by K E O'Connor
“How long a list do you have?” I asked. “You must be interviewing Kendal’s friends. Does anyone there have a reason to want him dead?”
“That’s none of your business. Stop poking around and asking questions.”
“I haven’t been asking any questions.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Really? You weren’t just talking to Princess Alice about what she knew about Kendal?”
I glanced around the room. He really must have this place bugged. “You can’t blame me for wanting to get to the bottom of this.”
“I don’t blame you; I’m just telling you to stay out of it. I’ll handle things from here. You keep your head down and your nose clean, or you’ll look guilty.”
I gritted my teeth and resisted telling him again that I had nothing to do with this. “Come on, Meatball, let’s go to bed. That’s if it’s allowed.”
Campbell released his firm grip on my arm and stepped back. “Of course. This is for your own safety. Assuming you’re innocent, there’s a killer on the loose, and it’s quite likely they’re still around. You don’t want them to learn that you’re asking questions about what happened to Kendal. If they do, you may be the next victim.”
I swallowed as I hurried away with Meatball. Of course I didn’t want that. But I also didn’t want to wait under a cloud of suspicion while Campbell did his job.
First thing in the morning, I’d get this sorted out once and for all.
***
I was already settled at the kitchen table and enjoying a fresh out of the oven blueberry muffin topped with crystalized brown sugar when Betsy Malone strode through the door.
Betsy had worked in the castle for over twenty years. She was the head housekeeper and oversaw a team of forty cleaners. They ensured the castle was in tiptop condition, not only for the tourists but also for the residents.
Her broad face brightened when she saw me. “Have you heard the news?”
“About what was found in the woods?” I popped a piece of muffin in my mouth.
“One of Lord Rupert’s friends, so everyone’s saying.” She placed her metal carrier of neatly lined up cleaning supplies on the floor, washed her hands, and then helped herself to a muffin.
“Actually, I found the body.”
Her dark eyes widened. “Oh! You poor thing. What a terrible shock. What was it like? What did you see? Was the body horribly maimed? Was there a lot of blood?”
I couldn’t help but grin. Betsy loved nothing more than a good gossip. And she got all the best information. Her team of cleaners were trained to be discreet and silent as they went about their duties. Betsy taught them everything they knew. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was a spy herself. She had a way of popping up when you least expected her.
“I was with Princess Alice and Meatball. We saw Kendal Jakes’s hand poking out of the ground. Then the chaos started. Campbell and Saracen turned up, we were all escorted back to the castle, and then the questioning began.”
“Well I never! What would they be questioning you about?” She slapped her hands on her wide hips and stared hard at me. “They can’t think you’re a suspect.”
“I reckon Campbell thinks everyone’s guilty of doing something they shouldn’t.” I lowered my voice and glanced over my shoulder. Campbell also had an uncanny knack of turning up when you least wanted him to.
“Did you know Kendal?” Betsy asked.
“Never met him until a couple of days ago. He must have gotten on someone’s bad side.”
“I should say he did.” She tutted and shook her head. “And Lord Rupert, losing one of his friends like that. Such a shame. It breaks your heart. He’s a good man.”
“He is,” I said. “Have you been in to clean Kendal’s room today?”
“I tried, but I was sent away. Campbell’s got it under guard. I was told it’s a potential crime scene.”
“Does he think something bad happened to Kendal in his room?”
“Maybe so; I couldn’t get a real look. Not that it matters much. I had to clean the room after he arrived. He’d left it in such a mess. I could easily have swept away important evidence. I’m not taking the blame for that. I didn’t know he’d be killed.”
“What was his room like?”
“The place was a pigsty. For someone who was supposed to be from the upper class, he had absolutely no manners.”
“What did you find?”
“Damp towels thrown on the floor, underwear not put away, an open bottle of whiskey, and a half-eaten sandwich. Oh, and there was a shirt thrown on the floor with lipstick on the collar.”
