The Rhodes Case Read online

  The Rhodes Case

  A Markham Sisters Cozy Mystery Novella

  Diana Xarissa

  Contents

  Author’s Note

  Letter to Bessie, part one

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Letter to Bessie, part two

  Glossary of Terms

  Other Notes

  Acknowledgments

  The Somerset Case

  Also by Diana Xarissa

  About the Author

  Copyright © 2019 DX Dunn, LLC

  All Rights Reserved

  Created with Vellum

  Author’s Note

  I really enjoy every opportunity I have to bring Edward Bennett back to Doveby House. This book, the eighteenth in the series, marks his third visit to Doveby Dale since Janet and Joan bought their bed and breakfast. I believe it’s best to read the series in order, and I alphabetize the titles to make that as easy as possible for readers, but each title should be enjoyable on its own if you prefer not to read the entire series.

  All of these novellas open and close with sections of Janet’s letters to her friend Bessie Cubbon on the Isle of Man. Most of you know that Bessie is the main protagonist of my Isle of Man Cozy Mystery Series. The sisters first met Bessie in Aunt Bessie Decides, and they continue to cross paths occasionally. I use the letter excerpts as a way to introduce and conclude each novella. You do not need to read that series in order to enjoy this one.

  Doveby Dale is a fictional village in Derbyshire in the UK. Because of the setting, I use British English spellings and terms. There is a short glossary at the end of the book for readers outside the UK. I also include a few extra notes covering anything that I think readers might find confusing. I’ve been living in the US for over ten years now, and I’m sure more Americanisms are sneaking into my writing. If readers let me know, I do try to correct them.

  This is a work of fiction and all of the characters are fictional creations. Any resemblance that they may share with any real person, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Additionally, although some shops or businesses may bear some resemblance to real-life businesses, that is also coincidental.

  My monthly newsletter is the best way for you to stay up to date on new releases. You can subscribe on my website. I’m also active on Facebook and can be found on Twitter and Instagram, as well. I love hearing from readers, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

  Letter to Bessie, part one

  31 January 2000

  Dear Bessie,

  Last month I mentioned how nervous Joan and I were about Edward’s upcoming visit. As it happens, we probably should have been even more concerned than we were.

  We expected it to be complicated after he told me that we needed to pretend that we didn’t know him when he arrived, and we were correct. It was very complicated indeed.

  Nothing seems to ruffle Edward’s feathers, though, and in the end we got through his week at Doveby House. His visit wasn’t the only excitement in Doveby Dale in January, though. Our little village does seem to attract more than its fair share of criminals.

  Chapter 1

  “You’re going to wear a hole in the carpet,” Joan Markham said mildly from her seat on one of the comfortable antique couches in the sitting room of Doveby House.

  “I’m just a little nervous,” her sister, Janet, replied.

  “Yes, I suspected as much,” Joan said dryly as she slid a bookmark into the book she’d been reading.

  Janet sighed. “You have to admit that this sort of thing wasn’t at all what you were expecting when you suggested buying a bed and breakfast.”

  “This is an unusual situation, but Edward Bennett has been nothing but trouble since the first time he knocked on our door, before we were even ready for guests yet.”

  “He isn’t that bad,” Janet muttered. Janet knew that Joan didn’t trust Edward, maybe didn’t even like him, but her feelings towards the man were far more complicated. He’d turned up on their doorstep not long after they’d purchased Doveby House, insisting that he had an existing booking to stay in one of the guest rooms. He’d offered the sisters so much money that they’d agreed to let him stay, despite some misgivings.

  During his visit, he’d taken Janet out to dinner and suggested that he might be interested in some sort of relationship with her, before rushing away. Before he’d left, however, he’d told Janet that he worked for some secret government agency that he couldn’t discuss.

  Since that initial visit, he’d been back a second time, and he’d also kept in infrequent touch with Janet, ringing from various places around the world. His job seemed to keep him impossibly busy, even though he kept insisting to Janet that he was trying to retire.

  She might have forgotten all about him, but he habitually sent her gifts, which kept him on her mind. Often it was simply flowers or chocolates, but he’d also bought her an expensive painting, a kitten, and a racy red coupe that was the first car she’d ever had that she didn’t have to share with her sister.

  Recently, he’d rung and asked her to book both rooms at the bed and breakfast for him for the entire month of January. He’d sent a generous cheque that more than covered the cost of the booking. The last time Janet had spoken to him, he’d told her that he and a guest would be arriving on the seventeenth, but that when he arrived, she and Joan were to pretend that they’d never met him before.

  While Janet loved reading murder mysteries and detective fiction, she was uncomfortable feeling as if she were caught up in some sort of spy novel. She knew that Joan probably wanted to tell the man not to come, but it had been wonderful having the bed and breakfast to themselves for the past fortnight while still getting paid as if they had guests.

  “What time do you expect him?” Joan asked.

