Sophie's Thoughts and Fumbles: Murder Most Foul! - J is for Jezebel

Welcome to my contribution to the A to Z Challenge. My theme this year is Murder Most Foul, which, for you, my blog visitors, means that you will be sharing in The Case of the Cursed House, or rather the bare bones of it.

Everyday, I will be revealing more about my developing Cozy Mystery: descriptions of scenes; character details; locations; clues to the mystery. And, at the end of each post, you will have the chance to vote on whodunnit. So, without further ado, on with the case...

Previous parts:

Story Notes	Additional Details
Aisha goes to Jon Lee's cottage to meet Bethany Mortby. Jon shows her in to his front room where Bethany is sitting with a large glass of wine and looking tearful. His wine is on the table, but he asks Aisha if she would like a cup of tea and when she says yes, withdraws discretely. On site interview with Bethany Mortby: Now did you know Bill Whethers? BM: I've known him for over 10 years. We met while I was at college. I went to a convention he was talking at the bar one night. The book he was working on dealt with proper magic, not the wand waving stuff of fantasy, but hearthside witchcraft and we ended up working together. And your relationship developed? BM: Yes, we also ended up sleeping together. He could be an irascible old sod, but he had such a fire about him when he talked about writing and I just loved his enthusiasm for life. How long were you together? BM: God - three years almost. What happened? BM: Bill got bored is what happened. ::she laughs sadly:: How did that make you feel? BM: I smacked him across the face when I found out. The makeup sex was great, but I knew then that I'd lost him. It was scream and shout and hate him, or accept the fact that he couldn't keep it in his pants and get on with loving him from a distance. I chose to carry on loving him, like Jon. You knew about Jon? BM: It was never a secret, except between the two of them - men can be such idiots sometimes. And no, it didn't bother me. I'd have loved them both if they'd have been able to work it out between them, silly buggers. You were here last week, why? BM: Bill wanted a spell. You practised magic here? BM: It wasn't devil worship, that's a common Christian misconception that is popular round here, as well as me being some kind of Jezebel to his King Ahab. And yes, I worked magic in Court House for Bill. For his books? BM: No, that was all theory, I would never work magic just for a novel. Sometimes Bill wanted a spell for himself. And this one? :: awkward silence for moment and Jon comes in carrying Aisha's tea:: BM: A well-being spell. Did you know why he wanted a 'well-being spell'? ::Bethany glances up at Jon and does not respond We know Bill had cancer. ::Jon blanches and sits down rather quickly. Bethany reaches over and grabs his hand.:: BM: He was working out how to tell you, Jonnie-Love. The spell was one of healing to ease Bill's pain. How did the spell work, did you give him anything to put in his e-cigarette? BM: No. The spell was spiritual, not physical. Do you work with any poisons? BM: I work with substances that can be poisonous, yes, but only very small quantities. Arsenic? BM: Never. JL: Why are you asking about arsenic and Bill's cigarettes? He fell down the goddamn stairs. I'm sorry to tell you, but the reason Bill fell is that he had been poisoned. This is now a murder enquiry.	Aisha Kakkar Age: 23 Gender: female Ethnicity Code: M3 Job: Police Constable - Weald & Marsh Liaison Officer - an officer working with local communities, especially villages, in the Weald of Kent and Romney Marsh areas. Her mum and step mum knew Lady Emma when she was an art student. William (Bill) Whethers Age: 36 Gender: male Ethnicity Code: W1 Job: horror author Other info: he opposes a new housing development providing affordable housing to local people. he's a drunk. Suspected of taking part in black masses by Alice Rigden and half the village. Death: broken neck from falling down stairs, but was being poisoned by his e-cigarette with arsenic, and it was convulsions that caused him to fall down the stairs. He was dying of lung cancer. Bethany Mortby Age: 30 Gender: female Ethnicity Code: W2 Job: witch Other info: she was Bill Whether's partner for nearly 3 years and had known and worked with him for over 10. She worked a spell for him the week of his death to help soothe the pain of his cancer. Jonathan (Jon) Lee Age: 36 Gender: male Ethnicity Code: O1 Job: literary agent Other info: best friend to Bill Whethers; found Bill's body; didn't tell the police he had a fight with Bill the night before Bill died. Was in love with Bill. He appears not to have known that Bill had cancer.

Story Notes

Additional Details

Aisha goes to Jon Lee's cottage to meet Bethany Mortby. Jon shows her in to his front room where Bethany is sitting with a large glass of wine and looking tearful. His wine is on the table, but he asks Aisha if she would like a cup of tea and when she says yes, withdraws discretely.

On site interview with Bethany Mortby:
Now did you know Bill Whethers?
BM: I've known him for over 10 years. We met while I was at college. I went to a convention he was talking at the bar one night. The book he was working on dealt with proper magic, not the wand waving stuff of fantasy, but hearthside witchcraft and we ended up working together.
And your relationship developed?
BM: Yes, we also ended up sleeping together. He could be an irascible old sod, but he had such a fire about him when he talked about writing and I just loved his enthusiasm for life.
How long were you together?
BM: God - three years almost.
What happened?
BM: Bill got bored is what happened.
::she laughs sadly::
How did that make you feel?
BM: I smacked him across the face when I found out. The makeup sex was great, but I knew then that I'd lost him. It was scream and shout and hate him, or accept the fact that he couldn't keep it in his pants and get on with loving him from a distance. I chose to carry on loving him, like Jon.
You knew about Jon?
BM: It was never a secret, except between the two of them - men can be such idiots sometimes. And no, it didn't bother me. I'd have loved them both if they'd have been able to work it out between them, silly buggers.
You were here last week, why?
BM: Bill wanted a spell.
You practised magic here?
BM: It wasn't devil worship, that's a common Christian misconception that is popular round here, as well as me being some kind of Jezebel to his King Ahab. And yes, I worked magic in Court House for Bill.
For his books?
BM: No, that was all theory, I would never work magic just for a novel. Sometimes Bill wanted a spell for himself.
And this one?
:: awkward silence for moment and Jon comes in carrying Aisha's tea::
BM: A well-being spell.
Did you know why he wanted a 'well-being spell'?
::Bethany glances up at Jon and does not respond
We know Bill had cancer.
::Jon blanches and sits down rather quickly. Bethany reaches over and grabs his hand.::
BM: He was working out how to tell you, Jonnie-Love.
The spell was one of healing to ease Bill's pain.
How did the spell work, did you give him anything to put in his e-cigarette?
BM: No. The spell was spiritual, not physical.
Do you work with any poisons?
BM: I work with substances that can be poisonous, yes, but only very small quantities.
Arsenic?
BM: Never.
JL: Why are you asking about arsenic and Bill's cigarettes? He fell down the goddamn stairs.
I'm sorry to tell you, but the reason Bill fell is that he had been poisoned. This is now a murder enquiry.

Aisha Kakkar
Age: 23
Gender: female
Ethnicity Code: M3
Job: Police Constable - Weald & Marsh Liaison Officer - an officer working with local communities, especially villages, in the Weald of Kent and Romney Marsh areas. Her mum and step mum knew Lady Emma when she was an art student.

William (Bill) Whethers
Age: 36
Gender: male
Ethnicity Code: W1
Job: horror author
Other info: he opposes a new housing development providing affordable housing to local people. he's a drunk. Suspected of taking part in black masses by Alice Rigden and half the village.
Death: broken neck from falling down stairs, but was being poisoned by his e-cigarette with arsenic, and it was convulsions that caused him to fall down the stairs. He was dying of lung cancer.

Bethany Mortby
Age: 30
Gender: female
Ethnicity Code: W2
Job: witch
Other info: she was Bill Whether's partner for nearly 3 years and had known and worked with him for over 10. She worked a spell for him the week of his death to help soothe the pain of his cancer.

Jonathan (Jon) Lee
Age: 36
Gender: male
Ethnicity Code: O1
Job: literary agent
Other info: best friend to Bill Whethers; found Bill's body; didn't tell the police he had a fight with Bill the night before Bill died. Was in love with Bill. He appears not to have known that Bill had cancer.

And now it's time to vote again - just take a punt - who do you think killed Bill Whethers (and yes, every character is listed - you never know ;P)?

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