Churchyard and Hawke Page 12

  ‘I’m sure he’d be pleased to hear you say that.’ Tom said, hoping as soon as the words left his lips that Peggy Woods would not take offence. The assistant cook had the physique of an Amazon and Flora had warned him that she possessed a quick temper ‘. . . but you haven’t answered my question.’ he added, ‘and it’s one I need to ask every member of the household staff . . . what were you doing on the night of the robbery. . . the night Enid Merryn went missing - and was your husband with you?’

  ‘What we were doing is a private matter between a husband and wife.’ the assistant cook retorted testily, adding, ‘and it’s not something I’d be doing by myself.’

  ‘I’m not asking for personal details of your married life.’ Tom replied to the touchy Irishwoman, ‘Just where you were and whether you and your husband were together all night.’

  ‘I was cuddling him when I went to sleep and still had my arms around him when I woke up, so the answer to your question is "yes". I’d been cooking the whole night of the ball for everyone who is anyone in Cornwall, then feeding the family for the rest of the day because cook had taken to her bed, "suffering from exhaustion" . . . or so she said.’

  The last remark was accompanied by a disdainful sniff that indicated quite clearly to Tom that Peggy Woods disagreed with the cook’s self-diagnosis . . . but she was still talking, ‘Chester. . . that’s my husband, had been on his two feet for as long as I’d spent in the kitchen, so once we were both asleep we neither of us so much as twitched for the whole of the night - and there you have it, so can I go off now and get on with what I’m paid for?’

  When Peggy Woods had left the housekeeper’s sitting-room, Tom said to Flora, ‘That’s pretty much what Chester Woods told us. Unless we find evidence to the contrary it rules the two of them out. . . certainly as far as the burglary is concerned. There are still one or two servants to be seen, but we are no closer to finding an answer to the question of who opened the kitchen door than we were when I began talking to them. I doubt if we’ll find the answer until we pick up Alfie and Jimmy Banks, although getting any information from them is likely to prove as easy as squeezing water from a stone.’

  ‘I’ve been thinking about that.’ Flora mused, ‘Do you think it possible that Jeremy - Jimmy Banks - could have somehow managed to get inside the house and hide himself until everyone was asleep and opened the door himself to let his uncle in? He would certainly know the house well enough to hide himself away somewhere. He might even have hidden in Enid’s room and that could provide a motive for her murder. I always believed her to be a naively honest girl and if she hid him only to find out what he was really up to he might have felt he needed to kill her to stop her from giving him away, or perhaps spoiling the plans he and his uncle had made to burgle the house.’

  Flora became increasingly excited as her suggested sequence of events unfolded and Tom thought about it very carefully before saying, ‘It’s an interesting theory, Flora - very interesting, and one that’s entirely feasible but perhaps we ought to have a look in Enid’s room before I put it to Superintendent Hawke. We might find something to substantiate it in there.’

  ‘You could be lucky, ‘Flora replied, ‘I usually check the maids rooms every day to ensure they are being kept tidy, but with all that’s been happening at Laneglos, it has not been carried out. All I have done with Enid’s room is to look in there when she couldn’t be found, just in case she had fallen ill and was lying in bed . . . but, of course, she was not there and her bed had not been slept in.’

  Thinking of what had really happened to Enid brought Flora close to tears and Tom had a strong urge to take the housekeeper in his arms and comfort her. He refrained only because he felt that their relationship, although improving with every meeting, had not yet reached the point where he might act in such a familiar manner and he wanted to do nothing to jeopardise the closeness they had achieved in a relatively short time.

  The room allocated to the late Laneglos kitchen-maid on the top floor of the house was one of the very smallest. Nevertheless, it was spotlessly clean and comparatively tidy. There was a small, under-the-eaves cupboard in one corner and Tom opened it to disclose a dress, coat and small pile of personal clothing in addition to a clean uniform.

  The room contained pitifully few personal possessions but, as Flora pointed out, her home was not far away and she had been allowed to go home for one afternoon a week, so any personal items had probably remained there.

