Thursday, January 25, 2007

Priory of Death: 14



I drove out to the airport, and there, in the back of my grey Jag, I made the change. I'd already put my Girl in Grey outfit on under my clothes, not fancying the idea of undressing in the back of my car in an airport car park. I pulled up the cowl, drew on my boots and gloves, and fastened on my belt.
Then, dressed as the Girl in Grey, I sped back towards the Priory. I had a lot of work to do, and someone there knew a lot more than he or she was telling.
Was it Victoria? She knew the building and its grounds, she'd invited the guests, she had planned everything - had she planned the death of James Hamilton as well?
Was it Amelia? The catty part of me thought it might well be. But she was a friend of Victoria's. She could have planned it too. And Mr. Hamilton had a Glasgow accent - just as Amelia was working in Glasgow.
Then there was Connie. True, she'd expressed some suspicion, but it might have been feigned, a red herring to get me off the trail. Connie knew about the past, she might have found some ancient mechanism that had made Hamilton vanish.
Duncan Campbell, the mysterious Highlander. I didn't know a thing about him, and the same went for Stephen Richards. A house full of suspects, and yours truly had to play Miss Marple, or maybe Hercule Poirot.
I was still thinking about it as I drove through the priory gates.

I parked outside and strode up to the front door, carrying my suitcase. I rang the bell and the butler opened it. I'd discounted him, the Butler never did it.
"The Girl in Grey," I told him as his eyes roamed over my curves.
"I... very good, Madam. Come in."
I stepped into the hall and looked around. Somehow my close-fitting grey bodysuit didn't seem to fit with the baronial structure. I thought about getting a tartan sash and putting that on. I'd look stylish, if nothing else.
"The Girl in Grey!" Victoria hurried over to me. "Oh, I'm so pleased to see you! Where's Jane?"
"She had to go back to London - it's her business manager..."
"Oh! I'm sorry. Our local minister's vanished..."
"She told me about him it. You're Victoria Helmann?"
"Yes, yes. My husband isn't here, I'm afraid, he's still at the station waiting for another guest to arrive."
"May I see the guests?" I asked. "Then I'll go to bed. I've had a long day. I'll use Jane's room - if you'd show me there."
"I will!" Scruff ran over and led me up the stairs.
"Do you think he's dead?" she asked. I nodded.
"I'm pretty certain he is. Someone here set him up for murder. I intend to find out who."
Just then a piercing scream rent the air.

No comments: