Chapter 32

Betsy had to pull her journal out of her skirts to make sure that they weren't missing anything. She flipped it open, "Lets see," muttered Betsy, running her finger down the page, "the sun set about 4 minutes early today. Observe moon tonight so as to make sure it isn't out of alignment as well... No. Observed girl twirling on the moor today, remember to question about excessive giddiness... Nope. Here it is!" She shoved the journal into Miss Marple's lap gesturing wildly at the page. "Read it!" she said with wide eyes and an overly eager smile."I take copious notes." she said in a self satisfied manner. Miss Marple, with a bit of a shocked face at Betsy's over-eagerness, grasped the book in her hands and began to read. She made sighs and grunts and flipped back and forth between pages comparing different events. Betsy was watching over Marple's shoulder anxiously and Sarah was taking deep breaths and trying to remain calm a few feet away. Simon was patting her hand in a concerned manner. He didn't know what else to do and was very confused as to why the girls were making such a hullabaloo about his dear Aunt Jane."Well," sighed Miss Marple, "this is quite the case. It’s a good thing you took such good notes young lady because there are a few key clues here in your journal. I'm sure of it. I would like to take a walk around town and talk to a few people. I have a good idea of what went on here but one can never be too careful when it comes to murder."

Chapter 31

"Simon?" queried Jane, "You didn't tell these lovely young ladies that I was coming to visit? I would think that a common courtesy to tell someone that there would be an addition to the party. But what would I know? Young people these days," she said as an aside. "Well, my dearest Aunt, we were caught up in too much of a hullabaloo to do much of anything except try to sort this whole mess out. Actually, you've come just at the right moment to help us wrap this whole murder business up." Jane looked startled, "Well, why didn't you say something dear? Give me all the facts you know." Simon paused, then turned to Sarah and Betsy. "You two know this case better than anyone, why don't you tell Aunt Jane what we know." Sarah got all giddy again and Betsy searched for her smelling salts. They gained their composure as quickly as possible and began to recount everything that had happened since their first day in Kilwinning, Scotland.

Chapter 30

Betsy let out a squeal and Sarah nearly fainted. Their hero! The inspiration for their life's work, there, in front of their own eyes! It was too good to be true! Betsy managed to compose herself somewhat while Poppy licked Sarah's face trying to wake her from her daze. "I'm so glad you could make it out, Aunt Jane," Simon said to Miss Marple. "Oh you know, anything for a nephew of mine. I do so love the Scottish countryside. "M-m-miss Marple is your AUNT!?" stuttered Sarah, a look of awe crossing her face.

Chapter 29

B-"Whoa there! Don't think about going anywhere," said Betsy while the men approached trying to stop his escape. But the Butler had flung dear little Poppy from his leg and was now sprinting down the lane. "Stop him!" yelled the Chief Popo. With that they were all chasing him down the little cobblestone street, but thankfully there was a savior up ahead. A little old lady who had been knitting outside the Killwinning inn. She saw the hubub and being as clever as she was she grabbed the nearest thing and ran out into the path of the Butler. As soon as he was in range, she threw a pot of Begonia's at his head. He crumpled to the ground covered in pottery shards, begonias, and dirt. Meanwhile, the chasing party was beginning to catch up. "Oh my dear aunt," said Simon, "How did you manage to react so quickly and come to our aide." "I've had experience with murders many times before and saw the opportunity to help," she sweetly replied, "I was aware of the fact that the police, with other help, were trying to catch a murderer in this town and with the way this man, who I must say reminds me a little of what I thought Jack the Ripper would look like, was fleeing I put two and two together. Let me introduce myself, I'm Jane Marple."

Chapter 28

S-"So she started plotting," mused Sarah. "Quite," responded the Butler, "for years she hatched the perfect plan. She would murder all of the Scot's father's family, one by one, until he would be forced to return from Brazil and PAY!" "The perfect plan indeed," responded Sarah, "perfect except for the fact that she never planned anything of the sort!" Betsy tapped on the floor with her toe and a trap door popped open. "In fact," a deep melodious voice sang out from the floor, "I don't have a father at all!" and with that the Sultry-Scot popped out. "Well not that I can remember at least. He died when I was a wee lad. He is buried over by the church if you would like to see." "Z-z-z-OMBIES!!!" shrieked Mrs. Forester as she started doing a strange dance around her chair that could either have been a nervous tic or an ancient zombie warding ritual that had been passed down in her family for generations. "Fear not madame!" the chief Popo declared in an unsure voice, "I will take care of him...?" "Oh calm down," Betsy said pushing the Popo and Mrs. Forrester back down into their seats, "there will be no need to do any taking care of quite yet." "I'm not a zombie at all," interrupted the Scot matter-of-factly. "I can see that now," countered Mrs. Forester whose feet were still moving under her skirts in a series of complicated steps, "but you can't just go popping out of the ground and surprising people like that! Its not very gentlemanly." "Indeed," remarked Sarah, "but if we would all like to turn our attention back to the real matter at hand." "Yes!" exclaimed Betsy, "after all of these dramatics I nearly forgot all about the murders!" "You see, Euph isn't the murderer at all! Its the Butler!" By this time the butler was trying to sneak out the back door but Poppy had a firm hold of his pant cuff and was making it very difficult for him to slip out unnoticed.

Chapter 27

S-"Many years ago,” he began, “there was more than one beaver poacher in Killiwinning. In fact, there were three. Three beaver poachers in one region is quite a lot as you can imagine and they couldn’t help but step on each other’s toes a little bit.” “Who were the other poachers?” Sarah inquired warily. “They were Euphemiana, the Sultry Scot’s father and me,” he replied. “Of course!” Betsy exclaimed with wide eyes, “Why couldn’t we see it sooner? She enslaved you and murdered the Scot’s father so that she could have the beavers all to herself!” “Well, almost. It was a warm summer many years ago that our feud over the beavers really heated up,” the butler continued, “you see, there was a very rare and beautiful beaver frolicking around the woods near Killiwinning. It was a Golden Delicious.” “Like the apple?” inquired the chief popo excitedly. “”No, like the beaver,” responded the Butler dryly, “A golden delicious beaver is the rarest of all beavers; it has a coat that is the color of pure honey. I would give my right eye just to hold one in my hands. As you might imagine we had all heard the golden delicious beaver’s mournful song at night and were ripping the woods apart looking for it. The Sultry Scot’s father got to her first skinned her expertly and had sold the pelt on the black market for thousands of pounds and ran off to Brazil to live out his days before Euphemiana even had time to blink. The jealousy of the Sultry Scot’s father’s conquest was far too much for Euph to bear and she swore that she would have her revenge.”

Chapter 26

B- "Oh Simon!" Sarah exclaimed, "I think I could just kiss you! But I won't..." then there was sort of an awkward pause before Betsy cut in to save the moment. "Well... that conversation can be continued later. Right now, Euphemiana I have a few questions for you. Namely, can you explain how you have a halberd that looks exactly like the murder weapon? Or why you carry a small vial of deathly nightgrip liquid around with you? And can you tell me of your whereabouts on the days of the crimes?" Sarah cut in now after recovering from her little outburst. "Those are all very valid questions Bets, but I think the real ringer is why would you do it Euph? That's still what I'm muddled about." Then, out of the blue the butler decided that he wanted to say something, "I can tell you that." Betsy who always got a little nervous around the butler because he still reminded her of Jack the Ripper, let Sarah talk to the butler. "If you wouldn't mind sir, would you please explain yourself?"