Murder Most Remote

by Mona Marple

  “A rich lady!” Teddy shouted.

  “So surely I’d want to keep her alive and hope for a nice big tip at the end of the tour?” Graeme said. He glanced at Sandy then. “Sorry, that sounded more flippant than I meant. It doesn’t matter how rich or poor she was, I had no reason to want her dead.”

  “He’s right.” Sandy said. “I did consider any motive he might have, I assure you all. But I think you know deep down that you were hoping it was one of us outsiders, because you couldn’t stand to think it was one of you.”

  “Are you saying it was Teddy?” Eli asked. “Because, that’s absolute nonsense. We all loved mom but nobody was closer to her than Teddy.”

  “As I was saying, the dynamics interested me. You clearly loved your mum, but you were in need of a large cash injection - to begin your political career and pay off your gambling debts.”

  “But…” Teddy began.

  “Then I learnt that none of you stood to benefit under Marlene’s Will. And that changed things completely.”

  Sandy had the group’s attention completely. Even Priscilla looked somewhat alert.

  “When a wealthy person is killed, the obvious motive is always money. And I’ve learnt that the obvious things in a murder case can be a distraction from the more subtle clues. I’ve spent a lot of time sitting back and watching you all interact as a family. We have three devoted sons, and each son has paid the price for their devotion. Eli, your marriage has been lost. Jeff, you’re immersed in a biological family that your wife doesn’t want to be consumed by. And Teddy, you’ve deliberately chosen your mum over your wife at every opportunity.”

  “Finally.” Priscilla said. “Someone sees the truth.”

  “That’s why my investigation highlighted you, Priscilla.”

  “What?” Priscilla asked, her plumped-up lips open in surprise. “That’s insane!”

  “You hated Marlene. You told me as much. You hated being in her shadow, and Teddy had made it clear that you’d stay in her shadow as long as she was around.”

  Priscilla looked across at Teddy, who had begun to sob.

  “I had my problems with her.” Priscilla said. “Maybe I was a fool to be honest about them with you, but I’m not a liar. And I’m not a murderer.”

  “You’re right.” Sandy said. “And it was your honesty in interview that helped you, actually. You hated her, but your hate is misdirected. What you actually hate is your place within this family, and that was down to Teddy, not Marlene.”

  Teddy walked over to Priscilla and sat on the floor in front of her, where he buried his head into her. “She’s right.” He said, through choked sobs. “It was me. I didn’t appreciate you.”

  Priscilla began to cry and wrapped her arms around her husband. Sandy felt her cheeks flush and looked away.

  “Priscilla’s emotion made her a suspect, while Devon, your lack of emotion made you a suspect.”

  Devon gazed up at Sandy and nodded her head. Trixie clung to her side.

  “It’s okay.” Devon murmured to her.

  “You also had the most obvious motive to choose now to strike. Your argument with Marlene the night before your flight was overheard.”

  Devon gave a sad smile. “I regret those words.”

  “Marlene told you she would be your family until she died. And just hours later, she’s dead. You’ve shown none of the compassion that the others have, and to say that you’re a scientist is, I think, unfair to scientists. You’ve been cold and distant.”

  “Devon?” Jeff asked from across the room. His face was stricken with concern.

  “Surely, only a killer would have such a detached reaction.”

  Devon nodded. “We can finish this at the police station, I think.”

  “Mom?” Trixie asked, as she pulled on her mother’s face to force her to meet her gaze.

  Jeff stood and walked across the room, where he mirrored Teddy’s position by kneeling on the floor in front of Devon and Trixie.

  “What have you done?” He asked. He cupped Devon’s face with his hands and pulled her towards him.

  “Do you want to tell him, or shall I?” Sandy asked.

  Devon closed her eyes and waited, braced herself for what Jeff might do.

  “Okay. I’ll explain.” Sandy said. “Devon, you’re practical and logical. While everyone else has been taken over by emotion and grief, you’ve remained practical. You’ve been watching and thinking. I watched you watch them.”

  Devon opened her eyes and looked at the officer with urgency. “I think we’ve said enough. You can take me to the station now.”

  “We can’t leave until they’ve finished in there, lass. Sit tight.” The officer said.

  Eli looked across the room towards Devon. “It was you?”

  Devon stared straight ahead.

  “For a cold-hearted killer, you’re exceptionally close to your daughter.” Sandy said. Trixie looked at her with big doe eyes. “The one way I’ve seen emotion from you is toward her. You love her.”

  “Of course I do.” Devon said.

  “You want her to have a bright future.”

  “Of course.” Devon said. Her composure had started to crack and her voice wobbled.

