Murder at Blackwater Manor Read online

  “Don’t be silly,” Prim had assured her, “These people are so bored, they’d love a new face.”

  The maid showed them inside the room and everyone got up to greet them. It wasn’t just the extremely luxurious vintage interior of the place that felt overwhelming to Sage. She didn’t recognize any of the faces in the room and that made her anxious enough. She wasn’t used to formal socializing and was definitely not at ease in any situation the way Prim was. She decided to just follow her sister’s lead and hope she doesn’t make a fool of herself.

  “Primrose!” an elegant lady of about sixty exclaimed and hurried over to kiss Prim on both cheeks and lead them to their seats. “How nice to finally have you. Come on in, we’ve barely got started on appetizers. And this must be…”

  “My sister, Sage. I hope you don’t mind we came together, Thea.”

  Sage smiled shyly at the room and noticed that she was greeted with a couple of curious looks, but everyone seemed friendly, so she relaxed a bit.

  “Don’t be ridiculous!” Thea said excitedly, “What a lovely surprise! It’s great to meet you, Sage.”

  In just a few short moments the sisters were seated and the conversation flowed as if it hadn’t been interrupted. The warm light from the fireplace and the beautifully arranged candles on the table gave a soft glow to the guests’ faces and soon Sage felt quite cozy in the new company.

  By the time the maid was bringing in the second course, Sage had even managed to make out some connections among the people in the room. Prim was discreetly supplying the names when someone new spoke. Sage already knew Mr. Blackwater from earlier in the day and she had correctly assumed that Thea, the woman who’d greeted them was Mrs. Blackwater, his wife. James Blackwater, a tall and thin man who looked old and wrinkled, was in fact Mr. Blackwater’s younger brother. If you’d asked Sage, he looked more like his father, but then again both Mr. and Mrs. Blackwater seemed in great shape for their age.

  There was also another couple, Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird. Alex Bluebird seemed about the hosts’ age, while Anabelle Bluebird was much younger and was the most animated person at the table. She was quite a character and was the natural center of attention with her funny anecdotes about her job. It turned out that she was the librarian at the Rosecliff public library, so she had plenty of entertaining stories about teenage boys trying to smuggle inappropriate books out of the building.

  Sage couldn’t figure out what Mr. Bluebird or any of the Blackwaters did for work, but judging by their clothes and manners, they might as well have never had to work in their lives.

  The roasted pheasant with chestnut stuffing and the honey-glazed grilled vegetables were so mouth-watering, Sage couldn’t put her fork and knife down before she’d finished every last morsel in her plate. When the cinnamon pumpkin pie was served, she was already thinking of unbuttoning her pants just a little. Primrose was an amazing cook, but even she didn’t have the time to create such elaborate feasts every day. Sage was more than glad she’d agreed to come to this dinner.

  “Who is up for a smoke?” Mr. Bluebird said, rising from his seat after the plates had been cleared away and everyone was breathing hard after the rich meal.

  To Sage’s surprise, almost everyone stood up. She’d always assumed that rich people didn’t smoke, but then she remembered her sister telling her about how bored they all were, so she figured that must be the explanation. In fact, the only person besides the two of them who didn’t spring up enthusiastically from his seat was Mr. Blackwater.

  “You go,” he said to his wife’s questioning look, “I have something to finish up in the study and I’ll join you all for cards after.”

  “As you wish, honey,” Mrs. Blackwater said and Sage wondered whether she’d liked the flowers he gave her in the morning. She should find an appropriate moment to ask her and casually mention that Prim made the bouquet. Every little bit of advertising would help Prim’s mission tonight.

  “Sage,” Prim whispered, suddenly nudging her in the ribs, “I think we should go too. It’s inappropriate to sit here by ourselves.”

  “Really?” Sage panted and started buttoning up her trousers, “It’s so exhausting being appropriate. I don’t know how you do it. If it were up to me, I’d have curled up by the fireplace by now.”

