Aunt Bessie Likes (An Isle of Man Cozy Mystery Book 12)

by Diana Xarissa

“A young runaway from Liverpool,” John said. “She disappeared in nineteen seventy-one.”

  “So after the Kelly girls,” Bessie mused.

  “Yes. We were able to identify her in a similar way, from broken bones she’d suffered in childhood,” John said.

  “Did she run away to the island?” Bessie asked.

  “That’s one of the things we’re hoping to find out,” John said. “That’s a possibility, certainly.”

  “If she didn’t, then someone brought her here,” Bessie said thoughtfully. “Did they bring her here just to kill her?”

  John shrugged. “We could speculate all night about that,” he said. “Or even about whether she was still alive when she arrived, but I don’t know that we’ll be able to find answers to any of those questions until we find the killer.”

  “You’re sure they were murdered?” Bessie asked. She shook her head. “That was a dumb question,” she said quickly.

  “We are considering other options,” John told her. “After all this time, there’s no way for the coroner to determine a cause of death for any of the victims, so at least one or more of them could have died accidently. That doesn’t explain why we found the bodies all dumped together at an abandoned property, of course.”

  “No one I spoke to tonight thought Matthew was capable of murder,” Bessie said.

  “He’s certainly still on my list of suspects,” John replied. “People do change. When people were questioned at the time of the disappearances, quite a few people suggested that he was involved.”

  “His suicide seems to suggest that he was,” Bessie said.

  “If it was suicide,” John said.

  “You don’t think he was murdered, too?” Bessie asked.

  John shrugged. “We aren’t ruling out anything at this point.”

  “Joanna said he was found in a shut garage with multiple car engines running,” Bessie said.

  “We were hoping to keep the details quiet, but yes, that is what happened,” John admitted.

  “What a horrible way to die,” Bessie said, shuddering.

  “Are there good ways to die?” Doona asked.

  “I’d like to die peacefully in my bed when I’m a hundred and fifty-seven,” Bessie said.

  “Why that age?” Doona asked.

  “I chose it at random,” Bessie told her. “But it seems a nice long way from now, anyway. I’ll probably change it when I get closer to it.”

  “You saw Matthew Kelly not long before he died,” John said. “Did he seem unhappy or upset about anything?”

  “He was unhappy,” Bessie replied. “But I got the impression that was just his personality. I’ve told you what happened when he saw me in the truck. He was upset about that for some reason.” She shrugged. “I wouldn’t have thought for one minute that he was considering taking his own life, but maybe he wasn’t at that point.”

  “If he didn’t kill himself, who could have done it, and why?” Doona asked.

  “The motive has to be something to do with the Kelly girls,” Bessie said. “Maybe he was the anonymous caller who rang with the suggestion to dig up the Grantham farm.”

  “That’s one possibility,” John said.

  “But that would mean that he knew about the bodies for all these years,” Doona protested. “Surely he would have said something before now?”

  “Someone knew,” Bessie pointed out. “Someone knew and rang the police with the tip. I’d love to know why he or she kept quiet for so long, and why the caller decided to tell someone now.”

  “Maybe the killer is dead, so the caller felt it was the right time to talk.” Doona said.

  “None of the main suspects is dead, though, aside from Matthew, who died after the bodies were found,” Bessie argued.

  “So maybe the police are investigating the wrong people,” Doona said.

  “Maybe the caller’s conscience just got the better of him or her after all these years,” Bessie suggested. “I can’t imagine keeping a secret like that for such a long time.”

  “And maybe it was Matthew and it got him killed,” Doona said.

  “The caller should have told us everything he or she knew,” John said. “Knowing about the location of the bodies suggests that he or she also knows who put them there in the first place. It’s frustrating to think that someone knows that and won’t tell us.”

  “Unless it was Matthew and now he can’t tell you,” Doona reminded him.

  “What about Jonas?” Bessie asked. “Everyone I spoke to tonight seemed quite happy to cast him in the role of killer.”

