~ DEATH IS JUST THE BEGINNING ~
 JM Dragon 2003

© 2003 by JM Dragon
Email: jmdragon@jmdragon.net

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Love/Sex:..This story features strongly implied consensual relationship between adult women. If this bothers you, is illegal in the State, Province or Country you live or if you are  under the age of 18, find something else to read. There are loads of general stories out there.

Language:..Some strong language.

Violence:..Some violence in this story.

Hurt/Comfort:..There are scenes of heartache to be dealt with by the characters.

Dedication:..This story could have been my final one, but isn’t. Thank you to all those readers who offered genuine support and continue to read, not only my stories, but others too, we all appreciate your wonderful feedback. This story is simply for you.

Acknowlegement: My beta readers, Alice, Packer and Mel thank you as always, special thanks to T and Ephany for reading over the final draft as a double check.

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Part Three

Violet had seen a few interesting things in her time. At first, when she was taking photos mainly for family then, she had been given several commissions when war came and those had been hairy, to say the least. This situation might actually come out on top of the pile as her eyes wandered to the taller woman who was leaning heavily against the tree that had taken their lives or at least had been instrumental in taking it. Her features usually schooled and unreadable now had that strained look of a person fighting with troubles that had no answer. As she continued to stare at Packer, she looked her over as one would a prospective suitor, not that she was contemplating making a pass at the woman…she wasn’t! She and Packer…no way! However, she wondered what other women might see in her.

Packer’s personality was rather dour and you wouldn’t exactly make a pass at her, unless it was a dark night and you were blind…oh okay, that was harsh. She wasn’t ugly…exactly… merely plain and the lines etched around her eyes gave the impression she frowned heavily, another thing she had seen first hand. Her hair was a mousy brown and pulled back in a harsh bun…made her even more frightening. Her best asset had to be her height and the way she carried herself, with confidence and inner strength. As she considered all this, a thought occurred to her…had it been a beautiful evening, she doubted she would have given a second thought to asking the woman if she wanted a lift home. No, her appreciation of the physical form was one of aesthetically pleasing to the eye and Millicent Packer didn’t fit that description, in any way.

“Have you finished dissecting me?” Milly had noticed the unabashed stare she was being given by her companion and allowed her to continue until she had felt like a bug under a microscope. Well, it was true. Now she was an object of interest because of her sexual preferences. There was no wonder that their fraternity tended to keep their choices shut up in the closet.

“I wasn’t!”

“You could have fooled me, we have company.”

“We do, who?” Violet looked over to the roadside and saw the two women they had left at the cottage approach them.

“Do you want to leave?”

“No, I was thinking about the conversation they had. For some reason, that other woman wants Charlie’s help in finding out something about me…maybe us and it’s the only lead we have so far.”

“I could listen and get back to you if you wanted to take a walk?”

Milly wanted desperately to do that. She had thought about the situation as they walked back to the scene of the accident. Her only choice was to let it all go, this old life of hers and she would try, however heart breaking it would be. There was one good thing out of all this, Charlie looked good and she was still living in the home they had shared, that had to be a bonus.

“The sooner we piece what we can together, the sooner you get your wish and we return back to the chance of a new life.”

“I’m with you on that.” Violet walked towards Packer and stood with her as Charlie and Prudence arrived at the tree.

“This is it.” Charlie spoke quietly. Today was not a good day to be here. She often drove by the spot and tried to ignore it because it had robbed her of the love in her life. With it being the twentieth anniversary, it was harder still.

Prudence heard the quiet words and looking down at her notes realised what an unfeeling idiot she was. It was twenty years ago that the accident had happened. “I’m sorry, Charlie.”

The larger woman looked down puzzled at the comment, a quizzical expression in her eyes. “What for?”

“You must think me terrible for asking you to come here, what can I say.”

Charlie pulled a wry smile, “ It was time I faced facts. I’ve avoided this area for twenty years. Milly wouldn’t have wanted me to grieve as long as I have. She would have moved on if the roles had been reversed.”

“I wouldn’t, Charlie.” Milly whispered and Violet heard but didn’t comment. The emotional upheaval the woman was going through was far worse than dying. Making her glad that at least she hadn’t been in love with anyone when she died. They now had the answer to one puzzle…the time difference was twenty years!

