Earl Grey and Shallow Graves: A British Cozy Murder Mystery with a Female Sleuth (A Waterwheel Cafe Mystery Book 1) by Victoria Tait

Author:Victoria Tait [Tait, Victoria]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781915413413
Publisher: Kanga Press
Published: 2023-05-18T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Ryan used his phone to navigate, and Keya drove them to the Spring Hills Hotel and Conference Centre just outside Lower Tadmarton, south-east of the Oxfordshire town of Banbury.

They drove between modern brick entrance columns and up a tarmac drive.

“There must be a golf course here,” Ryan commented.

Keya glanced out of the driver’s side window and spotted the fluttering red flag on top of a pole marking a hole on the golf course. There was a sandy bunker nearby. The trees on the golf course were young and small but just starting to bud.

As they approached a disappointingly modern brick building, Keya was cheered by several trees full of white or pink blossom. The entrance was in the central, double-height section of the hotel building.

“Not sure about the flags,” remarked Ryan as they walked towards the front door. The sky had darkened and three flags bearing the hotel logo were cracking against their flagpoles as they were caught by strong gusts of wind.

Inside, a young woman with long dark hair and too much eye make-up greeted them. She eyed them with alarm, and glanced around the entrance foyer as they approached her.

“We didn’t call you, did we?” she whispered.

A couple dressed in pale blue trousers with matching diamond patterned jumpers wandered by, eyeing Keya and Ryan suspiciously.

“Oh no,” moaned the receptionist. “Mrs Cleavely isn’t going to be happy about this.”

“And who is she?” asked Keya.

“The manager.”

Keya looked at Ryan before she said, “Then we’d better start with her. Where will we find her?”

“Oh. She’s busy today. She only sees people by appointment.”

Keya looked around as two smartly dressed women entered the hotel and, seeing her, turned and walked back out.

“Then we’ll have to wait here until she makes that appointment.”

The receptionist flinched and grabbed a phone on her desk. Covering the mouthpiece, Keya still heard her whisper. “Two police officers are in reception, and they’re worrying the guests.”

She put the phone down and said, “Take that corridor,” she pointed to her left, “and Mrs Cleavely will meet you.”

Keya didn’t catch what the receptionist said to herself as they walked towards the corridor entrance, but she didn’t think it was something the guests would have wanted to hear.

A middle-aged woman wearing a plain navy-blue dress and matching jacket barred their progress along the corridor.

“It’s obvious who you are,” she remarked acidly and led them into a spacious and beautifully decorated room. She did not suggest they sit on the plush light blue sofas beside the fireplace, but instead they all remained standing.

“What is the problem, officers?”

“No problem,” replied Keya in a polite, calm tone. “We’re following up some enquires and looking into the history of a woman called Katherine Dewsbury.”

The woman folded her arms and raised her eyebrows. “Landed herself in trouble, has she? Well that’s not a surprise.”

“So you do know her? Did she work here?” Keya glanced round the opulent room.

“Yes, for about nine months. She was actually excellent with the guests, it was just …” Mrs Cleavely didn’t finish her sentence.

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