Chapter 22

The next day, I boarded the bus to Devon for the last leg of our tour. Normally, writing helped me sort through my problems, and I was able to solve mysteries, but this time, my subconscious had let me down. This morning, I wasn’t feeling any closer to figuring out whodunit than I had been at the start.

Dr. Blankenship and Tiffany got on the bus. Both looked a lot older and more haggard than either one of them had looked yesterday. Based on the dark circles under their eyes, I’d say neither one of them had gotten much sleep. Given the cold look they gave Ruby Mae when they walked by her row, I suspected that D.S. Templeton had invited the couple to answer questions at the precinct and their lack of sleep was courtesy of D. I. Nelson and the Metropolitan Police Force.

Everyone climbed aboard, including D. S. Templeton. She barely spared me a glance as she moved to a seat in the back.

Today, we were headed back to the Cotswolds. Clive had managed to get us a quick tour of the racetrack that we’d missed. We would also get to spend some time traveling through the Forest of Dean. I had read a few Dick Francis novels but wasn’t very knowledgeable about horses or racing. However, the horses were beautiful and powerful, and I enjoyed watching them run more than I thought I would.

The biggest surprise for me was the trip through the Forest of Dean. I erroneously assumed that the name meant a heavily wooded area with lots of wildlife and devoid of people. The Forest of Dean is an area that encompasses the three counties of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Monmouthshire. It includes woodlands and game and has been a royal hunting retreat, but there are also villages, and the area is better known for ironworking and mining. The area’s most recent claim to fame is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows I and II, as it was used as the filming location. The Cotswolds was also the setting for countless mysteries, including Andrew Taylor’s Lydmouth series, Edward Marston’s historical mystery The Owls of Gloucester, Rebecca Tope’s Cotswold Mysteries, and M. C. Beaton’s Agatha Raisin Mystery Series.

We stopped for lunch in Lydney at a pub called the Rising Sun. We realized that time was running out, but after an evening with D. I. Nelson, neither the Blakenships nor Clive Green seemed inclined to talk. Debra Holt and the handsome Sebastian maintained a good distance. Lavington and Hoffman sat together, and Lavender Habersham and Bella nibbled on cheese and bread in a corner.

I sat with Nana Jo, Hannah, and the girls. Lunch was fairly quiet as we faced the fact that this was the first case we weren’t able to solve.

Nana Jo glanced at me. “Stop being so hard on yourself, Sam.” She patted my hand. “Even Perry Mason had one loss in his career.”

“I just feel like I’m missing something.”

Ruby Mae pulled her honey out of her purse. “Well, we need to finish this honey today. I hate wasting food.”

Nana Jo picked up the jar and poured a bit into her tea. “You say Clive made this?” She took a sip. “It’s pretty good.”

Irma shivered. “I don’t know how anyone could stand being around bees.”

“I like the honey, but I don’t think I’d want to be the one to have to extract it,” Dorothy said.

Hannah passed the jar to me. “I’m allergic to bees, so I certainly wouldn’t be the one to extract the honey.”

I stared at the jar and got a flash.

“I know that look,” Nana Jo said, and she pulled out her iPad. “You’ve figured it out.”

“I think I have.”

“It was the honey, wasn’t it?” Ruby Mae shook her head. “I hate to think of Clive killing that man.”

“It wasn’t Clive. At least, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t.” I looked around. “Where’s D. S. Templeton?”

Clive Green rose and announced it was time to head back.

Everyone started making their way to the bus. I couldn’t find D. S. Templeton anywhere. “I need to call D. I. Nelson.” I took my cell phone from my purse and rushed outside. I climbed onto the bus and dialed the number for the Scotland Yard detective, but I got his voicemail. “Detective, this is Samantha Washington. I think I know who murdered Major Peabody and Mrs. Habersham. Please call me back, or better yet, send a car to meet us at the hotel.”

“That’s enough.”

I hadn’t noticed anyone was listening until I looked up and saw Debra Holt pointing a gun at me.