“Thanks. The report says that the car hit the tree at an excessive speed, indicating one of two things. The driver was speeding intentionally or the car was out of control.”

Violet and Milly both had startled expressions and moved closer to the inspection, this was proving interesting.

“I don’t know much about the driver…she hadn’t been in the village that long and was a bit of an enigma, kept to herself.”

“Ah well, I might be able to help you there. One of her relatives gave us as much information on her as she possibly could. Want to hear who Violet Reed really was?” Prudence asked opening her valise to retrieve the notes on the woman.

“Of course, but why hasn’t anyone from her family come forward and paid their respects if they are taking this much interest now?”

Milly was fascinated and saw Violet shift uncomfortably on the spot next to her. “Something you don’t want made public?”

“No! It’s just strange hearing people talking about you as if you are dead.”

Milly laughed and was given a scornful glance. “You are dead.”

“Yes, yes I know, but you know what I mean. I’m here and can hear them.”

“They don’t know that, do they or I’m sure they would whisper to save your blushes.” This was quite funny. Now she would find out whom Violet Reed was and if there was a dark side to her life that would warrant someone killing her.

“I don’t blush!”

“Here it is. They live in France and until six months ago, hadn’t realised she was dead. They plan on coming here next month to pay their respects. Seems she was a favourite cousin or something.”

“Six months ago? She’s been dead twenty years!”

“Yes, I know. Look, this is what they said about her. Outgoing personality, pretty in the swarthy sense, intelligent and a perfectionist with the camera, born in France but lived most of her life in England. Had a period of three years in boarding school in France and then back to England as war broke out in Europe. Her parents were killed in an air raid over London a year before she herself died.”

“Doesn’t imply she was a reckless driver. In fact, she sounds too good to be true.”

“Now I wondered that too and delved a little more and guess what? She worked for some interesting people that last year of her life.”

“Interesting people, who?” Both Charlie and Milly asked at the same time.

Violet wanted the Custodian to send for them now, at this minute or maybe the ground would open up and swallow her.

“She worked for the military taking strategic photographs of activity by the enemy in various European hotspots. I guess she was a spy or as close to one as you could get. From what I gather, she had been assumed missing in action when she didn’t contact the powers that be after her last assignment.”

“My God, she was a spy?” Charlie couldn’t believe it. This was out of a storybook surely!

“You were a spy?” Milly asked astounded. The woman didn’t look like a spy. Far from it in her eyes; she’d seen a few people she would consider a spy at her government office.

“I wasn’t a spy!” Violet announced. Who gave that woman this kind of information? It was supposed to be top secret and she hadn’t been on assignment…that was an untruth.

“Yes, to all intents and purposes. She was very well thought of too; according to a couple of people in London who still remember her. A pint sized Mata Hari one of the gentlemen at the war office said. Seems she had a way with words and men, could twist them around her little finger.”

“Oh please, I need a bucket to be sick in. I was nothing like Mata Hari, I certainly didn’t sleep with anyone to get my pictures!”

Milly smiled a genuine smile as she saw the woman next to her squirm at the revelations about her past. However, it did shed light on the fact that Violet was the likely victim, now the question was, who and why?

“I never said you did.”

“Good. Who is that woman anyway? She’s got a cheek describing me as a man siren!”

“Oh, I don’t know. You have many of the attributes. Look at you, even up there you had the Custodian eating out of your hand.”

“Pity you poisoned the oats or I would still be up there without a care in the world.” Violet remarked sarcastically.

“Yes, pity I did.”

“…want a drink at the pub? We can go over what I have so far? I also need to check in. I’ve booked a room for the rest of the week there.”

Charlie ruefully considered the request. She didn’t drink much, these days anyway. The doctor had warned her off her favourite tipple, whisky, but she had the occasional beer. “Okay, are you paying?”

“Of course. Its on expenses, you can have two.”

“How very generous of you.” Charlie replied sardonically. They headed back towards the detective’s car, a Volkswagen Beetle in metallic silver and by the looks of it, brand new. The pay must be good in this line of work.

