Death at the Terminus, page 16
‘Something happened at the market, didn’t it?’
‘Be quiet.’
‘We have to be able to share our grief, Owen,’ she reasoned. ‘It’s not only you that’s suffering. Binny was my daughter as well. I cry myself to sleep thinking about her. I know that you’re brooding as well.’
‘Shut your mouth!’
‘That’s a cruel thing to say.’
‘Then leave me alone.’
‘Owen—’
‘ALONE!’ he bellowed.
Margery retreated into a hurt silence. Several minutes passed before he spoke. The words were not addressed to his wife. It was as if he were talking to himself.
‘Two detectives came to the market,’ he began. ‘They wanted to talk about what happened to Binny. They treated me as if I was a suspect for what happened at the station. I never touched that man who … did what he wanted with Binny. I wish that I had killed him now,’ he went on, vengefully. ‘Because of him, our lives are not worth living now.’
‘Try to forget him, Owen. He’s dead now.’
‘If there’s a funeral for him, I want to be there.’
‘Why?’ she asked.
‘Because I want to dance on his grave!’
After they had finished their meal, Colbeck had lingered over a brandy with Edward Tallis. The superintendent seemed unwilling to let his companion go. He kept talking about his years at Scotland Yard.
‘Are you considering retirement, by any chance?’ asked Colbeck.
‘Of course, not,’ replied Tallis, sharply. ‘What gave you that idea?’
‘During that case in the Malverns, you told us that you were thinking of spending your final years there.’
‘I haven’t reached my final years yet. I’m as hale and hearty as you are. Why should I walk away from such an important position in the Metropolitan Police Force while I still have so much to offer?’
‘I apologise for misunderstanding you, sir. It’s just that you struck an elegiac note when you were reviewing your career.’
‘It was unintentional.’
‘Then let’s turn our attention to the case in hand,’ said Colbeck. ‘Earlier on, you told me that you knew you were close to solving a case when you had a feeling in the pit of your stomach.’
‘That was true.’
‘I’m in the awkward position of having two such feelings and they’re contradictory. Was the bomb planted in that brake van to kill the guard, or was it simply the next stage in a campaign to cause damage at the station?’
‘It’s your case, Inspector. Make up your mind.’
‘What we’ve discovered is that Jack Follis upset several families. Young women who’d been led astray must have had furious parents. Some of the fathers involved would have wanted to kill the guard.’
‘That would have been their immediate reaction,’ Tallis observed, ‘but they would have been held back by fear of the consequences. They’d have the sense to realise that they’d be sacrificing their own lives.’
‘People bent on murder don’t usually think rationally, sir.’
‘Granted.’
‘It may well be that the person who caused that explosion in the brake van didn’t realise that, in killing the guard, they would also injure other people. And why did it have to be a public murder?’ wondered Colbeck. ‘An angry father would have wanted to confront Follis face to face in private.’
‘I suppose that’s true.’
‘Owen Gale admitted that he had the urge to tear Follis apart.’
‘He had more reason than most. Are you quite sure that the fishmonger was not involved in the guard’s death?’
‘I’m certain of it, sir.’
‘Then I accept your judgement,’ said Tallis, suppressing a yawn. ‘Oh, dear! It’s time for bed, I think. I’ll be off first thing tomorrow.’
‘Thank you for responding so swiftly, sir.’
‘It was an emergency. A prompt response was needed.’
‘You’ve been a great help.’
‘Then stop trying to hustle me into retirement. I have a few years left in me yet.’ He rose to his feet. ‘As for those conflicting feelings in your stomach, I’ll be interested to hear which one turns out to be genuine.’
Bedern was a noisy place after darkness. As they strolled through the area, Leeming and Hinton slowly got used to the abiding stench. They were diverted by the sounds of people clapping in a public house to the sound of a fiddle. From a nearby tenement their ears were assaulted by the noise of a fierce row between a man and a woman. When they moved on, the ear-splitting argument was smothered by the chorus of voices that came from a larger dwelling than most.
‘Irish ditties are so catchy, aren’t they?’ said Hinton.
‘And they’re always so lively, aren’t they?’
‘I don’t agree. They can be mournful sometimes. I once went to the funeral of an Irish neighbour and the songs at the wake tore at my heart.’
‘I didn’t realise you were that sentimental, Alan.’
‘I was a close friend of the family, that’s all. They were lovely people. Whenever we went into their house, they made us feel so welcome.’
‘It’s in their nature.’ Leeming stopped and turned to him. ‘I wouldn’t say this to the inspector but … well, I’m getting worried.’
‘Why?’
‘If his case drags on, I’ll miss my son’s birthday.’
‘He’ll forgive you,’ said Hinton. ‘If Albert wants to be a policeman, he’ll know that we never have control of our time.’
‘I hate letting him down.’
‘You haven’t done so yet. You could be worrying over nothing.’
‘I’ve got this awful feeling,’ said Leeming. ‘When you’ve got children of your own, you’ll understand.’
Hinton laughed. ‘There’s a fat chance of that happening. I’m not married.’
‘You will be one day.’
‘I’m not so sure, Victor.’
‘Be honest, Alan, you’ve got someone in mind.’ Hinton shook his head. ‘You may pretend that you don’t, but I tell you this. She has you in mind.’
Darkness concealed Hinton’s blushes.
Madeleine Colbeck had been enjoying herself so much that she had lost track of time. When she happened to glance at the clock on the mantelpiece, she sat up guiltily.
‘Have I been here that long?’ she asked. ‘I’m so sorry, Lydia.’
‘Stay as long as you wish. It’s been a joy to have you here.’
‘No, I must go. I need my sleep. My days start very early.’ They both rose to their feet. ‘But I’ve had such a lovely evening.’
‘And so have I. You must come again soon.’
‘Thank you.’ Madeleine looked around the room. ‘I so admire what you’ve done to the house, Lydia. You’ve transformed it. You seem completely at home. I could never live alone like this.’
‘I’m not alone. I have servants, one of whom is also the cook.’
‘That’s my point. You’re used to having people around you. I’m not. When I moved into Robert’s house, I felt embarrassed about having servants. I didn’t know how to speak to them. It felt so strange.’
‘You seem to have adapted to it very well.’
‘Then why do I still have twinges of guilt? If I hadn’t met Robert, I’d still have been living with my father in that little house. If he’d died, I’d have had to look for work to support myself. I might even have ended up in service myself.’
‘That would have been a terrible waste of your talents.’
‘I didn’t know that I had any.’
‘Stop being so modest,’ chided Lydia. ‘You’ve deserved everything that’s happened to you. When I first met you, I was struck by how kind and understanding you were. Since then, you’ve really blossomed.’
‘It’s kind of you to say so.’
‘I owe you so much. And it was all because Robert was investigating my father’s murder. It was not the nicest way to meet you, I suppose. To begin with, I was in a very unsettled state. I didn’t really know what I wanted out of life. Without realising it, you came to my rescue.’
‘You needed help. I was happy to give it you.’
‘I’ll always remember that.’ She kissed her friend gently on the cheek. ‘And I can now repay you by doing you a favour. I’ll send one my servants out to find a cab for you.’
‘Thank you. I’d be grateful.’
‘Unless you’d prefer to despatch one yourself.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Now that you’ve learnt to speak to servants,’ said Lydia with a grin, ‘you should never be afraid to do so. They talk the same language as us, you know. I’ll call Sarah in so that you can get some more practice.’
‘You’re the one teasing me now,’ said Madeleine, laughing.