“Kendal had a woman with him?”
“He must have, unless he liked to wear women’s makeup in private.” She slapped a hand on her thigh. “Imagine that! Of course, I’ve seen much worse. This posh lot get up to all sorts behind closed doors. I once catered for a party of swingers.”
“Swingers?”
“Yes! It was before my time working here. They all put their keys in a glass bowl and selected a partner for the night. I was so shocked I didn’t know where to look. Still, the pay was good and all in cash, so I chose to look the other way. Kendal wearing lipstick wouldn’t shock me. Not much does these days. Not when you’ve been around as long as I have.”
I didn’t recall seeing lipstick on Kendal’s collar when I’d met him. “What color was the shirt?”
“Pale blue. It was crumpled and several of the buttons were missing as if he’d taken it off in a hurry. Oh! Maybe it was a romantic tryst. He was getting amorous with this woman and things got out of hand.”
I tapped my fingers on the kitchen table. His friends had mentioned that he was involved with a married woman, and someone else. Izzie, I think they’d said when Kendal was being teased about his complicated love life.
Betsy finished her muffin and smacked her lips together. “Delicious.”
My thoughts remained on Kendal and this elusive woman. Maybe a jealous girlfriend was behind what had happened to him. He could have snuck this woman in, had some fun with her, and then sent her away.
I was just reaching for a second muffin when Campbell and Chef Heston strode in together.
“Gossiping again, Miss Holmes?” Campbell’s gaze went from Betsy to me.
“I never gossip,” Betsy said. “It’s not nice to talk about people behind their backs.”
Chef Heston glowered at me. “Get to work, or I’ll put a warning on your record. And you were late getting back from your deliveries yesterday. If any of the customers report that the food was stale, I’ll dock your wages. And you’ll need to stay late today. I’ve got a rush job on.”
Campbell cleared his throat. “Actually, Holly’s been helping me with inquiries regarding a ... family matter. Her working hours will need to be flexible in the short-term so she can commit to providing the family with everything they need.”
My mouth dropped open, and Chef Heston spluttered several words.
“I trust that won’t be a problem.” Campbell turned his full, scary attention to Chef Heston.
“Of course not, if it’s to assist the family.” He tightened his apron string around his waist and stepped back. “I simply haven’t been informed about this.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but one glance from Campbell had me keeping quiet. Was he standing up for me? Why would he do that? He’d made it clear that he didn’t think much of me.
“In fact, I have a few questions I need to ask you.” Campbell grabbed Chef Heston by the shoulder and led him away.
“You need to be careful of that one,” Betsy said quietly once the door had closed.
“Chef Heston or Campbell? They both terrify me in their own particular ways.”
“I’ve heard things about Campbell that’ll turn your blood to ice. That man is scary. He used to be a secret agent. He got so deep undercover on one mission that he forgot who he really was. The government lost all trace of him for almost a year until he resurfaced. He had to go through inte
nsive rehabilitation before he was deemed fit to return to duty. And I’ve heard he can speak seven different languages.”
“Only seven,” I said.
Betsy snorted a laugh. “Watch your back around him. Campbell’s like a dog with his favorite bone. When he gets the scent of something and thinks he’s right, he won’t let it drop.”
Campbell returned to the kitchen, minus Chef Heston.
“What did you do with him, hang his body in the deep freeze?” I asked.
“That’s too obvious a hiding place,” Campbell said. “He won’t be a problem anymore. I informed him that I need you available for questioning at a moment’s notice.”
Betsy pursed her lips and stared at me, warning and worry in her gaze.
“So, my alibi didn’t check out?” I asked.
“You don’t have much of an alibi.” He grabbed a muffin and left.
Betsy tutted again. “Mark my words, no good will come of an association with that man. You steer clear of Campbell.” She bustled off with her cleaning materials.