  “You know perfectly well that he didn’t give me a time,” Janet snapped. “He wasn’t even totally clear on the date. He said ‘around the seventeenth,’ which could mean he may not even arrive until tomorrow.”

  “Or he could have arrived yesterday.”

  “Yes, well, I was pretty nervous yesterday, too.”

  Joan chuckled. “Yes, you were.”

  “I’m sorry. I haven’t seen the man in months, and since his last visit he bought me a car. We have a lot to talk about, but he’s asked me to pretend that I’ve never met him before. I’m not sure I can do that, at least not very well.”

  “I wish we knew more about the guest he’s bringing with him.”

  “I don’t understand why he couldn’t ring me before he was due to arrive and tell me what’s going on,” Janet sighed. “All of this secrecy is worrying.”

  “Maybe he didn’t ring because he thought you might tell him not to come.”

  “I would have been tempted to do just that.”

  Joan nodded. “And if I’d answered, I probably would have done so. I don’t trust the man and I find his request odd.”

  “We should have discussed it with Robert Parsons,” Janet said. Robert was the village’s police constable. He was responsible for looking after both Doveby Dale and neighbouring Little Burton. Both sisters were fond of the young man, who worked hard to keep the two villages safe.

  “He knows Edward. Surely Edward has let him know that he’s coming, otherwise Robert might accidently reveal that he knows the man if he sees him somewhere in Doveby Dale.”

  “That’s a good point. Maybe we should ring Robert and warn him,” Janet frowned.

  “Surely that should be Edward’s problem, not ours. It isn’t just Rob
ert, after all. Edward has met dozens of people in Doveby Dale during his visits, both before and after we purchased the bed and breakfast. I can’t imagine how he thinks he’ll be able to get away with pretending he’s never been here before.”

  Janet shrugged. “The whole thing has been keeping me up at night,” she admitted. “I don’t feel as if I’ve slept properly in weeks.”

  “Is that why Aggie has been sleeping down here?” Joan asked.

  Janet looked over at the kitten that usually slept on the pillow next to hers. “She’s been curling up with me at the beginning of the night, but once I start to toss and turn, she gives up and comes down here. With guests in the house, I won’t be able to leave my bedroom door open at night, though, so she’ll be stuck with me.”

  “Maybe you should buy her a cat bed for your room.”

  “That’s a good idea. I should have done that before today, though, really. I’m probably going to have to drive into Derby to find something.”

  “When I was at the chemist’s yesterday I noticed that Owen was unpacking boxes full of pet supplies. Apparently it’s a new product line that the shop is going to carry. He was grumbling about how large some of the items were, including the cat beds.”

  “Really? I should pop over there today, then. Maybe I should just go now. We’ve no idea when Edward is going to arrive. It’s only just ten o’clock, and he probably won’t be here before midday. I should be able to get to the shop, buy a bed for Aggie, and get back well before that.”

  “Go ahead. I can deal with Edward if he arrives while you’re gone.”

  Janet thought about it and then nodded. “I’m going to go. It would serve Edward right if I weren’t here when he arrived, anyway.”

  She went up to her room to comb her hair and add a fresh coat of lipstick. After grabbing her handbag, she headed back down to the sitting room. “I’ll be as quick as I can,” she told Joan, who’d returned to her book. “Do you need anything?”

  “Actually, I’m running low on my favourite shampoo and I noticed yesterday that it was on offer. If you could get me a few bottles, I’d be grateful.”

  Janet nodded and then walked to the door. “I hope I’m back before our guests arrive,” she said as she pulled the door open.

  “Or maybe not,” the man on the doorstep said.

  Janet jumped and let out a small scream.

  The man laughed. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “I didn’t know anyone was at the door,” Janet said, taking several slow, deep breaths to try to calm her racing heart.

  The grey-haired man winked at her and Janet felt herself flush. Edward Bennett’s light grey eyes twinkled at her as she took a step backward.

  “Welcome to Doveby House,” she said.

  Joan had stood up when Janet screamed. Now she joined her sister at the door. “Indeed, welcome to Doveby House. I’m Joan Markham and this is my sister, Janet.”

  “Who was on her way out,” Edward said. “I hope we aren’t keeping you from something important?”

  Janet shook her head. “I was just going to run some errands. We weren’t certain what time you’d be arriving.”

  “Entirely my fault, I’m afraid,” the man chuckled. “I meant to ring you last week to finalise everything, but I kept forgetting to actually do so. I hope we aren’t too early? If you have guests who haven’t left yet, we’re happy to wait for our rooms.” As he spoke, Edward glanced at his companion.

  The other man shrugged. “It makes little difference,” he said in a low voice. Janet wondered if she could detect a faint accent, but he hadn’t said enough for her to be sure.

  “You’re more than welcome now,” Joan assured them. “Your rooms are ready for you immediately.”

