The Osborne Case

by Diana Xarissa

  “Yes, well, I’m not sure about that. He has his business to run, you see, although maybe he could hire managers or something to deal with all of that. I’m not really clear on what he does, if I’m honest. It’s something to do with computers, though.”

  “Maybe if you go and visit him for a while, Miss Falkirk will come back while you’re away,” Janet said.

  Beverly looked at her for a minute and then sighed. “I don’t know. The more I think about it, the more likely it seems to me that she’s dead. She’s been gone for a long time, hasn’t she?”

  “Well, yes, but maybe she met with an accident and simply isn’t well enough to come home yet or something,” Janet said.

  “I suppose that’s possible,” Beverly said, looking slightly brighter for a moment. “She would have rung, wouldn’t she, though? She would have to know that I’d be worried about her,” she said, frowning again.

  “I’m sure you’ve given it a lot of thought,” Janet said. “Can you think of anywhere she might have gone?”

  “She never went anywhere,” Beverly replied.

  “Does she have a passport?” Bessie asked.

  Beverly looked surprised and then nodded. “She does, actually. She told me all about it once. Her parents were very overprotective and never wanted her to go anywhere. As soon as she turned eighteen, she went and got a passport, just to show them that if she wanted to, she could travel anywhere. I don’t think she ever really planned to travel, but having the passport represented something to her. I know she renewed it every ten years and that she even carried it around with her everywhere she went.”

  “So she will have had it with her when she disappeared?” Janet asked, feeling excited.

  “Yes, I suppose so,” Beverly replied.

  “We should tell Robert about this,” Janet said.

  “Surely this just complicates things,” Joan suggested. “Instead of just having to look around the UK, now he has to look around the world for the woman.”

  “Did she ever mention wanting to go anywhere special?” Janet asked, ignoring Joan.

  Beverly smiled. “She wanted to go to Disney World,” she said. “I think that’s the place. The one in Florida where everyone goes with their children.”

  “Why did she want to go there?” Janet wondered.

  “Again, I think it was something to do with her parents. It wasn’t the sort of place they’d have ever taken her. I don’t believe that she had a very happy childhood and I think she wanted a chance to recapture what she felt she’d missed out on growing up. She was already middle-aged when the place opened, but something about it appealed to her. She said something about seeing it on television and feeling as if it would be wonderful.”

  “Maybe Robert should ring someone in Florida,” Bessie suggested. “Perhaps Miss Falkirk simply decided to chase a dream.”

  “Surely she would have let someone know she was going?” Joan asked.

  “Was Miss Falkirk impulsive?” Janet asked Beverly.

  “Not as far as I knew,” Beverly sighed, “but then she did disappear, didn’t she? I’d never known her to do anything without planning ahead. I’m sure I told you that she grocery shopped every Monday. Besides that, she rarely left the house, really. Wednesdays were her days for other errands, when they arose, but at her age she didn’t need to shop for much beyond food, really. She had plenty of clothes and coats and furniture and whatever else.”

  Janet nodded. Everything the woman was saying made sense. Miss Falkirk was a creature of habit who had simply vanished in the middle of an otherwise ordinary day. “What about her car?” she asked.

  “What about it?” Beverly replied.

  “Was it reliable? Could she have had car trouble somewhere?”

  “I doubt it. Gretchen was very careful with her car. She had it serviced every time the garage said it needed doing. And let me tell you, when that Gavin Appleton had the garage, I’m sure he told her to bring it in far more often than it needed. The new owner is much nicer.”

  “Yes, he is,” Janet agreed. She and Joan had had their own troubles with Gavin Appleton, mostly due to the fact that they’d bought Doveby House after his mother, Margaret, had disinherited him in favour of a local charity.

  “I’m sorry,” Beverly said. “I’m just going on and on. As I said, I’m having trouble sleeping and I can’t stop worrying about Gretchen. Maybe I should go and stay with my son. Maybe I need a change of scenery.”

  “Do you remember what Miss Falkirk was wearing the last time you saw her?” Doona asked.

