A Friendly Little Murder: A Violet Carlyle Cozy Historical Mystery (The Violet Carlyle Mysteries Book 13) by Beth Byers

Author:Beth Byers [Byers, Beth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-07-27T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

“Temper, temper,” Violet murmured low, but Hamilton heard her.

“Foolishly so,” he murmured back.

Fanny was gasping, crying into Jovie’s arms. The constable had followed after Michael at Hamilton’s nod. A door down the hall opened and Ricky stepped out. He took in the scene and said nothing, but he didn’t leave either.

One of these men or women killed their friend. She shuddered as she took a terrible breath in and told herself they weren’t going to be victims of this. They were going to win. Her eyes closed and she tried to ignore Fanny’s sobs.

Motive, Violet thought. Fanny’s motive was to make it all stop with Lyle. To free herself of his endless pursuit. For Michael, the motive was sheer, unadulterated fury for whatever Lyle had been doing to Fanny. Perhaps Ricky or Gervais had fathered Pamela’s baby? If one of them knew it could be his and Lyle found out? Could he have been murdered while confronting whichever it might be?

What about that argument in the woods where someone was going to be ruined? Surely it was all wrapped up together.

Violet paused as another door opened and Gervais stepped into the hall.

“What’s all this?”

“Bit of a ruckus,” Ricky said.

“Didn’t think little Fanny would mourn Lyle like this.”

Jovie snapped, “She isn’t, you fool.”

Fanny pushed away from Jovie and rushed into her room, slamming the door behind her.

“Dramatic.” Gervais sounded almost amused.

Violet hadn’t liked him before, but at that moment? She’d have happily kneed him in the delicate area and shoved him down a short flight of stairs. Not enough to do anything more than bruise him, but she wanted him to be bruised enough for it to ache for days.

“I suggest that you close your mouth and think.” Violet snapped her mouth closed as well. They needed the dramatic revelations to trap the killer sooner, but she was just so angry.

“Think about what, my lady?” Gervais demanded. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“You were in the process of being ruined. Isn’t that what I heard?” She was nearly certain that Gervais had been there. She had seen him furiously storming off afterwards. “Maybe that’s why you killed Lyle?”

“Me?” Gervais laughed. “I would have been fine eventually. A bit of setback. Nothing more.”

“Is that why you’ve been haunting my steps more than normal this time?” Jovie asked. “Michael told you of the money from my parents, didn’t he? My aunt and uncle won’t let me have it until I marry. You thought you could marry me and have it? No.”

“No? You think you haven’t been mine for the taking this whole time?”

Jovie’s gaze narrowed. She took a deep breath in as she bit back what had to be a rabid diatribe. She cursed and then spun, running down the stairs. Vi glanced at Ham and whispered, “Gervais and Ricky are the likeliest to have fathered Pamela’s baby. Did you hear of the argument in the wood?”

He nodded. “Do you think Lyle was forcing himself on Fanny?”

Vi winced, but she shook her head. “I don’t think she’d have been able to be around him.

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