Part 2

“Since I came up with this idea, I shall go first,” Richard proclaims, placing his hands together on the table. “Before Grandmother’s death was known to have happened, I was in the kitchen with Mum. We were refilling the lemonade jugs, and then we came back into the living room, where everyone except for Granny, Great Auntie Agatha, and Victoria were. Grandad told us that Granny had gone to get her medication, and after a short while, Victoria and Great Auntie came back. And then we all sat together and waited for Granny to get back from taking her medication.”

Everyone slowly looks to each other to confirm the story, which Beatrice does on behalf of her son. “Well, I’ll go next seeming as Richie is, for some reason, trying to pin this on me,” Victoria says, full of obvious spite.

“Alright. So the time when Great Auntie and I were gone? We were preparing Granny’s cake. Everyone knows that Granny always prepares Great Auntie’s birthday cake on her birthday, and that Great Auntie does the reverse on Granny’s birthday. This year, I was helping her with the last decorations on the icing, because everyone knows I have an eye for detail. And also, Richie is lying,” Victoria ends her piece nonchalantly. 

Again, several people gasp - I’m not really sure why, it’s not as if Victoria said something truly shocking.

“No I’m not!” Richard refutes, staring icicles at his younger sister. “What am I supposedly lying about then, dear Victoria?” He crosses his arms, now completely glaring at the young woman. 

Victoria shrugs, pulling out her mobile phone and tapping on it a few times. “Oh you know, just the bit about you leaving to go fill up the lemonade. Great Aunt and I were still in the living room with everyone when you left, and then we went to finish the cake, over in the kitchen. Where you obviously weren’t, at this point. But Mum was there.”

Richard opens and closes his mouth, glancing over at his mother for help. “No! But we were! You’re the one who’s lying, not me. Tell her, Mum,” he says petulantly, folding his arms and expecting his mother to come to his aid. 

Beatrice just looks a little awkward, before clearing her throat. “Sweetie, just tell them the truth.”

That does garner my interest - could the grandmother’s favourite grandchild have actually been her murderer?

Richard sighs, resting his head in his palm. “Fine, I’m sorry. I wasn’t…telling the whole truth. When Mum and I went to fill up the lemonade, I left the kitchen, saying I was going to the toilet. And I really did go! But I also…I took a slight detour.”

Victoria smirks, placing her chin on her laced-together hands. “Ooh, do tell everyone where you were! I’m sure it’ll be fascinating.”

Richard glares at his sister again, before sighing. “The truth is, I went to say hello to my boyfriend. Who is a gardener. Whom Granny employed.”

Several people gasp and this time, I do too. Richard always said that he was not interested in romance, but I suppose he actually was. Interested in men that is, anyway.

“Richard! Are you telling the truth right now?” Henry bellows, gripping his hands together and staring down at his son. Beatrice quickly rushes to her husband’s side, resting her hand on his shoulder. 

“Dear, please don’t be angry at him- Richard is happy and that’s all that matters! He was just saying hello, they just wanted to talk to each other,” Beatrice tries to reason with her husband, and interestingly she actually puts rather a lot of effort in to calming him.

“Oh sweet Richard, I’m so sorry that you felt you had to keep this from us…you know that we will always love you regardless, don’t you?” Agatha coos, smiling at her great nephew. He returns the smile, although he looks considerably more shaken than he did at the beginning of the conversation.

“I know that…I just- I was worried about what Granny would say, if she knew…she always was very traditional,” Richard says, his tone deflating like the balloons which still remain from his grandmother’s failed birthday party the week before.

Agatha frowns slightly, pursing her lips. “Hm, yes. And don’t I know it,” she says to herself quietly. 

“Wait just a moment, I’m confused how any of us could have killed Mother - you said yourself that we were all together the whole time, so surely she must have just died from natural causes?” Henry points out, sending cold looks in his son’s direction.

Richard clears his throat, apparently signalling his switch back into detective mode. “Yes, but there was a large window when Granny was alone. I’m saying that she might have already been dead by then. That’s why I want to know what everyone was doing before we found Granny dead.”

There are a few nods from around the room before Ronald clears his throat. “I was in the living room for a large portion of the time, but I did leave at one point. I went to use the lavatory, and I overheard a rather interesting conversation between my late wife and Beatrice. Or perhaps, I should say argument rather than conversation.”

A few people glance in Beatrice’s direction, and she pales slightly. “It was hardly an argument! More like…a small disagreement. Mother-in-law just…didn’t agree with some of my behaviour, and she was telling me off for it.”