  Beverly frowned. “I don’t think, that is, let me…” she trailed off and then shut her eyes. “She was wearing her indoor clothes,” she said in surprise. “It didn’t really register at the time, but now that you’ve asked, I can see it clearly.”

  “Indoor clothes?” Doona repeated.

  “Yes, she always wore certain clothes around the house, to do the cleaning and whatnot in. They were older things that she wouldn’t have worn outside.”

  “But on that day, she did wear them outside?” Doona checked.

  “Yes, and I don’t know that I’d ever seen her do that before,” Beverly said. “It wasn’t at all like her.”

  “Maybe she had some sort of emergency,” Bessie suggested.

  “Yes, I suppose that must be it,” Beverly agreed. “That’s probably why she didn’t let me know she was going, as well.”

  “We should tell Robert all of this,” Janet suggested. “I’ll just ring him and see if he’s busy.”

  “I’m actually right outside,” he told Janet when the call connected. “I’ll knock in the door in five minutes so that Beverly doesn’t realise I’m already here.”

  Five minutes later, Janet opened the door to the man. “Come in. We’re in the sitting room,” she explained.

  It only took Beverly a few minutes to recount everything that she’d told the others.

  “I should have asked you what Miss Falkirk was wearing when we spoke,” Robert said, sounding frustrated.

  “I’m not sure I would have remembered if I hadn’t spent the last two days thinking about it, though,” Beverly replied. “Doona asked at just the right time.”

  Doona grinned. “Glad I could help.”

  Robert nodded. “Can you remember anything else about the last time you saw Miss Falkirk?” he asked.

  Janet was sure he hadn’t pushed the issue when he’d first spoken to Beverly because she’d seemed so confused about everything. For whatever reason, she seemed more focussed tonight.

  “I don’t think so. I was pottering around, doing nothing much, and I heard Gretchen coming down the stairs. I wasn’t eager to talk to her, because I knew she was cross with me because my son had been ringing me late at night rather frequently. She often complained that my telephone ringer was too loud, you see. Anyway, I ducked out of the way until she’d gone and then I glanced out the window as she climbed into her car. That’s when I noticed that she was wearing her indoor clothes.”

  “But you didn’t question it at the time?” Robert wondered.

  “I don’t know that it really registered at the time,” Beverly sighed. “I was just glad she hadn’t shouted at me about the phone. I was very worried that she might make me move if she got too upset with me. I really like it here.”

  Robert nodded. “Thank you,” he said. “You’ve given me some new avenues to explore.”

  Janet wondered if he could actually ring someone in Florida. She’d heard that a great many Americans chose to retire there. Finding one elderly lady in a crowd of pensioners might be difficult.

  Robert got up to leave and Janet followed him to the door. “Ring me when you get home,” he told her. “I want to hear what else she has to say once I’m gone. I’d stay, but I think she’s happier talking to you than to me.”

  Janet nodded and then pulled open the door. A car was just pulling up outside. Janet’s jaw dropped as an elderly woman climbed out from the driver’s seat. Her hair was in a
neat bun. She was wearing a T-shirt with a Florida theme park logo on it. Janet watched as she walked around the car and opened the passenger door. As she helped a man who looked about her age from the passenger seat, Robert walked down the stairs towards her.

  Chapter 10

  “Good evening,” he said. “You wouldn’t happen to be Gretchen Falkirk, would you?”

  The woman looked at him and then laughed. “Actually, no, I’m not. I’m Gretchen Murray,” she replied. “Mrs. Gretchen Murray. My maiden name was Falkirk, though.”

  Robert nodded. “I’m Constable Robert Parsons. I’m afraid you were reported missing.”

  “Reported missing? My goodness, why?” the woman asked.

  “Maybe we should all go in and sit down,” the man leaning on Gretchen’s arm said.

  “That’s probably a very good idea,” Robert said.

  “Yes, of course,” Gretchen said. “I’m afraid I can’t offer you tea or anything. I’ve nothing in, as I’ve been away.”

  “We were just visiting with Beverly,” Robert said. “I’m sure she can make you a cup of tea if you want one.”