  “Come on,” Prim grabbed her wrist and dragged her towards the terrace where everyone was gathered, lighting up their cigarettes. “We’ll be lazy later, I promise. The fresh air will make you feel better.”

  “Fresh indeed with that smoke cloud out there,” Sage muttered, but followed her sister outside.

  “So,” Mr. Bluebird said, turning to Prim, “Thea tells me you’ve just opened a new flower shop in town…”

  This was just the right opportunity for Prim to show off her accomplishment, so she started eagerly describing her first day. Sage felt a bit out of place in the crowd of smoke-puffing people, chatting to each other about subjects she couldn’t contribute to. If they were talking about biology or, say, the medicinal properties of algae, she’d jump right in, but she knew little of small town politics and gossip.

  She took the time to look at the house that rose right above them. Though the terrace was at the back of the building, the view was no less impressive than if looked at from the front. It was as fancy as a postcard castle or a Gothic manor right out of a novel. It had three floors and the oversized, almost cathedral-like windows were bathed in light, despite the fact that there was no one in the rooms upstairs. Prim had told her it was good form to keep the lights on everywhere when you had guests. Thick climbing rose trees crawled up to the second floor and curled around the ornate frames of each tall window and in the rich light, the house looked enchanted.

  The garden, which was more of a park, was simply breathtaking and even though it was dark beyond the light that fell from the upstairs windows, Sage could see the neat flowerbeds, the freshly mowed grass and the decorative fountains that spoke of many hours of work. These people could not only afford to live in this huge house, but they also had a gardener and a maid. For a moment, Sage felt as if she’d stepped back in time.

  Here, the ocean was too far away for them to smell or hear, but the evening breeze that came from the shore was none the less chilly and Sage felt herself shiver. Thea, the hostess, noticed that.

  “Oh, look what I’ve done! We are sitting here smoking and talking and our newest friend is about to catch a cold. Let’s all get inside. Maybe Cecile is done with the washing up and she’s ready to serve us some tea. Plus, I can’t wait to get started with those cards.”

  Sage was grateful for the tactful suggestion and they all went in and settled in another room, where another fireplace boomed with a cozy fire and where there was a set of soft leather sofas right in front of it. The cards were already set on the small table in the middle of the sofas.

  “Sage,” Prim said, “I’m going to freshen up before the game. Do you want to join me?” She gave her a meaningful look and Sage knew she had to go.

  She followed her sister down the wide corridor and into a bathroom that looked more like a living room. There was a velvet settee, two vanities with sinks and the largest bathtub Sage had ever seen.

  “Just look at this place!” Sage exclaimed.

  “I know, I know,” Prim said, “See why it’s so important to get Mrs. Blackwater as a regular customer? There’s something I forgot to tell you though. I’ve been to a couple of these card game gatherings and from what I’ve seen, Thea loves to play, but she is really bad at it. She is also a sore loser and we want her in a good mood tonight. She is hosting a fundraiser next week and if everything goes well, I’m going to bring up the flowers later on.”

  “Okay…” Sage said, still unsure what her sister was getting at.

  “So, are you any good? At cards, I mean.”

  “I’m fair,” Sage said.

  “Alright,” Prim sighed with relief. “I want you to play really badly tonight. Like, forget you’ve ever won a game.”r />
  “Sure, Prim. I don’t care that much and if it means that much to you…”

  “My sweet little sister,” Prim said and pinched Sage’s cheeks. “Now, let’s really freshen up and go.”

  “Are you kidding me? I won’t pass the chance to use the facilities. This place is like in the movies.”

  A few minutes later, just as the sisters were done fixing their make-up and hair, a sharp scream pierced the air.

  They quickly came out of the bathroom with concerned looks on their faces and saw all the guests clamoring up the grand front staircase towards the second floor. They ran to catch up with them, wondering what could have happened in the few short moments they were gone.

  Mrs. Blackwater was standing in front of an open door, a porcelain cup shattered to pieces in her feet and tea splattered all over the place. The woman’s hand was pressed against her mouth and her wide open eyes were filled with horror.

