Grave Deeds Read Online Free PDF Page B

them. They offered to give your mother rooms in the carriage house. Your mother would have nothing to do with them.”
    â€œGood for her. How dare they treat her like a servant.“
    Mr. Ross shrugged. “They were old-fashioned folk. Doesn’t matter now.”
    â€œWhat about this will?” Gianelli interrupted. “You want to get around to it, please?”
    â€œWell, George couldn’t stand the thought of Maisie getting her hands on the property. He knew he wouldn’t survive another heart attack and the girl was only ten years old. So he left it to Beatrice. He asked her to give it to Rosalie when her mother died.”
    â€œBut she didn’t,” I exclaimed. “I never heard from her until last week.”
    â€œThing is,” said Mr. Ross, “Beatrice loved that cottage. She couldn’t bear to give it up. Legally it was hers to do with what she wanted. She knew you’d never made any effort to contact the family…”
    â€œMy mother always told me that my father was an orphan,” I protested.
    â€œBeatrice needed an excuse for hanging on. She kept saying the time wasn’t right to tell you. But last summer she was too frail to go up to the lake. She wanted to make amends. I told her it was about time.”
    â€œI didn’t expect anything like this,” I said. “I just wanted to meet her to find out about my father’s family.”
    â€œSo you didn’t know you were an heir,” Gianelli said. He had been taking notes in a small leather book. He turned to the lawyer. “Who else benefits?”
    â€œReally, officer,” Markham interrupted. “This isn’t the time or place to discuss motive, is it? You don’t even know for sure that her death wasn’t accidental. An old lady like that, steep stairs — aren’t you assuming a crime that doesn’t exist?”
    â€œDid you know about the property?”
    â€œIt doesn’t have anything to do with me,” Markham protested. “I’ve been administering the estate for my uncle. With his advice. That’s all.”
    â€œWhat’s the land worth?” Wilson asked.
    â€œA lot of money. One hundred acres of prime cottage country with one thousand feet of pristine shoreline.” Markham’s voice was wistful. “Developers have been after it for years.”
    â€œYou know the conditions,” Mr. Ross said. He turned to me, “Your grandfather had a special request for Beatrice to pass on to you. If you don’t want to keep it, the property is to go to the province for a bird sanctuary. He didn’t want to see the land divided up.”
    â€œIt’s not written in the will itself,” Markham objected. “It’s just a letter of intent. Ms. Cairns can do what she wants once she has the deed.”
    â€œNot everyone is mercenary,” the old man’s voice dripped acid.
    Markham flushed.
    â€œThis is all very interesting,” Gianelli said. “But you haven’t answered my question: who else stands to gain?”
    â€œIf the old lady was murdered,” Markham said,
”she’s
got a pretty good motive.”
    â€œThat’s enough, Roger.” The old man struggled to his feet. “I’m tired. I want to go home.”
    â€œAnd the cottage?” Wilson asked.
    â€œIt’s yours, my dear,” Ross took my hand and bowed slightly. “I will make arrangements for the papers to be sent to you. May you long enjoy it.”
    â€œJust a minute,” Gianelli said. “We have an investigation going on here.”
    Ross was already at the door. He turned and frowned at the two policemen. “Waste of time, I said. She was old, she fell. It’s simple.”
    â€œA neighbour said the upstairs was blocked off,” Gianelli objected. “She had no reason to go up there.”
    â€œMaybe she was looking for something to show Mrs. Cairns. A keepsake from