  Gretchen nodded. “I suppose she’s the one who reported me missing,” she sighed. “I never meant to cause any trouble. I simply didn’t think about anyone missing me.”

  Robert led them all back down the corridor to Beverly’s sitting room. When they walked in, Beverly jumped to her feet. “Gretchen? You’re okay?” She rushed over to the woman, enveloping her in a hug.

  “I didn’t mean to worry you,” Gretchen said. “I simply didn’t think.”

  Janet could see the curiosity on everyone’s faces as they looked at the new arrivals.

  “But do sit down,” Beverly said. “All of you.” She gave the man a curious look and then gestured towards chairs. There were just enough for everyone to have a seat. “Does anyone want tea or coffee?” she asked after a moment.

  No one wanted anything. Janet was looking expectantly at Gretchen and her companion. She didn’t want to wait for a kettle to boil before she could find out what had happened to the woman.

  “Beverly told me that she hadn’t seen you since July,” Robert said, “and that you disappeared without telling her you were leaving.”

  Gretchen flushed. “Both of those things are true. I simply didn’t think. I’ve lived alone for nearly all of my life, you see, my adult life anyway. It never occurred to me that anyone would miss me.”

  “But where have you been?” Beverly asked.

  Gretchen glanced at her companion and then giggled. “Disney World,” she said.

  Janet and Bessie both laughed. “Really?” Doona asked.

  “Really,” Gretchen replied with a grin.

  “Maybe you should start at the beginning,” the man suggested.

  “Yes, you’re probably right,” Gretchen sighed, “and I should introduce my husband, shouldn’t I?”

  “Husband?” Beverly gasped.

  “Yes, husband,” Gretchen replied. She reached over and patted the man’s arm. “This is Jack Murray. We got married six weeks ago.”

  “Congratulations,” Janet said quickly.

  The others all followed suit as Gretchen beamed and Jack took her hand.

  “I’ve been in love with Gretchen since I was fourteen,” he told them. “It took me a long time to finally get my happy ending.”

  “Fourteen?” Bessie repeated.

  “Oh, yes, we met in school, but Gretchen’s parents didn’t approve of me,” he explained.

  “My parents didn’t approve of anything,” Gretchen sighed. “They didn’t want me to travel or marry or do anything, really. They sent away every suitor who ever paid me any attention and then they died and left me all alone.”

  “I never stopped loving her, though,” Jack said. “They sent me away, and I went, determined to make something of myself and prove my worth to them.”

  “And then what happened?” Janet asked after they both fell silent for a minute.

  “Oh, sorry,” Gretchen laughed. “Then Jack married someone else.”

  “Oh, dear,” Doona exclaimed.

  “I didn’t know what else to do,” Jack explained. “I thought I’d lost Gretchen forever so I settled for second best. I shouldn’t say that, really. I loved my wife dearly, I did, but I never forgot Gretchen and I never stopped loving her.”

  “It’s fine,” Gretchen told him. “I may have married someone else if I’d had the chance. This way I get to be a grandmother without having had to be a mother first, anyway.”

  Jack laughed. “Being a grandparent is pretty great,” he agreed. “My children think you’re wonderful, as well.”

  “I’m sorry to interrupt,” Robert said, “but I’d like to hear the rest of the story.”

  Gretchen smiled at him. “I am sorry. We’re all over the place, aren’t we? So Jack went off and moved to London, got married, had two children, and made a fortune while I stayed here, all by myself, alone.”

  “I’m sorry,” Jack said softly.

  “It wasn’t your fault,” she replied in a low voice.

  “Anyway, after many happy years together, sadly, my wife passed away,” Jack continued the story. “It took me some time to recover from my loss, but once the grief began to recede, I started to wonder about Gretchen. After two years of wondering, I sent her a letter.”

  “And when I got it, I couldn’t believe it,” Gretchen chimed in. “I read it about a dozen times and I still didn’t really believe it.”

  “But about a month later she finally worked up the nerve to ring me,” Jack said. “We met for lunch at the pub in Little Burton.”