“What behaviour is this?” Henry asks, frowning slightly. Beatrice bites her lip, suddenly looking very guilty. “Oh well…Elise…found out about…I’m sorry! I’m sorry Henry! It’s just that you always ignore me, you don’t treat me like you used to! I was so tired of not receiving what I needed - attention! So I…I went elsewhere instead.”

A large silence passes before Henry sighs. “I knew you were cheating on me, if that’s what you’re worried about me discovering. You made it very obvious. And besides, I was doing the same way before you started seeing that man - after all, why did you think I wasn’t paying you any attention?”

“Because you’d already found someone better,” Beatrice whispers, staring down at her lap. 

Victoria bursts into tears. “Mum! Dad! How could you do this to each other?! This is so horrible, I wish we’d never had this conversation!” 

Ronald regards his son and daughter-in-law with obvious distaste. “How cruel of you both. You should be greatly ashamed of yourselves.”

Both Beatrice and Henry nod, and I suppose…they do look a little remorseful, but not overly so. 

“Let’s move on. Beatrice, what were you doing before my sister was found dead?” Agatha prompts, staring disapprovingly at the couple. Beatrice hastily wipes her eyes and I do feel a smidgen of pity for the women: after all, she admitted to adultery in front of her entire family, and now she shall have to suffer the consequences, just as she should.

“It’s already been laid out…Elise took me to one side to talk about my…behaviour, and afterwards Richard and I went to fill up the lemonade. I was in the kitchen when Agatha and Victoria arrived as well, so there was no time for me to do anything else.”

Multiple people frown, including myself. “That’s hardly a good excuse, Beatrice. I mean, you had an argument with Mother and then she wasn’t seen again until she was dead? Try to make yourself look more suspicious if you can,” Henry snorts. 

Beatrice just shakes her head, wiping her eyes again, not attempting to avoid her makeup in the wipe of her eyes, and thus making a disgusting makeup smear across her face. “I have nothing else to say. Think what you want, none of you will believe me no matter what. I’m the outsider to this family, I always have been and I always will be. None of you want me here, even Elise didn’t! She never tried to get to know me, never tried to make an effort! And none of the rest of you have! Not even my own damn husband makes me feel welcome!”

Everyone is stunned into silence before Patricia speaks up. “I’ll go next. I was in the living room with Father for almost the entire time. I only left at one point, and that was to talk to Aunt Agatha. We were just talking about the cake design as Agatha wanted some advice. I wasn’t particularly helpful though, which is why she then asked Victoria for help. And then when Agatha and I were finished talking, we went back to the living room together and I sat next to Father again and then Agatha went to the kitchen to decorate the cake with Victoria.”

Agatha shifts in her seat a little, looking in my direction before glancing over at the rest of the family. “Well, I shall go next. I can confirm Victoria’s story about the cake decorating, as that’s what I was doing also. And before then, I was talking to Patricia in the hall, so I can also verify her story as well.”

Henry clears his throat, lacing his hands together. “I was in the living room the entire time, along with Ronald and Patricia for most of the time, except for when she went to speak with Agatha about the cake. The only time I was not here was when I had to take a work call. I’m sure you all understand that as H&H’s manager, there is a lot to be done at all times, so unfortunately I still had to work on my mother’s birthday. Sadly, no one can confirm this, as I took the call alone. But I assure you that this was what I was doing; you can even check the call history on my phone.”

Victoria sighs, playing with a strand of hair. “This is getting us nowhere. Everyone has an alibi. Richie, just let this go. Granny died of cardiac arrest, end of story. Now can we please go? Because I have a date which I really don’t want to be late for.”

Richard shakes his head, staring directly at his sister. “Vicky, just tell me one thing really quickly - is there a way to send someone into cardiac arrest deliberately?”

Victoria answers instantly, her eyes still glued to her phone. “Of course. There’s a few ways, actually. Pretty easy ones, too.”

Victoria often comes across as a stupid, air-headed young woman. But the opposite is actually true: she is highly intelligent, and studying biology at a prestigious university. 

“My god! I never even realised that was possible! How convenient that Victoria knew how such a thing works,” Ronald frowns in his granddaughter’s direction, his distrust clear. Victoria gasps at her grandfather’s suspicion, glaring at him. 

“How dare you accuse me of something like that! And besides, what would I even have to gain from murdering my own granny?!”

Sighing, I lean forwards, resting my chin on my hands. “Now what would any of you have to gain from murdering Elise Hawcroft? A lot, I can tell you that for absolutely sure.”