  “Again, we’re considering all possibilities,” John said. “He was one of the chief suspects in the original investigation, but he had something of an alibi for at least one of the disappearances. That’s one of the reasons why Inspector Harris focussed on Matthew Kelly and Peter Clucas rather than Jonas.”

  “How good of an alibi?” Bessie asked.

  “Good, but probably not unbreakable,” John replied. “Like most people most of the time, he couldn’t prove exactly where he was the entire time in question, but the night one of the girls disappeared, he was at a family party. No one could say for sure that he was there continually, but no one missed him, either.”

  “I was hoping he’d done it,” Doona said. “He’s the least likable of the three suspects.”

  “Unfortunately, being a horrible person isn’t actually proof of guilt,” John said.

  “Peter has really turned his life around,” Bessie said. “I’d hate to think he was involved.”

  “He seemed really nice when I met him,” Doona added, blushing slightly.

  John gave her a quizzical look. “Did he?”

  “We only talked for a few minutes, while Bessie was speaking to Harold and Brandy,” Doona said quickly. “But he told me about his work. He’s doing some wonderful things with troubled youngsters.”

  “He is, yes,” John agreed. “But he was in plenty of trouble himself when he was younger. I have to keep him on the short list, at least for now.”

  “This would have been easier if Matthew had left a nice neat confession,” Bessie said.

  “Not really,” John replied.

  Bessie gave him a quick look. “He left a confession?” she asked.

  “No comment,” John said steadily.

  “So he did,” Bessie said, jumping to conclusions. “But there must be something suspicious or off about it or you’d have closed the investigation by now. How interesting.”

  “I didn’t say any of that,” John said.

  “You didn’t have to,” Bessie replied, certain she was correct. “So if Matthew confessed, but you aren’t sure that it’s legitimate, he must have been murdered.”

  “You’re getting way ahead of the evidence,” John said.

  “But I’m right,” Bessie shot back. “Which means Matthew didn’t kill the girls. Which means the killer is still out there and probably killed poor Matthew.”

  “So what about means and opportunity for Jonas and Peter when Matthew was killed?” Doona asked.

  “Everyone knows that running a car in a garage is dangerous,” Bessie said. “And Matthew would know that better than most. He worked with cars his entire life.”

  “So if it was murder, all someone had to do was get Matthew into the garage and start the cars,” Doona mused.

  “They must have drugged Matthew first,” Bessie said. “Otherwise, he would have simply switched the cars off, wouldn’t he?”

  “Drugged him or hit him over the head,” Doona suggested. “Or maybe just got him drunk.”

  “He would have been happy to have a drink with anyone,” Bessie said. “Then, once he was too drunk to realise, the killer just had to shut the doors and start the engines.”

  “I’ll just remind you both that this is just speculation,” John said sternly. “We’re still trying to work out exactly what happened in that garage.”

  “But our scenario would work, wouldn’t it?” Bessie asked.
r />   “Possibly,” John said hesitantly. “But it certainly isn’t the only possible answer.”

  “Where were Jonas and Peter when Matthew died?” Bessie asked him.

  “I can’t tell you that,” John said.

  Bessie sighed with disappointment. “So we don’t know if either has an alibi.”

  “Is there any other reason anyone might have had for wanting Matthew dead?” Doona asked. “I mean, we’re assuming it had to do with the Kelly girls, but maybe it didn’t.”

  “He and his wife were having problems,” Bessie said. “But I can’t see Joanna killing him. She was ready to file for divorce, that’s all.”

  “What about problems at work?” was Doona’s next question.

  “Not that I know of,” Bessie said. “Apparently he was a good mechanic, even if he wasn’t the nicest of people. He sometimes turned up late or drunk, but as I understand it, the owner of the shop was used to him and they got along fine.”

  “If he wasn’t killed because of the Kelly girls’ case, it’s a strange coincidence,” Doona said.

