The Rhodes Case

by Diana Xarissa

  “What happened?”

  “He tripped over a kerb,” Edward said, sounding annoyed. “Somehow he managed to smash his face into a lamp post on his way to the ground.”

  “Oh, dear.”

  “He gave himself a bloody nose, but at least it isn’t broken. He also managed to tear out the knees in his trousers and bleed all over his shirt. We had to come back here. Mostly, he looks as if he’s been in a terrible fight.”

  “The poor man.”

  Edward rolled his eyes. “He’d been drinking, of course. I should have taken him to some remote island in the Hebrides where it would just be me and him and a dozen sheep. Coming here was a mistake.”

  “I’m sorry,” Janet said.

  Edward smiled at her. “It’s not your fault at all,” he said in a low voice. “It’s my fault for giving into temptation. I wanted to see you so badly that I was willing to jeopardise my job in order to make it happen.” He sighed. “Let’s just run away together, right now.”

  “You know I can’t do that.”

  “I wonder if I can change your mind,” Edward said. He pulled her close and kissed her, gently at first, and then with more passion. For a moment, Janet forgot about everything and got lost in the kiss.

  “Hooray,” a loud voice said. “I knew you two were perfect for one another.”

  Edward lifted his head and sighed. “Why aren’t you upstairs cleaning yourself up?” he asked Reuben.

  “Because you have my keys,” Reuben replied, laughing.

  Janet did her best not to stare at the man, but he did look as if he’d been in a fight. His nose was caked with dried blood and Janet was sure it looked slightly crooked, as well. There were bloodstains all over his shirt and on his trousers, which were both torn and filthy.

  “The other guy looks worse,” Reuben told her as Edward handed him his room key.

  Edward chuckled. “As the other guy was a lamp post, and it was still standing as you limped away, I don’t agree.”

  Reuben shrugged. “You know I’m going to tell my own version of events and that it’s going to be a good deal more interesting than what actually happened.”

  “Yes, I know,” Edward sighed.

  Reuben turned back around and started back up the stairs. “You should take her out to dinner,” he called over his shoulder. “I don’t want to go back out tonight. I hope I can get something delivered here for my dinner.”

  “If you won’t run away with me, will you please have dinner with me?” Edward asked after Reuben had disappeared.

  “Joan is cooking.”

  “Is she making enough for four?”

  “I doubt it. She wasn’t expecting you and Reuben.”

  “Then maybe she could feed Reuben and you and I could go to that little French restaurant that we both like so much.”

  Janet hesitated. Not only was Joan cooking, she was making apple crumble. On the other hand, she probably wanted to talk more about the carriage house. Having dinner with Edward would let Janet escape that conversation for a short while, anyway. “Let me see what Joan thinks,” she told Edward.

  He followed her into the kitchen.

  “Reuben tripped over a kerb and hurt himself,” Janet began. “He doesn’t want to go back out again today. I thought maybe he could have dinner here.”

  “I suppose so,” Joan said. “There should be enough stew for three.” She looked over at Edward. “Or are you suggesting that I need enough for four?”

  “I thought I would make your life easier and take Janet out for dinner,” Edward told her. “If you have enough for three, maybe you could invite Michael to join you again.”

  That was clever, Janet thought. Joan wouldn’t complain nearly as much about Janet going out if she could see Michael tonight.

  “But I’m making apple crumble,” Joan told Janet.

  “Save me a piece,” Janet told her. “It’s just as good cold with custard. I’ll have it when Edward and I get back.”

  Joan frowned and then nodded. “I suppose you two do have things you need to discuss.”

  “Do we?” Edward asked.

  “Safe combinations, for one thing,” Janet muttered. During Edward’s first visit, he had opened the small safe that was hidden behind a painting in the house’s library. When he’d left, he’d given Janet a combination, but it hadn’t been the right one. Since then, he’d been evasive about the correct combination every time the subject had come up. For all the sisters knew, the safe was empty, but they still wanted quite badly to open it.

