She opened her eyes, put her arms down and looked at Archie. “Tell me about your relationship with Sylvia.”
Chapter 34
“Sylvia? What do you mean?” Archie said. “We were good friends, she was always on hand to help me out. I couldn’t have managed without her at the wedding.”
Pearl put her hand on Grace’s shoulder and said, “Of course, Sylvia. We haven’t heard much about her.”
Grace shook her head. “I should have thought about it earlier. Archie, what do you mean about being good friends?”
Archie said, “When I first met Jessie, Sylvia was the only one to welcome me with open arms Literally open arms She was a hugger, with me anyway. She phoned me every day, made sure me and Jessie were getting on well. She helped plan our wedding. She used to joke and say it was like we were planning our own wedding. She helped me book the honeymoon, she told me about her ideal destination, it looked amazing so I booked the place that Sylvia suggested. She said if Jessie couldn’t make it to the honeymoon she’d gladly go with me. She was always making jokes like that.”
Grace and Pearl shared a look, they didn’t need to speak. Lily sat down near Archie and stared at him.
Grace said, “How did she help you on your wedding day?”
“She was concerned about my migraines. She insisted that I give her a packet of my pills so she could put some in her room, which was nearer to the wedding reception rooms than mine. I saw her speaking to the DJ early on in the day, she must have told him again that we didn’t want any flashing lights.”
“Did she?” Pearl muttered the question in a way that said she doubted that’s what Sylvia had done.
Archie went on, “I told you that she helped put all of Jessie’s things away. She had her own key to the honeymoon suite, she insisted on putting Jessie’s dress away. Lily, you helped her, didn’t you?”
Lily merely nodded, not taking her eyes off Archie.
“What happened when you got your migraine?” Grace asked.
“Sylvia was right at my side, she’d been keeping an eye on me all day. She started to lead me out of the room but then Jessie caught up with us and stopped her. Sylvia looked annoyed and so did Jessie. Sylvia said something funny, she told Jessie to go upstairs and change into her other clothes. Jessie said she’d got used to wearing the dress and wanted to keep it on. Sylvia said Jessie didn’t suit dresses, her arms were too muscular. I wanted to intervene but my vision was starting to go. I remembered the migraine tablets in my pockets, I quickly took them whilst Sylvia and Jessie were arguing. Sylvia was still going on about Jessie needing to change, said she needed to freshen up and that she’d put something special out for Jessie. I staggered out of the room when no one was looking. I thought I’d deal with Jessie and Sylvia later. Then ... you know the rest.”
Pearl leant back on her chair and folded her arms, a satisfied look on her face. Lily jerked her thumb at Archie and raised her eyebrows as if she couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. Grace slowly nodded her head.
Archie looked around the table. “What’s going on? What have I missed?”
Lily burst out, “Are you kidding? That Sylvia was in love with you!”
“No, she wasn’t. We were good friends, that’s all,” Archie said.
Grace said, “She was in love with you, Gordon probably knew it which is why he hated you. And Sylvia was probably the one who told the DJ to have flashing lights so that you’d have to go to her room. I think it was Sylvia who put the perfume in the honeymoon suite.”
Archie’s brow wrinkled. “If she was in love with me why did she kill me?”
Lily burst out again, “Is he really that dumb? She wanted you to go to her room, she didn’t want you up in the honeymoon suite. She told Jessie to go there!”
“That’s right,” Grace said. She paused whilst Archie tried to absorb this new information. She had another bombshell ready. “Sylvia didn’t intend to kill you. She wanted to kill Jessie.”
Chapter 35
Archie shook his head violently. “No! That’s not true! It can’t be true!”
Pearl said, “Mothers have been known to kill their children before.”
“But Sylvia wouldn’t do that to anyone. And Jessie wasn’t her daughter, her mum died when she was five. Gordon married Sylvia when Jessie was ten.”
Pearl banged her fist on the table. “You could have told us that before!”
Grace said, “How did Sylvia and Jessie get on with each other?”
