Chapter 9

Sunday morning service was Helen's favorite. It was the most crowded. She took a peek at the church... it was full! Nothing like a crime to gather all of Forkshire inhabitants to praise the lord. To be honest, she knew most of the people were here to stay after the service and have a chat and observe the others.

Until now, she only had heard comments about how Edward Masen was clearly courting Isabella Higginbotham. They sat together at the front next to the platform where Rosalie was playing the organ for the service. Right on the opposite side, a couple of rows behind, Carmen Denali and her daughter Kate were casting glares to the happy couple. Rumour was that, despite having many suitors begging for Isabella's hand, she chose Mr. Masen. She rejected the son of a Duke! Little could do Kate Denali to break them apart.

Mr. McCarthy arrived two minutes before the service began. He chose to seat next to Edward Masen, it seems that within the past week both men developed a friendship.

One minute before the service started, the recently widowed Tanya Cullen came walking all dressed in black; Esme Platt and Lady Higginbotham were scorting her. The whole church began to whisper. From what the milkman said to Helen, the police found a dagger in Carlisle's body. The dagger belonged to Tanya. Half the town believed she killed her husband to be free and get his money. They all knew Tanya had a lover, but nobody knew whom the lucky guy was.

When the three women seated, close to the front, people moved away from them. Lady Higginbotham just straightened her back and held Tanya's hand.

Finally, when her husband was about to begin with the service, Alice Cullen made her grande entrance. She came crying, a rugged handkerchief dabbing her nose. She walked slowly, letting the crowd watch her mourning. She sat with the Denali.

Helen's husband, Robert, cleared his throat and began with the service.

They sang 'Turn your eyes upon Jesus'. Not the hymn she would had chosen, but who knows what Robert was thinking.

"Brothers and sisters, I'd like to start with a prayer for our brother Carlisle Cullen, who had part to be with our Lord yesterday. Pater noster qui est in caelis...

Hellen noticed that between all the people standing, Edward Masen was holding Isabella Higginbotham's hand. Then she looked to the group of castaways, the three women were smiling to them, so it seems Edward won the approval of Lady Renee.

Alice started to cry again, but this time she only gained the sympathy of the Denali. Hellen knew she had to show compassion for that girl, she just had lost her father; but for the love of God, Hellen believed that girl did it!

The lovely Rosalie was playing really well. Hellen was wondering what those Higginbotham girls were doing in London yesterday. Claire, Mrs. Mallory's maid, said she saw them coming back from the train station, smiling and dancing. She must find out what trouble they caused in the city. As the wife of the spiritual advisor of Forkshire, it was her duty! Well, at least that was what she told Charlie yesterday night when he came back from his reunion at the police station with Aro and the constables, Forkshire glorious police force of four people.

He didn't tel her what they found, only that Dr. Whitlock asked for more time to find the real cause of death. So the stabbing was in doubt? she asked but he didn't answer; he also asked her help to question one little maid, who apparently was so young she didn't fell for Seth's charms. For Charlie's dull tone of voice, she came to the conclusion that he believed Tanya Cullen was guilty. He told her how questioning Alice was a torture because she burst in hysteric cries; and Mr. Edward was pretty concise, but he was sure he was hiding something.

Hellen gave another look at the congregation. Her husband was talking about regrets, and by the look of some of them, this town was full of sinners.

Well, she hoped some of them would come to talk to her. Robert was intimidating.

She noticed at the back, close to the door, Dr. Jasper Whitlock was standing; his visits to the church were scarce. Maybe he came to support Alice now that she was alone. Then, she turned to watch Alice's reaction. She was quiet until she saw him, then she started to sob again, but it seems that Jasper for once, was immune to her cries. She needed to find to...ahem, to advice Alice, this community had her support after all. Hellen thought she could get close to Alice and offer her husband's solace. Then she had to pester Charlie to find out what was Jasper's issue. She was sure Charlie knew it. If only he didn't feel the pressure of working with Mr. Aro, he would have shared with her all the details of the investigation. Sometimes her advice on the town gossip were what brought the solution to Charlie's cases.

The service was finishing, and she was so lost in her thoughts that her daughter Angela had to elbow her to bring her back to the present. Both discretely ran to the door to say goodbye to the parishioners and take care of the ones who wanted to talk to Robert.

Finally, people were leaving the church... to congregate in the atrium and talk.

Mrs. Stanley and her daughter were the first ones to reach her to talk.

"Helen, I know we have to show compassion to everyone, but how did you let this... Jezebel come to the service?"

For a second Hellen didn't know of whom she was talking about, 'til she remembered this is Jemima Stanley, she's always envious of the beautiful people.

"Come on Jemima, God open this doors to everyone, who am I to judge?"

"But you and, ahem, your brother, I'm sure you know she had something to do with poor Carlile's demise."

"Oh Jemima! I'm sure you know he's forbidden to talk about an open investigation, he can't share anything with me." Helen gave her most innocent smile. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Jasper walking decisively to her husband. Alice tried to get in the way twice, but Jasper avoided her.

"Oh Hellen, but I'm sure you can tell me your opinion."

Hellen answered distractedly "I don't have an opinion. I'm letting them do their work."

