Story Starts Challenge - Day 5

Chapter 5: A Black Cat And Some Red Herrings

Lady Hargreaves was worried. She was sure that the police were getting more and more suspicious and she knew that DI Walsh would not give up until he had got to the bottom of it all - she remembered a few years ago when he’d investigated a case where a young girl had gone missing - everyone had said she had run away with her boyfriend but he never gave up until he discovered she had been kidnapped - he became a local hero for a short time.

She picked up the phone... after a couple of rings it was answered...

LH: Jonty? (silence) Jonty, are you there? Answer me this minute...
Jonty (J): Yes, I'm here what do you want? I thought we agreed not to have any contact just yet...
LH: Jonty, I'm very worried, I think I should speak with the Inspector as soon as possible - I'm sure he can be relied upon to be discreet.
J: Look, I know what has happened is terrible but the old man has been under a lot of pressure lately and finding out about me might have just pushed him over the edge... it has nothing at all to do with this other business... you agreed and I’m the one taking the risk with the paintings - you have nothing to worry about at all ...
LH: But Jonty I agreed to just one painting no more than that and that was to help you out of a bind - you assured me that it would be enough - but now...

Jonty interrupts roughly...

J: Just listen to me, Mama, if I don't pay off that gambling debt my life won't be worth living - do you want to see your only son in hospital with his arms and legs broken - and maybe worse? I know it was a shock for the old man to find out you had me before you met him but what's done is done and we can't go back now...

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Sergeant Morris smiled to himself at the mention of ‘Young’ Lamb, because old retainer, Detective Constable Lamb, was anything but young. He was, however, just the thorough sort of chap to investigate the situation up through the Woods.

DC Lamb struggled up the slope to where the long grass lay that would mark the spot he was looking for. The discarded frames were soon located, and bagged up as evidence. Just before returning, however, his glance along the nearby footpath hit upon something metallic glinting in the bright sunlight. He was soon on his knees and searched hard until ‘Eureka’, he had something else to bag up and take back triumphantly to the station. Just as well he had tried to dress for the country to blend in today, though frankly he wasn't usually noted for his sense of fashion.

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As Detective Inspector Walsh climbed the lane to the Hall he absent-mindedly stroked the black cat that was sitting on the bench outside the Church. He quickly arrived at his destination and was shown in to the Library by Mrs Roberts, the house keeper and Lady Hargreaves joined him shortly after.

DIW: Good morning Lady Hargreaves – it’s not looking good, I’m afraid. Preliminary results from Forensics indicate that the body in the Sheds is that of your husband. It seems he had been shot in the head by a single bullet and died instantly. I’m so sorry for your loss, but we’ll have to ask you to formally identify the body at some point today.
LH: Yes... Yes, of course Detective Inspector.

Lady Hargreaves’ voice trembled as she uttered the words and she slowly turned away so that the single tear rolling down her face could not be seen.

DIW: I know this isn’t a good time, your Ladyship, but I think we need to clear a few things up.
LH: Wha... what do you mean?
DIW: Well, when I was up here yesterday and you took me through to the Parlour, I couldn’t help but notice the fallen candlestick and the smashed glass. So what had happened? Did you and your husband have an argument? Was there a fight?
LH: Oh goodness me, No! No it was nothing like that... You see when the Vicar came to call, his cat, Toby, must have followed him up to the Hall – he follows him everywhere you see. Somehow he had got into the Parlour, an open window, I suspect, and had jumped on to the mantle and knocked over a candlestick which fell and broke the vase in the hearth. When you called I simple hadn’t had time to call the maid to clear up the damage.
DIW: Now you told Sergeant Morris that no-one was staying in the holiday cottages on the Estate, did you not? So, how do you explain a light having been spotted in number 11 by Sergeant Morris himself last night? And Morris followed someone from the cottages through the Woods this very morning. This someone just happened to be disposing of a number of picture frames in the long grass up beyond the woods... How do you explain that?
LH: Well, I’m not sure what to say Detective Inspector. When I said no-one was staying there, I meant no paying guests. In actual fact my son Jonty has been staying there of late.
DIW: Your son? But I understood that you and his Lordship didn’t have any children.
LH: No Inspector, WE don’t. Jonty was born before I even met his Lordship. He was brought up by a the spinster aunt of mine and we’d had very little contact until he suddenly turned up on my doorstep about two weeks ago. Well, I couldn’t turn him away, could I?
DIW: No, no I suppose you couldn’t... Now, your husband has been shot in the head by a single bullet. Tell me, does Lord Hargreaves own a gun?
LH: As a matter of fact, he does, his Great-Great Grandfather’s service pistol – he keeps it locked in the safe in his study.
DIW: Can you show it to me now?
LH: Certainly – if you’d like to come this way.

Lady Hargreaves led Detective Inspector Walsh through to the study. Papers were strewn all over the desk and floor. Drawers in the desk and filing cabinet had been left open and there was a general sense of disarray about the room.

LH: Oh goodness, what on earth has been going on here – it looks like we may have been burgled. There’s the safe where my husband keeps... kept his gun, but it’s open and the gun’s not there.
DIW: Don’t touch anything, step back in to the Parlour your Ladyship – I want Forensics up here right away!