“I’m going with them.” Milly announced as she walked alongside Charlie relishing the chance to be close to her lover, even if she wouldn’t know it.

“What about me?”

“Well, Mata Hari, you can do what you want.”

“Great, I’m coming too!”

Charlie stopped suddenly and Milly passed through her arm before she could pull back. “What’s wrong?”

“Ever have that feeling at the back of your neck that someone is watching you?”

“Yes, and it’s usually my dad. You look pale, are you okay?”

“I think so. Maybe someone just walked over my grave.” They carried on towards the car and settled inside the polished interior.

Milly and Violet passed through the car and sank into the back seat wondering what it was like to be in the car of the future. They didn’t have to wait long as the car set off and reached speed so quickly they shot back in the upholstery almost falling out of the car.

* * * * *

“Hasn’t changed much since I was last here.” Violet said as she contemplated the interior of the public house. Mind it hadn’t changed much in five hundred years; so a little over twenty wouldn’t spoil its ambience.

“No, it hasn’t. Though the bar staff are different. ”

“I wonder if old Captain Riddle is still alive.”

“That old goat will never die. I’m sure he pulled the first pint in this place when it opened.”

“Packer, how can you say that about such a kind and affable man.”

“Not sure I’d call him kind, but then you would know better with your talents with men.”

“That’s a low blow, Packer. Remember I’m a spy, we spies have special talents.”

“Oh no, now she tells me.” They both walked towards the small table next to a window that Charlie and Prudence had taken. Charlie was alone at the moment staring vacantly at the beer in front of her. Prudence had gone to check out her room and deposit her suitcase there.

Violet sat down next to the giant of a woman. She might be big but there was something gentle and caring about her that made you like her on first association. Which was more than could be said for her good friend Packer, who was standing like a lost sheep at the head of the table.

“You know you can sit on her knee and she wouldn’t feel a thing.”

“That’s uncalled for! Just because she’s of larger proportions than most doesn’t mean you can ridicule her.”

“I wasn’t! You take everything so literally. I merely meant that because of the way we are, you could be close to her for a while. I guess it’s hard to be this close to someone you loved and not be able to show them how you feel.”

“It is hard, harder than I thought possible. I always wondered if I loved her fully. Now, I know I did. I miss her.”

Violet didn’t know what to say as a lone tear slowly trickled down Packer’s cheek. “I’m sure she knew that.”

“It’s too late to tell her though, isn’t it? I wish that I could, just one more time.”

“Why not concentrate and send her that message? Who knows, she might hear you in her subconscious.”

“That’s ridiculous!”

“Is it? If I loved someone that much, I’d want to try at least, what do you have to lose?”

Milly pondered that remark, what indeed? Nothing and it would make her feel better. “Thanks, I’ll try.”

“Great, I’m going to check up on our other party.”

Violet walked through the crowd of people that had converged on the bar as she went towards the inner door leading to the private rooms, in her quest to find Prudence.

* * * * *

Milly concentrated hard and ended in giving her a headache. She was dead for God’s sake! Why did she still get a headache?

Clearing her thoughts of everything around her and concentrating on the one person in the room who was more important than anyone else, Charlie, she tried once more.

I love you Charlie. I loved you the first moment I saw you walking that ferocious beast of a dog that belonged to your mother. He was so good. He dragged you along the footpath into me and I never did get the chance to thank him. I miss you, Charlie. I know I could be officious at times and I wasn’t always honest with you and I’m sure you were annoyed at me but never showed it. However, I did love you more than I realised until it was too late. You are still here, my love and that surprises me. I thought you might have moved on, sold the cottage that I left you and found someone else. You didn’t and I wonder why. I want you to be happy, Charlie and find someone else to love. Perhaps one day we will meet again. If we don’t, remember one thing, Charlie, I love you and now, my love, it’s time for you to move on.

As Milly stood there, she was transfixed by a sharp glance from eyes she would know in her dreams forever. Charlie looked up and stared at her directly, could she see her? Could she? Perhaps this wasn’t all going wrong. Maybe her lover had heard her and was reaching out, could she be?

Stretching out her hand towards Charlie she was stunned when Prudence Sullivan walked right through her and dropped down beside Charlie.

