The Moody Case

by Diana Xarissa

  “She’s simply always hungry,” Joan said.

  “Not always, just usually.”

  Joan laughed. “The same could be said for her owner.”

  “Now that you mention it, I am hungry.”

  “We can just do cold sandwiches if you want to eat in a hurry,” Joan suggested.

  “That sounds good.”

  After lunch, Janet headed to the library. Once she and Aggie were inside, she shut the door. Their guests would probably be out all day, so she wasn’t really hiding from them, she told herself, just staying out of their way if they happened to come back to the house for some reason. The current guests were unusual ones. Most often it seemed as if couples came to stay, but at the moment they had two single men visiting, one in each of the two guest rooms. Janet hadn’t really spoken to either of them beyond an initial hello.

  They’d both arrived on Sunday afternoon. Neither had done much more than drop off their bags and get their keys before heading back out again. Oddly, they’d both refused breakfast, in spite its cost being included in their room rate. Now, as Janet began to read a randomly chosen romance, she began to wonder about their guests for the first time.

  “Why don’t they want breakfast?” she asked Joan a short while later. She’d been unable to concentrate on her book, so she’d gone to look for her sister, who was, as usual, busy in the kitchen.

  Joan stared at her for a minute. “Pardon?”

  “Our guests; why don’t they want breakfast?” Janet asked.

  “Oh, our guests. Well, Mr. Weaver said that he doesn’t like to eat first thing in the morning. I did give him a few of those cereal bars that we have left over. He said he’d try one when he got hungry later in the day.”

  “Which one was Mr. Weaver?”

  “The shorter and, um, somewhat heavyset one, with the dark hair and eyes.”

  Janet nodded. “I didn’t like him very much. He was almost rude to me when I opened the door to him.”

  “He’s very brusque,” Joan said. “I don’t think he means to be rude. I think it’s just his manner.”

  “Did the other man have a different excuse for not wanting breakfast?”

  “Yes, Mr. Cole told me that he’s on a very strict diet. He said it was something to do with his health and that it was simply easier for him to deal with his meals himself than to try to explain to me what he needed.”

  “He’s awfully thin. I’m not sure his diet is all that good for him.”

  “I agree. I offered to make him whatever he wanted, even prepare special recipes if he provided them to me, but he refused.”

  “Maybe it just seems so odd because they’re here at the same time,” Janet remarked. “I don’t think we’ve ever had guests that didn’t want any breakfast before.”

  “We’ve had guests with special requests before, like those vegans, but I believe you’re right. These are our first guests who have simply not wanted anything at all. It is odd that they’re here at the same time, but I don’t believe they know one another. They’ve certainly shown no signs of it when I’ve seen them together.”

  “When did you see them together?”

  “This morning. I got up at six just in case either of them changed his mind. Mr. Weaver came into the kitchen to say good morning. That was when I gave him the cereal bars. As he was leaving, Mr. Cole popped his head around the door to let me know he was on his way out. I don’t believe either of them even spoke to the other.”

  “But they left together?”

  “No, not at all. Mr. Cole left immediately, but Mr. Weaver stayed and chatted with me for a while. He had a nice long rant about his former wife, actually. I was going to tell you about it, but I forgot.”

  “Go on, then, tell me,” Janet demanded.

  Joan shrugged. “It wasn’t that interesting, now that I think about it. They were married for twenty years and he only found out after their twentieth anniversary that she’d been cheating on him for the entire marriage.”

  “My goodness, how did he miss that?”

  “She didn’t work. He found out that she’d taken up with the window cleaner a few days after she moved into Mr. Weaver’s house, and they were still involved twenty years later.”

  “How did he find out, then?”

  “She told him, eventually, because she decided she’d rather be married to the window cleaner than to him. For twenty years the window cleaner had been promising her that he’d marry her once his children were grown and he could leave his wife. Then she found out that he wasn’t actually married and he didn’t have any children.”

  Janet couldn’t help but laugh. “She’d been involved with him for twenty years and he’d been lying to her for all of them?”

  “It seems so.”

  “And did she still wanted to marry him, in spite of that?”

  “Oddly, yes. She told Mr. Weaver all about the affair and they divorced. By the time the divorce was final, however, the window cleaner had disappeared. According to Mr. Weaver, his former wife asked him to take her back, but he wouldn’t even consider it.”

  “I don’t blame him. The poor man. What happened to his ex-wife, then?”

  Joan shrugged. “The last he knew, she was still trying to track down the window cleaner, but she wasn’t having any luck.”

  “People always amaze me,” Janet said. “I’m going to try to be nicer to Mr. Weaver the next time I see him. Do you know what he was planning to do today?”

  “Neither gentleman gave me any information about his plans for the day. Mr. Cole mentioned that he thought he would be back before nine, but Mr. Weaver didn’t even tell me that much.”

  “I hope he isn’t out too late. I’d rather not have a very late night.”

  “I can stay up tonight,” Joan offered. “I’ll make more of an effort to find out Mr. Weaver’s plans tomorrow.”

  “You stayed up last night. I went up to my room with a book before eight.”

  “Yes but both our guests were home by nine. It wasn’t a late night by any means.”

  “Let’s see how the day goes,” Janet suggested. “Maybe they’ll both be back before our show finishes.”

  The sisters enjoyed a few different television programmes each week, including one that ran on Tuesdays from eight to nine.

  “Let’s hope they don’t want to watch telly when they get back, as well,” Joan added.

  Janet grinned. “Maybe they’d be happy watching our show with us.”

  “But would we want to watch with them?”

  “Good point.” Janet glanced at the clock. “It’s still several hours until dinner and I’m already getting hungry. I think I might make tea and have a few biscuits.”

  “Why don’t you go and get a box or two from the carriage house to go through, instead?” Joan suggested. “We’re meant to be going through a box or two every day and we haven’t been out there in weeks.”

  “I’d nearly forgotten, my bedroom needs a good clean,” Janet said quickly. “I’ll be upstairs running the vacuum if you need me.”

  She fled up the stairs as quickly as she could, with Aggie at her heels. The carriage house in the back garden was a huge, dark, creepy space that was very full of boxes that had been left there by previous owners. So far the sisters had found several boxes of papers and books as well as a few interesting collectibles. They’d also found Alberta Montgomery’s letters and diaries, but Joan wouldn’t let Janet read them. Several copies of Alberta’s self-published book of poetry had been found as well, and Janet was sorry that Joan had let her read that.

  While Janet was curious what other interesting things the carriage house might hold, experience suggested that they were only going to find things they didn’t want or need. Besides, the carriage house had a ghost who seemed to find it amusing to shut the door and turn off the lights whenever anyone was inside the building. Janet had to be in the right mood to want to venture out there, and today she simply wasn’t. Knowing that Joan would be able to hear the vacuum
, she took the time to run it through her bedroom. When she switched it off, she could hear her mobile phone ringing.

  Chapter 4

  Aggie jumped on the bed and began to paw at the phone that Janet had dropped onto it when she’d first come upstairs. That gave Janet a clue as to who the caller would be.

  “Janet, it’s Edward. How are you?” a familiar, warm voice said when she answered.

  “I’m fine, thank you. How are you?” she replied automatically. Edward Bennett was a complication in her life, one that she was starting to find slightly annoying. He’d been their first guest, and had seemed determined to romance Janet while he’d been staying with them. Before he’d gone, he’d told her that he was some sort of government agent who’d used Doveby House as a safe house while Margaret Appleton had been the owner. Janet still wasn’t sure what to believe about the man, who’d recently visited for a second time. In between visits, he occasionally sent her flowers or presents. His best gift had been Aggie, the kitten who now curled up next to Janet and began to purr.

  “But how are you really?” he replied. “How are things at Doveby House? I wish I were there.”

  “I’m truly fine. We’re very busy with summer visitors. I don’t believe we have an empty guest room until some time in September.”

  “So even if I could drop everything to come and see you, you wouldn’t be able to accommodate me,” he sighed.

  “Were you planning to drop everything and come to see me?”

  Edward chuckled. “I so wish that I could, but I’m being sent to Oklahoma, of all places. I leave tomorrow and I’ll probably be there for a month or more.”

  “What’s in Oklahoma?”

  “I’m afraid I can’t tell you that, but you know I can’t talk about my work.”

  Janet sighed. “I wouldn’t repeat anything you told me.”

  “Not even to Joan?”

  “Okay, I’d probably tell Joan, but she wouldn’t repeat it.”

  “I’m sorry. I would love to be able to tell you more about what I do, but I’ve already told you more than I’m supposed to tell anyone. One day, when I finally do retire, we can sit together in the conservatory at the back of Doveby House and I’ll tell you long and boring stories about my adventures.”

  Janet wasn’t sure how to reply. If Edward thought that she was simply sitting around and waiting for him to retire, he was mistaken. She would be having dinner with William Chalmers soon, and if any other eligible men came along, maybe she’d go out with them as well.

  “I’m sorry. I know the situation isn’t ideal,” Edward said after an awkward pause. “I truly am trying to retire. The problem is things just keep coming up, and sometimes I’m the only person who can deal with them.”

  “I’m sure.”

  Edward sighed. “I don’t blame you for being cross. I can stop ringing if you’d like.”

  “I’d like the combination to the library safe,” Janet snapped. When Edward had visited the first time, he’d opened the small wall safe in the library, ostensibly to remove any papers that Margaret might have put in there relating to the guests that Edward had sent over the years. He’d given Janet what he said was the combination before he’d gone, but it hadn’t worked. Ever since then, he’d dodged the issue, even trying and failing to open the safe himself when he’d visited the second time.

  “Ah, right. I have that in my notes, actually. Ready?”

  Janet grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and then wrote down the numbers he gave her. She was pretty sure that the combination would prove wrong when she tried to open the safe, so she didn’t get excited about it.

  “Is there anything else you want from me?” Edward asked.

  “Explanations? The truth? Some sort of idea what game you’re playing?” Janet said.

  “I’m not playing games. I’ve met a lot of women over the years, and there’s something incredibly special about you. I’d love to get to know you better, but my work is too demanding right now. I suppose it’s foolish of me to keep ringing you and sending you gifts when I can’t actually commit to anything further, but, well, I suppose I’m hoping that when I finally do retire, you’ll still be available and we’ll have our chance.”

