got up his nose and aggravated his homophobia nerve.’

  That was another phobia to add to racism and dislike of transsexuals, Jasmine noted. Was there anyone that Vokins got on with?

  ‘Well, he’s gone now,’ she commented.

  ‘Yeah, strange,’ said Freddie, ‘I never saw Valerie as suicidal.’

  ‘Why not?’ Jasmine was interested in the gay queen’s theory.

  ‘She was so confident, so full of her own importance. On top of everything and everyone. So obnoxious. Might have driven someone to murder her, but suicide. . . Well!’

  Jasmine hoped that Freddie’s musings didn’t become serious doubts about the truth of the story of Vokins’ suicide. ‘Perhaps there was another side to her,’ she said.

  Freddie shrugged and Robbie spoke up. ‘We all have that. Would you believe that Flamboyancé is really a quiet, sofa-loving sweetie. No? Well, neither do I actually.’ He laughed.

  Jasmine noticed Tammy approaching wearing what was really a very long roll-neck, red woollen jumper over black opaque tights. She again had the afro wig on.

  Jasmine greeted her. ‘Good morning, Tammy. Did you sleep well?’

  ‘Hi, Sindy. No. Samantha snored when she wasn’t throwing up.’

  ‘Oh. Sorry about that. How is she?’

  ‘Fine. Don’t think she’ll be down for breakfast though. Surviving on black instant coffee. Hi, Flambo, Rob.’

  �
�You’re sharing with Samantha, are you,’ Freddie said. ‘Poor you. Getting outed has hit her hard.’

  ‘She told me that last night,’ Jasmine said, ‘Do you know the story?’

  ‘Oh yes,’ Tammy replied, ‘She’s told everyone a hundred times.’

  ‘What happened? Samantha said that her wife found out and now wants a divorce.’

  ‘Can you believe it?’ Flamboyancé said, ‘the poor woman didn’t know anything about Sam’s cross-dressing. She’d kept it secret for years.’

  Jasmine knew of closet dressers but could not understand how they kept such a huge secret from their wives. Angela had known about her own transgender status from the first moment they had met. ‘How did she do it?’ she said.

  Tammy shook her head, ‘It is unbelievable but she says she kept all her gear in a case hidden in the garage and used to dress at meetings or in a layby on the way.’

  ‘So how did her wife find out?’ Jasmine asked.

  ‘Sam says that Vokins got hold of her home telephone and rang up to ask about her membership fee. It was overdue. He got Jill, that’s Samantha’s wife, and told her all about the Belles.’

  Jasmine could imagine the shock that the woman must have felt. ‘Did Samantha think that Vokins had rung deliberately to out her?’

  ‘I don’t know if she thought it was deliberate but Sam blamed Valerie for what happened next.’

  ‘His wife left him?’ Jasmine said.

  ‘Yes. Jill went ballistic apparently. Threw him out and is taking him to the cleaners in the divorce courts,’ Tammy said.

  ‘I think she used it as an excuse and she wanted rid of him anyway,’ Flamboyancé said.

  Robbie tut-tutted, ‘Oh, come on Freddie. You don’t know the woman.’

  ‘Well, would you want to be married to that tart?’

  Robbie chuckled. ‘Just because she rivals you in the extravagance stakes.’

  ‘Was there a reason why Valerie might have wanted to get Samantha into trouble?’ Jasmine said drawing the conversation back to the possible motive for Vokins’ murder.’

  ‘Oh, they never got on, did they?’ Robbie said, looking at the other two for agreement. ‘Samantha was flirty at the best of times but when she had a few drinks she was an outrageous slut. Valerie hated her behaviour. He always said “the Wedding Belles is a respectable organisation for men who like to dress as brides”,’ he recited in a melodramatic voice.

  Jasmine felt there was a contradiction. ‘It seems surprising that Vokins would call to remind Samantha of a late subscription if he would be happier if she wasn’t a member.’

  ‘That’s right,’ Flamboyancé squealed, ‘Perhaps Valerie did do it deliberately. The old devil.’

  Samantha certainly had a motive for wanting to kill Vokins, Jasmine decided, and she had arrived early enough to have the opportunity. It was time to have a morning update with Tom. She rose from the table. ‘I must go and start getting changed,’ she said. ‘I’m looking forward to seeing you later.’

  ‘You wait. You’ll be amazed,’ Robbie said. Flamboyancé guffawed.

  12

  Jasmine locked the door to her room and sat on the bed. She took her phone from her bag and called Tom. It rang for a few seconds before Tom answered.

  ‘Hi Jasmine. Just getting up are we?’

  ‘Actually, I have just had breakfast and an interesting chat with the Belles.’

  ‘All of them?’

  ‘Well, not at once, but I have met them all now.’

  ‘So what did you learn?’

  ‘What I’ve got to go through today.’

  There was a chuckle on the other end of the phone, ‘You mean this fake wedding ceremony?’

  ‘Yes. I am to be escorted in by the “Father of the Bride” to wedding music, repeat some vows and then walk out with my groom.’

  ‘Who’s the lucky fella?’

  ‘Robbie. He’s gay. Actually he’s a very nice bloke. How he copes with his partner, “Flamboyancé”, I don’t know.’

  ‘That’s Freddie Derham isn’t it?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘A serious suspect?’

  ‘Well, he doesn’t think much of Vokins and I don’t think they got on, but I don’t know. I can’t see him planning a murder however inept the attempt at hiding it was.’

  ‘Hmm. Any other possibilities.’

  ‘The most likely is Samantha.’

