Hijinks & Murder by Beth Byers

Author:Beth Byers [Byers, Beth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-01-05T06:00:00+00:00

Violet and Beatrice looked over the large paper. Together they leaned back and lifted their cups, taking sanctuary in their hot drinks.

“This always makes me feel a little dirty,” Beatrice said. “Like I’m wading through the muck of someone else’s life.”

“You are,” Violet agreed. “We are. We did. We’re prying into the muck and writing it on our papers or chalkboards and dissecting their lives and it’s not a very a kind thing to do, really.”

Beatrice freshened their cups, hers of tea and Violet’s with coffee, and they both shuddered a little as they looked the list over.

“It never covers everything,” Violet said. “It doesn’t cover how Delilah is baby hungry and married for who knows how long. Months and months of realizing when the fateful day comes that yet again she isn’t with child. Or watching Phoebe grow with a baby that she’d just as soon not have.”

Beatrice winced. “That would be painful. Extraordinarily so, I would imagine.”

Violet nodded, thinking about all the women in her life pregnant or already with a child. “It doesn’t take into account the days Olly spent with his grandchildren and the love they have for him. Some of them, at least, would never consider hurting their grandfather. The very idea would be abhorrent to them.”

“These are all the surface level things we can see from the outside. When I see this, I don’t see a murder. I see a normal family. I guess it is necessary to delve a little deeper.”

“We need to know more,” Violet agreed. “We need to know if anyone was hurting financially. Who benefited from the death. If they have skeletons in their closet. And if so what those skeletons are.”

Beatrice looked the paper over again. “Or you could not. You may be invited to this house party, but you don’t have to go. You could take what you’ve learned to an investigator and give him the information and excuse yourself. You don’t have an obligation here, Vi.”

Violet sipped her coffee and realized that she knew she didn’t have to. She had no obligation like they’d pointed out time and again, but she was also sure she wouldn’t be walking away from this. She and Jack might not find out what happened to Olly Rees, but Violet wanted at least to try. To know she had done her best before she left it behind her.

Violet finished her coffee and scone with Beatrice and left the woman to her work while Violet went to hunt down Jack. She wasn’t surprised to find him with Smith.

She tossed them both the paper she and Beatrice had made.

“We had another visitor,” Jack told Violet as she curled into a chair near the fire. He and Smith were conversing near the desk in the library and Violet had thought to read and let her mind wander about the case, picking at the threads.

“All right?” Violet said, glancing between the two of them.

“An anonymous visitor who left things in the mail slot,” Jack said.

“Why is this person being anonymous?” Violet demanded.

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