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

head. ‘I saw another car stop on the drive. I couldn’t see it properly because it was snowing hard. I thought it was Dad come back for me, but it wasn’t. Then I saw Mrs Donnelly and Mrs Burrell. I called out to them and he slapped my face. He went to hit me again, overreached, lost his balance and fell down. This is my chance to escape, I thought. So, while he was on all fours scrambling to get to his feet, I hit him as hard as I could with my handbag and I ran.

‘I heard a crack. I thought it was a branch, because we were so near the wood, but now!’ Tears fell from Katherine’s eyes and she put her hand over her mouth. ‘Now I know it was the ice giving way beneath his weight.’

Bess took hold of Katherine’s hand. ‘At the time, I didn’t think about the lake,’ she said, ‘I didn’t think about anything, I just ran crying.’

The inspector, his head tilted on one side, looked at Katherine quizzically ‘And you’re sure it was your handbag that you hit him with?’

Katherine looked from Bess to the inspector. ‘Yes. Why?’

‘No reason, I just need to be sure of the facts.’ The inspector made a note on his pad and said, ‘Carry on, Miss Hawksley.’

‘Well, I saw Mrs Donnelly and Mrs Burrell. They were halfway across the field. They were calling my name, telling me to come to them because it wasn’t safe on that side of the lake. I knew it wasn’t, but it was snowing really heavily, and I couldn’t see properly. I was confused. I didn’t know which way to turn, so I turned back. It was then that I spotted the headlights of a car through the trees of the small wood that borders the lake and main road, so I made a run for it. The car was my father’s and to my relief he was on his own. I opened the front passenger door and as soon as I sat down we sped away.’

‘Did you see anyone else besides Mrs Donnelly and Mrs Burrell?’

‘A man got out of a car, but he couldn’t have been anything to do with David Sutherland, because the car was going to the hotel, not from it, and he didn’t come anywhere near the lake or the woods.’ Katherine paused. ‘There was something. It was only for a second, but I thought-- well it was more of a feeling really - that someone was watching me from the woods, or from the other side of the lake.’

‘The mind plays tricks on us when we’re frightened, Miss Hawksley.’

‘I suppose… What’s going to happen to me? Will I go to prison? Will they hang me?’

Before the inspector could answer, there was a sharp knock at the door and Maeve burst into the room.

‘Good Lord, Maeve,’ Bess said, jumping up and going to her. ‘You look as if you’re going to faint.’ Bess stuck her head out of the door, ‘Find Frank, Jack, ask him to help you on reception.’ Jack nodded that he would. ‘Here,’ Bess said, motioning to the chair at the side of the fire. ‘Sit down.’

‘I would rather stand.’ Maeve looked at the inspector, and then at Bess.

‘Maeve, what is it?’

‘I telephoned Lowarth police station. I left a message for Sergeant McGann to come here, but I needed to speak to you first. I hope that’s all right?’

Bess shot Inspector Masters a worried look. He picked up the telephone on Frank’s desk and passed it to her. Bess asked Jack to get her Lowarth Police Station. He connected her without preamble.

‘Constable Peg? Hello, this is Mrs Donnelly at the Foxden Hotel.’

‘Hello, Mrs Donnelly.’

‘Hello.’ Bess looked to the heavens. There was no time for pleasantries. ‘I believe our receptionist, Miss O’Leary, telephoned you a short while ago?’

‘Yes. She sounded upset.’

‘She was at the time, but she’s fine now.’ Bess’s throat felt restricted, but she forced herself to laugh. ‘I don’t think we need to trouble the sergeant over a few broken dishes.’

Now it was Constable Peg’s turn to laugh. ‘She didn’t say why she wanted to see him.’

‘She found the kitchen window open and several plates smashed on the floor, and thought we’d had a burglary. I’m afraid she worried for nothing.’ There was a long silence. ‘Anyway, I’m sure you and the sergeant have more important things to do than traipse all the way out here for nothing.’ There was another pause. Bess forced herself to laugh again. ‘I suppose that’s what you get for employing a receptionist who worries too much and a chef who is temperamental.’ Bess waited for the police constable to respond.

‘I’ll take the note off the sergeant’s desk.’

‘Thank you. I’m sorry to have troubled you.’

‘No trouble at all,’ the constable said. ‘You can’t be too careful these days.’

Bess put down the telephone and looked up at the inspector. He nodded in Maeve’s direction and Bess went back to her. ‘Now, Maeve, tell me what this about?’

Maeve shook her head. ‘First I need to be certain that if anything happens to me you’ll take care of Nancy?’

‘Nothing is going to happen to you, Maeve.’ Bess put a comforting hand on Maeve’s arm but she withdrew it.

‘Will you look after Nancy?’ she shouted. ‘I need to know Nancy will be safe, loved. Please, Bess. Please!’ Maeve begged.

‘Yes. Yes, of course I will.’ Bess searched Maeve’s face. ‘What’s is it, Maeve? What are you frightened of?’

‘Miss Hawksley didn’t kill David Sutherland. I did!’

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

‘I can’t let an innocent girl hang for something I did, something that I’m responsible for,’ Maeve said.

‘I don’t understand,’ Bess said. ‘How are you responsible for David Sutherland’s death?’

Maeve looked at Katherine Hawksley. ‘I’m ashamed of myself for