  Looking through the pile of personal clothes, he found something wrapped in a towel. It dropped out but Tom managed to catch it before it fell to the floor. It was a small porcelain ash-tray, decorated with an image of Buckingham palace, Queen Victoria’s London home.

  When Tom showed it to Flora, she said, ‘It’s most probably a present from Jimmy to Enid, he often bragged about seeing the queen and her great London home. Enid was particularly impressed, he was a man-of-the-world in her eyes.’

  ‘Do you think he would have brought it from London for her when he came back this time?’

  Flora shook her head in answer to Tom’s question, ‘I doubt it very much, it’s more likely something he had with him when he came to work here and that he gave it to Enid as a present.’

  ‘If it was a present why did she not have it on show? Why keep it hidden wrapped in a towel?’

  ‘It would have been very much a treasured possession and she would have wanted to keep it safe. Besides, had I or anyone else seen it we would have known where it came from and questions would have been asked about their relationship. It might have caused a great deal of trouble for her.’

  Wrapping the ash-tray in the towel once more, Tom said, ‘When her things are handed over to her mother perhaps it ought to be explained away as a present from "one of the other servants", there’s no need to mention Jem Banks.’

  Once again Flora allowed a side of her nature to show that was not usually seen by the Laneglos servants when she said, ‘Poor Enid, she really was a very simple little soul.’

  Tom was inclined to agree with her. From his search of the room he had formed an opinion that Enid was a young girl who neither expected, nor received, much from life. She was perhaps ideally suited for the tasks she was employed to perform in the great house of Laneglos.

  CHAPTER 22

  ‘We think one of the two men you are looking for has been found, sir . . . at least, he fits the description of the younger one, according to the constable from Launceston.’

  The news was brought to Amos by a constable employed in Bodmin police station’s charge office. A man getting on in years, he had been taken on as a policeman in the Cornwall force only because he had spent many years employed as a parish constable. Too old for the rigours of the beat he was employed on duties that mainly involved cleaning and taking care of any prisoners lodged in the police station cells.

  This was exciting news and Amos said. ‘That would be Jimmy Banks, but why do you only think it’s him, won’t he say who he is?’

  ‘Seems he hasn’t said anything to anyone.’ the constable replied, ‘He was pulled from the river unconscious according to the Launceston constable, found the night before last by some young lads searching for a lost pig or so they said. They were probably poaching, but they carried him home to their cottage and kept him there all day yesterday, hoping he’d come round. He didn’t and by this morning they were so worried about his state that they reported it. The inspector in charge at Launceston realized it might be the young man you wanted and sent a constable here to tell you.’

  ‘Where’s this Launceston constable now? Why wasn’t he brought straight up here to see me?’

  ‘He’s walked all the way from Launceston, sir, wearing a pair of new boots and they’ve blistered his feet something cruel. I don’t think it’s too serious, but he’ll need to put something on his feet before he starts on the walk back. Now, when I used to get blisters as a boy, my old ma used to. . . .’

  ‘Damn the man’s blisters.’ Amos int
errupted, ‘We have a murder and a major burglary to solve. Send him up here to me . . . Now!’

  The constable who limped in to Amos’s office was not only suffering from blisters, but had also been caught in a heavy shower during the early part of his 20-mile walk from Launceston to Bodmin. The long spell of hot weather had broken and there had been some awesome storms with thunder, lightning and torrential rain. Water was pouring off the moors and floods were reported from all parts of the county.

  Despite his irritation at the delay in being informed about Jimmy Banks being found, Amos felt sorry for the constable standing before him. Cornwall’s police authority was reluctant to provide transport for its policemen, except in dire emergencies and walking very long distances was the norm for them. It was a policy Amos was trying to have changed, especially for constables like the man standing before him. He was not one of the youngest of the recruits to the force.

  ‘Sit down and tell me about the man you have found. Where was he detained, and why is there any doubt about his identity?’