  “I wasn’t able to check my files before this trip,” Edward said apologetically. “I promise you that I’ll find it before the end of the year.”

  “It’s only January,” Janet reminded him.

  “So I have some time,” Edward laughed.

  “I’ll ring Michael,” Joan said.

  A short while later, everything was arranged. Michael arrived within minutes of Joan’s call, leaving Janet rushing to get ready for her dinner with Edward.

  “What should I wear?” she asked Aggie.

  Aggie shrugged and then went back to watching the birds out the window. Janet flipped through her wardrobe and eventually settled on a dark blue dress that seemed to bring out the blue in her eyes. She tried putting her hair up, but it didn’t look right. Janet and Joan had always worn their hair in similar styles, but Joan had recently had her bob cut into a short style that suited her thin face. Janet thought the style was perfect for Joan, but couldn’t imagine it for herself. She ran her fingers through her hair and then touched up her makeup, adding a bit of dark eyeshadow to her eyelids and a fresh coat of lipstick.

  “I know I’m meant to have a different look for night,” she told Aggie, “but I’ve never really been good at makeup. Primary school children don’t care.”

  Aggie was intent on a small blackbird and didn’t even glance at Janet as she picked up her handbag and slid on her shoes. “Be a good kitten, then,” Janet said. “I won’t be late.”

  “You look lovely,” Edward said as Janet joined him in the sitting room.

  “You two are perfect together,” Reuben said. “I want an invitation to the wedding when it happens.”

  “I hardly think that’s likely,” Janet laughed.

  “Edward needs a wife,” Reuben countered. “He works too hard.”

  “I can’t argue with that,” Edward said softly. “Shall we?” He offered Janet his arm, which she took.

  “Joan, I’m going,” she called loudly.

  “You mustn’t shout,” Joan admonished as she walked into the room. “I was just putting the crumble in the oven.”

  “Don’t forget to save some for me,” Janet told her.

  “You’ll just have to hope that Michael and Reuben don’t get too greedy,” Joan replied.

  Janet made a face.

  “I promise you a delicious pudding,” Edward told her. “They may even do something with apples.”

  Janet nodded. “It still won’t be Joan’s apple crumble, though,” she sighed.

  Edward laughed. “Let’s go before you change your mind.”

  He led her to the expensive black luxury car in the car park. Janet slid inside and sighed. She loved her little red car, but the thickly padded leather seats of Edward’s car were wonderful.

  “Would you prefer a car like this one?” Edward asked as he started the engine.

  “No, not really. The seats are really comfortable, but my car is more fun.”

  Edward laughed. “I should have asked you to drive, or maybe asked if I could drive your car.”

  “It’s not too late,” Janet said as he pulled the car onto the main road.

  “Next time,” he told her. “Maybe before I go.”

  “As you paid for the car, I shall let you drive it whenever you want.”

  “What does Joan think of it?”

  “She thinks it’s too small and not very comfortable.”

  “Why am I not surprised?” Edward chuckled.

&
nbsp; The drive into Doveby Dale didn’t take long. Edward parked in the restaurant’s small car park and then helped Janet out of the car.

  “Have I mentioned that you look lovely?” he asked her as he offered his arm.

  “You have, but feel free to say it again and again.”

  “Mr. Bennett, we have your table ready,” they were told as they walked into the restaurant.

  “It’s a good thing you didn’t bring Reuben here,” Janet said as they followed the man across the room.

  “If I were going to bring him, I’d have warned them when I made the booking,” Edward said. “They’ve always been very accommodating in the past.”

  Janet bit her tongue. Edward wasn’t going to answer any of her questions anyway, so it was best not to ask.

  They were shown to a quiet table in the very back of the room. Janet read through the menu and then had an extensive conversation with their waiter about the day’s specials. When they’d both ordered and the waiter had gone, Edward took her hand.

