Churchyard and Hawke Read online

  However, their work meant they would not see as much of each other as they wished and, today, in London, Tom knew that he and Amos had a difficult task on their hands.

  The two Cornish policemen were met at Paddington railway station by a uniformed Metropolitan Police inspector named Anthony Winter, whom Amos had known as a sergeant during his own early service in the Metropolitan Police.

  On their ride to the Bow Street magistrates court, where the inspector would obtain a warrant for the arrest of the Honourable Charles Delville, Amos gave him the background to the case against the peer’s son.

  The warrant was obtained with a minimum of fuss and accompanied by two uniformed constables from the adjoining police station they took a police carriage to the house occupied by Delville, in nearby Holborn.

  The door of the elegant terraced house was opened to them by a young maid-of-all-work who appeared terrified at the sight of five men, three of them in the uniform of policemen asking for her master and it took her some time to find her voice and indicate that Delville was in a room at the back of the house.

  Ordered to take them to the room, the frightened maid led them to a door at the end of the passageway which led from the front door. She knocked timidly on the door, but Inspector Winter brushed past her and, turning the brass door knob, opened the door and entered the room with the others close at his heels.

  Delville was seated at a writing desk in the room and spread out on the surface in front of him were a number of pieces of jewellery, prominent among them being a sparkling tiara that Tom took to be the one the present Lord Hogg considered a family heirloom.

  Taken by surprise at their uninvited entry, Delville sprang to his feet, ‘What the . . . ?’

  Wasting no time on a full explanation, Inspector Winter, said, ‘Charles Delville, I have here a warrant for your arrest issued by a magistrate in Cornwall and endorsed by the stipendiary magistrate at Bow Street. I am hereby arresting you as directed by that endorsement and handing you into the custody of Superintendent Hawke of the Cornwall constabulary, who will return you to that county to face charges that have been made against you there. He will tell you all about those charges on the way back to Cornwall.’

  Pointing to the jewellery scattered over the face of the desk, he said, ‘Before he takes you away I would like to know something about all this . . . where has it come from?’

  ‘I think I can tell you about that,’ Tom said, ‘Believe it or not, he came by it legally - although I think his step-brother, Lord Hogg, might disagree. They are Hogg family heirlooms given to Delville by his mother to help pay off his many debts. Lord Hogg feels very strongly that they should remain in the family.’

  ‘I think we had better take them back to Cornwall with us.’ Amos said, ‘We certainly can’t leave them here. Perhaps you would like to make a list of them and keep it, Inspector Winter. I’ll have another made out when we hand it in at the police station in Cornwall with Delville’s personal property. That way he will be unable to claim that anything has gone missing. Now if you would tell your constables to take him off and lodge him in the Bow Street cells for a couple of hours, Sergeant Churchyard and I will carry out a search of the house then get something to eat before taking Delville back to Cornwall on the night train.’

  ‘You will all find yourselves in very deep trouble over this.’ Delville blustered, ‘My family has very powerful friends both here in London and in Cornwall, they will not allow your treatment of me to go unpunished.’

  ‘I think anyone of note, wherever they may be, will not want to be involved with you in any way once the details of the charges against you are made known.’ Amos retorted, ‘But we will talk more about them once we are on the train. Have him taken away please, inspector.’

  When Delville had been removed from the house, Amos, Tom and Inspector Winter began their search of the house. In a cupboard in a basement room that was obviously being used as a storeroom, Tom found what they were looking for, an apothecary’s jar containing a white powder which the label proclaimed in large capital letters to be ‘ARSENIC’.

  ‘Here we are!’ he exclaimed, ‘Exactly where Chalmers said it was kept. Let’s see if Delville can explain this away.’

  CHAPTER 38

  At Paddington railway station, Delville was driven on to the platform in a police van and then, handcuffed to Tom, bundled on board the night train bound for Cornwall and into a compartment which had been reserved for them. Here, Amos pulled down the blinds to hide them from the view of the other passengers and as they settled down for the ten-hours journey Delville said, ‘Will you remove these handcuffs now?’ It was not so much a request as a command.

  ‘No.’ Amos replied, ‘You will remain handcuffed to Sergeant Churchyard for half the night while I relax, then be handcuffed to me for the remainder of the journey.’

  When Delville began to protest, Tom said, ‘I suggest you make the most of it, the seats on the train are a whole lot more, comfortable than anything you’ll find in the police cells, or Bodmin Jail.’

  ‘This whole thing is absolutely ridiculous.’ Delville protested, ‘Exactly what am I supposed to have done?’

  ‘There is no "supposed" about it.’ Amos replied, ‘We know; you planned and took part in the burglary at Laneglos, you conspired with others to burgle a number of other houses on the night of the ball, and you also conspired with convicted criminals to carry out a series of other crimes on the night of the ball at Laneglos.’

  ‘You are going to have to prove all these crimes you allege I have committed.’ Delville pointed out scornfully.

  ‘We will.’ Amos said matter-of-factly, ‘Now, I suggest you try to get some sleep - as I am. You, in particular, are going to have a very busy day tomorrow.’

