Death at Dearley Manor, page 24
part #2 of Sukey Reynolds Mystery Series
‘DCI Lord didn’t seem to think so… not at the time, anyway.’
‘I’ll bet he does now!’ The lad’s face glowed in admiration of his mother’s powers of deduction.
‘Never mind that for the moment,’ said Jim. ‘How does the rest of it fit in?’
‘The computer password, of course,’ said Fergus. ‘I’ll bet it was some variant of the letters making up “Dear Paul”.’
‘I didn’t think she and your father were on such affectionate terms—?’
‘They weren’t, she was probably being sarky. She was like that.’
‘It sounds unlikely to me, but you never know.’ Jim’s tone was dubious, but he took out his mobile phone and stood up. ‘For what it’s worth, I’ll pass the idea on to DCI Lord.’
‘While you’re speaking to him, ask how Leonie is,’ Sukey called after him as he went out of the room. She felt a stab of guilt at having forgotten, even for a few minutes, that the last time she saw the girl her life was hanging by a thread.
It was some time before the police were able to piece the whole story together and when they did it was plain that when the case came to court it would provide news-hungry journalists with some sensational material.
Annie Little was found to be suffering nothing more serious than severe concussion. On leaving hospital she was arrested, cautioned and charged, together with Ezra, with two murders and one attempted murder, all of which she denied, claiming they had been committed by her lover. On learning how she had betrayed him, Ezra broke down and told the complete story of how together they had decided to kill Myrna, how Annie had prevailed on him to kill Pussy Willow to prevent her repeating what she had seen of their flight through the woods, and finally how the attempt on Leonie’s life had ended in disaster. Meanwhile, after major surgery and many hours hovering between life and death, Leonie recovered consciousness and gave the police the key to Myrna Maxford’s computer files, where they uncovered some startling information.
‘Annie was the driving force from the word go,’ Jim told Sukey and Fergus on his first night off after days of intensive inquiries. ‘She hated Myrna because she made her life a misery by taunting her about her age and her looks, especially after she found out about the relationship with Ezra. He was completely besotted with Annie, he’d have cut off his right arm for her – and she repaid him by trying to put the entire blame for the killings on him.’
‘That’s the sort of thing Myrna would have done,’ Sukey remarked thoughtfully. ‘Maybe beneath the surface they were two of a kind.’
‘Maybe.’
‘So tell us everything from the beginning.’
‘We already knew about Dennison and Perry – and of course, Bradley Ashton. At his previous firm, Dennison was caught with his hand in the till to the tune of several thousand pounds and he was sent down for five years. Old Grant Maxford gave him an office job as part of a rehabilitation scheme and after a while he promoted him, eventually making him secretary of the company.’
‘That was taking a bit of a risk, wasn’t it?’
‘There were extenuating circumstances. The first Mrs Dennison ran off with a car salesman leaving her husband with a load of debts that he had no hope of settling, and he was desperate. He’d been hoping to repay the money before anyone knew it was missing, but his luck ran out. While he was in the slammer he divorced the first wife and later on married his secretary and with her help and support got back on his feet.’
‘What about Perry?’
‘Ah, he’s a different animal altogether. His little misdemeanour was to join a syndicate circulating videos of child pornography.’
‘The filthy so-and-so. Why ever would old Maxford employ a man like that?’
‘Who knows? Perhaps he saw him as a challenge. Mind you, the man is a salesman so he probably had a smooth line of talk. Maybe he convinced old Maxford that he was more sinned against than sinning.’
‘Doesn’t Myrna’s file on him give a clue?’
‘Not really. She was more concerned with exercising her power over her victims than with her father’s motives for helping them. If they didn’t dance to her tune, she’d threaten to sack them and make sure their records were made public so they’d find it difficult, if not impossible, to get anything like the sort of jobs they had with her. It seems she never passed up an opportunity to rub their noses in it and then recorded their reactions in graphic detail.’
‘So what about Ezra and Annie? What did she have on them?’
‘On Annie, nothing. She was the faithful family retainer who’d promised old Grant Maxford on his deathbed that she’d stay on and look after his little girl. Ezra was the one with form; he was caught stealing timber by a previous employer and spent six months in the nick.’
‘And was then given another chance by Grant?’
‘Right. He was in the same boat as the others, except that in Ezra’s case, losing his job would have meant losing his home as well, so it was impossible for him to marry Annie.’
‘Jim,’ said Fergus, who up to now had been listening intently without interruption, ‘did they plan to kill Myrna in advance, or did they just take the opportunity when there was no one else in the house? I mean, they couldn’t have known that Dad was going to sleep in one of the cottages that night—’
‘Oh, it was carefully planned all right, it was just a case of waiting for the right moment. According to Ezra, Annie was determined to do the deed herself – of course, she’s denying it now – but he was the one who hit on the idea of wearing the overall to stop blood getting on her clothes. That Sunday evening, when Myrna dropped her bombshell and upset everyone so badly, plus the fact that once they’d all gone home there’d be no one in the house but her, seemed the ideal time to strike.’
