1 Aunt Bessie Assumes (25 page)

Bessie sighed.  “Maybe my first assumption
was correct, then,” she said. “Maybe Samantha saw Danny's killer and that’s
what got her killed.”

“Or Samantha killed Danny and someone killed her
for revenge,” Doona suggested.
 

“Well, she did have means and opportunity,” Hugh
told them.
 
“Just like everyone
else.”

“But what could have been her motive?” Bessie
demanded.

“If she didn’t know about the trusts either,
maybe she thought she’d get Donny a fortune if she killed Danny,” Doona
speculated.
 

“Sees a bit extreme, killing someone to help out
your boyfriend,” Bessie said thoughtfully.
 
“Samantha didn’t seem stupid to me.
 
If she was going to kill Danny for Donny’s benefit, I think she’d have
made sure she married Donny first.”

“Just for the record,” Hugh inserted, “Samantha
had the best alibi for Danny’s murder.
 
She wasn’t feeling well at dinner and went straight to bed
afterwards.
 
Danny went out for his
walk about an hour later and by that time Samantha had already asked one of the
maids to bring her some headache tablets due to a severe migraine.
  
Assuming she took the tablets they
gave her, it’s a fair bet she was fast asleep all night.
 
While it’s just possible that she was
faking it and managed to sneak out, murder Danny and then sneak back in, it
seems pretty unlikely.”

“What if,” Doona said excitedly, “Samantha was
the real target and Danny's killing was just meant to distract us?”

“That seems a little farfetched,” Bessie
answered.

“But it's possible,” Doona insisted.

Hugh shook his head, but Bessie spoke first.
 “Ok, if we assume that Samantha was the real target, who had a motive?”

The three looked from one to another.  

“From what we've uncovered in the investigation
to date,” Hugh said finally, “I don't think anyone had much of a motive.”
 

“Vikky did,” Doona asserted.  “She was
after Donny and Samantha was in the way.”  

“Maybe,” Hugh said, doubt obvious in his
tone.
 
“But only after Danny was
dead.”

“I'm getting awfully tired,” Bessie told the
others.  “Before I fall asleep in my chair, what has Jack White been
saying?”

“As I understand it,” Hugh answered, “he's been
saying plenty, but only to Inspector Kelly and the Chief Constable and they
surely aren't talking.” 

Bessie sighed.  “Inspector Rockwell
probably knows what he's said, as well.
 
It’s too bad he had to leave.”

“He wouldn't have told us anyway,” Doona said.
 “Remember what he said about talking to civilians.”

Bessie sighed again.  “I still wish I knew
what our friendly neighbourhood chemist had to say.”

“Let's think about the attack on you,” Doona
suggested.

“Must we?” Bessie asked.

“Yes,” Doona said firmly.  “Clearly
everyone had the means to carry that out.  We don't have any one-armed
suspects.  As I understand it, none of the usual suspects has anything
like an alibi, either.”  She looked questioningly at Hugh.

Hugh shrugged.  “Everyone claims they were
doing this or that, but any one of them could have slipped out, given you a
shove and got back inside without anyone else noticing.” 

“What about Mr. Pierce?” Bessie asked.  “He
was out taking a drive while I was there.”

“Actually, he arrived back home just before
Vikky's shouting match with the reporters at the gate.  His arrival was
what had them out of their car in the first place.  You heard Robert
getting called to deal with the matter, so we know that Mr. Pierce was home
before you fell.”

“But surely that means that Robert couldn't have
done it, if he was dealing with Vikky.  And it must let Vikky off the hook
as well?” Bessie asked.

“Inspector Rockwell drew up a comprehensive
timeline of events for the afternoon.  According to that, no one is in the
clear,” Hugh told her.

“But,” Bessie began, but Hugh held up a hand.
 

“Robert's phone shows that he was called at
fifteen-twenty-seven, but he didn't show up on the security camera at the gate
until fifteen-thirty-five.  He can't seem to account for the discrepancy.
 As for Miss Vikky, as soon as Robert showed up, she ran off sobbing.
 She would have had just about enough time to get around the back and give
you a push.
 
Unfortunately, I can’t
be exact enough about the time you fell to narrow the suspects down any
further.”

“Never mind that,” Bessie patted his hand.
 
“What sort of mood was Mr. Pierce in
when you talked to him after you found me?”

“I'm not sure that drunk to nearly incapacitated
is a mood,” Hugh answered, “but that was what he was.”

“I thought he went out for a drive,” Bessie said.

“He did; I just wish one of our patrols had seen
him go by and stopped him.  No doubt his hotshot lawyers would have got
him off, but we might have been able to make him sweat a bit.  There's no
way he should have been driving, although I gather he'd welcomed himself home
with another double whisky before I got there.”

“Maybe I'm just overtired or over-medicated,” Bessie
told the others, “but I'm feeling befuddled.”

“We need to let you get some sleep, then,” Doona
said.  “Let's get you up to bed and all tucked in.”

Bessie was in too much pain to argue.  She
let Doona lead her up the stairs, climbing slowly with one hand firmly gripping
the handrail.  In spite of her protests that she could manage, Doona
insisted on helping her change and supervised her while she brushed her teeth
and washed her face.

“Honestly, I'm not five years old and I'm not an
invalid,” Bessie grumbled as Doona helped her climb into bed.

“You snuggle down,” Doona said soothingly.
 “I'll go and get your painkillers.” 

Bessie was still struggling to find a
comfortable position when Doona returned.  She swallowed the proffered
tablet without complaint.

“I'll be sleeping in the spare room,” Doona told
Bessie as she tucked the covers around her.  “Hugh will be on the couch.
 Just shout if you need anything.”

“You both don't have to stay,” Bessie said.
 “I'm sure I'll be fine.”

“Yes, well, we're staying and there's no point
in you arguing.”  

Doona started to leave, but Bessie caught her
hand.  “Thank you,” she said softly.

“You're very welcome,” Doona replied, giving
Bessie's hand a gentle squeeze before she left, softly pulling the door shut
behind her.  

Bessie was vaguely aware of Doona checking on
her once or twice in the night.  She obediently took a second pain tablet
at some point as well.  

The sun was shining at her window when Bessie
finally woke up properly the next morning.
 
Doona was sitting in a chair next to the bed.

“What time is it?” Bessie croaked through dry
lips.

“Nearly nine,” Doona answered.  “If you’re
ready to get up now I'll help you through the shower.”  

Bessie wanted to argue, but as she struggled out
of bed she realised that Doona was right.  She was going to need a helping
hand this morning.

Doona was brisk and efficient as she helped
Bessie through her morning routine, an attitude that did much to assuage
Bessie's embarrassment as they went along.  In less time than she thought
possible, Bessie was showered and dressed and on her way down the stairs for
some breakfast.  

As the two women reached the bottom of the
steps, they looked at each other and giggled.  Hugh's loud snores were
nearly shaking the cottage's foundations.

“I almost took one if your tablets to help me
sleep,” Doona told Bessie.
 
“That
snoring kept me awake all night.”

“I don't understand why it doesn't keep him
awake,” Bessie replied.

“I guess he's used to it,” Doona shrugged.
 
“I feel sorry for any woman he gets
involved with, though.”

Bessie grinned at her friend and the pair headed
into the kitchen.  Doona popped the kettle on and plugged in the toaster.
 

“If you want anything more exotic than toast or
cereal,” she told Bessie,
 
“you'll
have to wait and see if Hugh can make it. I don't cook in the morning, not even
when I'm looking after my friends.”

“Toast and some juice is fine
with me,” she told Doona.
 
“I'm not
a big breakfast eater really, but I know I'm supposed to eat something, so I
always force myself.”

The ladies were on their
second cup of tea when Hugh finally appeared in the doorway, scratching his
head and frowning.
 
“I meant to be
up hours ago,” he said apologetically.
 
“I know it’s Sunday, but it feels like we should all be up and doing
something.”

Doona smiled.
 
“I’ve been thinking that same thing,”
she said.
 
“I think we need to set a
trap for the killer.”

Hugh raised his eyebrows as
he made himself some tea.
 
“That
sounds dangerous.”

“It won’t be,” Doona
promised.
 
“Look, we know the killer
is someone at Thie yn Traie, right?”

“I’m not sure ‘know’ is the
right word,” Bessie answered.
 
“I
mean
,
we don’t know what Jack White has been
saying.
 
Inspector Kelly seems to
think that he’s the guilty party.”

“If they were sure he was guilty, they
would have already made a big announcement about his arrest,” Doona
replied.
 
“I’m sure he’s guilty of
lots of other things, but they can’t have found any evidence to tie him to the
murders or else we would all know about it.
 
No, the murderer has to be someone from
the Pierce family circle.”

“Even if we agree with you, so what?” Hugh
asked as he buttered himself four slices of toast.

“Whoever it is, they already tried to get
rid of Bessie once.
 
I think we
should give him or her another chance.”

“Excuse me?” Bessie said sharply.
 

“We won’t really let you get killed,”
Doona assured her.

“Oh, well, thanks very much for that,”
Bessie said sarcastically.

Doona laughed.
 
“No, really, what we need to do is tell
everyone at Thie yn Traie that we have to leave you alone for a short
time.
 
Hopefully, the murderer will
see that as his or her chance to finish you off.
 
Hugh and I will really be here the whole
time, of course.
 
We’ll be able to
stop whoever it is before you get hurt.”

Hugh shook his head.
 
“Too dangerous,” he said firmly.
 
“Bessie’s already all beat up.
 
I don’t want to put her in any more
danger.”

“But this could be our chance to catch the
killer,” Doona argued.
 
“It would be
good for your career, besides getting a killer locked away.”

“My career isn’t as important as Bessie’s
health,” Hugh said testily.
 
“Your
proposal is too risky.”

As Doona started to speak again, Bessie
held up a hand.
 
“Stop arguing about
this like I’m not even here,” she said.
 
She took a sip of tea, glaring at each of them in turn when it looked
like they might try to speak.
 

“Right, then,” Bessie said
eventually.
 
“Let’s talk about this
like adults, instead of squabbling like children.”
 
She held up a hand as both Doona and
Hugh opened their mouths.
 

“Don’t argue,” she said.
 
“Doona, I think your idea has some
merit, but Hugh, I also understand your concerns.
 
Let’s see if we can come up with a way
to put the plan into place while minimising the risks, shall we?”

“I don’t like it,” Hugh muttered.

“I don’t like it, either,” Bessie
answered.
 
“But I also don’t like
trying to sleep at night knowing that there is a murderer out there somewhere,
probably close by.
 
I’m sure that
Inspector Rockwell will figure it all out eventually, but if we can take a
shortcut somehow, it may be worth it.”

“Maybe we should call Inspector Rockwell
and see what he thinks of the idea,” Hugh suggested.

“I don’t think we should disturb the inspector
on a Sunday,” Doona said.
 
“Let him
have some time at home with his family.
 
If we can pull this off, we’ll have to call him later, anyway.”

“That is such a big ‘if,’” Bessie
sighed.
 
“Wasn’t it you who warned
me about getting all caught up in being Miss Marple when this all started?” she
asked Doona.
 
“Now who’s trying to play
at being the detective?”