  “I’d forgotten how good your French is,” he said softly.

  “I’m sure I told you that Joan and I taught English in France for a few years. When we came back to the UK, I taught French until my retirement. I’m out of practice now, though. I don’t get many opportunities to use French anymore.”

  “We could go to Paris,” Edward offered. “Or elsewhere in France if you’d prefer. Paris would be my first choice, as it’s very romantic.”

  Janet blushed. “I’m not ready to travel anywhere with you.”

  He nodded. “I understand. I’m sure you don’t know what to believe about me, and that you may not even trust me. I hope I’m going to be able to change that in the near future, though.”

  “Your drinks,” the waiter said, putting glasses on the table. As Edward was driving, he’d opted for a soft drink, but Janet had ordered a glass of wine. As the waiter walked away, Edward spoke again.

  “I am eager to gain your trust. You should know that I would never do anything to put you in danger. It worries me that you might actually think that I would bring a man wanted for murder to stay at Doveby House.”

  Chapter 9

  “You’ve been talking to Robert,” Janet said after taking a sip of wine. She wasn’t so much thirsty as stalling for time.

  Edward nodded. “We speak fairly regularly, actually, especially when I’m in the area.”

  Janet flushed. “I never truly thought that Reuben was Everett Fox,” she said, mostly truthfully.

  “So it was Joan who was concerned?”

  “We were both concerned,” Janet admitted. “You’re so secretive and mysterious all the time that we never know what to think. If you’ve seen pictures of Everett Fox, you have to admit that he does look a little bit like Reuben, too.”

  Edward frowned at her and then grinned. “Actually, he does, rather. I teased him about it after I spoke to Robert. I can’t tell you anything about the man or why I’ve brought him to Doveby House, but I can promise you that he isn’t a danger to anyone in Doveby Dale and that he hasn’t been breaking into homes in the area, either.”

  “It does seem as if he might be a danger to lamp posts,” Janet suggested.

  Edward laughed. “You’re right about that. I’m afraid I may be in some trouble over his accident. People aren’t going to be happy about the state of his face.”

  “It wasn’t your fault, though.”

  “I know, but perhaps I shouldn’t have been letting the man drink as much as I have been. It was just easier than arguing with him, but after the accident I told him that the drinking needs to stop.”

  “Do you have any idea where Everett Fox might be?”

  “None at all,” Edward said. “I do know that the hunt for him is currently focussed on London, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s there.”

  “I wondered about his escape and then the sudden rash of burglaries here in Doveby Dale.”

  “I don’t think Everett is behind the burglaries here. He usually hits much larger targets. If some of the area’s stately homes were being hit, I’d be looking for Everett. I know the painting that was stolen was fairly valuable, but I also think Everett would have cleared the entire house, not just taken a single painting. There were a few other small items that could have made the burglar some extra cash if he or she had grabbed them.”

  “Do you think the items were stolen to order, then?”

  “Not in this case. I don’t think enough people knew about the painting for it to turn up on someone’s wish list. It’s possible, of course, that a family member or close friend saw it and wanted it for him or herself. Someone could have hired an expert to acquire it for them, but I’m inclined to believe that the thief spotted it, had a rough idea of its value, and then grabbed it.”

  Their starters were delivered while Janet gave the idea some thought. “So you need to work out who has been in the house recently who might have seen the painting and decided to take it.”

  “Robert is working through the list. You’d be surprised how many workmen and women of various sorts get invited into people’s homes every day.”

  “That’s a scary thought.”

  “Of course, one family had just had a new kitchen fitted and the other had a new bathroom installed not long ago. Those sorts of jobs bring many different people into a home during the project.”

  “Joan and I met Adam Lloyd and Gilbert Gordon today,” Janet said. She didn’t bother to explain who they were, assuming that Edward was well aware of the finer details of the case.

  “How did you happen to meet them?”