‘Annie must have really hated Myrna to attack her so viciously,’ Sukey remarked.
‘Yes, well, according to Ezra, Myrna went into the kitchen after her guests had gone. She was pretty drunk and kept wanting to know where “lover boy” – meaning Ezra – had gone. Annie told her he’d gone to see to a sick cow, and Myrna had laughed and said something about a sick cow having more sex appeal. I think that was the moment when Annie made up her mind that tonight was the night.’
‘So she phoned Ezra after Myrna had gone to bed and he came over to help put the plan into operation?’
‘That’s right. Incidentally, it was Annie’s idea to leave the knife with Paul’s blood and fingerprints for us to find. Normally, she’d have popped it straight into the dishwasher. No doubt she wanted us to think it was the murder weapon, which did seem likely at first.’
‘The evil cow! And I used to think she was such a kind old duck!’ Fergus could not contain his anger at this cold-blooded attempt to incriminate his father. ‘What about the break-in? Was that part of the plan as well?’
‘Of course. That was Ezra’s job. While she was carving Myrna up, he was bashing in the back door to fake a burglary. After that the two of them hightailed it to their respective homes.’
‘I could tell at once there was something iffy about that break-in,’ said Sukey. ‘A genuine burglar would have trodden glass through the house while looking for stuff to nick, but the only fragments were at the point of entry.’ She thought for a moment, then said, ‘I wonder if it ever occurred to Myrna that sooner or later one of her victims would top her?’
‘That isn’t recorded, but as a complete psychopath she probably thought she was invulnerable. She only laughed when Leonie warned her that Paul might try.’
‘And then Leonie found out what they’d all been up to and how Myrna had exploited her knowledge. Is that what she was going to tell me – and why Annie Little tried to kill her?’
‘Yes, but the irony is that she never got around to reading the files on Ezra and Annie. She was so upset when she read her own and saw what Myrna had written about her that she gave up. Annie saw her driving home looking like death, went round to see what was wrong—’
‘—and Leonie confided in her!’ Sukey exclaimed. The last piece of the puzzle fell into place. ‘It must have shaken the old gorgon rigid when she realised what it could lead to. But why wait and give Leonie time to go rushing to the police? Why not get out her carving knife there and then?’
‘Leonie says Annie persuaded her at first that there was nothing to be gained by stirring up ancient history. It was clear that Paul was the killer – no point in making people pay twice for their sins, that sort of thing. Then Leonie decided to ask for your advice and made the mistake of telling Annie.’
‘And Annie did her best to silence her. Poor girl, she seems to have been betrayed by everyone she trusted, starting with her own father.’
‘She’ll be all right though, won’t she, Mum?’ asked Fergus. ‘You’ve been to see her in hospital, you said the doctors were pleased with her?’
‘Physically, they say she’ll make a complete recovery, but psychologically, she’s taken a fearful hammering.’ Sukey closed her eyes, still haunted by the memory of the girl’s white face and air of utter hopelessness as she lay in her hospital bed. After a moment, she turned to Jim and said, ‘I suppose Annie put on the overall again, did the deed and then expected Ezra to hide it. Maybe that’s what all the shouting was about.’
‘That’s right. He claims he was so appalled at the way things were turning out that he blew his top and told her he was sick of the whole business, said he wished he’d never got involved with her, never set eyes on her—’
‘So that’s why he kept saying, “I’m sorry, forgive me”, after she fell down the steps.’ Sukey’s throat tightened at the tragic end to an unlikely love affair. ‘By the way, did Annie attack Leonie with the same knife she used to kill Myrna?’
‘Oh, yes, it was one of her own. We found it under the overall on Ezra’s couch. It was his job to get rid of both things for her. After stabbing Leonie, she rushed round to his house with them—’
‘Bearing a shroud!’ Sukey interrupted. ‘That’s what Pussy Willow said she’d seen. I wondered if there was a connection when Leonie spoke about one overall being faulty. It wasn’t, of course. I’m told the proprietor of Brockworth Agricultural Supplies was very miffed at the suggestion that he sells defective goods.’
‘Mum, you should be a detective!’ said Fergus admiringly.
Sukey shot a sly glance at Jim before saying, ‘You’re not the only one to think so.’
He gave an indulgent smile. ‘Oh, really?’
‘Really,’ she assured him. ‘DCI Lord said to me the other day, “If ever you think about joining the Force and doing your two years on the beat, I’d be happy to recommend you for the CID.” I’m giving it some serious thought,’ she added.
Did you love the twists and turns in Death at Dearley Manor? If so, don’t miss Sukey Reynolds’s first case, Death at Hazel House. When Sukey’s photography work for the police puts her in danger, can she get a picture of the killer before it’s too late?