  ‘Patrick Nolan?’

  ‘Yes. He had a real grievance with Vokins which seems pretty justified from what I’ve heard. And he had the opportunity – he was one of the first here yesterday.’

  ‘See if you can get him to talk.’

  ‘I’ll have to do that before he gets at the booze. He was out of it last night. He’s probably got quite a headache this morning.’

  ‘Probably a good time to get him.’

  ‘What are you doing, Tom?’

  ‘I’m in the foyer. I relieved Sasha a while ago. Sent her home to get some sleep.’

  ‘Did she have a quiet night?’

  ‘Undisturbed but not sure about quiet. The Belles came crashing back to their rooms at various times but no one tried to get into Vokins’ suite.’

  ‘That’s a shame – we may have found our killer.’

  ‘Yes, well that’s down to you.’

  ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘Taking statements from the staff, “for the coroner”. In a while I’m going to Vokins’ home to see if there’s anything there about the Belles that may lead us to his murderer.’

  ‘You’re leaving me on my own?’

  ‘You’ll be okay. I’ll be back this evening when things might get lively again.’

  ‘Oh, I think this wedding ceremony and reception is going to be lively enough for me thanks.’

  ‘I hope you pick up some leads.’

  ‘So do I. Speak to you again soon, Tom.’ Jasmine ended the call and lay back on the bed. How was she going to get the murderer to reveal him or herself? She needed to catch them unguarded and to use her unfamiliarity to get them to talk. She sat up and looked at her watch. There was still plenty of time to get into her wedding dress before the eleven o’clock rendezvous. She would go and interrupt the Belles during their preparations. She jumped to her feet feeling enthusiastic, grabbed her keycard and let herself out of her room.

  She stood outside the door to the first room on the first floor of the Pang Wing. To her left at far end of the corridor she could see the police tape covering the door of Vokins’ suite. She composed herself and knocked. It was a few moments before there was a reply.

  ‘Who’s there?’ Jasmine recognised Richard’s voice.

  ‘It’s Sindy. I wonder whether you can help me.’

  ‘Oh, damn. Alright. Wait a moment.’

  There was another wait. Jasmine went over in her head the query she had composed for Richard/Petula.

  Eventually the door opened. Richard was wearing the hotel’s fluffy white dressing gown, but Jasmine could see he was wearing white stockings and a slip and there was a hint of cleavage and white bra or corset at the top.

  ‘What is it Sindy? There isn’t much time,’ Petula said with more than a hint of annoyance.

  Jasmine put on her sweetest smile. ‘I’m sorry to bother you, Petula, but I was just wondering, do we take it in turns to go through this ceremony thing.’

  ‘Of course you do,’

  ‘So I’ll walk in with Gerald, do the vows then go out with Robbie. Have I got it right?’

  Petula sighed. ‘Almost. Each of the brides will sit down after their vows and we all process out together at the end. Robbie will escort the lead bride. That will be me.’

  ‘Oh, does that mean it would have been Valerie that Robbie would go out with.’

  ‘That’s right.’

  ‘I got the impression that Valerie wasn’t very fond of gay men.’

  ‘She wasn’t but Robbie was the only suitable person to be the groom on this occasion. Valerie asked me to be the groo
m as I am Vice-President of the Wedding Belles, but I said no, I was going to be a bride.’

  ‘Oh, dear, I hope you didn’t have a falling out.’

  ‘We had a few words but I was adamant and he gave in.’ Petula seemed proud of her little victory.

  ‘That’s good.’

  ‘Is that all, Sindy. There is really a lot to do.’

  ‘Oh, yes, Thank you, Petula. I’m a lot clearer now. I’m sorry to disturb you.’ The door closed in her face.

  Jasmine moved to the next door but one, just in case Petula or Sally heard her knocking on their neighbour’s door. She tapped on door number 3. Again there was a long wait before a voice called, ‘Who is it?’ It was Melody’s voice.

  ‘It’s Sindy, Melody. Can you do me a favour?’

  There was a further delay before the door opened. Melody was still dressed in the same skirt and blouse she had on at breakfast. She smoothed the skirt down her legs and put a hand through her hair which had become a little dishevelled. What have you and Gerald been up to I wonder, Jasmine wondered, imagining a bit of pre-marriage nooky.

  ‘Oh, hello, Sindy, We weren’t expecting you to call.’

  ‘No, I’m sorry. Look I need to repair my nail varnish and I haven’t brought any remover. Do you have any?’

  ‘Yes, of course. I’ll get it.’ Melody turned and went into her room. Jasmine followed.

  ‘Oh, sorry Gerald, I didn’t mean to interrupt you.’

  Gerald was sitting on the bed just wearing his shirt and struggling to tug his underpants up his thighs. Jasmine didn’t see anything to make her blush.

  ‘Oh, it’s you Sindy. We thought it was the maid come to make the bed,’ Gerald said.

  ‘I’m sorry for disturbing you,’ Jasmine said, trying to avoid sounding cheeky. ‘I didn’t think.’

  Gerald waved his hand, ‘It’s quite alright.’

  ‘Lovely big double beds these rooms have,’ Jasmine said.

  ‘Yes, very, um, comfortable,’ Gerald agreed.

  ‘I expect it’s even bigger in the honeymoon suite,’ Jasmine added, ‘A shame that Vernon Vokins kept that for himself.’

  ‘Yes, well, Melody and I don’t mind, really.’

  Melody came out of the bathroom holding a plastic bottle. ‘Don’t mind what, love?’