  “Where Clara Hastings saw you,” Janet exclaimed.

  “Did she? My goodness, I had no idea,” Gretchen said. “I should have known that someone saw us, though. You can’t keep secrets in Doveby Dale.”

  “What happened next?” Robert asked.

  Gretchen laughed again. “We’ve already told this story half a dozen times to all of Jack’s friends and family. You’d think we’d be better at telling it by now, wouldn’t you?”

  Robert smiled. “I think you’re doing great,” he assured her. “I just can’t wait to hear the rest.”

  Gretchen nodded. “I’m afraid I’m rather embarrassed about the next part,” she said. “We had lunch and talked for hours, and then I told Jack that I didn’t want to see him again.”

  “And I didn’t blame her,” Jack said. “She was angry that I’d married someone else, and she had every right to be. I was selfishly pleased that she’d never married, you know.”

  “I came home, to my empty flat and my lonely life, and spent the next several months telling myself that I had everything that I wanted,” Gretchen said. “I really thought I meant it, too.”

  “And then fate lent a hand,” Jack laughed. “Or rather, the poor choices of my youth caught up with me. I had a heart attack, and when I woke up in the recovery room all I could think about was telling Gretchen one more time that I loved her.”

  “So he rang me from his hospital bed, and when I heard what had happened, I simply dropped everything and drove straight to London. I couldn’t let him die without telling him how I really felt.”

  “And how do you really feel?” he asked in a teasing voice.

  “I never stopped loving you,” she said solemnly.

  Jack grinned. “Once I’d started to recover, we started to make plans. I introduced her to my children and their spouses. Luckily, they all understood and were happy for us both. Then we booked a church and did what we should have done all those years ago.”

  “We got married,” Gretchen said, sounding slightly stunned. “It was the happiest day of my life.”

  “Except the honeymoon was better,” Jack suggested.

  Gretchen laughed. “The honeymoon was the best thing ever,” she agreed. “Once Jack was well enough to travel, we took Jack’s two children, their spouses, and the five grandchildren, and we all went to Disney World for a fortnight. It wa
s everything I’d ever imagined it would be and more, just sheer magic the entire time.”

  “Even when Bella got sick all over you?” Jack asked.

  “Even when Bella get sick on me,” Gretchen agreed. “She was just overexcited from meeting too many princesses and eating too much ice cream. I was almost as excited as she was and I’m a good many years older.”

  “And we got back to Heathrow last night,” Jack told Robert. “We spent the night at my flat in London and then drove back up here to pack up Gretchen’s things so she can move down to London for good.”

  “You’re leaving?” Beverly asked.

  Gretchen smiled at her. “”I’m sorry, darling, but yes, I’m leaving. Jack and I talked about it for ages, and we’ve agreed that we’ll both be happier in London. I’ve always wanted to live in a big city, you know, and his children and grandchildren are there. There’s nothing in Doveby Dale for either of us, really.”

  Beverly nodded. “I suppose I’ll move again, too,” she said. “Maybe if I’m closer to my son he’ll stop marrying the wrong women time and time again.”

  Gretchen laughed. “I’ve met your son. I’m not sure he’ll ever learn.”

  “You may be right about that,” Beverly sighed.

  “I believe this is where I leave,” Robert said, getting to his feet. “I’m delighted that everything has worked out. It isn’t often that my cases have such very happy endings.”

  “I hope the case didn’t cause you too much trouble,” Gretchen said, flushing. “I never meant to worry anyone. I simply wasn’t thinking.”

  “It was no trouble at all,” Robert assured her. “As I said, I’m just pleased to find that you’re okay. I’ll stop at the office on my way home and cancel the alert on your car.”

  Jack laughed. “Maybe it’s a good thing we brought mine from London, then. Gretchen’s is safely parked in the garage under my building at the moment.”

  “It was a pleasure meeting you,” Robert told the man. “I hope you both have a very long and happy life together.”

  “I don’t know about long,” Jack replied, “but we’re going to do our best to squeeze every bit of happiness into it that we can.”