I stared at the plate of muffins and smiled. Maybe he wasn’t as scary and impenetrable as he wanted everyone to believe. If Campbell had a sweet tooth, then I had the perfect weapon to break down his defenses.
I washed up, pulled out my favorite dessert recipe book, and laid out the ingredients for the perfect salted caramel buttercream mini layered sponges.
It was time to work on getting Campbell on my side and making sure he knew that I was innocent.
Chapter 10
It was fortunate that I had no deliveries to make that morning, and I spent the whole time baking batches of bread, rolls, and cakes to sell to the tourists at lunchtime.
Whenever I had a break, I finished working on the cakes to give to Campbell. He may have been able to speak multiple languages and kill a person with a plastic spoon, but he’d never beat me when it came to killer desserts. Everyone had a weakness when it came to pudding, and I was great at remembering what made a person drool with desire.
With most of the baking and food preparation done for the lunchtime rush, I had time on my hands.
Chef Heston was out dealing with a delivery, most likely yelling at the poor driver for being late. That gave me an opportunity to pull out my sponges and finish them off with a drizzle of dark melted chocolate and a pinch of sea salt to enhance the caramel tang.
Stepping back, I ran my gaze over them. They were just like tiny delicate works of art. Now, all I needed to do was find Campbell and sweeten him up with them. Prove that I wasn’t a bad person.
I placed the cakes in a tin and secured the lid before heading outside. Campbell had made several circuits of the castle during the morning, and I’d seen him sweep past the kitchen windows on more than one occasion. Maybe he was still outside.
After walking around for a good ten minutes, there was no sign of him or his team. Perhaps they were in the woods.
I hesitated at the edge of the lawn. I didn’t dare risk going back to the scene of the crime. It could make me look guilty.
Laughter drifted toward me. I turned and spotted Lord Rupert with the gardening team.
I headed toward them, and he waved as he saw me. I hadn’t had much of a chance to speak to him last night and wanted to check he was doing okay.
“Hey, everyone.” I stopped by the newly planted garden. “This looks amazing.” A huge newly turned flower bed was full of fragrant herbs. I wasn’t a gardening expert, but I knew my herbs. There was thyme, parsley, sage, and lavender on display.
Several of the gardeners nodded and smiled at me as they tidied up their tools.
“And it’s all thanks to me not having touched a thing.” Rupert walked over, a smile on his face. “I’ve only been advising. I managed to kill half a dozen lavender plants when I transplanted them a couple of weeks ago. I put them in the wrong soil and they went into shock. Then I overwatered them, rotting the roots. So, this time, I stood back and made suggestions about where things should go. And we’ve done a decent job.”
“You’re the perfect advisor,” one of the gardeners said. “We’ll make a professional out of you one day.”
“It all looks beautiful.” My gaze ran over the myriad of purple and lush green.
“It’s a memorial garden,” Rupert said. “People can come here where it’s quiet to remember lost loved ones. They can even donate to have a plaque put on the ground with their loved one’s name on it.”
“What a nice idea. Are you thinking about having something put here for Kendal?” I asked.
“Oh! Well, I hadn’t thought about that. I mean, it’s for loved ones. Family members, really. And, I mean, Kendal was a friend, but ...” His words trailed off and he rubbed the back of his neck.
“Would you like a cake?” I gently led Rupert away from the gardeners so they wouldn’t overhear us.
“Golly! These look scrumptious. Did you make them for me?” He peered in the tin, delight in his eyes.
“They’re an experiment,” I said, not wanting to admit they were a failed bribe for Campbell.
“I’m more than willing to be your experimental guinea pig.” He selected a cake and took a bite. He closed his eyes and groaned. “Holly Holmes, you never fail to amaze me.”
“You need something to cheer you up after what happened to your friend. I bet you’re still in shock.”
He finished the cake and licked each finger clean. “You never think someone so young will go so suddenly.”
“It’s not something I can imagine,” I said. “Were you close?”
