by Charlot King
Elizabeth is so happy with her discovery that she even smiles at Abley.
“Oh good. So we know it was double murder. Anything else?”
Elizabeth has been holding back, but now hits the Inspector with more, pulling her glasses off the end of her nose and sitting back down on a work stool.
“Well yes, the plant I am thinking about is native to Africa. If Leedham confirms my research, then we have it. You see, with this poison the onset of the symptoms are rapid, usually within an hour of ingesting it, sometimes sooner. They include nausea and trismus. Once seizures start, if not treated they can kill rapidly.”
“You know the Dean of King’s requested I ask you to keep your distance from the college and from Dr Eruna.”
Inspector Abley smirks. Elizabeth is disappointed by Percival Flint’s actions. How sad, she thought they respected one another. She is also less inclined to like him now she realises what he’d do for Dr Eruna. Elizabeth realises she may need Bob to protect her as this is getting dangerous. She’d better come clean about the letter.
“I didn’t want to point the finger again until I was sure.”
Abley knows Elizabeth’s tone. He immediately looks straight at her.
“Elizabeth, what have you done?”
Elizabeth tries to look humble. It doesn’t work.
“I was going to tell you... I found a letter in Edward’s room. It was addressed to the Dean. Edward was warning him to stay away from Labzuu, as they were involved in illegal testing experiments in Kenya. Whoever hit me must have taken it.”
Abley coughs out some croissant, after everything he’s said. Elizabeth hands him a muslin, which he refuses as it looks like it has seen better days.
“When were you going to tell me this?”
“I thought you’d think I was exaggerating. I wanted proof first. I think Dr Eruna has something to do with the murders. Edward starts digging about the company, and then he winds up dead. But why is the Dean defending Dr Eruna? Do you think he could be tied up in all of this?”
It is beginning to make sense to the Inspector. He says, “That might explain something we found, when going through files on Edward’s computer. An email from the Dean to Edward. Flint was just inviting Edward Wiley to dinner, and thanked him for the information. But we didn’t know what information. It must be the letter you found. Edward must have kept a copy of the letter he sent to the Dean in his rooms. The Dean must have received the information from Edward, though where that is I don’t know, as his reply went on to say Edward Wiley should talk to Professor Prins about the other matter. Didn’t say what the other matter was. And I’m not sure if they ever met. Haven’t followed that lead up yet. What’s Prins’s field?”
Elizabeth replies. “The economic dynamics of the African continent, been Prins’ favourite topic on the lecture circuit for years. What that has to do with it I’m not sure. But one thing is clear, the Dean is trying to hide shady deals in Africa that would bring the college into disrepute. Edward was warning the Dean in that letter... so someone kills him before he can tell all?”
The pieces are falling together. Elizabeth clenches her fist and waves her pen about. Abley is as excited and grabs Elizabeth by both arms and pulls her face up to look at his. There is a moment between them, two friends, intimate. Elizabeth feels vulnerable in his arms, like someone is looking after her, on her side. She breaks eye contact and raises her shoulders for Abley to let go, which he does. Abley coughs, aware how close they just got.
“I shall make another visit to the Dean and leave Dr Eruna to me, Liz.”
Elizabeth smiles at Abley, a little more relaxed after their contact, and says “An ill woman of a certain age, with concussion can’t get up to much. So do you think we’ve found our killers? They have a motive.”
Abley reminds Elizabeth there are still things missing in their deductions.
“We need proof.”
The Inspector leaves, raising his eyebrows as he goes. Elizabeth hasn’t felt this alive in ages.
✧
Rebecca is standing in the Dean’s rooms, with Jonathan. The Dean is now keen to distance the college from Edward and Susan’s deaths as much as possible.
“I know it is sudden, and I’m very sorry. But we’re so limited for space. The new Fellow is moving in on Monday, Mrs Wiley.”
Rebecca drops to the Dean’s couch.
“He’s not even cold in the ground, how can you do this? My life is here.”
Professor Flint tries his best understanding voice.
“Unfortunately we need to replace Dr Wiley’s lecturing and teaching duties immediately. Someone must take his place by Monday or we’ll have a riot. The chap we’ve found, good fellow, has nowhere to live. We have packing facilities here, if you would like us to help. Carter will arrange for everything to be boxed up? If you had nowhere to go it would be different, but clearly you have loving family around you.”
Jonathan chips in, trying to help.
“We’ve said Rebecca can stay with us, for as long as she wants.”
Rebecca is having none of it, and pulls her face into a scowl.
“Why are you both so keen to organise me. I want to stay in college.”
“I’m sorry Mrs Wiley, but that is no longer possible.”
Then an idea strikes Jonathan.
“How about if I rent a flat here for double the price?”
“It’s not a question of money, though we do need to charge. It’s the fact that Rebecca is not associated with college, I mean with any duties here.”
Jonathan makes a last effort to assuage the Dean.
“What if I made a generous donation. A truly generous donation?”
The Dean sighs.
“Don’t get me started on generous donations. They always come with strings which I don’t have the taste for.”
Jonathan knows that’s the end of it. He sits with Rebecca and takes her hand.
“I could buy you a flat on the Parade, Rebecca. Overlooking the college, so you still feel near.”
Rebecca pulls her hand from her brother’s and rushes out. Jonathan glares at Percival and then rushes after Rebecca. Outside Rebecca and Jonathan stand in the sun as Rebecca cries.
“What a beastly man. So stiff about the whole thing. You know, Edward liked him a lot. Always said he was a good man. Didn’t see any of that, did you? I can’t believe he’s doing this.”
Jonathan replies, while rubbing Rebecca’s back.
“Maybe he didn’t like Edward as much as he let on? I have to put a few hours in at the constituency surgery in Ely, but Kat is coming to take you to get some food. Let’s get a coffee while we wait for her.”
43. Protest
A forty strong group of protestors have gathered in a field directly next to the Science Park campus, just a hundred yards away from the offices of Labzuu. Bobble hats, dreadlocks, purple haired youth mix in with bespectacled middle-aged, middle-class folk in their hiking boots and luminous cycle jackets, with placards leaning against bags and a loud hailer propped up against an angry looking man’s boots. Elizabeth and Godric are among them, trying to integrate with their new ‘best friends’, as the group sip their last drinks from flasks of hot chocolates and read their own leaflets and smile and chatter to each other nervously. This protest has been advertised on a social media site Godric found, and Elizabeth thought by joining the protest they might get some more information about Labzuu. Godric sticks out wildly from the others, in his plimsolls, flannels, white shirt and floppy fringe, while Elizabeth in trousers with a green and black stripy jumper and pink scarf blends in perfectly with the eccentrics and weirdly dressed activists.
The placards are handed out, reading ‘Eruna is unethical’, ‘Labzuu-PIRATES’ and ‘Ovakin kills’. The angry looking man has now picked up the loud hailer and starts to rally everyone to start walkin
g and chanting as they head towards offices, ‘Stop illegal experiments!’ and ‘Shut down Labzuu!’ Another man has more placards he got out of his car and walks over to the group handing out a few. Some distance away a bored cameraman, reporter and producer are standing about smoking and chatting, wondering if this is too dull for the lunchtime news later. Godric is handed a placard which reads ‘Stop Tests Now’, and effeminately starts to wave it about. Someone hands Elizabeth a placard which reads ‘Eruna is an Egit’. Godric smirks and shakes his placard at Elizabeth encouragingly, and Elizabeth shakes hers back. The protestors have now all reached the lawn in front of the Labzuu buildings and are gathering in a circle, moving round anti-clockwise. An employee tries to leave the offices without being noticed, but the crowd spot him and immediately cheer ‘go on you traitor’, and ‘do you sleep all right at night?’ Godric in the crowd shouts across to Elizabeth.
“Remind me why we are doing this again?”
Elizabeth is determined.
“One chap I just spoke to said they are testing Ovakin in Namibia, despite Europe banning the tests here last year. These people think they shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it.”
There’s a surge in the crowd as a female Labzuu employee tries to enter the offices. She’s pushed and jostled as she walks by, and trips a little. A bit of a foray starts as she shouts at the protestors, and two security guards move in on her behalf and start pushing the protestors back. A police van and squad car bellow around the corner and screech to a halt. The doors on the car fly open and two armed police, with batons still pocketed and protective vests, rush out towards the crowd, totally overboard, to support the security guards. The camera crew perks up and starts filming, the reporter now trying to mingle in the crowd to get the best piece-to-camera, but is accidentally hit on the head by a placard, yet regains composure and still says her lines perfectly. A policeman gets out his loud hailer.
“No permission has been sought for this protest! You must disperse and leave! If you continue, then we will have no alternative but to arrest you for breach of the peace!”
The crowd start to surge and jeer at the police. This is enough of a signal for the police rear van doors to fling open and twelve police in armed gear rush the crowd, this time with batons in their hands. Elizabeth and Godric are separated and Elizabeth finds herself thrown to the front of the crowd. There is much jostling, with fists flying and protestors pushing against the police, who are now also clearly hitting protestors. As Elizabeth is grabbed by a large policeman and led towards another police van that has just turned up, she looks up and sees Dr Eruna looking down out of the window. She sees Godric stuck right in the middle of a mosh of police and protestors, who are pushing and using batons and placards to try to stop either side. Godric waves her that he’s picked up the scarf she dropped. The reporter continues to do her piece to camera and tries to interview Godric as he is being pushed about.
“Why are you here?”
Godric is gratefully pushed away from the microphone as an angry man leaps forward to answer for him.
“Labzuu are criminals. They’ve been conducting illegal experiments out of the public eye in places like Africa and Latin America, experiments which are banned in Europe. We’re here to bring this to the attention of everybody. They try to keep it secret. They’ve also been taking DNA from indigenous people and ripping them off. Just practically stealing it.”
“Do you know this for a fact? And please remember we are now reporting live.”
“Yes, we have evidence. They’re criminals.”