  Easing himself down into the chair Amos had indicated, the constable said, ‘Thank you, sir. He was found by some children caught between rocks in a river at the bottom of a cataract that comes down off Bodmin Moor. He must have slipped in farther up, somewhere in the woods, I reckon. He’s lucky to be alive . . . very lucky. If the river hadn’t been in full flood and wedged him up between the rocks with his head out of the water he’d have drowned for sure. As it is, he’s seriously hurt because he’s been some battered about on the way down. He was unconscious when he was found and spent a day and a night in the cottage belonging to the youngsters’ parents. The inspector had him brought to the police station cells at Launceston, but he was in a bad way when I set out to come here. The doctor hadn’t arrived by the time I left, but I saw him myself and I don’t think he’ll live long. He’s hardly more than a boy, but I’m pretty sure he’s the one you’re looking for, sir, he’s not wearing country clothes and wasn’t recognized by any of them who found him.’

  Amos was dismayed by the news that Jimmy Banks might not survive. He was probably the only person who could give him any idea of what had happened. If he lived he would most probably hang for killing Enid, but if he died before being brought to trial there would always be a doubt - certainly in Amos’s mind - that he was the guilty party. There were also many unanswered questions about the burglary at Laneglos.

  ‘Have you eaten?’ He asked the Launceston constable.

  ‘No, sir.’

  ‘Then go back to the charge office and tell the sergeant to get you something while I find Sergeant Churchyard and have my pony and trap made ready. You can return to Launceston with us.’

  When they arrived in Launceston Tom Churchyard was able to confirm that the injured man brought to the police station was Jimmy Banks. He had regained consciousness, but was in great pain and seemed confused.

  A Launceston town doctor was with him. Having seen the young London criminal earlier, he had returned when a constable took news to him that his patient appeared to be regaining consciousness and now the young doctor was treating some of his many cuts and abrasions.

  ‘I am sorry, he is in no fit state to answer questions.’ he said, in answer to Amos when the police superintendent told him he wished to speak to his patient. ‘He has a great many injuries. . . including, I suspect, a fractured skull and internal injuries. When I have finished dressing his wounds I intend giving him laudanum to ease the pain and, hopefully, send him to sleep. I fear he may never wake again, but at least we can make his last hours easier.’

  ‘I appreciate your concern, Doctor, but even if your efforts are successful, I fear you may only be saving him for the hangman and he has the answers to a number of very important questions.’

  When the doctor began to protest, Amos cut him short. ‘I am sorry, Doctor, but, as you say, he may not survive and if he has not told me what I want to know a young girl’s murder may remain unsolved forever. I must talk to him . . . Now! ‘

  The young doctor had never been faced with such a situation before and, tight-faced, he said, ‘I have given you my opinion, Superintendent . . . a professional opinion. I cannot physically restrain you from carrying out what you consider to be your duty, but you can be assured that I will make a report to your superiors. . . .’

  While the doctor was talking Amos had been looking at Jimmy. He had closed his eyes and to Amos it appeared that his breathing had become weaker. Ignoring the doctor, he bent down and put his mouth close to the young patient’s ear.

  ‘Jimmy, can you hear me? I want to talk to you. . . about Enid. Enid Merryn.’

  Jimmy’s eyes flicked open and although he was looking up at the ceiling of the cell where he was housed and not at Amos, it was evident that he had heard him. Speaking in a barely audible whisper, he said, ‘Enid . . . I’m sorry . . . about Enid.’

  ‘You’re sorry for what. . . ? For killing her?’

  For a few moments Amos thought Jimmy had not heard him. He was about to repeat his questions when Jimmy whispered ‘. . . I wouldn’t hurt her . . . never hurt her . . . tell her.’

  ‘Jimmy, don’t lie to me, not now. Enid is dead . . . murdered. Did you kill her . . . or was it Alfie?’

  Mentioning Alfie had struck a chord in Jimmy’s mind and he said in a stronger voice, ‘Alfie went off and left me. He didn’t come back like he promised - I’d hurt my shoulder. . . .’

  ‘Jimmy . . . listen to me! What happened at Laneglos . . . Why was Enid killed? Did she let you and Alfie into the house?’

  ‘Enid didn’t know . . . sorry if I got her into trouble and went off. . . and left her.’