  “And you do care for this family, even if you aren’t as involved as they’d like you to be.”

  Devon didn’t answer.

  “That’s why you’re willing to take the blame for a crime you didn’t commit.” Sandy said.

  The group gasped. Devon shook her head and began to cry.

  “You worked out the truth even before I did, didn’t you? And you calculated your reaction to bring suspicion on yourself.” Sandy said.

  “Mom, why would you…”

  “Shh, darling, shh.” Devon said. She grabbed Trixie and held her tight.

  “There’s a person who is central to this case, and she isn’t even here.” Sandy said, assessing the reactions of the group. All eyes were fixed on her. “A woman ejected from the family, who could certainly have the motive to want Marlene dead.”

  “What?” Teddy asked, his eyebrows narrowed in confusion.

  Suddenly, one of the group stood and bolted. They ran past the chairs and out of the room, their footsteps thundering behind them on the stone floor.

  Sandy turned to the officer and raised an eyebrow. “You’ll want to catch them.”

  He turned and ran and the noise attracted the attention of the other police officers, three of whom returned from the banquet hall and ran after them.

  Sandy met Tom’s startled gaze and tried to hold her own tears back.

  “She deserved it!” A voice screamed from the hallway, as the lead officer returned with the runaway in handcuffs. “You all deserved it! Now your family’s broken just like mine!”

  “Son?” Eli asked. He stood and walked across to the doorway, where Hamm was restrained and surrounded by police. “What have you done?”

  “I had no choice.” Hamm muttered. “She ruined everything, dad.”

  “Oh Hamm.” Eli said. He pushed past one officer and pulled his son in for a hug. “You stupid, stupid boy.”

  “You know mom cries for you every single night?” Hamm asked. “Every night I go into her room and ask if she’s okay, and she tells me it’s some book she’s reading, but it’s you. She cries for you, and for our family.”

  “You blamed your grandmother for your parents’ breaking up.” Sandy asked.

  “Of course I do. And her inviting mom here and then humilitating her, it was the last straw. But, you’re all as bad!” Hamm shouted to the group. “You all abandoned my mom. You were supposed to love her. You deserve each other.”

  “You’ve ruined everything, you fool!” Teddy shouted. “You’ve ruined this whole family.”

  “You just don’t get it, do you?” Hamm said. “Your family ruined my family first.”

  “How on Earth could you think this was a good idea?” Eli asked.

  “Because you and mom can be together now.” Hamm sai
d, and Sandy saw him again as the naive child she had caught a glimpse of earlier. “I sacrificed myself for you.”

  Eli collapsed to the ground and began to cry as the officers lead Hamm away.

  “I love you, dad.” He called.

  15

  Sandy sat outside the B&B and watched as the sun rose over the sea, the pink shades dancing on the ocean waves. It was still cold, and she pulled her fleece jacket tighter around her body. She had given up on sleep in the early hours of the morning, when a nightmare had caused her to wake with tears streaming down her face.

  Her bum was numb after hours of sitting on the cold, hard step. But her mind was clear.

  Soon, she and Tom would begin the long drive back to Waterfell Tweed, less relaxed than she had hoped she would be after the trip.

  “Penny for them?” Tom’s voice asked. She turned to see him stood behind her in the porch.

  “Hey.” She said. “Good morning.”

  He closed the porch door and passed her a steaming hot mug of mocha, then sat next to her. “You doing ok?”

  She nodded. “I can’t stop thinking about Hamm.”

  “I can’t stop thinking about Devon!” Tom said. “How did you figure out that she was trying to look guilty?”

  “She didn’t like that Hamm had sat next to Trixie at one point. I thought that was odd. It made me wonder what she knew about him.”

  “What do you think will happen to him now?” Tom asked. “He’s going to be a long way from his whole family.”

  “I think he wants it that way.” Sandy said.

  “It’s all so sad.”

  Sandy nestled into his chest and gazed out to sea. “I’m glad you were with me, Tom. Without you, I’d have made this trip on my own and I…”

  “You’d probably never have gone to Mull Castle, let’s be honest.” Tom said, with a grin. “I got you into this mess.”

  “Well, when you put it that way!” She teased. It felt odd to laugh after the high emotion of the day before.

  “You were amazing yesterday.” Tom said. He smelt of soap and opportunity. New beginnings.

  “I wish I’d got to know Marlene McVeigh.”

  “She sounded like a force to be reckoned with.” Tom said. “I think I’d have been a bit scared of her.”

  Sandy squeezed his arm and nestled closer to him. “I’m sorry our trip wasn’t the relaxing break we hoped it would be.”

