Aunt Bessie Invites (An Isle of Man Cozy Mystery Book 9) by Diana Xarissa

rang.
    “I can put you through to Anna,” Joan
suggested.  
    Bessie bit back a sigh.   She had been hoping for a few words with
Doona, but had reached Joan instead.   And now John wasn’t available either.   “Just have John ring me, please,” Bessie
replied.  
    She was eager to ring Bahey and ask her
about her cousin, Karen, but she didn’t want to do that without checking with
John first.   Curling up with a new
book about Catherine the Great of Russia, Bessie soon found herself caught up in court intrigues and political upheaval.   She was startled when her phone rang
several hours later.
    “Bessie?   I’m sorry I didn’t ring you back
sooner.   It’s been a busy day,” John
told her.
    “I’ve been through my diaries,” Bessie
replied.   “I have a list of women
who I’m reasonably certain spent time with Jacob Conover when he was here.   I could probably add half a dozen others
that he probably at least asked out, as well.   Fenella Faragher would fall into that
category.”
    “I’ll stop by this evening around seven to go
over the list with you, if I may,” John said.   “I’ll bring Chinese food and something
for pudding.”
    “What about Doona and Hugh?” Bessie asked.
    John hesitated for a moment.   “Sure,” he said eventually.   “Why not?”
    There were a few hours to wait before
Bessie’s guests would arrive.   She’d
lost interest in Russian history for the moment, so Bessie sat down with her
lists and copied them neatly, making notes about each woman where she
could.   She was about half-finished
with the project when the phone rang.
    “Bessie?   It’s Bahey Corlett.   How are you?”
    “I’m fine.   How are you?”
    “Oh, I’m doing well,” Bahey told her.   “Howard and I are so
looking forward to your Thanksgiving feast next week.   After that, we’re heading across to
spend some time with his daughter and the grandbaby, which will be wonderful.”
    After working for the Pierce family her
entire life, Bahey had retired some years ago.   She’d never dated in her youth and she
and Bessie had both been surprised when she’d met her attractive neighbour,
Howard Mayer, and begun a relationship.   The pair had been together for several months now and Bessie wondered
sometimes if Howard might be thinking of proposing at some point in the near
future.
    “That will be nice for you all,” Bessie
said.   “It will be the baby’s first
Christmas.   Are you going to be staying
that long?”
    “We’re only going for a week this time,”
Bahey replied.   “But then we’re
going back over in the middle of December and staying through the new year .”
    “How fun,” Bessie said.
    “Yes, well, Carla didn’t really like it when
her father started spending time with me, but she’s come around.   It might just be because I’m a big help
with the baby, having been a nanny to the Pierce boys, but whatever the reason,
she seems as happy as we are that we’re coming.”
    “I’m sure you’re a huge help,” Bessie
said.   Bahey had always been a very
hard worker, even if she was somewhat inclined to complain.   Actually, she’d been much happier since
she’d met Howard, and aside from some concerns about strange happenings in her
building of flats, Bessie had heard far fewer complaints from the woman when they’d
spoken recently.
    “But I didn’t ring to talk about that,”
Bahey said.   “I saw the photograph
in yesterday’s paper and it brought back a lot of bad memories.   I’m sure you know exactly what I mean.”
    “Which photograph?” Bessie asked, not
wanting to start the wrong conversation.
    “That watch of Jacob Conover’s,” Bahey
answered, spitting the name out bitterly.
    “I did see that picture,” Bessie said.   “I hope you rang the police to tell them
you recognised it.”
    “Oh, aye, I rang Inspector Corkill and he
came and took a bunch of notes,” Bahey replied.
    Inspector Peter Corkill was head of the
Douglas