Free Aunt Bessie Finds (An Isle of Man Cozy Mystery Book 6) by Diana Xarissa

there, well aware that she hadn’t actually asked any
questions but unsure of how to phrase what she wanted to know, which was
anything and everything about the company.
    “Oh, I’d love it if you’d move to Douglas,” Mary told her.   “We could get together far more
regularly.”
    Bessie laughed.   “I’m
really just looking at the flat to humour my friend,”
she said.   “But I suppose it’s
possible that I’ll fall in love with it.”
    “I do hope so,” Mary replied.   “But I don’t know anything about George being a director at any estate
agency.   I don’t really keep track
of all the things he does.   I’ll
have him ring you back, shall I?”
    “That would be great,” Bessie forced herself to say, hoping that Mary wouldn’t pick up on her lack of enthusiasm.  
    Bessie looked at the clock and sighed.   She’d been so interested in her post
that she’d forgotten to have lunch.   The tea and biscuits had been a poor substitute, so now she fixed
herself a tin of soup and ate it with a slice of bread.
    George Quaye rang her back in the
afternoon, just when she’d reached the very best part in the book she was
reading.
    “Hello?” she said, her mind still lost in the pages of the
thriller.
    “Bessie, my love, it’s George.   Mary said you wanted to talk to me.”
    Bessie held the phone away from her ear as his voice boomed down
the line at her.   Why did he always
talk so loudly, she wondered.
    “Ah, yes, I was just telling Mary that I saw your name on the
letterhead for Island Choice Properties,” Bessie replied.
    George laughed.   “Ah,
that’s Grant’s baby, nothing to do with me, really,” he said.
    “But you’re listed as a director,” Bessie said.
    “I put up a bunch of the money,” George explained.   “But I don’t have anything to do with
the running of the company or anything.   Grant brought Alan Collins in from across to handle the day-to-day
operations, and I gather he keeps a close on eye on everything Alan does.”
    “I’ve only met Mr. Robertson once or twice,” Bessie said, almost to
herself.
    “Oh, you’ll have to come to our barbeque the week after next,”
George said.   “Grant will be here,
and I’m sure Mary’s planning to invite you.”
    “I’m having tea with Mary on Tuesday,” she told him.
    “Oh, good, glad you two ladies are keeping up your friendship.   Mary rather needs friends.”
    “Yes, well, she’s lovely….” Bessie trailed off.   “Hello?”   There was no reply.   Clearly George had decided that their
conversation was finished.

 
    Chapter Four
    The weekend was a relatively quiet one for Bessie.   Spencer stopped by on Saturday to thank
her again for her help in his job hunt.
    “I have three interviews lined up for next week,” he told her
excitedly.
    He didn’t mention Doona, so Bessie didn’t either.   Otherwise, Bessie was on her own, just
the way she liked it.   She pottered
around her cottage, doing some cleaning and tidying when she felt like it.   She ate what sounded good at whatever
time she felt hungry and she read her way through a dozen books.   To Bessie, that was just about a perfect
weekend.
    On Monday morning Dave picked her up and took her into
Douglas.   She’d arranged to meet
Alan Collins in the foyer of the building on Seaview Terrace.
    “Do you know what time you’ll need driving home?” Dave asked as he
pulled up to the curb.
    “I’ve no idea,” Bessie said with a sigh.   “Mr. Collins may have arranged for other
viewings, so I’ll have to ring you.”
    “Sounds good,” Dave told her.   He jumped out and held her door for her as she climbed out of the
car.   “Have fun,” he whispered.
    “Not likely,” Bessie muttered in reply.  
    She quickly walked up the short pavement to the building’s entrance
door.   The door had been propped
open with a block of wood and Bessie frowned at the compromised security.   While the island was a very safe place
to live, she