“All right, I suppose. Sylvia did like to have Gordon to herself, but that’s normal, isn’t it?” Archie paused and seemed to be reflecting on something. “Now I come to think of it, Jessie and Sylvia didn’t spend any time together. If they had to spend time together Jessie was always quieter than normal. And Jessie didn’t want anything to do with the wedding arrangements, she said Sylvia was more than capable of organising everything.”
Grace nodded. “So, they didn’t get on that well. Sylvia probably resented the close relationship between Jessie and Gordon. Then you came along, she probably hated Jessie even more as she fell in love with you. Is that grounds for murder? Pearl?”
“Absolutely. People have killed for less. I haven’t heard of anyone using poisoned perfume before. I wonder where she got it from.”
Archie said, “You can get anything on the Internet. Sylvia was becoming quite a computer geek, she was on it for hours. I even showed her some of the underground sites that I have to deal with. I realised later that I shouldn’t have, but Sylvia was so interested in my work and it was hard to say no to her.”
“What kind of underground sites?” Grace asked.
Archie gave her a wry smile. “Sites that would turn your hair as grey as Pearl’s. You name it, and, somewhere on the Internet, I could find it. I still can’t believe Sylvia would do that.”
“I’d like to look at some of those sites,” Pearl said gleefully. She caught Grace’s look and added, “For future investigations, of course. Archie, you’ll have to give Grace a note of those sites.”
Lily bounced out of her chair. “When can we talk about me! I have to tell you what I saw, what she did!”
Pearl pointed at her. “Oi! None of that bouncing about, you’re making my head hurt. Sit down and talk to us.”
Lily grinned at Pearl and sat down. “I remember that wedding day. All the maids fancied Archie, they all wanted to help him with his bags but Mum asked me to do it. That older woman, Sylvia? She asked me to help her. I helped her carry things to the honeymoon suite. I didn’t like her. She smiled at me with her mouth and not her eyes. I don’t like people like that.”
“Go on,” Pearl urged.
Lily lifted her chin proudly. “I took the wedding dress and I hung it carefully in the wardrobe, that big walk-in wardrobe that’s in the room. I put some more things away but I couldn’t stop looking at that dress. It was beautiful! Sylvia said she had to go talk to the DJ and went out.” Lily sighed. “I couldn’t help it, I knew Mum would be mad but I had to do it! I tried the dress on, and the shoes. I looked gorgeous! Archie, don’t you think I look gorgeous in Jessie’s dress?”
Archie gave her a gentle smile. “Yes, you do. What happened next, Lily?”
“I was dancing around the room when I heard the door opening. I ran into the wardrobe and closed the door. Sylvia came in. I heard her locking the door. I saw her walk to the dressing table. She put that perfume bottle right in the middle. I thought she must be happy giving such a present because she was smiling so much. The smile even went to her eyes. She went out, I took the dress off, put it away and left the room.”
Grace nodded. “So we know Sylvia left the perfume there for definite. Lily, you said you found the perfume later?”
“I did, in that cleaning trolley, wrapped in that handkerchief. Sylvia was downstairs in the toilets, crying her eyes out about Archie. I tried to give her the perfume bottle back, I had to tell her that I saw her earlier when I was hiding. She stopped crying and her ey
es went all wide. She said I could keep the perfume. Then she gave me one of those funny smiles again. She said when the police had gone she was going to give me the wedding dress and shoes, Jessie wouldn’t want them any more. I had to wait ages for the police to finish! I was so excited about the dress! Sylvia gave me it later, all wrapped up. She said I should try it on at home, and I should put on lots of the perfume.”
“She actually said that? To put on the perfume?” Grace said.
Lily nodded. “She said it a few times. She said it was a fancy perfume from France and it smelled of roses. I love roses. When I got home I put the dress and shoes on. Then I picked the perfume up and ...” Lily looked down at her dress, her smile died. “She killed me, didn’t she? That Sylvia woman, she killed Archie and then she killed me.” Lily looked up. “Why did she do that? I didn’t do anything to her.”
Grace said, “It’s because you saw her place the perfume in the room. You might have told the police.” She turned to Archie. “Now do you believe that Sylvia killed you? That her intended target was Jessie? She didn’t think twice about killing Lily.”
Archie gave a big sigh. “I suppose you’re right.”
Pearl snapped, “There’s no suppose about it! That Sylvia is not right in her head!”
