Laura’s garden consisted of a very long patch of grass, now badly
in need of cutting. There were nondescript little bedding plants down each side
and along the flagstone path that led to the far end. Beyond the lawn there was
a small vegetable patch with a few tired looking onions growing askew and
nothing much else. On one side there was a fair-sized home compost container,
so someone must have done some serious gardening at one time.
Robert deposited the trash in the dustbin, wheeled it to the
front for collection, and went back into the kitchen.
"The garden shed is locked and judging from the state
of the garden no one has done anything there for quite some time."
"Can you have a quick look what's in the shed?"
"Got a key? Or maybe there's one hidden in a flowerpot."
"Laura seems to have taken over the fitted kitchen and
there are a whole lot of keys in one of those narrow drawers over at the
window, Robert. See if one looks as if it might fit."
"What about this bunch on the drainer? There are several
mortice keys. One of those could fit."
"They are mine, Robert."
"But you've hung Laura's key ring on yours, Cleo."
"So I have. But I can't believe she carried the garden
shed key around and some of the keys in the drawer could be from her old place
in Lower Grumpsfield."
***
Robert took all the keys he could find and went out to the
shed. Cleo followed. The second of Laura's
keys fitted. Later, Cleo could not say what they'd been expecting to find. What
they had not been expecting to find was the body of Jason with his throat slit.
"Keep back, Cleo. You don't need to see this,"
advised Robert. "Go to the house and call Gary. He'll want to get here
double quick."
"Just let me look, Robert. Move over."
Robert's frame filled the shed door. Cleo pushed him to one
side and gained access. She gasped.
"How long do you think he's been here? I'd better check
his body temperature."
"For God's sake don't touch anything. He can't get any
deader than he is already. The medics will see to him."
"We'd better lock the door till Gary arrives. He won't
be pleased."
"What does that matter?"
Cleo had to agree. Her voice was far from steady. She was
deeply shocked. The uneasy feeling she'd had about Jessica rose up in her
again. She hadn't really believed her story, but violence like this?"
"It must have been Jessica, Robert, but why did she do
it?"
"We don't know who did it, Cleo. Stop speculating!"
Gary finally answered her call.
"What is it now, Cleo?"
"It's Jason. He's dead. In Laura's garden shed. Throat
slit."
No questions. Just a sharp intake of breath.
“What are you doing at Mrs Finch’s house.”
“Emptying her fridge. Robert is helping me.”
"I'm on my way."
Robert locked the shed and they went back into the house.
"I'd like to know how she got him to go in there."
"Maybe she didn't have to. Maybe he decided to cut the
grass."
"You mean she followed him? Cleo, what sort of a woman
is she?"
"If she is responsible – and we don't know that – she's
really, really evil. But who else could it have been?"
"We don't even know for sure who the woman is,"
said Robert.
"But we know she was close to Jason," said Cleo,
as Jessica's words skimmed through her brain.
"Close enough to slit his throat?"
"Seems like it at first glance."
"It's all happening too fast for me," said Robert.
"I'd better phone Dorothy. She must go and stay at the
vicarage until we know where Jessica is."
“They’ll all be in bed, Cleo.”
“I’ll leave a message.”
"You think Jessica might want to get rid of Dorothy,
don’t you? What about us, Cleo?"
"That’s a good question. I'd rather not know the answer."
Cleo knew only too well that tracing people who didn't want
to be traced was really difficult and often futile. It was more than likely
that Jessica had left the district. She wouldn't hang around after committing
such a terrible crime, unless the balance of her mind was disturbed. Insane
people get away with murder, Cleo mused. Insane people also kill for insane
reasons. Jessica might be regretting telling her story, but Cleo did not want
to alarm Robert even more by suggesting that.
"I'm trying to reconstruct Jason's arrival here."
"Go on. Reconstruct aloud," encouraged Robert, who
was genuinely stunned by Jason’s fate.
"You know that Jason arrived in a taxi. Not a real
London cab but one of those limousines you see round here posing as cabs. He
got out, gave the driver the fare, then waved him off and shouted hello to me
across the road."
"Wasn't Jessica at the door?"
"Yes. She came out and we talked for a bit."
"What did you talk about?"
"Idle chat. Eventually they told me they were looking
forward to talking over old times. All the time I couldn't help feeling that
they were play-acting for my benefit. But they were amicable with one another,
so I decided it must be my imagination running riot."
Robert had had enough experience of family problems in his youth.
He thought he could even understand someone committing murder. Not that he
would, but sometimes things got so out of control that murder seemed the only
option. And that was a fact of life.
"Before Gary turns up I should tell you how I think Jason
was killed."
"I'm all ears."
“I'm quite sure Gary will disagree, so keep my version in
mind."
"I'm sure it will be unforgettable!"
"Here goes… As far as I can see, Jason and Jessica had
a massive quarrel, possibly about Laura's will. Jason needed to cool off and
said he would tidy up outside. He went to the shed to get the lawn mower out
and Jessica watched him through the kitchen window. On impulse and because she
was still extremely angry, Jessica followed him, grabbing the metal meat
tenderizer as she went – did you see it on the shed floor, Robert?"