  “Too much of one,” Bessie replied. “There has to be a connection.”

  “So the man or woman who killed the Kelly girls killed Matthew, presumably because Matthew was the one who rang the police and told them where to find the bodies,” Doona summarised.

  “You said ‘man or woman,’ but I don’t think there are any female suspects, are there?” Bessie asked. “The only two serious suspects I know of are Peter and Jonas Clucas.”

  Both women looked at John. “Those two and Matthew were the main focus of the original investigation,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean they’re the only possible suspects. When we reopened the case, we started back at the beginning. That means that everyone who was in the area is a suspect.”

  “But Inspector Harris knew what he was doing,” Doona said. “If he’d narrowed it down to those three, he was on to something. What we have to determine is whether Matthew was the guilty party and the case can be closed, or whether the killer went after Matthew to shut him up.”

  “What does Hugh think of all of this?” Bessie asked. “It seems strange even talking about it without him here, as it was his cold case to start with.”

  “Hugh’s a bit overwhelmed with wedding planning,” John told her. “And I think he’s a bit overwhelmed by everything that’s happened with the case as well. Reopening cold cases is usually about as exciting as watching paint dry. Typically, you go around and talk to everyone who was interviewed the first time around, and then you bemoan the fact that no one remembers anything before you type up a neat report to add to the file that goes back into the back of the filing cabinet.”

  “That certainly hasn’t happened this time,” Bessie said. “Not only have you turned up bodies, you’ve had a new murder.”

  “We don’t know for certain what happened to Matthew,” John said. “But a suicide is just as shocking of a consequence. In some ways I’m afraid Hugh feels guilty about reopening the case.”

  “If he can find the killer, it will all have been worth it,” Doona said.

  “It’s already been worth it, because he’s found the bodies,” Bessie insisted. “He’s given the families an answer as to what happened to their loved ones. It may not be the answer they wanted, but at least they know.”

  “So where does all of this leave us?” Doona asked as she started the washing-up.

  “I don’t know,” Bessie said. “It seems as if we’ve narrowed the field down to two suspects, but how do we work out which one is guilty?”

  “What if they both are?” Doona asked. “Maybe all three of them were in on it together, even.”

  “That would be horrible,” Bessie said. “I don’t know what happened to those poor girls, but all three of the men were men they knew well. I can’t imagine how awful it would have been for them if all three were involved.”

  “I think you’ve done enough speculating for today,” John said. “We’re still clearing the site at the Grantham property. There might be more bodies still to be discovered. Identifying them all is the next big job.”

  “I still think it was Jonas,” Bessie said as she walked Doona and John to the door. “He’s always had a high opinion of himself. I can see him getting angry if one of the girls turned him down or something.”

  “I wouldn’t go repeating that outside of your cottage,” John warned her. “He still has very powerful friends. Even if he didn’t, accusing someone of murder is serious business.”

  Bessie nodded. “If you think of anything I can do to help, just let me know,” she told John. “Otherwise, I’ll just keep listening to the skeet and see if I hear anything interesting.”

  “That’s probably all you can do for now,” John said. “Just stay away from the suspects and keep yourself out of trouble.”

  Bessie laughed. “I think I can manage that,” she said.

  “Speaking of managing,” Doona said. “How are the plans going for Hugh’s honeymoon?”

  “I spoke to Mary today, and everything is going well,” Bessie replied. “The travel agent is going to get in touch with both of you to coordinate your parts of the surprise.”

  “She rang me today, actually,” John said. “She seemed very efficient and it all seems to be coming together well.”

  “I just hope they like it,” Bessie fretted.

  “An all-expenses-paid trip to Paris? What’s not to like?” Doona demanded. “They’ll love it and it will be the perfect start to their married life together.”

  “I certainly hope so,” Bessie said.

  Doona had Bessie give her Kristen’s phone number so she could contact the woman herself. “She probably rang me a dozen times so far and never got an answer,” Doona said. “I’ve been ignoring my phone lately. Too many double-glazing and insurance salesmen ringing.”