  He shrugged. “I wanted time with you. I got that.”

  She pulled away from him and raised an eyebrow up at him.

  “Okay, it’s not quite what I had in mind, but I’m learning that things are always a little unexpected with you, Sandy Shaw.”

  “Definitely unexpected.” Sandy agreed. She caught sight of Tom’s car parked across the road and remembered that their break was almost over. “What time do you want to hit the road?”

  “The earlier the better really.” He said with a sad smile.

  “I’ll go and pack.” She said. She used Tom’s leg to push herself up to a standing position and heard a groan escape her. “Oh man, when did I start making those noises?”

  “It comes to us all.” Tom said. “I’d have thought carrying casks of ale would have kept me in shape but every time I pick one up I get winded.”

  “As if!” Sandy laughed. She couldn’t believe Tom to be unfit in any way.

  “It’s true. Come and help out one day and we can compete, who can make the most groans!”

  She shook her head and looked out to sea. “I really wish we weren’t going home today.”

  The words surprised her. She loved Waterfell Tweed. She loved Books and Bakes. She missed her sister and, to her surprise, the black cat she had accidentally adopted. She was eager to get home, just maybe after an extra day or two with Tom.

  “So, let’s stay.” Tom said.

  “Very funny.” Sandy said, then turned to see his expression. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

  “Absolutely. We can explain. Tanya would run the Tweed for a couple more days and I think Bernice can cope with Books and Bakes.”

  “Yeah, she can, but I’d feel bad asking her.”

  “You’ve got good people around you, Sand, they want to help you.”

  “Hmm.” Sandy said. It was true that she didn’t like asking for help. She’d told Bernice and Coral that she would be back at work the next day, and she didn’t want to mess them around. “They’re expecting me back.”

  Tom shrugged. “It’s your choice. But I’d love to have some more time with you.

  Sandy pursed her lips as she considered the choices. “I’ll speak to Bernice.”

  She returned inside the B&B and took the stairs to her bedroom, where she sat on the bed and gazed out at the view. The lack of sleep was catching up with her. Her eyelids felt heavy and gravity seemed to pull her body into a lying position, but her mind was too active for sleep to find her.

  Each time she blinked, she pictured Hamm’s face. She hoped he would receive the help she felt he needed.

  She picked up her phone and dialled the familiar number.

  A breathless Bernice answered on the fourth ring. “Sandy? What’s wrong?”

  She let out a small laugh. “Nothing’s wrong with me, or Tom. Things haven’t been as relaxing as we’d hoped here, that’s for sure. How are things at the shop?”

  “Coral hasn’t mastered the art of carrying two plates at once, if that’s what you mean.” Bernice said. It was good to hear her voice.

  “Are you managing?”

  “Of course I am.” Bernice said, insulted by the question. “Look, if you’re ringing to say you’re staying longer with lover-boy, we’ll be fine. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

  Sandy let out a breath and laughed. “Am I that easy to read?”

  “I know what’s been happening.” Bernice said. “Tom messaged me. Sounds like you need a couple of days to decompress.”

  “That’s one word for it.” Sandy admitted. “I can’t believe Tom messaged you without telling me.”

  “He wanted to warn us, in case you did your normal and burst back into work as if nothing had happened. I’m glad you’re being sensible. Enjoy your down time.”

  “I will, I promise. Thank you, Bernice.”

  “No need for thanks, Sand. It’s my job.”

  “Bernice?” Sandy asked. “Will you explain to Coral and Cass? I think I’m going to turn my phone off for a couple of days, just really switch off from it all.”

  “Sounds perfect.” Bernice said. “I’ll let them know. Now, get off and enjoy yourself.”

  Sandy ended the call and caught her reflection in the bedroom mirror. Her face was mainly her smile.

  She walked across to the window and pulled the old-fashioned fitting up so that the bottom half of the window opened. Her room was directly above the front door and she could see Tom’s shape, still sat on the step where she had left him. He appeared to be gazing out to sea, his arms folded across his body for warmth.

  “Tom!” She called. He spun around, taking a few moments to locate where her voice was coming from.

  He looked at her hopefully.

  “Fancy two more days?” She called, and watched as he punched the air in celebration.

  “With you?” He asked. “Always.”

  THE END

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  About the A
uthor

  Mona Marple is a mother, author and coffee enthusiast.

  When she isn’t busy writing a cozy mystery, she’s probably curled up somewhere warm reading one.

  She lives in the beautiful Peak District (where Waterfall Tweed is set in her imagination!) with her husband and daughter.

  Connect with Mona:

  www.MonaMarple.com

  mona@monamarple.com