  “Thea, what’s wrong? What happened?” James Blackwater said and hurried over to her.

  “Ph-Phil-Philip,” she stuttered, “My husband! He’s dead.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Tea and a Roomful of Suspects

  Anabelle Bluebird, the town’s librarian, had immediately jumped into action and taken Thea’s arm, leading her gently downstairs to sit down. Sage saw her shouting a few instructions to the maid, who was standing at the bottom of the staircase, and disappearing with the devastated widow into the game room.

  “I can’t believe this,” Prim muttered as a shaken-looking James came out of Philip Blackwater’s study and nodded to confirm his brother’s death.

  “Let’s all get downstairs,” Mr. Bluebird ushered the sisters with a grim voice. “Ladies, after you.”

  “We need to call Ben,” James said.

  “Why?” Prim said, confused. “What’s wrong?”

  Ben was Primrose’s husband and Rosecliff’s sheriff. If there was a need for him to be called, she already knew what was in the room and her face contorted in horror.

  “He didn’t just pass away,” James said. “He was brutally murdered.”

  “But…” Prim tried to say.

  “There is no use talking about this before we have Ben look at him,” Mr. Bluebird said, “I’m just as shocked as all of you are, but until we know something, it looks like we are all under suspicion for murder.”

  That was exactly what was on Sage’s mind when she took her sister’s hand and led her down the stairs, followed closely by the two men.

  “It’s just not possible,” Prim whispered to her, “Who would have the time to commit murder when we were all together?”

  “No, we weren’t,” Sage whispered back. Her mind had already started working, placing everyone around the house and tracing their possible actions, “We were in the bathroom, Prim.”

  “For what? Like two minutes?”

  “Sometimes that’s all it takes. Plus, I think it was longer than that. More like twenty.”

  “But it could have happened any time after dinner, couldn’t it?” Prim’s little hand started trembling inside her sister’s, “I can’t believe it! We are suspects in a murder!”

  “Don’t worry,” Sage tried to reassure her, though she herself didn’t feel that confident at the moment, “We were together the whole time. This counts for something. Obviously, whoever did it must have sneaked out without the others noticing. We should really just wait for Ben to arrive.”

  “You are right,” Prim sighed as they entered the game room, “It makes it no less terrifying though. We could be sitting in a room with a cold-blooded murderer.”

  She shuddered.

  Ben was a good-looking man. His athletic build, sandy blond hair, blue eyes and honest face only increased his authority in Rosecliff. Just looking at him, you could assume that he was someone you could trust and respect. His manner was also very calm and measured and he wasn’t one to give in to rash actions or decisions.

  When the maid finally led him into the room, Prim rushed to greet him. The others also got to their feet, almost relieved that his arrival marked the end to the half-hour-long awkward silence, during which everyone was afraid to even utter a word. A few suspicious glances had been exchanged, but mostly, the guests had preferred to keep to their own thoughts.

  The only sound that could be heard in the suddenly small and suffocating room, had been the quiet sobbing of Mrs. Blackwater and the soothing voice of Mrs. Bluebird, whose face was also streaked with tears now. The two sisters had sat right near the fireplace, holding each others’ hands and staring into the fire. No one had touched the thoughtful cups of tea the maid had hurried to prepare.

  “Good evening, everyone,” Ben said and was met with a few saddened nods. After he’d stroked his wife’s strawberry blond hair to comfort her and whispered something to her, he went straight to kneel in front of Mrs. Blackwater. “I’m so sorry about Philip, Thea.”

  “It… It’s alright,” she sobbed, “I’m just glad you are here.” She burst into tears once again and Ben gave her a few moments to get a hold of herself.

  “I’m going to need you to all stay put for a while,” he said when he’d waited respectfully for the room to quiet down again. “I’ll need to examine the body and look around a bit. But first of all, I need to know who found Philip?”

  “I did,” Thea sniffled, “I just went to see what was taking him so long, since the game was about to start and I.. I…”

  “Did you touch anything? Has anyone been inside the room after?”

