Foxden Hotel (The Dudley Sisters Saga Book 5) by Madalyn Morgan (ebook reader ink txt) 📕

David Sutherland was not killed on New Year’s Eve.’ Bess steeled herself not to look up at Frank, for fear her face would show the shock she was feeling, while McGann shot him a look that was somewhere between disbelief and anger.

‘I have a letter that Sutherland wrote to me on the second of January.’ Bess realised she’d been holding her breath and exhaled. ‘I’ll explain everything later, darling,’ he said, turning to Bess and holding her in his arms. ‘Don’t worry, love, I’ll sort this nonsense out in no time.’ To Sylvie, the young waitress who was about to leave when the police barged in, Frank said, ‘Would you serve coffee, please?’

McGann gave Constable Peg a sharp nod and the young constable took a pair of handcuffs from his tunic pocket.

‘If you cuff me I won’t be able to get the proof I need.’ Frank said, staring McGann down. The sergeant nodded again, and the constable put the cuffs away. ‘Thank you. Now, if you will allow me to go to my office?’

‘Go with him, Constable,’ McGann waved his hand in the direction of the office, while looking at Bess with a smug grin on his face.

‘I’m coming with you, Frank.’

‘Afraid that won’t be possible Mrs Donnelly,’ McGann said. Bess glared at him. She wanted to slap him, wipe the satisfied, self-righteous smirk off his face. ‘Not when it’s a murder enquiry.’

Constable Peg poked his head round the door. ‘Mr Donnelly has the documents he needs, Sergeant.’

Bess began to follow McGann out of the dining room, but Henry, suddenly on his feet, caught her by the hand.

‘What are you doing?’ Bess snapped. ‘If you won’t help Frank, I will!’

‘It’s police procedure, Bess.’ Before letting go of Bess’s hand, Henry gave it a squeeze. She looked up at her old friend and saw the trace of a smile on his face. She had got him wrong. There was a reason he hadn’t defended Frank earlier. Bess nodded that she understood.

‘I’ll accompany Mr Donnelly,’ Henry said, giving McGann a fierce look that said You can’t stop me. ‘Sergeant McGann is right,’ Henry said, turning back to Bess. ‘If he is taking Frank in on a suspected murder charge, it isn’t possible for you to go with him.’ Bess nodded, her eyes brimming with tears.

‘Besides,’ Henry added, ‘I’m sure Frank would rather you stay here with your mother and sisters.’ Bess nodded again. Resigned not to be with her husband during what she knew would be an arduous time at the hands of Sergeant McGann, she flopped down on her chair.

‘Look after him, Henry?’ Ena said, following her husband to the door.

‘I will. And you look after Bess.’

‘Of course,’ Ena said, looking over his shoulder at her sister.

Henry kissed Ena and left.

On her way back to her seat at the dining table Ena leant over Bess’s shoulder and whispered, ‘Would you like Claire and me to take Mam home, or are you going to carry on with the party?’

‘If I can’t go with Frank, we’ll carry on with the party. I’m damned if I’m going to let that little Hitler, McGann, spoil Margot and Bill’s celebration.’

Claire laughed. ‘Atta girl.’

Bess took the cake knife from the middle of the table. ‘Will you cut the cake, Margot, or shall I?’

Margot leaned back in her chair and blew out her cheeks. ‘You do it.’

‘Right! Who’s for cake?’ Bess called. Several hands went up including Bill’s, but Margot, looking pale, declined.

Sylvie returned and after clearing the table of dirty dishes, laid it with crockery for cake and coffee.

McGann taking Frank away had put a damper on the party, but Bess, Ena and Claire, did their best to keep the gathering jolly. Making the most of what was left of the afternoon, the family ate fruit cake, drank coffee, and chatted animatedly, as they always did when they were together.

It was Bess’s mother who broke up the party. ‘I think it’s time I made a move. Be a dear and get my coat, Bill, while I have a word with our Bess.’

Bill got up and made for the door, stopping for a moment at the side of his wife. ‘Are you ready to go, Margot?’ Margot said she was and that she and Bill would drop their mother off on their way home.

‘Thank you for the meal, love.’ Lily Dudley said. ‘And don’t go worrying about Frank. If he’s done nothing wrong the police can’t keep him.’

‘What do you mean, if he’s done nothing wrong?’

Everyone laughed, but Lily Dudley looked aghast. ‘Oh, my giddy aunt. I didn’t mean it to come out like that. Our Frank wouldn’t commit murder, but I might the next time I see that Godfrey McGann. I could tell you a thing or two about him when he was a young ‘un. It’s more luck than judgement that he’s ended up on the right side of the law.’

‘Save it for next time, Mother. We need to make a move,’ Bill said, helping her into her coat, before helping Margot into hers.

‘Time we went too,’ Claire said. ‘We need to pick Aimee up from Mitch’s grandmother’s house. She loves it there, but she’ll be upset that we’ve been up here without her.’

‘Might be best not to tell her,’ Bess said. ‘You’ll bring her next time you come, won’t you?’

‘Yes. She’d have been with us today, but we’ve been up north visiting Mitch’s old commander.’ Claire shot a look at her husband. ‘We drove up on Friday and Mitch wouldn’t let her have the day off school.’

‘Mitch has been very quiet,’ Bess whispered, when Claire’s husband was talking to Bill in the hotel’s foyer. ‘Is everything all right between you two?’

‘To tell you the truth, Bess, I don’t know,’ Claire said, with a catch in her voice.

‘Oh, Claire. I