  Amos wondered whether Jimmy was talking about her involvement with the burglary, or whether it was because he had made her pregnant, but he felt Jimmy was slipping away and he still had no answers to his questions.

  ‘Jimmy, someone killed Enid on the night you and Alfie broke into Laneglos. Was anyone else involved? Tell me, Jimmy. . . for poor Enid’s sake.’

  ‘No one . . . killed her.’

  Jimmy was definitely tiring now and the doctor was protesting again, but Amos still had no answers.

  ‘Jimmy. . . listen to me. . . for Enid’s sake. Was there someone else helping you that night? Did you see anyone . . . anyone at all?’

  The reply, when it came, was barely audible and had Amos been any farther away from Jimmy’s lips he would not have heard it.

  ‘Only. . . Chester. . . .’

  With this, Jimmy slipped into unconsciousness and as Amos straightened up the doctor pushed him aside and bent over his patient.

  Tom had been standing nearby while Amos was trying to draw some replies from Jimmy Banks and now he asked, ‘Did Jimmy answer you when you asked him whether anyone else was around that night.’

  ‘Yes, but I don’t know whether it made any sense. He mentioned the name "Chester". Does that mean anything to you?’

  Excitedly, Tom replied, ‘Yes . . . Chester Woods, one of the footmen who’s married to Peggy, the assistant cook. He had a reputation as a womaniser before they were married and he’s also very fond of his drink. But both he and his wife said they were in bed together all night.’

  Then we’ll need to speak to them both again.’ Amos said, ‘and find out whether Jimmy is telling us the truth.’

  The doctor had straightened up from Jimmy in time to hear their exchange and now, tight-lipped, he said, ‘Well he certainly isn’t going to confirm whether or not it was the truth he told you. He has just died.’

  CHAPTER 23

  Before returning to Bodmin with Tom, Amos visited the spot below the woods where Jimmy had been found. A police search party was already scouring the area in a bid to ascertain where - and if possible why - he had gone into the river.

  As they arrived the smashed Laneglos wagonette was discovered and only a few minutes later a constable stumbled across the cache where the items burgled from Laneglos had been hidden. .

 
There was some damage to a couple of the pictures but as far as Amos could remember from the list he had compiled with Lady Hogg, the only item of stolen property still missing was the Laneglos pony, and he and Tom were in agreement that Alfie must have ridden off on the animal, leaving an injured Jimmy behind to fend for himself. It seemed the most likely explanation.

  As they were travelling back to the police headquarters, Tom said, ‘I’m not surprised Alfie deserted Jimmy. He’s ruthless enough to sacrifice his own mother if he ever thought it necessary, but it’s not like him to abandon so much valuable loot. I would have thought he’d have moved heaven and earth to make money on it. There is some very valuable stuff back there - probably more than he’s ever had in his hands before.’

  ‘Perhaps he somehow got word that Enid’s body had been found and realized we would be looking for him and Jimmy. He’s shrewd enough to realize that no matter how valuable the stolen property might be it would be no good to him if it led to a meeting with the hangman.’

  ‘He certainly seems to have made good his escape.’ Tom said, regretfully, ‘I was hoping he might have managed to get back to the Mermaid, perhaps when it was coaling at Plymouth, then he’d have been picked up when the boat reached London.’

  Amos had discussed the question of conspiracy charges with the Cornwall chief constable and it had been decided to bring no charges against the Mermaid’s passengers, Amos pointing out it would be difficult to prove exactly what crimes the more sophisticated of the criminals on board had planned to carry out at the Laneglos ball. Besides, those who had committed crimes, the Hoxton gang and Conrad Shannon, had been caught and charged with either burglary, or attempted burglary - and in Shannon’s case, forgery. Now, with the death of Jimmy, only Alfie remained to be apprehended.

  The Chief Constable had agreed that the Laneglos burglary should be regarded as a separate crime but when the body of Enid was discovered, Amos had telegraphed to Scotland Yard with the result that the London river police boarded the Mermaid when it sailed into their jurisdiction, searching for the prime murder suspects. But their search for the missing members of the Banks family had proved fruitless.