  “I didn’t touch anything,” Thea said, “I just opened the door and saw him like that, and I just couldn’t… I didn’t even go in.”

  “It’s okay, Thea,” Ben said gently, “That’s all I need to know for now.”

  “I was in there last,” James said, standing up, “I needed to see if he was really dead, but I only touched him, nothing else.”

  “Thank you Mr. Blackwater, James. I’ll be right back.”

  Ben gave the maid a sign to escort him to the study and followed her outside. Sage couldn’t sit still anymore and hurried to the door to catch up with him.

  “Ben?” she called after him and he turned halfway up the stairs.

  “Sage, maybe it’s best for you to join the others for now. Go be with Prim. I think she’s pretty badly shaken up.”

  “Ben, are the two of us under suspicion?”

  “Technically, you are,” he sighed, “I’m sure we’ll get the chance to clear this whole mess up in just a short while.”

  “Can I come with you?”

  “No, Sage, it’s really best if you just go back and sit with the others. I need to do this alone.”

  “But remember how I was able to help last time? Maybe I’ll notice something that you wouldn’t…”

  “Sage!” Ben interrupted her, “Go sit with your sister. You’ll only make it worse.”

  “You really think I could have done it? I didn’t even know the man!”

  “I try not to think anything,” Ben said with a tired look on his face, “I’ll start drawing conclusions only after I’ve had the chance to look around.”

  With that, he turned and climbed the rest of the stairs, disappearing down the brightly lit corridor. There was nothing left for Sage to do, but to return to the sombre atmosphere in the game room.

  The next forty minutes stretched like eternity. People kept leaving the room to the small terrace to smoke a cigarette, but as an unspoken agreement, no one stepped through the door that led to the rest of the house. Little was said, since with every passing minute, the realization that they could be implicated in murder downed on everyone.

  Probably following Ben’s instructions, the maid had also joined them and sat quietly on a chair in the corner. She was conspicuously uneasy to be sitting in the presence of her employer, but James Blackwater had assured her it was alright under the circumstances.

  “Sage,” Prim said suddenly, as if waking up from a dream, “Let’s go outside. I can’t sit her
e another minute. I need some air.”

  Sage agreed at once and both of them sneaked out to the terrace. Luckily, there was no one there right now. The ashtray that was set on a small metal garden table was overflowing with cigarette butts and Prim wrinkled her nose just at the sight of it.

  “I wish we could go upstairs,” Sage said as she was leaning over the metal railing and looking ahead at the manicured lawn. “It looks like Ben thinks we are no less suspicious than the rest of them.”

  “Come on, Sage,” Prim said, “He’s just doing his jobs. He knows we have neither the motive, nor the ability to kill. When he comes down and we know exactly how he was killed, it will become even more obvious it couldn’t have been us.”

  “Who do you think did it? You know these people better than I do.”

  “I don’t really. I know them from around town, but I know nothing of their personal relationships. I can’t think of a single reason to want to hurt old Mr. Blackwater. Except that he was rich, but so is everyone else in that room.”

  “Except for the maid…”

  “Right, except for the maid, but how exactly could she benefit from the murder?”

  Suddenly, a shadow danced in the pool of light in the grass coming from the upper floor to their right. Sage looked up and realized it must be Ben and the room upstairs to the right must be Mr. Blackwater’s study. Right underneath the window, which was open, was a flower bed that hid in the shadow of the building. In the darkness, Sage couldn’t tell what kind of flowers these were exactly. She strained her eyes a bit.

  Something glinted in the murky space amid the flowers.

  “Sage, what are you doing?” Prim almost shouted as she watched her sister climb over the railing and jump into the soft grass underneath.

  “I think I saw something. Wait here.”

  “What is it?” Prim called nervously as she kept looking back at the door, fearing that someone might come out and wonder what they were up to.

  “Oh, no, Prim,” Sage’s muffled voice came from the short distance. “You have to see this.”