“Great room, lots of atmosphere. Maybe I have a ghost or two to haunt me.”

“Never heard any rumours that there were ghosts in these parts, wish there were.”

“What do you mean?”

“Maybe Milly would come back as a ghost, tell us what happened and save you all this delving into the past.”

“Yes, we can wish. Not going to happen though unless you believe all that garbage about psychics.”

Charlie chuckled. It was a deep one that vibrated around the room or so Pru thought. “I have never met one or experienced their talents, so I can’t say.”

“I should introduce you to a friend of mine. She thinks she has the power.” Pru laughed. Gayle thought she was a psychic today, tomorrow it would be something else, though she had held to this belief for at least six months now.

“Why not bring her here and see if she can help.”

“I might if the going gets tough, but I think we are making progress, don’t you?”

“How can we? You knew all this before I entered the frame.”

“Of course I did, but now it’s coming alive and who knows, once that happens anything could happen.”

“Who knows indeed. What next?”

“Oh, next we check out anyone who came into contact with Violet, namely the Fray’s. They must be the prime suspects.”

“Prime suspects, the Fray’s? That would take a great leap of imagination.” Charlie finished off her beer and held the glass aloft.

“I’ll get a refill and you can tell me what you know about the Fray’s.”

Violet turned to Packer, “what do you know of the Fray’s?”

“Let’s put it this way, would Jesus have killed?”

“No!”

“The Fray’s neither. Nice people, but tending to exaggerate and, as far as I know, that isn’t a capital offence.”

Chuckling, Violet wondered if she had misjudged this woman. She had a sense of humour after all.

* * * * *

“We’ve eliminated the Fray’s from the investigation, at the moment anyway. My dad would say you couldn’t rule out anyone no matter how innocent they might look.” Pru drank thirstily from the light beer that Charlie had purchased for them. She had to admit the woman was a surprise after their original introduction. Now, she appeared to be telling her about every detail. Likes and dislikes of everyone in the village, though there was still the matter of eliminating Charlie from the suspect list.

“You look like you have come across a problem?” Charlie spoke softly as she seated her large frame on the wooden bench they shared pouring over the notes that the young detective had brought with her.

Pru looked up into piercing but gentle eyes smiling wryly, “yes, in a way.”

“Can I help? If it’s about someone around here, then it might not be such a problem?”

“Yes, you can help, I’m not sure you will though.”

“Try me.” The rejoinder whispered so quietly that Pru strained to hear. This was going to be harder than she imagined.

“You.”

* * * * *

“What did you find out when you followed that woman?” Milly was annoyed that her time alone with Charlie had been disturbed as the young woman, who was called Pru, came back with Violet tagging behind. She had really thought she was getting through to her lover, now the contact had been severed.

“You sound miffed, what’s wrong with you?” Violet didn’t like the tone. She was getting used to being spoken to in an off hand manner but thought that with the previous conversation, she had made headway with the taller stoic woman.

“Nothing’s wrong, other than that we are dead. What did you find out?”

“Ever heard the term please or didn’t they teach you that at the school you went to?”

Milly gave her a savage glance and then it miraculously softened. Realising how obnoxious she was being; at the end of the day it really hadn’t been Violet’s fault they were in this position, even if she liked to think that because it was the easy way out. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me. How did your trip to that other woman’s room proceed?”

Violet wanted to goad the woman a little more but realised that this was a break through, she’d actually said sorry and it sounded like she meant it. “Nothing much to tell. She made a phone call to her parents, at least her father and was telling him what she was doing. Sounds like a family affair, this detective business to me.”

“She was also asking her father what to do about your friend Charlie.”

“What do you mean?” The hackles rose, once more, as Milly took an attacking stance in defence of her old love.

“Listen to them…”

“You.”

“Me? What do you mean, what have I got to do with this?” Charlie was astonished. Surely she was beyond reproach. She was helping the woman with her investigation, wasn’t she!

“Sorry, Charlie. As I explained earlier, no one is totally out of the circle of suspicion though I think you are as close as it gets.”

Blowing out a stream of warm air causing her hair to move on her forehead she was about to reply when the proprietor of the pub walked by their table.

