Aunt Bessie Knows (An Isle of Man Cozy Mystery Book 11) by Diana Xarissa

Author:Diana Xarissa
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub, mobi
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2016-10-13T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

When Bessie opened her eyes as six the next morning, she was surprised that she’d managed to sleep at all. The noise coming from the guest bedroom was shockingly loud. She showered and dressed and then headed out for a long walk, hoping Hugh might wake up while she was gone. When she reached the police tape behind Thie yn Traie, she stopped and turned around. The skies were darkening and it seemed as if rain was likely. It would be good to get home. She’d only gone a few hundred paces when she heard a voice behind her.

“It’s Betsey, isn’t it?” someone called.

Bessie turned around and smiled at Sarah, who was slowly climbing down the stairs behind the mansion above them.

“Good morning,” Bessie said. “I didn’t think anyone would be awake at Thie yn Traie yet.”

“No one is, except me and some of the staff. I haven’t slept properly since, well, since the night of the party,” she replied.

Bessie thought the girl looked surprisingly well-rested for someone who wasn’t sleeping, but she kept the thought to herself. “It must have been a terrible shock to you all, losing your friend like that,” she said instead.

“Oh, yes, horrible.” Sarah shivered. “I actually felt better when I thought Nigel had done it, because he doesn’t have any reason to kill me, but now I’m ever so worried.”

“Why?”

“Oh, because Nigel has an alibi.”

“He does?” Bessie asked.

“I’m sorry. I’m just all over the place today,” the girl said. “Last night, when we were all drinking away our worries, Emma let it slip that she and Nigel were together from the time Gennifer left the great room until just before midnight when they came back to the party. That means Nigel couldn’t have killed Gennifer, and now I don’t know who did it.”

“You mustn’t worry yourself,” Bessie said soothingly. “Were you and Gennifer particularly good friends?”

Sarah laughed. “Not hardly. Gennifer barely knew I was alive. I’m not nearly attractive enough to be friends with her, no matter how much money my father has. The only reason she ever spoke to me was because she liked to shop in my store. But she wouldn’t be seen with me socially if she could avoid it.”

“So how did you end up here for New Year’s Eve?” Bessie wondered.

“Bruce invited me. I didn’t realise that it was a huge party.” The girl turned bright red. “Bruce asked if I wanted to go away for the weekend. I thought, that is, I didn’t know.” She stopped and looked down at the ground. “Everyone thought it was so very funny, the shocked look on my face when I met Bruce at the airport and they were all there, too.”

Bessie felt a flood of sympathy for the poor girl and a flash of anger at Bruce. “That was cruel of Bruce,” she said.

“He didn’t mean to be cruel,” Sarah defended him. “He just worded the invitation badly.”

Bessie bit her tongue rather than argue further. After a moment the girl sighed. “You may be right,” she admitted.

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