Story Starts Challenge - Day Two

Chapter 2: A visit to Hargreaves Hall

Sergeant Morris: Yes, Sir, and while you're speaking to her Ladyship shall I talk to the Vicar to find out if her husband was normally in the habit of locking those doors?

DIW: Good idea, Morris. Let’s see what the Vicar can tell us about all this.

DIW: Just a minute Morris, you say the body is in there?

SM: Yes, Sir...

DIW: I'm curious, Morris - how do you know the body’s in there when the doors are locked and the windows are filthy?

SM: Well I... well...

DIW: Come on man, don't shilly-shally - Give me a leg up so I can take a look through the window.

SM: Here use my handkerchief to clean the glass Sir.

DIW: Thanks Morris.

SM: So, what can you see?

DIW: Not a lot Morris. I think I can make out the shape of a man lying on the floor. And what looks like a big painting covering part of his body. By the way, Morris, Constable Lamb tells me he saw you just down the lane last night heading away from the Hall ... what were you up to?

SM: (Trying to change the subject rapidly) I was checking the area, Sir, because I thought I saw a light shining in one of cottages on the lane. Her Ladyship told me they are holiday cottages, but no-one is staying there at the moment.

DIW: Umm! Right I’m off to talk to her Ladyship.

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Mrs Roberts (MR, The housekeeper) My Lady, the Inspector has arrived and he wishes to speak to you.

Lady Hargreaves (LH) Yes, thank you Roberts. Show him in will you.

Lady Hargreaves nervously paced back and forth across the library floor. Can Inspectors smell fear she wondered? Would he believe her story, and would she be able to get through it without making a mistake? How on earth did she let the Vicar talk her into this, and more importantly, how could she get out of it? Her heart was pounding and she felt faint! But just then, there was a knock on the library door.

MR: My Lady, this is Detective Inspector Walsh.

LH: Come in inspector. You’ve met the Vicar, haven’t you?

She nervously wiped her hands on her dress.

DIW: Good morning Lady Hargreaves – Vicar! I’m sorry to trouble you at this difficult time - I understand you’ve already spoken to my Sergeant.

LH: Yes Inspector, he and those forensics people arrived about twenty minutes ago.

DIW: Look I am a little unclear about a few things. You called in to report the sound of a shot, did you not?

LH: Yes Inspector.

DIW: The shot was heard by you and the Vicar. The sound appeared to come from the farm sheds on the lane. Is that right?

LH: Yes.

DIW: ...and when you approached the doors you found them padlocked from the outside. What is more you haven't been able to enter the sheds because you don't even have a key.

LH: Right again, Inspector.

DIW: My sergeant was talking about a suicide. Do we even know that someone was shot?

LH: Well ... er ... I assumed ...

The Vicar (V): Sorry to interrupt, Inspector, I wonder whether I might be excused. I have a funeral to see to you see.

DIW: Okay, but don’t go anywhere afterwards. Sergeant Morris will want to speak to you. Now then Lady Hargreaves, where were we?

THE CHALLENGE
So what happens next? Your challenge is to write a paragraph or two describing the next part of the story from the point of view of any of the characters or as a general narrator - I’ll then use some of your ideas to move the story forward and to lead into the next photograph and chapter of the story for tomorrow. You can either leave your paragraph(s) as comments to this photo or post links to where I can find them on your own journal page, tagging them ‘Story Starts Challenge’. I hope you enjoy the challenge and will collaborate in bringing the story to a satisfactory conclusion by the end of the week!