Archie said, “Sylvia won’t be happy about Gordon being in jail, she’ll be furious.”
Grace stood up. “Jessie! She might try to kill Jessie again! Where is she?”
Grace got Jessie’s number and tried her phone. “It’s gone to answer-phone. Archie, do you know Sylvia’s number?”
Archie did, he gave it to Grace. “Answer–phone for her too. Have you got Rob’s number? Jessie’s address? Her work address?”
Pearl stood up. “Grace, calm down, you’re not thinking clearly.”
Grace jumped as her phone rang. “Jessie? Is that you? Ruth! What?” Grace looked wide-eyed at the others. “Okay, I’m on my way. Thanks.”
“Well?” Pearl asked.
“Ruth Berry has just seen Sylvia and Jessie come into the hotel. Sylvia wanted to look at the honeymoon suite. She told Ruth who they were and that Jessie still hadn’t come to terms with Archie’s death. Sylvia thought a quiet hour or two in the honeymoon suite might bring Jessie some closure. Ruth agreed even though she knew it was a strange request, she recognised Jessie and Sylvia as soon as they walked in. Ruth said that Jessie didn’t look right. She was leaning against Sylvia as if she was drunk.”
“Or drugged,” Pearl suggested. “You’d better get over there. Don’t worry about Frankie, I can hear his snores from here. Go!”
Lily and Archie were at Grace’s side. Archie said, “I hope we’re not too late.”
“Me too,” Grace added.
Chapter 36
Ruth wasn’t on the reception desk when Grace bounded through the hotel doors. Grace didn’t stop to ask the man standing in her place where Ruth was. She didn’t waste time waiting for the lift and ran up the stairs instead. She was out of breath when she finally stopped outside the honeymoon suite. A grim-faced Ruth was waiting for her.
Ruth nodded towards the door. “They’ve been in there a while. I interrupted once to see if they wanted any refreshments. They were standing by the French doors when I went in. Sylvia had her arm around Jessie, but it looked like she was holding her up. I’ve been listening at the door, I can hear two voices but it’s mainly Sylvia talking. I can’t work out what she’s saying. What are we going to do? I can knock at the door again.”
“No time,” Grace said. An uneasy feeling was growing in her stomach, she hoped she wasn’t too late. “We’re going in.”
Ruth reached for a key on her belt. Grace said, “You don’t need that. Lily showed me how to open this door without a key.”
Ruth looked past Grace’s shoulder. “Is she here? Lily?”
Grace nodded. “She’s dancing about at your side.” Grace twisted the handle as Lily had shown her. She burst into the room, followed by Ruth, Archie and Lily.
Jessie was lying on the huge four-poster bed, her eyelids were fluttering as if trying to open. Sylvia was perched at her side, a contented smile on her face. She looked over at Grace, her smile immediately vanished. “Who are you? And how dare your burst in! We’re having a private moment! Ms Berry, what sort of a hotel are you running?”
Archie whooshed across the room, straight through Sylvia and lay at Jessie’s side. His ghostly hand touched her hair. Without taking his eyes from Jessie he said, “Grace, she’s still alive but her breathing doesn’t sound right.”
Grace walked further into the room. “I’m a friend of Jessie’s. I was concerned when she didn’t answer her phone. What’s wrong with her? Why is she lying down.”
Various emotions fluttered over Sylvia’s face, Grace could almost hear her thinking of excuses. Sylvia settled on concern. She said, “I think she’s taking Archie’s death badly, that was her groom, he died in this room.” Sylvia paused and dramatically pulled her hands to her chest. “We thought he was the victim of a break-in but it seems that’s not true. Look.” Sylvia picked up a piece of paper that was lying at Jessie’s side. “I found this in her pocket. It says that she killed Archie, and she can’t bear to go on.”
Grace took a slow step closer to the bed. “Why would she kill Archie?”
Sylvia tried to look embarrassed. “I can’t bring myself to say it, but I suppose I have to. Archie was desperately in love with me. He only went through with the wedding because he felt sorry for her, he was that kind of man.”
Lily shot over to Sylvia. “Liar! You killed him!”
Sylvia hadn’t finished. “Gordon, my husband, he found Archie and told the police about the break-in. He must have known that Jessie did it. He’s been covering for her all this time. But that wasn’t good enough for her,” Sylvia pointed at Jessie. Grace flinched at the hate that showed up on Sylvia’s face for a second. “Jessie forced Gordon to confess, now he’s in prison. She’s very selfish, always has been.”
The note had become crumpled in Sylvia’s hand. Grace took another step and said, “What’s wrong with her? She’s hardly moving.”
“Good! She deserves to die! She made my Archie die! And she put my Gordon in prison!”
All pretence had gone, the true Sylvia emerged.
Grace said, “I know what you did. I know you bought the poisoned perfume for Jessie and put it in here. Your plan went wrong and Archie died. Why are you trying to harm Jessie now? Is it because Gordon is in prison? Do you blame her for that?”
Ruth said, “What are you talking about, Grace? Did Sylvia try to kill her own daughter?”
Sylvia spat, “She’s not my daughter! I never wanted her in my life. She has to die!” She turned hate-filled eyes towards Grace. “And who are you anyway? Coming here and spouting that nonsense, you don’t know what you’re talking about. Get out!”
Ruth touched Grace’s elbow. “Is it true about the poisoned perfume? Was it the same perfume that I found in Lily’s room?”
Grace nodded, still keeping her eyes on Sylvia. She could see Sylvia slowly reaching in to her pocket.
Ruth moved forward. “Was that how my Lily died? Did you kill my Lily?”
Sylvia scowled. “Lily? Who the hell is Lily?”
In a deceptively calm voice Ruth said, “She was my daughter. She was a maid at this hotel, she helped carry your bags.”
Recognition dawned. Sylvia waved a hand and said, “Oh, the maid with the blonde hair? I had to get rid of her.”
Her casual manner made Grace’s stomach harden in anger. That was nothing to what it did to Ruth Berry.
Ruth’s arms shot up, her fingers stretched out like talons. An angry roar burst from her and she threw herself at Sylvia.
“No!” Grace warned. She’d seen what Sylvia had pulled out from her pocket.
Sylvia aimed the spray at Ruth and pressed the end. A vapour shot towards Ruth, she screamed, and her hands covered her face. She dropped to the floor.
Sy
lvia smiled at Grace and said, “Your turn now.”
Chapter 37
“Mum! No!” Lily flew over to Ruth and lay on top of her.
Archie called out, “Grace! Move!”
Grace had no intention of being Sylvia’s next victim. She remembered one of the moves in her self-defence classes. She bent forwards and launched herself at Sylvia. Sylvia was knocked to the ground. Grace grabbed the spray from her hand and flung it under the bed. She felt her hair being pulled, Sylvia was back on her feet. Grace aimed her unnaturally sharp elbow backwards and connected with flesh. Sylvia howled and collapsed on to the thick carpet.
Archie was at Grace’s side in a second. He looked down at Sylvia who was writhing in pain. He said, “I think I heard something crack.”
Grace reached for her phone and quickly called for the police and an ambulance. She wasn’t going to let anyone else be murdered in this room. She turned to Archie. “Is Jessie still breathing?”
“She is, it looks like she’s in a deep sleep now. What did Sylvia give her?”
Grace got to her knees. “Lily, please move, I have to look at your mum.”
Lily moved. Archie took her into his arms and hugged her. Ruth was face down on the carpet. Grace turned her over. Red-rimmed eyes looked back at her. An aroma of strong perfume wafted towards Grace. Ruth’s mouth opened, she croaked, “What did she do to me? My eyes sting, she almost blinded me with that perfume. Grace! Was it poisoned perfume?”
Archie shook his head. “She’d be dead now if it was. I think it was ordinary perfume. You might want to check her bag, see what she’s given Jessie.”
Grace helped Ruth into a sitting position. Tears streamed down Ruth’s face. Grace said, “It’s not poisoned perfume. I’d better let the paramedics deal with you, I don’t want to stick you under the tap and make matters worse.”
Ruth managed to smile. “I’ll be okay. Where’s Lily?”
“Sitting on your right.”
Murder Vows (Storage Ghost Murders Book 4) Page 12
