Author's Note: This is a light-hearted, cross-dressing mystery story, written in my normal style, which I hope you enjoy. It does contain references to adult themes, and some of its characters have little sympathy with the Catholic Church. Please don't read if you feel this will upset you.

CHAPTER 5

"When you say common knowledge..." Sam ventured.

"Why, she was arrested as a spy, of course, Doreen McCallum said."

She smiled at the look of astonishment on both their faces and said, "Bruce and Rebecca are going home later this afternoon, so you'll forgive me if I spend that precious time with them. We could meet up tomorrow, if you wish? How does lunch sound?"

***

The rest of the afternoon with Matt was great – for a time. They went in the waxworks and the heritage museum, and walked along the pier. It was there they met GG's granddaughter, Geraldine Hawkins. If Sam had seen her coming, he'd have avoided her, but she caught him by surprise, even more so when she smiled a greeting.

"Ah, Samantha. How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you, Mrs Hawkins. This is Matthew Thompson. He was at the presentation last night."

"Call me Geraldine, please. Yes, I know Matt. I wanted to apologise for my show of bad temper last night. The fact is…" She hesitated. "Look, do you think we could go somewhere and talk? Have you had afternoon tea yet?"

"We were going to go in the café here on the pier," Matthew said.

"Oh, that's no good," Geraldine said. "The Grand is only a few minutes' walk. Let's go there. Then we can have a proper tea."

Matthew exchanged a submissive glance with Sam, and they obediently followed her.

***

Afternoon tea at the Grand Hotel comprised sandwiches, cakes, scones and tea. If Sam had devoured half of what was placed before him, he'd never have got into Samantha's clothes again.

After a few minutes' small talk, Geraldine got around to the main issue. "Samantha, I know you're only trying to help GG, but you did say you were returning home today. Clearly, you're not going to do so now."

Sam took a deep breath. GG had said there was nothing secret about his assignment, but he was still cautious about what he said. "There was a problem with my return home, and GG has asked me to stay on for a while."

"How much?"

"Sorry?" Sam stuttered, although he thought he knew exactly what Geraldine was asking.

"How much money do you want to leave Seacombe and to stay out of our lives for ever?"

"It's not a question of money."

"One thousand pounds."

"It really isn't."

"Five thousand."

"I'm sorry."

"Ten thousand, and that's my final offer."

Ten thousand pounds was exceptionally appealing. Matthew obviously felt the same, for he said, "That's a very generous offer, Geraldine. I'm sure Samantha could do a lot of things with that kind of cash."

Strangely, Matthew's words had the opposite effect to their intention. Yes, there were plenty of things he could do with ten thousand pounds, but over the last twenty four hours, he felt he'd been doing something that cash couldn't buy. He'd enjoyed playing the part of Samantha more than he could remember enjoying anything before. Of course, he recognised part of this was because he revelled in taking the part of an attractive girl. But more than that, he had really delighted in being with GG and making him smile in a way he'd never made his own dad smile.

"I'm sorry," he said. "But I don't want your money."

"You're crazy, "Matthew said.

"You're a little gold-digging slut," Geraldine said. "Do you think you're going to marry him? Well I can tell you, Sir George has promised me he won't alter his will whatever happens. Even if he were to get married, there'd be a pre-nuptial agreement to keep the original will as it is."

"I have absolutely no intention of marrying him," Sam protested, adding with a grin, "after all, he's old enough to be my great-grandfather."

"Why don't you sleep on it," Matthew said, and with that they uneasily parted.

***

If anything, Matt was even more fun after that rather unpleasant interlude than before. There was a small amusement park at the one end of the promenade and they went on the dodgems, Matt tried his strength with a hammer, they both went on the gun range and Matt won a teddy-bear which he gave to Sam.

Afterwards, they went into a pub and had a great meal together. Sam refused alcohol, on the basis he was driving, but Matt had a lager – something which lowered him slightly in Sam's opinion since he was a real ale fan.

Finally, Sam was dropping Matt off at his grandmother's house, where he was staying, with a promise they meet up again before Matt went home to his parents.

Of course, Sam should not have been surprised when Matt gently cupped Sam's chin in his hands and lowered his lips to Sam's, but he was. He was even more surprised that rather than it being something horrible, it was wonderful and set his heart beating like crazy.

"Good night, Samantha," Matt said.

"Good night, Matt," Sam said. He had enough presence of mind not to stall the car as he set off.

***

"Hi, darling," GG called as Sam entered the lounge where he was seated in front of the TV. "How was your afternoon with Matthew?"

"It was quite nice, actually," Sam admitted. "We had fun together."

"I knew you would," GG said. "Much better than spending all afternoon with an old codger like me. Did he kiss you?"

The question took Sam by surprise, and he found himself blushing. "That's none of your business," he said.

"That means he did," GG retorted. "You were always like that about your boyfriends. Is he a good kisser?"

"That's none of your business," Sam repeated and, wanting to change the subject said, "I spoke to Lady Bottomly last night, Christine Walters today, and I also briefly spoke with Doreen McCallum. It seems to me they all appear quite genuine but they all have different ideas. I thought there'd be some commonality of response, but every one is wildly different."

"That's the problem with any investigation," GG said. "Even when the police interview witnesses immediately after a crime or an accident, they all have different things to say; fifty years on, it's bound to be even worse. Remember that our memories can be highly selective about what they remember. Everyone has their pet theories and with time, people remember the facts which support that, and forget the ones which don't. It's no easy task I have set you. Don't worry if you can't come up with a solution."

"I'll do my very best, GG," Sam said, adding, "We bumped into Geraldine on the pier."

"Geraldine!" GG was astonished. "On the pier? I bet it's the first time she's been there. She must have seen you going on and followed you. How much did she offer?"

Sam couldn't help his mouth gaping open, and GG laughed. "Geraldine is so predictable. She's terrified I'm going to marry someone and deny her my inheritance. So how much did she offer?"

"Ten thousand pounds."

"Ten thousand?" He gave Sam a careful look. "Does this mean you've come to say goodbye?"

"I told her I didn't want her money and she called me a gold-digging slut."

GG chortled. "She always did have a way with words. What she doesn't appreciate is that the last laugh will be on me."

"You mean you're not leaving her your estate?"

"Oh no. She knows the basis of my will which I made shortly after Mary died, and is quite simple: my estate is divided equally between my two children; if either is deceased at the time I die, it is shared equally between their children, and so on. Only if a legator dies without issue does the money revert to a brother or sister. So Geraldine is assuming that Samantha will be declared dead shortly after my own death, and that Samantha's share will revert to Edward's side of the family."

"So, with her father being dead," Sam summarised, "she gets the lot. Which I guess is a lot of dosh."

GG nodded. "My Mayfair penthouse, which Geraldine would love to live in, plus a reasonable amount of dosh, as you say. But this house and its grounds have been declared suitable for housing development, so it's worth an absolute fortune."

"But you said you were having the last laugh."

GG grinned. "If you can laugh from the grave - I doubt it - but what Geraldine doesn't know is that the will also stipulates that if the whereabouts of Samantha are not known at the time of my death, this house and the half of the estate due to Samantha will be put into trust for ten years, in the hope that she will be found."

"So she has to wait ten years to get hold of the fortune. That would be frustrating."

"Even more frustrating would be for you to find Samantha, or at least an heir," GG said. "Then she'd only get half of my estate. So you had better work on it."

"Yes, Daddy."