Aunt Bessie Goes (An Isle of Man Cozy Mystery Book 7) by Diana Xarissa Page A

Doona insisted on driving Bessie home.
    “If you feel
like you need a walk, you can walk on the beach,” Doona told her firmly.   “If you walk from here you’ll just get
stopped by all my nosy neighbours who’ll want to know
what’s going on at Nancy’s house.”
    Bessie
couldn’t argue with that.   Even the short walk from Doona’s house to
her car was interrupted by a curious neighbour .
    “Ah, Doona, I
noticed that Bessie was visiting.   I
don’t suppose either of you know what’s going on at the old King house, do
you?” Charlie Grieves, Doona’s next-door neighbour , asked.   He’d come racing out of his house as soon as Doona and Bessie walked out
the door.
    Bessie
exchanged glances with Doona.   They
both knew that telling Charlie anything was much the same as telling the whole
island.   The man was bored with
retirement and he spent his time watching his neighbours and sharing every detail of their lives with anyone and everyone who would
speak to him.
    “John Rockwell
was looking at the house,” Doona explained.   “He’s looking for a property here in
Laxey.”
    “Finally split
with that wife of his, did he?” Charlie asked.   “I always thought he would be a good
catch for you,” he told Doona.  
    Doona
flushed.   “Anyway, apparently there
was quite a bit of water damage in the house and when John was checking it out
he found, well, he found a skeleton behind a false wall.”
    “It’ll have
something to do with young Adam,” Charlie said, glancing back and forth as if
checking to make sure he couldn’t be overheard.   “He was a troublemaker, that one.”
    “The police
are checking with Sarah to see if it might be Adam,” Bessie said.
    “Oh, I don’t
expect it will be,” the man replied.   “I bet he killed someone and his parents hid the body for him.   That’s why he ran away to Australia, I
reckon.”
    “Well, that’s
certainly one theory,” Bessie said.   “The police are considering every possible alternative.”
    “Young Adam
moved away, what, like thirty years ago?   I wonder if he kept in touch with Nancy or Sarah,” Charlie mused.    “I hope they can track him down
and bring him back for the trial.”
    “I think
you’re getting rather ahead of things,” Bessie said with a frown.   “At this point we don’t have any idea
who the person is, what killed him or her, or how they ended up behind the
wall.”
    “Young Adam
was working for his father, you know.   He couldn’t get a university place, not with his A-level results.   He was doing something or other down at
the bank with Frederick,” Charlie said.
    “I didn’t
remember that,” Bessie said.
    “I bet he and
some friend of his hatched a scheme to rob the bank or something,” Charlie
continued.   “Heck, they might have
even managed it.   Frederick would
have hushed everything up, I bet, if his son was involved.   I bet Adam and his friend
had a falling out, and Adam killed him, took all of the money and ran away to
Australia.”
    Bessie
sighed.   “I suggest you wait until
the police have investigated before you start sharing your theories with the
rest of the island,” she said sharply.   “You could be harming the reputation of an innocent man.”
    “That Adam
King wasn’t innocent,” Charlie laughed.   “He was nothing but trouble.”
    Bessie shook
her head and bit her tongue.   She
was quite done with this conversation.   Doona seemed to read Bessie’s mood.  
    “Sorry,
Charlie, but we have to go.   I have
an appointment I have to keep,” she told the man.
    Doona took
Bessie’s arm and led her to the car.   A door opened in a house across the street, but the women ignored the
curious look they got and climbed into the car.   As they drove away, Bessie spotted the
woman from across the road scurrying over to talk to Charlie.
    “In another
hour the whole island will be convinced that Adam stole millions from the Manx
National Bank, murdered his