The protestor is grabbed by the police and led away to the van mid-interview. Godric takes this as his cue to quietly walk away from the protest unnoticed. He walks towards the company building and gets out his mobile, trying to look busy. A police officer eyes him suspiciously, as Godric wraps the pink scarf around his neck and with a flourish says, “I’m a Reporter, caught up in it. Sorry, have to file a story. Excuse me please.” And turns his back on the policeman, who carries on pushing protestors. Godric, well dressed as he is, goes unnoticed as he walks through the front lobby and into a sofa area, now watching the protest safely away from the ruckus.
“Hello. Can you put me through to Inspector Abley please? Well can you tell him that Elizabeth Green is in trouble. Yes, he will know what it is about. Yes, Elizabeth Green. She’s been arrested. I presume she’ll be heading into Parkside shortly. In one of your police vans. Up at the Science Park. Yes, yes. I think he’ll want to know.” As he hangs up Godric can see Elizabeth’s head disappear as the first van door shuts, now the van is full of protestors. Looking down from the window above Dr Eruna smiles and waves at Elizabeth just before the final door slams shut and the police bang it as a signal for the driver to leave. The police van pulls away as scuffles continue and another van takes its place.
✧
The Police reception area at Parkside is full of protestors, and friends and family of protestors who have turned up to bail them out. Inspector Abley smiles at Elizabeth as she is let go after a caution and he signs as her guarantor. The irony doesn’t escape the other protestors who look at Elizabeth weirdly.
“What? Eruna is an Egit. That was me, I was there. I’m one of you, remember?”
Elizabeth and the Inspector shuffle a little further away from the ensuing commotion as the other van brings in fresh protestors to be charged or cautioned depending on the level of resistance. Inspector Abley holds her arm to stop near the automatic doors. She looks across Parker’s Piece at the people walking the diagonal paths, oblivious to each other’s lives.
“Oh, and the sand on the floor didn’t work. No footprints and more of my grapes have disappeared. Can today get any better?”
“Dr Eruna has taken out an injunction against you, and of course the others.”
“What does that mean?”
Inspector Abley smirks.
“You can’t go within 500 metres of Labzuu.”
“Well this is topsy-turvy policing if ever I’ve heard it. I mean, he’s the one doing illegal things, not me.”
“We just enforce the law. We don’t make it up.” Abley laughs a little “Always thought you were a rebel. What you do in your spare time is no business of mine.”
“If a small group of concerned citizens cannot make known their opposition to unscrupulous business practices, peacefully, without getting the firm hand of the law shoved down upon their heads, well, then what is the world coming to? I’ve a good mind to -”
“Don’t write a letter Elizabeth.”
“Never mind all that. Where’s Godric? Did he get arrested?”
“I took Godric home half an hour ago. He managed to keep away from the police attention, lucky for him. He wanted to wait here for you, but I said you’d need a hot bath and warm food waiting for you at home when you get back. So he’s on it. Come on, my wages will stretch to a coffee on the way. I mean hot chocolate.” Abley opens the door for Elizabeth and continues, “And actually, for what it’s worth... I think you might be onto something with Dr Eruna. Facts wise we have been looking more closely at his business ventures, and as you say I am not sure he’s run it all past the Kenyan government. They have been chasing him for answers for some time.”
Inspector Abley opens the door for Elizabeth as they both leave for his car.
“There’s only one place for dark hot chocolate. Take me there.”
The Inspector rolls his eyes, knowing full well Elizabeth has chosen the best place in Cambridge to drink hot chocolates.
44. The Wedding
Kara and Rebecca are in a wedding outfitters along King Street, for Kara’s final fitting. Rebecca picks up an embroidered posy, as Kara speaks.
“Thank you for coming. I’m sorry about the timing of this, I know it’s too soon and everything. It’s just that if we don’t get them fitted today, they won’t be ready in time.”
“
It’s okay. I remember getting married. Best day of my life.”
Kara looks at herself in the mirror.
“This dress makes me look fat.”
Kara waits for Rebecca to protest, but she doesn’t. So Kara begins to take off the dress. “Jonathan would kill me if he knew I was putting you through this.”
“Then we won’t tell him.”
“Thank you.”
Kara picks up a lace veil and holds it above her head in the mirror.
“Two weeks.”
“Then you’ll be a Smythe-Jones. Are you sure you want to?”
“Never been more sure of anything. I love you Rebecca.”
“You’re a foolish girl, but I love you too. Now, come on. Let’s go back into town and choose some drippingly expensive diamonds for you to wear too.”
✧
Kara, Jonathan and Rebecca are sitting at home. Jonathan gets up and pours himself a strong whisky, spotting a couple of shopping bags on the floor.
“What have you been up to?”
“Nothing much. Just wandering around.”
Rebecca forgets it was a secret.
“We tried on dresses. I think it is lovely that you’re getting married. Kara looks beautiful in silk. The world shouldn’t stop because of my heartbreak.”
“What?” Jonathan is shocked
“We can’t show you. It’s unlucky.”
Jonathan looks at Kara, questioning in his eyes.
“You think we’re still going to get married so soon? Have you lost your senses? We’ve just had a death in the family.”
Rebecca can’t believe her brother.
“Jonathan, don’t be mean to Kat. This has been her dream. To stay in England.”
Kara sighs, angry at Rebecca for revealing their secret when she said she wouldn’t. But Kara doesn’t show it.