“Everything alright with your room, Miss. Sullivan?” announced Captain Ben, as he liked to be called, lounging beside their table casting furtive glances at the papers strewn over the table.

“Absolutely, couldn’t ask for better, nice and homey, thanks.” Pru smiled friendly towards the doddering old man. He looked like he was about to keel over, “want to join us for a drink?”

“Why that’s very good of you, my dear. Mine’s a whisky, top of the shelf. Miss Bootle will go fetch it for me, won’t you?”

Charlie was annoyed that Pru had asked the man to join them. He was a nosey busybody of the worse order and they said women gossip, he was worse than a dozen women, “yes, of course.” Standing to her full height she gave the petite, bird- like woman a strange glance then set off towards the bar area.

“Charlie won’t be back soon, knowing her, she’ll take off home.” Milly stated as she watched her lover walk towards the bar in a stiff stance. She’d seen that walk before on more than one occasion, and it all meant the same thing, she was annoyed and didn’t mind anyone knowing it.

“Why?” Damn, there was that dreaded word again. Looks like it was a permanent fixture in the vocabulary.

“Because she doesn’t like the good Captain and he knows it! Before you ask, I’m not sure why. She never said other than he wasn’t what he seemed. We never got around to discussing details at the time.”

“A bit lame don’t you think? Perhaps he has something to hide and she found out. Maybe he’s our man.” Violet grinned. That would be a long shot and absurd. In all her dealings with the old man, he had been a bit of a windbag and would and could talk the hind legs off a donkey, but that wasn’t a crime was it?

“I think I’ll be correct in my observation unless she’s changed over the years.” Milly pondered the remark. Charlie might well have mellowed towards the man. Twenty years was a long time for most, except them and what did it matter if it was twenty or two hundred, they couldn’t reach out and be with the ones they loved, no matter how hard they tried.

Pru listened intently to the old man and his ramblings. One thing she was very good at was being a listener. However, her eyes constantly went over to the bar where Charlie stood talking to first the barmaid and then a couple of others at the bar, presumably locals, she would ask the woman when she came back to the table. Smiling as she saw Charlie turn, the expression died on her face as the large woman left the bar and a small wiry man approached the table with a shot glass of whisky, which he placed on the table beside the publican.

“Charlie said to tell you it’s getting late and she was away to her bed.” The wiry man tipped his head and left them to walk back to the bar.

Pru didn’t understand. What had she said? Just because she wanted to know more about Charlie shouldn’t warrant this kind of rudeness, surely? “Excuse me a moment please, Captain.”

Rushing out of the bar and into the coolness of the early evening air, her eyes scanned the main street for the woman. She couldn’t have escaped that fast! As she peered further down the street, she saw the large shape of Charlie striding purposefully towards the end of town and her cottage. “Damn!”

Violet pulled at her chin. She wasn’t going to say anything to Packer but this looked suspicious to her and she had the training to notice these things, not that she would brag about it. However, it might prove useful to them in the future. “You were right, Packer.”

“Yes, I was, some things never change,” her eyes following the large woman until she wasn’t to be seen at all.

“Are you going to go be with Charlie?”

“What do you mean?” The thought hadn’t occurred to her, but now that it was mentioned, it was a wonderful idea. Why hadn’t she thought of it first?

“Well, she’ll be alone and although it’s not the same, I know you could spend a little more time with her. Not many get a second chance, even if it is unorthodox.”

Milly turned to Violet astounded at her understanding, “thanks, I will. What will you do?”

“Oh me, I think I’ll go back to the Fray’s and see what happened to them.”

“Okay…sounds like a good idea.” Turning away to walk after Charlie, she quickly turned back and saw Violet standing looking forlorn and sad, which was unusual. She was always brimming with sunshine.

“Violet, are you sure about this? I know you want to find out about the killer immediately and get back to the promised new life.”

“Quite sure. You go on now. The way time flies with us, it will be daylight before you get there.” The smaller woman whose previous sadness on her features were now removed completely chuckled and waved her away.

Milly left her standing outside the pub; much as ‘that’ other woman stood watching Charlie leave.

* * * * *

Pru closed her journal and reflected on what had happened that day. Not much really, although now she felt that she had a good grounding on the main characters in the village. Actually too much information after the session with the Captain. The puzzle, for her, had been Charlie leaving so abruptly. Tomorrow she would find out why. There had to be more to it than her wanting to know something more about her.