The boy had been driven out of the city that morning by his grandfather. They stopped by a tributary of the Ouse. A keen angler, the old man had used the spot before to catch trout and other fish. The boy walked along the bank to a point where the river narrowed. After checking to see if anyone was watching, he stripped off his clothes and paddled into the river before diving full length. The feel of water on his body was exhilarating. He swam with firm strokes and powerful legs, crossing the river to the opposite bank, which was fringed with reeds.
When his hand went into the reeds, it touched something that felt large and solid. Standing up in the shallow water by the bank, he pushed back the reeds to see what it was. His scream of horror was blood-curdling.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Edward Tallis walked briskly along the platform with Colbeck beside him, carrying the superintendent’s case. They paused to look at the brake van at the rear of the train, a solid structure of wood and iron.
‘It would have taken a powerful blast to blow that apart,’ said Tallis.
‘Yes, sir. The wonder is that Follis didn’t die instantly. By all accounts, he staggered out blindly, then pitched forward on to the platform.’
‘It must have been a gruesome sight.’
‘One can’t help feeling sorry for the man,’ admitted Colbeck.
‘Save your sympathy for his victims. Their innocence was taken away from them in a way that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.’
‘I’m afraid that’s true, sir.
They walked on until they came to an empty compartment. Tallis opened the door and took the case from Colbeck. He issued a warning.
‘Keep me fully informed, Inspector.’
‘I will, sir.’
‘And bring this investigation to a close – swiftly.’
‘I can’t guarantee that, I’m afraid.’
‘Because of me, you now command greater resources. Use them.’
‘I intend to, Superintendent. Thank you again for all your help.’
Tallis smiled. ‘I enjoyed my visit. Getting here was tiresome but it’s always a pleasure to slap down someone who has exceeded his authority.’ Hearing a yell, he looked down the platform to see Alan Hinton running towards them. ‘What does he want?’ he asked. ‘Have I left something at the hotel by mistake?’
‘It looks as if there might be an emergency, sir.’
‘I can’t stay in York any longer.’
When he arrived, Hinton was gasping for air, his chest rising and falling. He tried to speak but the words tumbled out incomprehensibly.
‘Get your breath back first,’ advised Colbeck.
‘Has something happened?’ asked Tallis. Hinton nodded his head. ‘Spit it out, man. What’s going on?’
‘The body of a young woman has been found,’ gabbled the other.
‘Where?’
‘In a river somewhere, sir.’
‘Has she been identified yet?’ said Colbeck.
‘I’ve told you all I know, Inspector. A policeman brought the news.’
‘What were his exact words?’
‘You’ll have to ask Sergeant Leeming.’
‘Where is the man?’
‘He’s gone to find out the full details, sir.’
Horace Nash was in his office when Leeming was shown in. The sergeant’s arrival reminded him that he had been ordered to cooperate with the detectives, but he was reluctant to do so.
‘Thank you for alerting us, Superintendent,’ said Leeming.
‘This tragedy has nothing to do with your investigation.’
‘Do you know that for certain?’
‘No,’ admitted Nash, ‘but my instinct tells me that it was an unfortunate accident. People have been drowned in the river before. In this case, the girl had got entangled in reeds. If someone had not been swimming in that stretch of the river, the body might have lain there indefinitely.’
‘Where was it found?’
‘Well outside the city.’
‘Did you search that far for Binny Gale?’
‘No, we didn’t.’
‘Can you describe the young woman?’
‘I haven’t seen her myself,’ said Nash. ‘The body is still being examined.’
‘Have you sent word to Owen Gale?’
‘Stop hounding me, man. We are following our usual procedure.’
‘Then the truth is that you haven’t done so.’
‘We are making a public appeal for someone to come forward.’
‘I think a private one would be more use,’ said Leeming. ‘We know that Gale’s daughter ran away in a dreadful state. Her parents feared she might take her own life. Contact them. It’s the first step to take.’
‘I don’t take orders from you, Sergeant.’
‘This could be bad news, I fancy.’
‘An untimely death like this is always bad news.’