  “Joan is thinking about turning the carriage house into a self-catering unit. She wanted an idea of what adding a small kitchen to the building would cost.”

  “Adam did the kitchen at Doveby House. He does very good work.”

  “We didn’t know that until we spoke to him today. Joan agrees completely. If we do decide to do up the carriage house, we’ll have them do the kitchen for sure.”

  “What did you think of Gil?”

  “He seemed nice enough.”

  “He’s something of a local expert in antiques.”

  “Really? He told us that he doesn’t know anything about them,” Janet frowned.

  “He frequents the auctions in Derby,” Edward told her. “He often buys things at car boot sales or local estate sales and then brings them to the auctions. I understand he has a very good eye for quality.”

  “He was very nice, and I don’t think he’s responsible for the break-ins,” Janet said stoutly.

  Edward nodded. “I do value your opinion. The only worrying thing about him is that he told you he doesn’t know anything about antiques.”

  “We mentioned having a carriage house full of boxes of stuff. Maybe he was worried that we’d ask him to sort through it all for us.”

  The waiter took away their empty plates and replaced them with their main course. Janet’s mouth watered as she took a deep breath.

  “I hope you aren’t too disappointed that you’re missing out on whatever Joan prepared for tonight,” Edward said.

  Janet swallowed her first delicious bite before she replied. “Not disappointed at all, not even if I don’t get any apple crumble.”

  When her plate was nearly empty, she picked the conversation back up from where it had lapsed. “So, who do you think is behind the break-ins?”

  Edward shrugged. “As I said, Robert is going through the list of people who visited each of the houses in the past six months. If he doesn’t find any likely suspects there, he’ll go back even further. Right now, I believe he’s looking quite closely at the plumber who did both jobs.”

  “Interesting,” Janet said. She wondered how difficult it would be to track down the right plumber. The sink in her en-suite sometimes dripped a little bit. Maybe it was time to get that repaired.

  “I think you should stay away from the investigation,” Edward told her, taking her hand. “I worry about you. So far t
he burglar has had good luck, getting into homes and getting what he or she wanted without being disturbed. We don’t know how inclined towards violence he or she might be.”

  “Did you want to see the sweet menu?” the waiter asked.

  “Yes, please,” Edward said.

  “I’m very full,” Janet objected.

  “It can’t hurt to look,” the waiter told her, handing her the menu.

  The apple tart sounded so good that Janet found herself ordering it in spite of her full tummy. Edward ordered the chocolate mousse.

  “I’m hoping you might share a bite of yours with me,” he told her as the waiter walked away. “I’m willing to trade two bites of mine for one bite of yours.”

  “That seems a good deal,” Janet laughed.

  Pudding was every bit as delicious as Janet had hoped, maybe even as good as Joan’s apple crumble. When she was done with her tart, she sat back from the table and sighed.

  “Wonderful, all of it.”

  “We’ll have to do this more often once I’m retired.”

  “Which will be when?”

  “Soon, actually. I’ve a few little jobs to work through, small things that I started some time back that need wrapping up, but I’m hoping to have some time in Doveby Dale between jobs, and once the last one is finished I should be here for good.”

  “You’ll get bored,” Janet suggested. “You’re used to jetting around the world and dealing with matters of international importance. What will you do in Doveby Dale all day?”

  “I’m hoping to spend time getting to know you. Perhaps, once we’re better acquainted, we could travel together. It might be nice to see the world as a tourist for a change.”

  “I’ve never really been anywhere,” Janet told him. “I’ve never been on an airplane.”

  “Yes, you mentioned that before. It is possible to get anywhere in the world by other means, but I’m sure you could learn to tolerate flying, given enough incentive.”

  “Maybe.”

  “We need to have this conversation after I retire,” Edward sighed. “Otherwise, I shall simply give my notice tonight and whisk you away tomorrow. That wouldn’t be good for anyone, really.”