His smile was rueful. “We shared a dormitory when we were teenagers. You get to see a lot when you share a space with another teenage boy.”
I didn’t want any details about that. “You were all a part of the same gang, though. You liked hanging out with each other?”
Rupert studied the toes of his muddy boots for several seconds before looking up at me. “If I had my way, I’d never see Kendal Jakes again. Well, I guess I never will now, but I didn’t want it to end like this. I didn’t want him dead.”
Worry swirled through me. “You didn’t get on when you were at school?”
“I wasn’t always this ...” He waved a hand up and down his torso. “I mean to say, people change. Everyone grows at different rates, and sometimes, it takes a while to figure out your way in the world. I was never a natural athlete or hugely academic. My old school was competitive. I felt like I wasn’t good enough. That brought me to the attention of people who were better than me. Survival of the fittest you might say.”
“You think Kendal was better than you because he was good at sports and got an A grade on his papers?” Irritation made my cheeks flush.
“Oh, it wasn’t just that. Kendal had this natural charm with people. He had a way to get anyone to like him. Well, almost anyone.”
“You saw through him,” I said. “If anything, that makes you the better person. You saw the truth about Kendal. From what I’ve learned about him, he wasn’t a good friend to you.”
“Oh, well, I’ve heard it said before that children can be very cruel. And Kendal was particularly cruel.” His gaze was full of guilt. “But I still don’t want him dead, and I certainly never killed him.”
“I can’t imagine you’d ever want to harm anyone.” I smiled warmly at him.
“Too much of a wet blanket. My father often used to say that about me. Too soft for my own good.”
“No! You’re nothing of the sort.” I touched his arm. “Kindness is a strength. And you have it in bucket loads. Here, have another cake.” I thrust the tin at him.
“You spoil me.” Rupert took another cake. “That’s very sweet of you.”
I wasn’t doing it because I felt sorry for him. Rupert was a genuinely nice guy. He was handsome, clever, and always looking out for others. I swiftly stowed those thoughts away. There was no point in getting a crush on a member of the family. “Have you heard how the investigation’s going?”
“No, no
thing new from Campbell. He’s keeping the Duke and Duchess informed.”
“He didn’t tell me much about what actually happened to Kendal. What did he tell you when you spoke to him?” I asked.
“Oh! He was open with me. Kendal was hit on the head by something hard. He was probably drunk when he was attacked. We told him to pace himself, but Kendal always said he could hold his drink. Hopefully, the alcohol numbed his senses, so he didn’t know what was going on. That’s what I like to think, anyway.”
“What time did Kendal die? Does Campbell know?”
“Between about midnight and two in the morning,” Rupert said. “The last time any of us saw him it was around eleven thirty.”
That definitely excluded me from being a suspect. I was in my room all night with Meatball from nine. I was an early bird and most productive in the morning. If I was ever going to commit a murder, it would be at dawn when I had my wits about me.
“Did Campbell ask where you were at the time of Kendal’s murder?”
“Absolutely. I’d expect nothing less of him. He wouldn’t be doing his job properly if he didn’t ask where we all were. I’m assuming he asked you as well.”
“He did. My alibi’s solid. Well, solid in the fact I was home alone.”
He chuckled. “Holly, I can’t imagine a less likely killer. I was with the other guys. Although there was half an hour when two of them went missing. Campbell was interested in that.”
“Why did you split up?”
“Chris and Simon went to the kitchen because they got hungry. I didn’t think it was odd. I still don’t. No one in the party would want to kill Kendal. He could be jolly annoying, but that was always how he was. We got used to it over the years.”
“The night I met Kendal and your friends, you were joking about Kendal being a ladies’ man.”
“Oh dear. I thought he’d overstepped the mark with you. I suggested he come and apologize, but he was having none of it.”
I shook my head. “I’m not bothered about that, but was he seeing anyone special? Maybe someone he snuck into the castle because he couldn’t bear to be away from her for a night.”