"No."
"Well it was there and you don't normally keep the meat
tenderizer in the garden shed. She waited until he got hold of the mower to
drag it out backwards and hit him on the head with such force that he fell to
the ground unconscious. What then possessed her to slit the poor guy's throat is
beyond my understanding, but she obviously wanted to make sure he did not
regain consciousness and went about it in a very thorough way. I don't think
she tried to move him."
"Or she didn't slit his throat, but someone else
did," said Robert.
"You mean someone who'd been watching what was going on?
The Crighton guy for instance?"
"Hitting someone over the head is possibly excusable
under certain circumstances and easy enough for a woman to do if the victim is
unaware of her presence, but throat-slitting is not a woman's way of committing
murder."
"I don't think I'm wrong about the meat tenderizer,
Robert."
"But you agree that someone might have arrived later
and finished Jason off?"
Robert was starting to think like a sleuth.
"If that's what happened, it could be what happened to
Laura, too," said Robert.
Cleo had to admit that he could be onto something. Bolstered
by Cleo’s obvious attention to what he said, Robert elaborated.
"If Laura was also stabbed by two different people, the
wounds would reveal that, wouldn't they, Cleo? I can always tell if two people
have hacked at chops or carved the beef or ham by hand."
“You’
“You should tell Gary that,” said Cleo.
“And risk being ridiculed? No way,” said Robert.
“He won’t ridicule you, Robert and I’ll tell him you were to
tell him because I can see the sense in the argument.”
***
Despite himself, Robert was intrigued by the whole gruesome
business. He was reminded of his apprenticeship at the local slaughterhouse in
Wales. Even as a beginner, he could tell which way a carcass had been carved up
by the direction of the cuts. His colleague had been left-handed. It made it harder
to take over where he had left off. Of course, he might not have been doing his
job correctly. Robert tried to put that memory out of his mind, but it would
not go away.
***
Cleo thought the first attack on Jason must have been on
the spur of the moment. But Jessica, or someone else, had decided to finish the
job, grabbed the secateurs and slit his throat. "Just like that," she
finished, dragging an index finger across her own throat.
"I saw that pruning tool," said Robert. "It
was covered in blood. Do you think that one of the Jays was planning to kill the
other from the very start? I shudder to think…"
"So do I, Robert, when I think she spent a night under
our roof. Now we don't know where she is or what she has done."
"Let's just not think about it anymore," said
Robert. “I never thought I would long for Gary to get here, but that about sums
up what I’m feeling now.”
"It’s going to annoy Gary that we found Jason."
"That was pure chance and it shows that Gary can't
afford to leave you out, Cleo. A woman's intuition and…."
"…What about a D.I.'s vanity, Robert?"
“You didn’t come here to find a corpse, Cleo.”
“But maybe my sub-conscience did.”
“Better ask Dorothy tomorrow. She’s the hunch expert, Cleo,”
said Robert.
“Thanks for coming with me, Robert,” said Cleo. “You are a
tower of strength.”
“When is that other tower of strength going to turn up? Did
you get him out of someone’s bed?”
“You’ll have to ask him yourself, Robert. I’m sure not going
to.”
***
Gary Hurley was not pleased to be called out late at night and
even less pleased to be back in Upper Grumpsfield. He had not hurried, but now
he was on hand he rang the doorbell of
Laura Finch's cottage with rather more belligerence than was strictly
necessary.
"I'm glad you made it," said Cleo, “though you
could have spared us the repeats of those Westminster chimes.”
"I suppose you have a good excuse for being here, don't
you?" said Gary.
"Certainly, if we need one, Mr Hurley," said
Robert, who had joined Cleo on the doorstep.
"For instance, you could thank us for wanting to make
sure that vermin did not move into Laura's kitchen," said Cleo.
"I'm curious to know why I'm really here," Gary
snapped. "Where's the corpse? Robert’s a bit of a joker, isn’t he?"
Gary thought he was now cracking a joke, clearing the air, making
good for his bad temper at their previous meeting.
“Do you seriously think we would call you out at dead of
night as a sort of practical joke, Hurley?” said Robert.
“Anything’s possible in this one-horse town. Where’s the corpse?”
"In the garden shed. Want to see it?" said Robert.
"That’s why I’m here if it isn’t all an elaborate leg-pull.”"
"I'm deadly serious, Gary. Follow me," said
Robert.
Cleo followed Gary, touching him lightly on the shoulder in
the hope that he would keep calm. She had noticed in her office that he hated having
to look at corpses. They walked quickly down the flagstone path to the shed. Robert
unlocked the door and stood back to let Gary go in first.
"Good God. Who the hell did that?" he gasped.
"I think…" Cleo started.
"Don't think, Cleo. Let's secure the evidence first.
You didn't touch anything, I hope," said Gary, who was breathing fast and
looked nauseated.
"Of course not."
After a few moments to recover from nightmare scenario in
the shed, Gary tapped on his mobile phone and presently found a forensic expert
on duty.
"It's the Finch case again," he said. "The
son this time. Dead as a dodo. Lavender Drive Number 3 again. I’m glad you’re
on duty, Chris. Please notify the paramedics. Thanks."
