Murder on a Melbourne Tram by Brigid George

Author:Brigid George [George, Brigid]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: murder, Mystery, whodunit, Cozy, Women Sleuths, crime fiction, Australia
Publisher: Potoroo Press
Published: 2022-03-24T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 24

They had just arrived at the food garden at the back of the property when Cheyenne sensed the arrival of Ben. She turned and ran to him. He greeted the bloodhound by dropping down to her eye level and rubbing her head affectionately.

“I hope she’s been a good girl.” He rose to his feet and smiled a greeting at Dusty and Sean. “I told her to stay here while I ducked down to the bank.”

“She’s been an angel,” Sean assured him as they strolled between the herb beds.

“And now, according to Mr Maze Master here,” Dusty gestured at Sean, “she’s taking me to see something special.”

They were at the northern end of the herb garden which was marked by a luxuriant grapevine. Its foliage completely obscured whatever structure was supporting it. When Dusty followed Cheyenne around the grapevine, she saw what else its vigorous growth was concealing.

Her mouth dropped open. “No!” She turned wide-eyed to stare at Sean. “A tram!”

“A Melbourne W-Class tram.” Ben beamed. He bowed slightly and extended a hand in dramatic style as an invitation for Dusty to inspect the tram.

Sean’s brow furrowed. “What does that mean; W-Class?”

“It’s a particular category of trams built in the 1920s up to the late fifties.” Ben was keen to impart his knowledge. “AusBoss Network bought it to use in a TV show. Afterward Brian had it brought here. It’s a bit like a summer house.”

“The green and yellow colour blends in so well in the garden,” said Dusty as she walked along the side of the tram craning her neck to peer through the windows. “I had no idea it was here.”

“Neither did I.” Sean turned to glance up at the second floor of the Villa. “Even looking down through the window of my room, it’s hard to spot because of the tree canopies.” He jerked his head toward the fruit trees on either side of the tram. “I did see some of the roof and wondered what it was. When I came down to check it out, Cheyenne met me at the back steps.”

“It’s not a full tram, is it?” Dusty stood back and assessed the vehicle’s size.

“No. It’s a truncated tram.” The disembodied voice gave them all a start. The door to the driver’s cabin at the front of the tram opened. Butler smiled out at them. “I was taking a few quiet moments on my own but do come on board and have a look around.” His smile broadened to reinforce his welcome.

“For me, duty calls,” said Ben. “Enjoy your ride.”

After waving goodbye to Ben and Cheyenne, Dusty and Sean followed Butler through to the interior of the tram.

“It’s well fitted out inside,” he said, admiration reflected in his tone. “A professional kitchen and a seating area. Small but luxurious. I’ve always loved trams but I’ve never seen a converted one before. I discovered it when I was taking a walk around the grounds.”

“What a fun place.” Dusty skipped through to the rear end of the tram where two French chaise longues lined the walls of the vehicle.

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