  “I can’t make any promises about that,” Janet told him.

  “I know, and I don’t expect any promises. I’m sure William Chalmers is taking you out for expensive meals and showering you with presents. I would do the same in his shoes.”

  “We have dinner together occasionally,” Janet admitted, “but I won’t let him buy me presents. I don’t like it when you buy me things, but I can’t ever track you down to tell you so.”

  “Tell me about your current guests,” Edward said.

  “That’s an abrupt change of subject. Is there something suspicious about our current guests?”

  “Not that I’m aware of, although you have had a few questionable ones, haven’t you?”

  “Right now we have two single gentlemen staying with us.”

  “Isn’t that unusual?”

  “It’s different, certainly. Nearly all of our guests have been couples, but we’ve had odd single guests before.”

  “Tell me more.”

  “Cecil Weaver is probably fifty-five. He has dark hair and eyes and he isn’t much taller than me, maybe five feet, six inches or so. He’s, um, heavyset, let’s say.”

  “And he’s travelling on his own?”

  “Apparently he’s divorced,” Janet replied. She told Edward the story that Joan had told her about his marriage.

  “Do you know where he was living when all of this took place?” Edward asked when she was finished.

  “I’ve no idea, why?”

  “I just thought it might be fun to track down that window cleaner and hear his side of the story.”

  Janet chuckled. “If you do, you have to tell me everything he says.”

  “I will. Now tell me about your other guest.”

  “Noah Cole is of a similar age. He’s taller, maybe close to six feet, but he probably looks taller because he’s incredibly thin. He’s mostly bald and he has very dark brown eyes. I don’t think I can tell you anything more than that.”

  “He’s not married?”

  “I’ve no idea. I’ve not really spoken to either man, really. They seem nice enough, but they’ve both been keeping to themselves since they arrived on Sunday.”

  “And you haven’t overhead anything from either of them over breakfast?”

  “Neither of them are having breakfast.”

  “Is it no longer included?”

  “It’s still included, but they’ve both turned it down, although Mr. Weaver did take some cereal bars this morning, I understand.”

  “Interesting. What does Robert think?”

  “Of the fact that our guests don’t want breakfast? We haven’t mentioned it to him. It’s hardly a police matter.”

  “I don’t suppose it is. Have you seen Robert lately?”

  “I saw him yesterday, after the accident.”

  “Accident? What accident?”

  “Joan and I were rear-ended at a stop sign. It wasn’t anything major, but our car will be at the garage for a few days.”

  “Mack Fenton is still there, is he?”

  “Yes, he is.”

  “How will you manage without your car? Do you want me to have one sent to you?”

  “Goodness, no. Mack is letting us borrow one of the secondhand cars he has for sale.”

  “What are you driving, then?”

  Janet told him. “And it’s a gorgeous fire engine red that Joan hates. It’s much more fun to drive than our car, but she won’t even try driving it.”

  “It sounds as if you like it a lot.”

  “I do, but we don’t really need two cars. I’m hoping Mack takes his time repairing ours, though.”

  Edward chuckled. “Maybe he’ll have trouble getting the necessary parts. Isn’t that what always happens when you have to take your car to the garage?”
>
  “That would be nice,” Janet laughed, “but I’m sure Mack will do his best. He’ll want his car back, anyway. He can’t sell it while I have it.”

  A loud buzzing noise startled Janet. “What was that?” she asked.

  “My reminder,” Edward sighed. “I have to go now. The prime minister is waiting for a briefing, and then I have to get to the airport. I’ll try to ring you again soon.”

  “The prime minister?” she repeated. “You’re actually going to meet with the prime minister?” She frowned at Aggie when she realised that Edward had already ended the call.

  “Do you think he’s really going to meet with the Prime Minister?” she asked the kitten.

  “Meerreew,” Aggie said, nodding.

  “Yes, but you probably believe everything he says,” she sighed, “and I don’t think I believe any of it.”

  It was nearly time for their television programme to start when their first guest returned home for the evening. The sisters were reading in the sitting room when the door opened and Mr. Cole walked in.

  “Ah, good evening,” he said.

  “Good evening,” Joan replied. “I hope you enjoyed your day.”

  “I did. Thank you,” he told her. “Now I’ll head up to my room and have an early night, I think. I may watch some telly for a while. Do you have cable or satellite telly?”

  “Unfortunately, neither is available in Doveby Dale, at least not yet. We only have the standard channels.”

  The man frowned. “In that case, I may just read a book.” He nodded at both of them and then disappeared up the stairs.

  Janet looked at Joan. “He’s home early and he isn’t going to keep us from watching our show. Let’s hope our luck holds and Mr. Weaver gets home soon and goes straight to bed.”

  At eight the sisters moved into the television lounge. Their programme was about half over when they heard the front door open.

  “I’ll go,” Joan said reluctantly.

  “No, you sit. I’ll go,” Janet replied. The show wasn’t as interesting tonight as usual, and she really wanted to get another look at the man who’d been cheated on for twenty years.