Read Online Aunt Bessie Finds (An Isle of Man Cozy Mystery Book 6) by Diana Xarissa - Free Book Online
Authors: Diana Xarissa
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tempting. Anyway, all I’ve done is ask to have a
look around the flat. I’ll probably
hate it and that will be the end of that.”
“Well, let me know if you do decide to move,” Dave told her. “I’ll have to get on to the boss and get
him to transfer me to Douglas for you.”
Bessie laughed. “I’ll
let you know,” she promised.
Dave let her off in front of the large bookstore, agreeing to
collect her from ShopFast after she’d had time to do
all the shopping she needed to do. Inside the bookstore, she spent a happy half-hour browsing the shelves.
“Ah, Bessie, but you aren’t moving to Douglas because they have a
better bookstore, are you?” the young assistant asked her when she went to
check out with her purchases.
“I don’t know that I’m moving to Douglas at all,” Bessie told her,
trying not to sound as annoyed as she felt. It wasn’t the girl’s fault that the
person at the estate agency had a big mouth. “And if I do move, I shall be sure to
keep shopping here regularly. You
know this is my favourite bookstore on the island.”
“That’s good to know,” the girl said as she bagged Bessie’s
books. “Some weeks I think you’re
the only person keeping us in business.”
Bessie wandered through a few charity shops, but didn’t find
anything to add to her purchases. Staff
in two out of the five shops questioned Bessie about her proposed move. The other three were
staffed by quite young women who didn’t seem to care about much of anything
other than chatting on their phones or painting their fingernails .
ShopFast was busy, and Bessie fought back a sigh as she collected a trolley and pushed
it into the store. She guessed that
she’d have at least a dozen people stop to question her, and she was only off
by one by the time she exited the store.
Maggie Shimmin was the first person she
saw as she made her way through the fruit and vegetable section.
“Bessie, tell me it’s all a vicious lie,” she called from the
bananas.
Bessie shook her head. “I can’t believe how excited everyone is getting over something so
simple,” she told the fifty-something woman with the long dark hair. “All I did was ask to see a flat,
because I was curious what it might be like. Everyone is acting like I’ve put my
cottage on the market and packed my things.”
“If you do decide to sell,” Maggie told her, “please let us have
first refusal. I know Thomas would
love to build more holiday cottages.”
Maggie and her husband Thomas owned the row of rental cottages that
stretched along the beach next to Bessie’s cottage.
“I’m not planning on selling,” Bessie said, just barely repressing
a sigh. “But if I do, you’ll be
among the first to know.”
“The cottages are really hard work,” Maggie told her. “But Thomas loves the work and he loves
working for himself. He works far
more hours than he ever did when he was in banking, but he never complains.”
Maggie complained enough for both of them, as far as Bessie was
concerned, but she smiled. “Are you
shopping for the cottages today?” she asked, glancing at her friend’s trolley. It was already nearly full of staples
like bread and pasta and jars of sauce. Maggie was adding bunches of bananas to the collection.
“I am, indeed,” she told Bessie. “I have to shop for them folks every
single day. Thomas insists that we
offer grocery delivery on a daily basis, since people are coming and going all
the time. He doesn’t seem to care
that I’m the one who spends all her time running back and forth to Ramsey to
fill their orders.”
“At least it’s already August,” Bessie said. “Only a few more months and tourist
season will be over.”
Maggie sighed. “And
then I’ll be stuck with Thomas at home and underfoot until the spring,” she
said. “Anyway, must dash.”
Bessie’s reply was lost on the woman’s back as
look around the flat. I’ll probably
hate it and that will be the end of that.”
“Well, let me know if you do decide to move,” Dave told her. “I’ll have to get on to the boss and get
him to transfer me to Douglas for you.”
Bessie laughed. “I’ll
let you know,” she promised.
Dave let her off in front of the large bookstore, agreeing to
collect her from ShopFast after she’d had time to do
all the shopping she needed to do. Inside the bookstore, she spent a happy half-hour browsing the shelves.
“Ah, Bessie, but you aren’t moving to Douglas because they have a
better bookstore, are you?” the young assistant asked her when she went to
check out with her purchases.
“I don’t know that I’m moving to Douglas at all,” Bessie told her,
trying not to sound as annoyed as she felt. It wasn’t the girl’s fault that the
person at the estate agency had a big mouth. “And if I do move, I shall be sure to
keep shopping here regularly. You
know this is my favourite bookstore on the island.”
“That’s good to know,” the girl said as she bagged Bessie’s
books. “Some weeks I think you’re
the only person keeping us in business.”
Bessie wandered through a few charity shops, but didn’t find
anything to add to her purchases. Staff
in two out of the five shops questioned Bessie about her proposed move. The other three were
staffed by quite young women who didn’t seem to care about much of anything
other than chatting on their phones or painting their fingernails .
ShopFast was busy, and Bessie fought back a sigh as she collected a trolley and pushed
it into the store. She guessed that
she’d have at least a dozen people stop to question her, and she was only off
by one by the time she exited the store.
Maggie Shimmin was the first person she
saw as she made her way through the fruit and vegetable section.
“Bessie, tell me it’s all a vicious lie,” she called from the
bananas.
Bessie shook her head. “I can’t believe how excited everyone is getting over something so
simple,” she told the fifty-something woman with the long dark hair. “All I did was ask to see a flat,
because I was curious what it might be like. Everyone is acting like I’ve put my
cottage on the market and packed my things.”
“If you do decide to sell,” Maggie told her, “please let us have
first refusal. I know Thomas would
love to build more holiday cottages.”
Maggie and her husband Thomas owned the row of rental cottages that
stretched along the beach next to Bessie’s cottage.
“I’m not planning on selling,” Bessie said, just barely repressing
a sigh. “But if I do, you’ll be
among the first to know.”
“The cottages are really hard work,” Maggie told her. “But Thomas loves the work and he loves
working for himself. He works far
more hours than he ever did when he was in banking, but he never complains.”
Maggie complained enough for both of them, as far as Bessie was
concerned, but she smiled. “Are you
shopping for the cottages today?” she asked, glancing at her friend’s trolley. It was already nearly full of staples
like bread and pasta and jars of sauce. Maggie was adding bunches of bananas to the collection.
“I am, indeed,” she told Bessie. “I have to shop for them folks every
single day. Thomas insists that we
offer grocery delivery on a daily basis, since people are coming and going all
the time. He doesn’t seem to care
that I’m the one who spends all her time running back and forth to Ramsey to
fill their orders.”
“At least it’s already August,” Bessie said. “Only a few more months and tourist
season will be over.”
Maggie sighed. “And
then I’ll be stuck with Thomas at home and underfoot until the spring,” she
said. “Anyway, must dash.”
Bessie’s reply was lost on the woman’s back as
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