Murder in the Countryside: An utterly gripping historical English cozy murder mystery by Helena Dixon

Author:Helena Dixon [Dixon, Helena]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2024-09-04T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

‘I hope she will be all right there by herself,’ Kitty said as they walked to the cars. ‘She is such a frail little thing.’

‘But she must also be considered a suspect along with several other people,’ Matt reminded her as he slid into the passenger seat of her car.

Since this mirrored her own earlier thoughts, Kitty conceded this was true as she restarted her car to follow the chief inspector to Blossomdown. Matt’s earlier telephone call there would have no doubt sent ripples all around the Blake family about what could have happened to Micah.

Mrs Blake had the door to the farmhouse open as soon as the cars entered the yard. She was waiting on the step, anxiety written large across her pleasant features as they made their way towards her.

‘Good afternoon, Chief Inspector, Captain Bryant, Mrs Bryant. We’ve been all agog ever since we received Captain Bryant’s telephone call asking for help at Wassail Farm,’ Mrs Blake explained, leading them into the drawing room where Hedley and Saul were already seated and waiting.

‘We thought as we should be here,’ Hedley explained, after shaking hands with everyone. ‘I thought as something bad must have happened if Jim’s aid were needed with the cows.’

Kitty tucked herself quietly on a chair in the corner of the room, while Chief Inspector Greville took his place on the end of the sofa. He took out his notebook and flicked it open. Matt had found a seat near Kitty.

‘I’m sorry to have to tell you all that Mr Micah Blake was found dead this afternoon in the woods at the top of the hill behind Wassail Farm,’ the chief inspector said.

‘Micah. Dead?’ Saul looked stunned. ‘How? An accident? Suicide?’

All of the members of the Blake family stared at the chief inspector.

‘Murder.’ The policeman’s face was grave.

There were a few seconds of shocked silence before Hedley spoke. ‘Murder? How?’

‘It seems your nephew had taken some snares to trap a fox that had been taking chickens from Wassail Farm. While out in the wood he was shot at close range with his own shotgun, his foot placed in a steel trap and the scene made to look as if an accident had occurred.’ The chief inspector stared at the assembled Blake family.

Saul looked as if he might be sick at hearing the chief inspector’s description of how his older brother had been killed.

‘You are certain that it wasn’t an accident?’ he asked. ‘He didn’t catch his foot and fall? It just seems so incredible coming so soon after what happened to Father.’

‘We are quite sure, Mr Blake. The doctor confirmed our initial suspicions when he attended. I’m afraid your brother was murdered.’

‘I don’t understand at all. Why would Micah be killed? We had all been thinking that perhaps…’ Norma’s voice tailed away under the gaze of her husband and nephew.

‘You had all thought that perhaps it was Micah who may have killed his father?’ Chief Inspector Greville finished Norma’s sentence.

Bright red patches appeared on Norma’s cheeks.

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