She thought of ways to get rid of Jemima. Jasper was too close to Robert, if he got to him first, Robert would never tell her what they talked about.

"Jemima, I'm sure Jessica will be getting news of the Honorable Michael Newton, after all they spent the party side by side, right?"

Ha! Jemima said goodbye and hauled her daughter away. Everybody saw how she threw Jessica to the Duke's son, and how he ignored her. But it was too late. Jasper was talking with her husband.

xx

Edward took Bella for a walk after the service, he promised her a surprise.

"Are we close? We've walked for ages!" She said, tilting her head to the side to cover her face from the sun.

"How impatient you are!" He smiled. "See those trees besides the road? It's behind them."

"Then, I challenge you to see who gets there first." and she ran.

Edward thought how graceful she looked while running with that dress, then he noticed she was almost at the end, so he ran to reach her.

Bella stopped right at the trees, she could see an enormous house. Masen Manor.

"Oh!"

Edward took her hand and led her to the house.

"This is my home." He opened the door.

The house was still furnished, but you could see no one lived here.

"Edward, its beautiful, why didn't you come back here?"

"When my father became sick, he couldn't stand to live in the house. He was at the hospital when he asked Carlisle to fire all the service and sell the furniture. He thought I would never come back."

He remembered with sadness, why he delayed his departure from Rhodesia for a week. He wanted so much to show his father how wealthy he became on his own. If only he would had sailed when the news of his father health reached him... they could have spent together his last days.

"Carlisle complied?"

"No, he paid them as if it were vacations. Carlisle knew I would come back and stay here someday. We're still paying them."

"Oh Edward! Don't be so sad! The house is so beautiful."

"He kept it the same way it was when my mother lived."

Bella held his hand in support.

"Is it too difficult to stay here?"

"No. I had so many good memories from here."

"Would you like to change something?"

"Oh no, and... there's a reason why I brought you here."

Bella smiled, she liked where this conversation was going.

"You know I have the most serious intentions, I want you to marry me."

"Is this a proposal?" Bella smiled again, noticing how Mr. Seriousness was squirming under her gaze.

"Not yet. I want to gain your family approval first. I'm afraid I'm not quite there."

"Aunt Didyme and Rosalie like you, a lot. My mother recently had a change of heart." Bella had a grin in her face while she remembered how, before leaving. the Duchess offered her apologies for her son 'shenanigans'. Later Renee told her how she caught Michael by surprise in Bella's room, traipsing her wardrobe. He said he did it to 'see if his mother would approve her clothe choices'. Under Renee scrutiny, he dropped a few samples he took of Bella's lingerie. Renee admitted Edward was the best choice.

"But your uncle... he detests me. I'm sure he thinks I had something to do with Carlisle's demise."

He recalled yesterday interrogation. Didyme stayed with him, she advised him to tell Aro all their plans, he would find out anyway.

So he told them how he came back for money, less than a minute, for the girl to buy first class tickets to London. One constable, Jacob maybe?, took his hand to get his fingerprints. With each word about how they spent the night outside planning, the constable put so much pressure on his finger that the prints were blurred.

Aro asked him one more time if he was sure no one was in his room when he left, and if he really was in the house for a minute. He was looking so intensely to his eyes... like he doubted his answer.

"Bell, hmm, well, I'm going to propose with your family's blessing; and the best way to make it is to find out who killed Carlisle."

This conversation went too far from the topic. Bella looked at Edward, worrying for his sanity. Didn't he know her uncle was one of the best inspectors Scotland Yard ever had? She was absolutely sure her uncle would solve the case.

"Please, don't look at me that way. I was talking with your aunt, we noticed how the police, including your uncle, left unnoticed a couple of details from the house. We tried to tell them, but they ignored us. Your aunt got really angry. So we... sort of.. decide to work together to solve it."

Bella's doe eyes were open bigger, her brows almost left her face.

"Are you sure Edward? They're professionals."

"Your aunt thought it would be a good idea if we recruited the help of the expert in everything concerning Forkshire."

"Who this expert may be?"

"Mrs. Hellen Webber, the vicar's wife."

Bella stood quiet, digesting her aunt's plan. Well, it really changed the topic.

"Was this the surprise?"

Edward paled. "Oh no! I... I ruined it. I'm telling you this plan, because I don't want you to doubt me. I want my intentions clear."

Bella nodded. "Right, continue."

I don't want us to waste time, so I'd like you to take a look around. This will be our house, and I want you to like it. I want you to choose which furniture stays and which goes. I want you to feel like the mistress of the house."

xx

Meanwhile at the church atrium, Aro and Charlie were talking to Emmett. He promised them to talk about Carlisle's finances.

"We are looking for Mrs. Cullen accounts too. It's a big coincidence her husband dies just before he divorces her."

"But Mrs. Cullen is a very rich woman."

Both looked at Emmett like he was missing the obvious.

"No, you misunderstood. Mrs. Cullen has a vast fortune, Carlisle just managed it. She was young when they married, so her father asked Carlisle to take care of the money; in case of divorce, she gets her money back."

Charlie was bemused, his principal suspect and the cause of murder were going to the drain.