Gary joined Cleo and Robert, who had moved away from the
shed.
"A forensic team is on the way,” said Gary. “Paramedics
will deal with the body and take it to pathology."
"You think it was Jessica, don't you?" Robert
said.
"Probably," said Gary. "Who else could it have
been?"
"I'd like to know, too," said Robert. "Now I
seem to be involved in all this - as an observer, of course - I'd like to know
what happened to Jason. He was a nice chap. Sang well."
"Jason and Jessica were not quite kosher," said
Cleo.
"Who is?" said Robert.
"Can I trouble you for the key to the shed, Robert?"
Robert removed it from Cleo's key ring and handed it over.
"I'd like to keep the house keys a bit longer, Gary,"
said Cleo. "I think I should sort through all poor Laura's personal
things. I'll get Dorothy to help. I don't want to come here on my own."
I don't think what's happened now has anything to do with Dorothy
Price. We now have a fair idea of who deposited the body in your office, Cleo,
so please leave her out of it."
***
"Are you going to tell me who killed Laura or at least
who deposited her in my office?"
"Not yet," said Gary, who wanted to give the
impression that he wain charge.
"It wasn't the previous tenants, was it, by any chance?"
said Cleo, who thought Gary was playing for time.
"I can't answer that yet. We've brought the Nortons in
for questioning on selling stolen property, but I've said too much already."
Cleo did not push him for more information. She would find
out soon enough.
“I’ll tell Dorothy to watch out for herself, Gary.”
“The law will protect her,” said Gary.
“If it’s fast enough,” said Cleo, “but she needs to know what
has happened.”
“OK. Tell her if you must.”
“I must, and I should also try and get the
office carpet cleaned up," said Cleo. “Then I could get started with my
office.”
"That should be possible in a day or two."
"Do you think Jessica, whoever she was, killed both
Laura and Jason?" Robert asked.
***
Gary was now at his most officious. He felt as if he had
been caught on the hop, though he could not have predicted Jasion’s killing.
"We can't rule anything out," he said.
Cleo immediately picked up on the “we”.
"But you think ‘we’ can work together to find out, do
you?" she said.
"I hope so."
“Then please keep ‘us’ informed and get off your high
horse,” said Cleo.
Robert was enjoying the scene. Gary was being obnoxious, he
noted.
***
A Peter’s horn heralded the arrival of the ambulance, waking
all the neighbours and bringing some out to take a look.
"Blast," said Gary. "That's all we needed.
Now the whole neighbourhood will know what's happened."
"Just as well," said Robert. "If Jessica
Finch is still somewhere near, these people need to be on their guard.”
"You’re right, Robert,” Gary was forced to concede. “Someone
will have to warn the neighbours around here that there could be more trouble."
"I'll do that now, and then go home to bed,"
Robert offered, glad have an excuse to get away from this pain in the neck. He
thought Cleo should not be so friendly with someone who had such a big chip on
his shoulder. The guy seemed torn between using Cleo's investigative skills and
ignoring them.
“Don’t bother about the Crightons, Robert,” said Cleo. “I
think they can look after themselves.”
“See you later, then,” Robert said and left.
***
Cleo felt gratified that Robert had conducted himself so
well. That "we" had sounded as if Gary really needed her assistance. Was
he at last warming to the idea of having someone outside the police force
assisting the investigations? Cleo wondered what she would do if Jessica turned
up. It was unlikely, but not impossible, especially if she had been escaping
from the real murderer and hidden somewhere.
Since that idea had just occurred to Cleo, she also
speculated that Jessica could turn up. Was she innocent? Had she had a row with
Jason? What if they had both been threatened and she had got away? Cleo did not
think she should suggest that to Gary right now.
***
After watching the paramedics trying to extract poor Jason
from the garden shed, Cleo was near to tears.
"I'd like to go home, Gary," she said.
"OK. We’d better watch out for Jessica, though. She
could turn up and seek refuge and until we know otherwise, we have to assume
she's had a hand in Jason’s death.”
“I’m not afraid of Jessica. I’m just exhausted,” said Cleo.
“Phone me in the morning and maybe we can meet to discuss what
the next step should be. I need to know if you are planning something or have
any ideas you haven’t talked about, Cleo."
“I’m glad you care, Gary,” said Cleo. “We can risk a hug now.”
“I thought that was off the menu.”
“I only meant a hug, Gary. Nothing more elaborate. Not here.”
“Why not? Laura would have approved,” said Gary.
“I wish I didn’t love you,” said Cleo.
“You’d have to depend on Robert for thrills,” said Gary.
“Not in her bedroom,” said Cleo.
“Not anywhere, I get the impression,” said Gary.
“He doesn’t go for romantic twaddle, he told me in so many
words.”
“I take it that’s a yes,” said Gary.
“Ten minutes, or Robert will come looking for me.”
“He won’t, Cleo. He’ll be fast asleep by now.”
“I can’t risk that.”
“It would solve a few problems,” said Gary.
“Not as many as it would make. Those forensic guys are out
there now collecting evidence and the ambulance has only just left.”
“Tomorrow, then.”
***
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