Get it here!
Death at Hazel House
Available now!
Meet Sukey Reynolds: proud mother, wonderful cook… and police photographer turned amateur detective.
Years ago, Sukey was hoping to become a detective but life took a different turn. Now she’s happy to be involved with the local police force, as long as she still gets to work the occasional murder case...
When Sukey arrives to photograph the body of Lorraine Chant, the beautiful wife of a wealthy businessman, she’s baffled. At first, it looks like a botched burglary, as the huge family safe has been left wide open and empty. But why does Lorraine’s rich husband claim nothing was taken? And what is he not telling the police?
Deciding to do a little investigating of her own, things take a darker turn for Sukey when she is set upon by a shady figure. What do they think she knows? As Sukey finds herself in the firing line, can she expose the true killer before it’s too late?
If you love murder mysteries by Agatha Christie, Faith Martin or Joy Ellis, then this unputdownable novel from the bestselling queen of cozy crime will have you hooked!
Get it here!
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Books by Betty Rowlands
THE SUKEY REYNOLDS SERIES
Death at Hazel House
Death at Dearley Manor
Death at Beacon Cottage
Death at Burwell Farm
THE MELISSA CRAIG SERIES
Murder at Hawthorn Cottage
Murder in the Morning
Murder on the Clifftops
Murder at the Manor Hotel
Murder on a Winter Afternoon
Murder in the Orchard
Murder at Larkfield Barn
Murder in Langley Woods
Murder at Benbury Brook
Murder at the Old House
Murder in the Dining Room
Murder in a Country Garden
AVAILABLE IN AUDIO
Murder at Hawthorn Cottage (available in the UK and the US)
Murder in the Morning (available in the UK and the US)
Murder on the Clifftops (available in the UK and the US)
Murder at the Manor Hotel (available in the UK and the US)
Murder on a Winter Afternoon (available in the UK and the US)
Murder in the Orchard (available in the UK and the US)
Murder at Larkfield Barn (available in the UK and the US)
Murder in Langley Woods (available in the UK and the US)
Murder at Benbury Brook (available in the UK and the US)
Murder at the Old House (available in the UK and the US)
Murder in the Dining Room (available in the UK and the US)
Murder in a Country Garden (available in the UK and the US)
A Letter from Betty
Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for taking the time to read Death at Dearley Manor, I hope you enjoyed it! If you’d like to stay in touch with news about my future publications, then please sign up to my newsletter here:
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After I had written half a dozen or so Melissa Craig mysteries it occurred to me that there might come a time when it would be difficult to devise feasible situations when an amateur sleuth might become involved in murder. Also, I felt like a change from the traditional village mystery. My editor at the time was not keen on the idea, despite my assurances that I wasn't abandoning Melissa altogether.
But I went ahead anyway and created Sukey Reynolds. She is a Scene of Crime Officer in her thirties with a rapidly maturing teenage son, a boyfriend in the CID and an ex-husband in the background who causes problems from time to time. Naturally, her work routinely brings her into direct contact with crime at various levels and her official remit is limited to the collection of evidence.
However, before her marriage, Sukey was a police officer with ambitions to join the CID, and when it comes to murder she finds herself irresistibly drawn into the hunt for the killer. This tendency leads her into dangerous situations and incurs the active disapproval of DI Jim Castle. I do hope you’ve enjoyed this Sukey Reynolds mystery – there are more to come!
If you really loved the book and would like to spread the word to other readers, I’d be so grateful if you would leave a review. You can also follow my fan page on Facebook and Twitter via the links below.
All very best,
Betty
Murder at Hawthorn Cottage
A Melissa Craig Mystery Book 1
Get it here!
Meet Melissa: cat lover, caring mother… daring detective?
Melissa Craig is absolutely delighted with her new life in an old crumbling cottage, spending her days pruning the primroses and getting to know Binkie, the ginger cat next door. She only wishes she had made the move to the countryside sooner.
But when a knock at the door brings news of a shocking discovery, she suddenly finds herself thrown in to the middle of a baffling mystery: the bones of a young woman have been found in the woods just behind her new home.
Perhaps the little village of Upper Benbury is not as idyllic as it first seemed?
Strange phone calls in the night convince Melissa that the police are barking up completely the wrong tree, so she can’t resist doing a little digging of her own. From the bingo hall to the beauty salon and beyond, her search ruffles a few feathers and uncovers many of the village’s most scandalous secrets, but gets her no closer to finding the culprit…
The discovery of a tatty old photograph in a drawer is the final piece of the puzzle she needs, but as a newcomer in this close-knit community, does Melissa have what it takes to get to the bottom of this extraordinary murder mystery alone?
A joy to read! An absolutely unputdownable whodunnit for fans of Agatha Christie, P.D. James and Faith Martin.
Published by Bookouture in 2019
An imprint of StoryFire Ltd.
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