  Amos managed to snatch no more than a few brief dozes for the first half of the night and midnight was still a half-hour away when he exchanged places with Tom and ordered him to try to gain an hour or two’s sleep.

  The Honourable Charles made no attempt to even close his eyes. He sat next to Amos, their handcuff-linked hands close together on the seat between them, his chin resting on his chest, apparently deep in morose thought.

  They had been travelling in this fashion for almost an hour before Delville broke the silence. In the slurred voice of a man who has not spoken for some time, he said, ‘All these crimes I am supposed to have committed . . . where did you pick up your information . . . or perhaps I would be more accurate in referring to it as misinformation?’

  ‘From a great many sources.’ Amos replied, ‘Some of them quite surprising. There is supposed to be honour among thieves, but it doesn’t apply when they have time to think things out and realize what lies ahead for them if they can’t shift some of the blame for their misdoings onto someone else. Mind you, not all those who have been willing to tell me what they know of you are criminals. Some are very decent people who have been unfortunate enough to come under your influence.’

  Delville’s response was a look charged with malevolence, but Amos felt that the peer’s son was thinking about what had just been said . . . and his next words confirmed this.

  ‘You still have to prove my guilt in court and I do not think you will be able to do that.’

  ‘You can think what you like,’ Amos retorted, ‘When I produce a note from you giving instructions to a convicted forger to forge a reference for a convicted young criminal to obtain a post at Laneglos - and another on forging ball tickets, plus a witness who saw you talking to Alfie Banks in a London pub, a map drawn by yourself giving positions and details of houses to be robbed - together with information that could only have come from someone familiar with the contents and occupants of these houses - and proof that you left the house on the night of the burglary at Laneglos, I think a jury will sit up and take notice. These are just a few of the things I will be able to prove in court.’

  Shaken now, but still defiant, Delville said, ‘Do you seriously believe that when the time comes these so
-called "witnesses" of yours will stand up in court and give evidence against me?’

  ‘I have no doubts at all, because it isn’t only thieving and deception we are talking about. There are also two murders and an attempted murder tied in with the events at Laneglos and when murder is mentioned even the most hardened criminal undergoes something of a metamorphosis and self-preservation becomes his sole aim.’

  ‘Two murders? ‘

  In any other circumstances Amos would have accepted the bewilderment of the man he was questioning as genuine, but he knew he was dealing with a particularly clever criminal, ‘That’s right. Poor Enid Merryn, Lord Hogg . . . and the attempted murder of your mother.’

  ‘What are you talking about . . . ? I know the servant girl was strangled, but my stepfather died of natural causes . . . and what is this nonsense about my mother?’

  ‘I’m surprised your valet didn’t tell you when he brought your things to London . . . but he probably didn’t feel inclined to tell you anything after the way he has been treated. Anyway, new information was received that caused us to have the body of the late Lord Hogg removed from the family vault and a post mortem carried out. It revealed the cause of his death to be arsenic poisoning. Your mother’s symptoms were so similar to his that special steps were taken to monitor her food and drink. As a result I am pleased to say she appears to be making a full recovery.’

  ‘Good God! It’s unbelievable . . . but even if it’s true, what does their poisoning have to do with the strangulation of a scullery-maid - and more to the point, what does any of this have to do with me?’

  ‘I was hoping you would tell me. All I have at the moment is a purely circumstantial case against you . . . although hard evidence is beginning to emerge. I have spoken to Connie Dawes, the young kitchen maid who was pregnant by you - she has been arrested in connection with the death of her baby and will be naming you as the father of her child in court. I believe you had an arrangement to take care of her if she said nothing, but went back on your word. It has made her very angry, so it is unfortunate that she was one of two people to whom poor Enid confided that she too was expecting a baby by you. I know you promised to take care of her too, but she was so simple that the whole business of having your baby was too much for her . . . she just couldn’t keep it to herself. She was going to tell the housekeeper.’

  ‘I didn’t know anything of this.’ Delville said, but Amos thought he was less confident now, ‘Even if I did, it’s hardly a reason for murdering the girl. She wouldn’t be the first servant girl to find herself pregnant.’

  ‘I don’t believe there are any circumstances in which cold-blooded murder is justified.’ Amos replied, ‘but there is also a suggestion that she might have seen you talking with Alfie Banks, whom she had once met in company with the young servant for whom you had a reference forged. Now, tying you in with the burglary would have been a motive for murder. I happen to know that Lord Hogg had threatened to cut off all monies to you if you made any more servant girls pregnant. It is common knowledge you were desperate for money to pay your ever-mounting debts - so desperate that you could even be deemed capable of poisoning your stepfather in anticipation of benefiting from his will.’

  ‘This is absolute nonsense!’ Delville declared, ‘And as for the preposterous insinuation that I would try to poison my own mother . . .’

  ‘You would not be the first son guilty of matricide . . . and because of the wording of Lord Hogg’s will, only her death would give you access to the amount of money you so desperately needed.’

  ‘All this is no more than the product of a warped mind . . . a policeman’s mind. You have no actual evidence whatsoever.’