  “But I’ve done this all wrong,” Edward sighed. “I haven’t even introduced myself, have I? I’ve too many things on my mind at the moment, you see. I’m Edward Bennett, and this is my friend, Reuben Rhodes. You must call us Edward and Reuben, of course.”

  “It’s nice to meet you both,” Joan said. “Of course, call us Joan and Janet.” While she spoke, Janet studied Edward’s companion.

  Reuben was considerably younger than Edward, maybe in his early thirties, roughly half Edward’s age. He had to be six feet tall, which made him five or more inches taller than Edward. His brown hair badly needed a cut, with fringe that hung into his brown eyes. He had a thick beard and moustache that Janet thought were rather unflattering.

  Both men were wearing dark grey suits that looked to Janet as if they’d been expensive. Edward had a trim athletic build, but his companion looked as if he lifted weights and worked out on a regular basis. As he stepped into the house, easily carrying several suitcases, Janet felt even more worried. Who was this man and why didn’t Edward want him to know that he’d been to Doveby House before?

  “If you’d like to follow me, I can show you to your rooms,” Joan said.

  “Sure,” Reuben shrugged.

  He began to follow Joan towards the stairs. Edward took a few steps and then stopped.

  “You have a cat,” he said to Janet.

  “That’s Aggie, short for Agatha Christie,” Janet told him.

  “Hello, Aggie,” Edward said.

  Janet waited to see how the kitten would greet the man. Aggie had met Edward before, of course, and had been very affectionate towards him during his last visit.

  Aggie looked over at Edward and yawned. She stretched and then curled up and seemed to go to sleep.

  Edward looked at Janet and chuckled. “She doesn’t seem at all interested in meeting me.”

  “I’m sure she’ll come around if you’re here long enough,” Janet told him.

  “We expect to be here for a week,” Edward replied. “Maybe by the end of it I’ll have managed to make friends with Aggie.”

  He turned for the stairs, which were now empty. Janet could hear Joan and Reuben walking around above them. While she was tempted to follow Edward, there seemed little point. Joan wouldn’t do much more than hand each man his room key. Really, she ought to go out and get her shopping done, but Janet couldn’t seem to bring herself to leave, not with Edward in the house. A few minutes later the trio came back down the stairs and into the sitting room.

  “What is there to do for fun around here, then?” Reuben asked.

  “There are a number of lovely stately homes,” Joan told him, “as well as other historical sites.”

  “Not really my thing,” the man replied. “Does Doveby Dale have a pub?”

  Janet and Joan exchanged glances. “It does, but I believe it’s shut at the moment. The landlord had some sort of family emergency, I heard. There’s a nice pub in Little Burton, which is just up the road a short distance. They do good food, too.”

  “Perhaps you have a map?” Edward asked.

  Janet pulled out one of the maps that they kept on hand for guests and showed Edward how to find Little Burton and the pub there. He nodded and then folded up the map and tucked it into his pocket. “Thank you,” he said. “We’ll get some lunch and see a few sights and then probably have an early night. We’re here to rest, after all.”

  The pair went out the front door, shutting it behind them.

  “That was interesting,” Joan said.

  “I’m not sure that’s the word I’d use,” Janet replied.

  “At least neither of them complained about their rooms. I’d put Edward in the larger room, but he insisted on switching with Reuben.

  “I have a hundred questions for Edward. This is incredibly frustrating,” Janet complained.

  The front door suddenly swung open again. Edward dashed in and pushed the door shut behind himself.

  “I told Reuben that I’d forgotten something,” he said to Janet.

  “What did you forget?” she asked.

  “This,” he replied. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. For a moment she forgot all about Reuben, and that Joan was standing behind her, and just got lost in the man’s ki
ss. When he lifted his head, he winked at her again.

  “I will explain more when I can,” he promised, “and I hope to repeat that soon, as well.”

  Before Janet could reply, Edward turned around and walked back out of the house. Janet sat down in the closest chair and took a deep breath.

  Chapter 2

  Aggie was safely tucked up in Janet’s bedroom, ignoring the new cat bed that had been purchased for her, when Janet and Joan settled into the television lounge that evening.

  “What time do you reckon our guests will arrive back?” Joan asked as Janet flipped through the channels.

  “Edward said they weren’t going to be late. Surely that means before nine.”

  “I hope it isn’t much later. I still have to find out what time they’d like their breakfast tomorrow morning.”

  “Edward was up early every day during his other two visits, but I suppose that doesn’t really mean anything.”

  “No, probably not,” Joan sighed.

  It wasn’t quite eight o’clock when Janet heard the front door open. “I’ll go,” she offered, hoping Joan wouldn’t realise just how badly she wanted to see Edward again.

  “Let me know if you need me,” Joan replied.

  Janet nodded and then walked through the house to the sitting room. Most of their guests usually headed up to their rooms when they returned in the evening. There were televisions in both rooms, which generally meant that the sisters could watch television in the lounge. Neither sister had a television in her room.