‘You’re afraid, aren’t you?’ said Leeming.
‘Of course, I’m not.’
‘You still believe that McBride was involved in the murder?’
‘That’s my business.’
‘You’ll have to accept that someone else killed Jack Follis. In other words, you arrested the wrong man. Far be it from me to give you advice, sir, but I’d say that McBride deserves an apology at the very least.’
‘Good day to you, Sergeant,’ snapped Nash.
‘Bear in mind that we have a right to be informed.’
‘I accept that – but you’ll have to wait.’
‘Will you get in touch with the Gale family?’
‘We will … consider that possibility.’
‘That’s all I wanted to hear,’ said Leeming with a grin. ‘Thank you for seeing me at short notice. The inspector and I value your change of heart. Goodbye, sir.’
‘Get out!’ roared Nash.
Alice Kendrick was checking her stock of haberdashery when she heard horses’ hooves clacking on the road outside. Looking through the window, she saw the policemen stopping outside the fishmonger’s house. She guessed why.
‘Poor Binny!’ she said, crossing herself.
Returning to the hotel, Leeming told his colleagues what he had found out. Hinton was amused by his account of the conversation with Nash, but Colbeck was considering the implications of the news.
‘If it turns out to be Binny Gale,’ he said, ‘then we may have to take a second look at the father.’
‘There was no mention of foul play,’ said Leeming. ‘She drowned.’
‘Someone may have held her under the water.’
‘Well, it wasn’t the fishmonger. He might have been churlish, but I still think that he was honest with us.’
‘I agree.’
‘The police think it’s a case of suicide. Living in that house must have been an ordeal for her. Perhaps the girl couldn’t face it.’
‘Will we ever know the truth?’ asked Hinton.
‘I’m not certain about that. First, let’s make sure that Superintendent Nash keeps his word and sends for Gale. Go to the fishmonger’s house and see what you can find out.’
‘If there’s nobody there,’ added Leeming, ‘you might try Mrs Kendrick. She keeps an eye on what happens to her neighbours.’
‘Very good,’ said Hinton.
He left the room immediately. Colbeck became pensive. After a short while, he snapped his fingers.
‘I should have remembered,’ he said. ‘It’s another reason that proves the fishmonger didn’t plant that bomb at the railway station.’
Leeming frowned. ‘What are you talking about, sir?’
‘I’d forgotten the description Mr Ewart gave of a man who slipped into the brake van. It doesn’t match Owen Gale in any way.’
‘Then it was not him, sir.’
‘The description we had from Mrs Brightwell was similar. That makes two witnesses, each of them highly intelligent. Neither of them had seen Gale.’
‘So why was Mrs Kendrick so certain the fishmonger was the killer?’
‘It’s because she thinks he committed murder before.’
‘Poisoning a cat and blowing up a human being in a brake van are crimes of a very different order. Besides,’ Leeming went on, ‘we don’t know for certain that Patch was poisoned.’
‘It’s what Mrs Kendrick believes.’
‘What do we do now, sir?’
‘I’d like to visit the place where the body was found,’ said Colbeck. ‘Let’s go to the police station. Someone will have given a statement about the discovery. I want the exact location.’
Nicholas Ewart was at the site before any members of his archaeological team. He pulled back the tarpaulins covering both trenches and rolled them out of the way. One by one the others began to turn up. When they were all there, he told them what their mission for the day was.
‘We all shared the excitement of finding that skull,’ he said. ‘Let’s make a special effort to find pieces of the skeleton, shall we? I’m convinced that the bones belonging to that Viking are lying here.’
‘How deep do you want us to dig, Nicholas?’ asked someone.
‘As deep as it takes.’ He rubbed his hands together. ‘The man I think of as Erik Forkbeard is down there in the darkness. Let’s bring him into the light of day.’
When he reached the house, Hinton used the knocker on the front door. Moments later it was opened by Alice Kendrick. She recognised him at once.
