1 Aunt Bessie Assumes Read Online Free

just need to….”
    The scream that echoed across the beach
startled Bessie to silence.

 
    Chapter Two

 
    The woman running down the beach towards
them was wearing a flimsy white nightgown and, from the looks of it, nothing
else.   She screamed again, an almost
inhuman sound, as she approached, and Bessie shuddered.
    “Oh no, no, no,” the woman sobbed as she
was stopped by a pair of constables.   “Danny needs me, you have to let me go to him.”
    Rockwell crossed the sand to the woman’s
side.   “I’m Inspector Rockwell with
the Manx CID.   Can you identify this
man?”
    The woman looked at him with unfocussed
eyes, seemingly unable to speak.
    “Ma’am, can you tell me your name?” the
inspector asked gently.   He took an
umbrella that was offered by one of the uniformed men on the beach and held it
over the woman.
    Bessie watched the interplay with
interest.   In spite of being soaked
from her run across the beach, the woman’s artificially blonde hair looked as
if it had been styled recently.   Her
face was beautifully made-up and Bessie reckoned that the woman was wearing
more cosmetics at that moment than Bessie had in her entire life.   The rain seemed to be having little
effect on the makeup, which to Bessie suggested expensive products.   Bessie wasn’t sure if it was the skilful
application of eye makeup that made the woman’s eyes appear to be such a
stunning violet colour or if it were natural.
    “Please, I have to help Danny,” the woman
sobbed after a moment.   “He needs
me.”
    “Ma’am, I’m sorry, but the best thing you
can do for Danny now is answer my questions.”   Rockwell’s words seemed harsh, but they clearly
got through to the young woman.
    “I’m sorry, I think I’m in shock.”    The woman used a shaking hand to
brush a stray hair out of her eyes.   “We’re on our honeymoon.”
    Bessie shook her head sadly; she
understood the woman’s loss only too well.  
    “Can we start with the basics, please?”
Rockwell took out his phone, safely covered in a waterproof case, and switched
it on.   “Normally I would take
notes, but that’s impossible in this rain.   If it’s okay with you, I’d like to record your answers.   I don’t want to do a full interview
here, but a few basics will get us started.”
    The woman nodded reluctantly and once more
brushed hair from her eyes.   Bessie
studied her carefully.   At first
glance Bessie had placed her in her mid-twenties, but now she decided that the
woman was actually as much as a decade older than that.   The soaking wet gown clung to every
curve of the woman’s perfect shape and Bessie found herself disliking the young
widow even before she heard her story.
    The woman clung now to Inspector
Rockwell’s arm as she began to speak.   “I’m Vicky Robinson, well, Vicky Pierce now,” she shuddered as she
corrected herself.    “That’s
Vicky, with two k’s.”
    “V-I-C-K-K-Y?”   he questioned.
    The woman giggled as she gazed into the
inspector’s green eyes.   “No, silly,
V-I-K-K-Y.”
    Bessie turned away from the pair, certain
that disapproval was written all over her face.   The woman was almost flirting with the
police inspector in front of her husband’s dead body.   That was no way for a lady to
behave.   Not that anything about
Vikky Pierce gave Bessie reason to believe that she was a lady.
    One of the uniformed officers handed Vikky
a blanket and she shot him a huge smile as she wrapped it around herself.   Then she sighed dramatically.
    “Sorry, where was I?” she simpered.
    “You were going to tell me about the dead
man.”   Inspector Rockwell’s clipped
tone seemed to startle the woman.
    “Oh, oh, yes,” she said.   She looked over at the body that was now
partially obstructed by the wobbly-looking tent that had finally been
completed.   Tears welled up in her
eyes as she studied the scene.  
    “It’s my husband,” she said with a catch
in her voice.