  “If you had an answering machine, you wouldn’t have that problem,” Bessie said.

  “And I keep meaning to replace the one that broke, but the people that I really want to talk to ring my mobile these days. Really, the only ones who ring my home phone are trying to sell me something.”

  Bessie shook her head. “I ring your home phone,” she said.

  “Yes, but when I don’t answer, you hang up and ring my mobile,” Doona replied.

  Bessie opened her mouth to argue, but Doona was right. If she couldn’t reach Doona at the police station, she often rang the woman’s mobile, sometimes without even trying the home number first.

  “Okay, time for all of us to get some sleep,” John said. “I’ll stop back or ring tomorrow if there are any new developments.”

  “I hope you don’t find any more bodies,” Bessie replied. “I think five is quite enough.”

  With those as yet unidentified bodies on her mind, Bessie slept restlessly that night. It was hard for her to imagine why anyone would kill several young women, and even harder to believe that it had happened on the island she loved so much. She tossed and turned until half five and then gave up on sleep and took a long shower instead. She set a pot of coffee brewing before she went out for her walk.

  A light rain was falling when Bessie started out, but it wasn’t enough to send her back inside for her waterproofs. She’d just have to make it a short walk, she decided. Once she was moving, though, she found that she was happy to march down the beach, letting the cool breeze and brisk morning air wake her up. She’d gone as far as Thie yn Traie before she’d realised. The drizzle had tapered off to more of a general dampness, so Bessie pressed on for a while longer. By the time she turned around, the sun was doing its best to make an appearance.

  She’d only turned around because she’d suddenly remembered her coffee pot, no doubt busily brewing away while she’d wandered. If she left it too long, the coffee would start to get bitter and unpleasant, so she hurried back past Thie yn Traie for home. The two figures huddled on the beach in front of the holiday cottages startled her. In autumn and winter she nearly always had the
beach to herself. She slowed her steps and walked cautiously towards them, hoping she’d recognise them before too much longer.

  “Ah, good morning,” the man, who was wrapped in a warm overcoat, called as Bessie approached.

  “Yes, good morning,” the woman by his side said. She too was dressed in a heavy coat, well insulated against the cool sea air.

  “Good morning,” Bessie said, trying to sound courteous, rather than curious.

  “I hope this isn’t a private beach,” the man said as Bessie reached them. “We didn’t see a sign.”

  “Oh, no, not at all,” Bessie assured them. “It’s usually quite quiet this time of year, though.”

  “It’s the cold,” the woman said. “It’s far too cold to be sitting on a windswept beach in the rain.”

  “It isn’t raining,” the man replied.

  “At the moment,” the woman shot back.

  “Winters are quite damp,” Bessie said almost apologetically. “But the beach is beautiful in the summer.”

  “It’s lovely now,” the man told her. “I hope, I mean, how long have you lived here?”

  “Since I was eighteen,” Bessie replied. “That’s my cottage,” she added, gesturing towards Treoghe Bwaaue.

  “Do you live alone?” the woman asked.

  “I do,” Bessie replied.

  “Oh, I’d hate that,” the woman said. “I’d be ever so lonely, and too afraid to sleep at night.”

  “The island is very safe, and I’m never lonely as long as I have books,” Bessie said.

  “I don’t know how safe the island is,” the woman snapped. “It wasn’t safe for our Jessica, was it?”

  “Jessica? I’m sorry,” Bessie replied, feeling confused.

  “Oh, you mustn’t mind us,” the man said, shaking his head. “We’ve only just found out that our lost daughter has been found, and, well, we were hoping for better news, that’s all.”

  “Your lost daughter?” Bessie echoed. “Oh, dear, she wasn’t one of the girls found at the Grantham farm, was she?”

  “I believe that’s what the policeman said,” the man replied. “Apparently there were lots of girls buried there, at least five or six or something. Our little Jessica was one of them.”