She looked out onto the dimly lit street, virtually deserted except for a stray dog and a couple of late revellers from the bar now staggering down the street towards their homes.  When she considered the situation she was in, it made her wonder why someone wanted two apparently innocent enough women dead; or was it a tragic accident, as the coroner had deduced twenty years ago. PC Blood’s account was sketchy when she had talked with him; the saving grace had been his hoarding of old notebooks. She knew that wasn’t allowed in the force these days. However, maybe in a small sleepy village where nothing much happened, it was a common occurrence.

Her mind wandered recalling her meeting with the old policeman. He’d been vague as one would expect an eighty-five year old, but he was quite interesting and told her about the village back then. The people and some of their strange habits, one person he did mention was a man called Jeffrey Ransome, who at the time worked at the local garage. Scant information it was true, but the policeman told her he was one to watch out for; he would have had the knowledge to tamper with the brakes of a car without looking suspicious.

When she’d asked about Millicent Packer, he’d gone silent for a short time and then said she was a rigid woman, cold and unfriendly; not like her grandfather. She worked in London only coming back to the village most weekends. There had been something funny going on with her and Charise Bootle, not that he was one to gossip, he wasn’t. Anyway, the Bootle woman had kept to herself over the years and worked hard in the village. She had turned out to be a good one.

The thought ‘something funny going on’ made Pru smile. Yep, it was funny all right. They were in love and even now, that hadn’t changed or appeared not to have. Charlie didn’t look as if she’d allowed anyone near her for years, pity she was a nice woman. Maybe once they had found out the truth she could move on with her life and find someone else to love. There came a time in everyone’s life when they had to move on. It was just a matter of taking the bull by the horns and allowing yourself to go with the flow.

Stepping into bed she chuckled softly. All those wonderful practical thoughts and here she was at thirty still looking for something in her life that meant as much to her as loving Millicent Packer had been for Charlie. Perhaps solving this case would be her turning point too. She would have to wait and see.

* * * * *

Violet wandered around the main street long after Milly had left to see Charlie. It must be a marvellous feeling to have loved someone so much, even if that love could no longer be acted upon. Some people believed that love transcended everything, even death!  Never having experienced the emotion, except the love for her parents, she couldn’t really comment. Though, she had half anticipated that her parents might have been around to greet her when she had died so soon after they had. Okay, so it was a year later, but that wasn’t much in the big picture, not if you could lose twenty years so quickly up there.

Up there! What an experience that had been and if it hadn’t been for the tenacity of Packer, they would be living another kind of life now. She had even decided which cloud she wanted to float around on for eternity. Not that the Custodian had said it would be for eternity, just that she could chose to live someplace else, it had been all rather vague. Mind you, wasn’t this rather vague looking for a needle in a haystack? Though it was rather odd that they had arrived on the scene at the same time as this woman detective. Perhaps that was the idea; that they could all work together on clues…

Exactly! Work together, she and Milly could go places that the other two couldn’t and vice versa! If only they could communicate with the two earthbound ones, then it should be a breeze. They had to find a way but how? Perhaps together they could come up with the answer.

She should go tell Milly about her brainstorming. Looking at the night sky there was at least another three hours before dawn. She’d wait and perhaps then, Packer might be in a better frame of mind.

Wandering further down the street she stopped by the bakery. It was still called Fray’s, but looked far different than it did in her day. Old man Fray must be at least seventy now if he were still alive. She’d find out soon enough. It was Sunday tomorrow and everyone who was anyone went to church, as would she.

Chuckling to herself she recalled her comments about Jesus’ autograph. Guess that had been blasphemy, but they hadn’t seemed to mind. They probably put it down as shock.

Continuing her meandering along the street until hitting the end of town, she looked out towards the large oak tree that had taken their lives. Time to go home for a while and wait for the others. She settled at the foot of the tree to wait for dawn to arrive and knowing sleep wasn’t going to happen, closed her eyes allowing her thoughts to drift to a cosy cloud with a wonderful sea view, what more could you want.
 

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Continued In Part 4