  ‘Wrong again.’ Amos said, ‘Arsenic is the poison that was used to murder Lord Hogg . . . and we found a quantity of arsenic in a basement cupboard in your London home, enough to kill quite a number of people . . . and more than enough to convict you.’

  ‘That poison . . . the house was occupied by a doctor before I moved in. He must have left it there.’

  ‘I don’t think that where the arsenic came from would concern a jury too much. Their interest would be solely in what it was used for . . . and I think they will arrive at the right answer.’

  Far less arrogant and confident now, Delville said nothing for a while, then, ‘Do you really think I killed my stepfather and was trying to poison my mother?’

  ‘I think that within a few days I will have gathered enoughs evidence to convince a jury . . . and then it won’t matter what I think.’

  Delville was silent for almost twenty minutes, during which time the train stopped at Bristol station where there was the sound of porters calling to one another and the slamming of carriage doors for some minutes before it set off on its way once more.

  As the train pulled away from the station and began to gather speed, Delville looked sideways at Amos and had obviously arrived at a decision. With a resigned expression, he said, ‘I think I had better tell you my version of events, Superintendent Hawke . . .‘

  CHAPTER 39

  On the arrival of the two policemen and their prisoner at the Bodmin police headquarters, Delville was taken down to the cells and Amos and Tom were able to enjoy a leisurely breakfast provided for them by a local hotel, at the same time deciding how much of what Delville had told them should be passed on to the chief constable who was soon due to arrive at his office. Amos felt there were still a number of points to be cleared up.

  It had not been necessary for Amos to tell Tom what Delville had told him on the train because, although he had given the impression of being asleep during Delville’s version of events, Tom had actually heard every word of the conversation between superintendent and prisoner.

  By the time a constable put his head around the door of Amos’s office to say the chief constable had arrived, they had agreed he should be told of Delville’s confession to the burglary, but that they should make no mention of what he had said about the murders.

  Chief Constable Gilbert was greatly relieved to learn of Delville’s confession to involvement with the burglary. Had he not done so, the chief constable felt a conviction would not have been a foregone conclusion given the influence the gentry - especially titled gentry - had in the county.

  ‘You have both done very well,’ he said, ‘but do you think you will be able to secure a murder conviction against him now you have found arsenic in his possession?’

  ‘I hope to be able to give you a full answer to that later in the day, sir.’ Amos said enigmatically. ‘I would rather not commit myself until I and Churchyard have made a few more inquiries at Laneglos and at the same time inform Lord Hogg that we have arrested his step-brother. However, before going there I feel we should go home to tidy ourselves up a little, having spent more than twenty-four hours travelling back and forth, without a wash or shave.’

  ‘Of course. I will await your return with the greatest interest - but tread lightly, Amos, it still remains a very delicate situation.’

  Before he and Tom went home to clean up and change their clothing, Amos took the files containing all the statements taken from the Laneglos servants in connection with the burglary and murder and while Tom drove the pony and trap he went through them, selecting some for special study and comparison.

  When they pulled up at the Hawke cottage, Tom asked, ‘Did you find anything of particular interest in the statements, Amos?’

  ‘Yes, in the light of what we now know, of great interest, but I would like you to read them while I clean up, then have Talwyn read through them. She has a very quick and analytical brain and I want to see if she picks up on a couple of anomalies we have not noticed before - and I might not have noticed them now had it not been for what Delville told us last night on the train.’

  Talwyn was pleased to see Amos home again and thrilled that his trip to London had proved so successful. She readily agreed to his suggestion about the statements and when he left to wash and shave she and Tom were seated at the
kitchen table, poring over them.

  By the time Amos returned to the kitchen an excited Talwyn was able to tell him there were three of the statements that appeared to contradict each other, adding, ‘I will not say which three until Tom has finished going through them, but I can see he has already found two of them.’

  When Tom separated a third statement, Amos picked them up and, showing them to Talwyn, asked, ‘Are these the same three which caught your attention?’

  ‘Yes . . . and you?’

  He nodded. ‘Go and clean up, Tom, then we’ll go to Laneglos. I have an idea that by the time we return to Bodmin we will have solved the murders of Enid Merryn . . . and Lord Hogg.’

  Lord Hogg listened to Amos in disbelief when told of the arrest of his step-brother in connection with the burglary at Laneglos. Shaking his head, he said, ‘I find it difficult to believe . . . are you quite certain about this, Superintendent?’

  ‘There is no doubt about it, sir, he actually planned the whole thing and admitted it to Sergeant Churchyard and myself last night when we were bringing him back to Cornwall from London on the train.’

  ‘Well . . . it is no secret that he and I never got along together, but I never dreamed he would do something like this . . .’ Struck by a sudden thought he said, hesitantly, ‘I don’t suppose . . . no, I cannot believe he had anything to do with the murders of my father and the young servant girl . . . did he?’

  Avoiding giving a direct reply to the question, Amos said, ‘I hope to be able to give you an answer to that question when we have questioned three of your servants again . . . actually, it is two servants and a gamekeeper. I wonder whether we might speak with your housekeeper and make arrangements to interview them.’

  ‘Of course. Interview them in my study, I will have the housekeeper sent to you there.’