by J. R. Ellis
Jack met the other three in a pub in the late afternoon after their interviews at the police station. The cramped old bar was on the west side of the town up a street that rose steeply from the harbour. It contained a fair number of people in goth costumes as momentum continued to build for the coming weekend. On a long window ledge was a line of bottles streaked with candle wax and festooned with white cobwebs.
‘How did it go?’ he asked as he brought back a round from the bar.
‘Fine,’ replied Maggie. ‘We all just told them what we’d seen, which was fairly straightforward. They talked to us separately; I don’t know if they were looking for differences in our stories as if they think we had something to do with it.’
‘They always do that.’
‘They asked us more about their relationship,’ continued Louise. ‘I suppose they’re looking for reasons why he would stab her.’
‘They did get a bit mental with each other,’ said Ben, drinking from his pint. ‘All I can think of is that he just lost it with her.’
‘How come he had a knife?’ asked Jack.
‘I don’t know. Maybe he often carried one around.’
‘What, like a boy scout or drug dealer in a tough area?’ Maggie sounded very doubtful.
‘Perhaps, or it could have been part of his costume.’
A sceptical silence greeted this suggestion.
‘Anyway,’ said Ben, speaking to Louise, ‘what’s your dad going to do while he’s here?’
Louise looked around the group a little nervously. She had foreseen that Oldroyd’s presence might be treated with a measure of surprise if not suspicion by the others. It was also time for her to declare her feeling that the case was more complicated than it appeared.
‘He’s going to help the police here. He’s very experienced. I asked him to come over because I think there’s more to what’s happened than we think. I don’t trust the local police to look into things deeply enough.’
‘How do you mean?’ asked Jack.
‘I don’t know. It’s frustrating; I can’t explain it, but don’t we all think that it doesn’t really add up? Would Dominic just stab Andrea and run off?’
Maggie sighed. ‘I’m sure he didn’t intend to kill her.’
‘They cared for each other; I know they did. Even if they argued a bit,’ insisted Louise. She took a drink from her glass of wine. Her hand was shaky.
‘It was more than a bit, to be honest, and the thing is,’ said Ben, ‘we all know what we saw. There’s no getting away from it. I wish we could.’
‘That’s what my dad and the detective sergeant said. They think I’m emotional about it because of the shock and I’m not seeing things clearly. They could be right, I know.’
‘Oh, I don’t know what to make of it all,’ said Maggie with a big sigh. ‘But I don’t want to leave here until they find him.’
‘Why?’ asked Jack.
‘I don’t know. It doesn’t feel right somehow. Mark should be here soon. I’ll feel better then.’
‘What about you?’ Jack asked Ben.
‘I’m going to stick around too. I want to see how Louise’s dad gets on; see if there are any complications; I can’t see any myself.’
‘Right. Well, I suppose I’ll stick around to keep you company. I was supposed to be here all this weekend anyway. I’m the only one who hasn’t had a chance to dress up yet.’ Jack drained his glass. ‘Your round, Ben.’
Louise was looking at her phone. ‘I’ve got a text from dad. I’m going back to meet him at the Airbnb. He says he’s found something.’
‘So, I think it’s time you told me about everyone involved in this, including the bloke who arrived today.’
‘Jack?’
‘Yes, everyone.’
‘Why? Do you suspect someone of something?’
‘Not at the moment, but if Steph and I are going to look into this we need to know everything. It’s often some detail which you think is unimportant that turns out to be crucial.’
It was early evening and Oldroyd, Steph and Louise were back in the living room at the Airbnb. Oldroyd had brought some takeaway vegetarian curries. Louise’s friends had stayed in the pub and were going to eat out later. Oldroyd had told his daughter about the sarcophagus trick and that he now felt that there were things worth exploring. He sat and munched a samosa as he listened to Louise. Steph was eating a bowl of butternut squash curry with rice.
‘Okay. I’ll start with Dominic and Andrea. I knew Andrea – her surname’s Barnes – at college in Leeds years ago, but I met her again in London when I was working in the refuge. She was going out with Jack Ryerson at that point but she left him for Dom who was a drama type like her. She’d done drama at one of the drama schools and she was working with a women’s theatre group, which did plays about abused women and stuff like that. She was still working for them as far as I know. They came to perform at the refuge. Dom didn’t do drama like her but he was interested in theatre and was in student productions and stuff at uni. He was working for some kind of media company. I think he still does that kind of work. It was always a bit of a fiery relationship, as we’ve told everybody, but I’m sure they cared about each other. I’ve known them as a couple for a while.’
‘What did they argue about?’
‘Oh, anything and everything. They were both very extravert confident types who liked their own way. They always made it up though. One of the worst rows they had was about Andrea’s inheritance. She had an aunt who died and left her a lovely flat in Leeds. It’s in one of those early Victorian stone buildings out in Far Headingley near the Cottage Road cinema. Andrea loved the place partly because she had so many fond memories of visiting her aunt. Anyway, she was keen to move up from London and live there but Dominic’s a Londoner and he wouldn’t consider it; didn’t want to give up his job and come up north.’
‘So what happened?’
‘They couldn’t agree. The aunt left the flat fully furnished. It’s beautiful; I’ve seen it. I used to go with Andrea to see her aunt in the old days. It’s just there empty most of the time at the moment. Andrea comes up for weekends sometimes to see her old Leeds friends. I think she was going to rent it out soon unless she could persuade Dom to change his mind. Meanwhile they live in Tower Hamlets somewhere.’
‘And what about Ben?’
‘Ben Morton; he’s an artist and lecturer. He studied Fine Art in London somewhere. He’s a friend of Dominic’s; that’s how he came into our group. He does a bit of teaching to supplement his artwork I think. He’s a few years older than the rest of us.’
‘How did Dominic get to know him?’
‘I’m not sure. I think they may have shared a house together when they were students or at least when Dominic was.’
She stopped to eat a bit of her curry but didn’t have much appetite.
‘Go on,’ said Oldroyd, filling himself a bowl of spinach and potato curry and breaking off a piece of naan bread.
‘You’ve met Maggie Hinton before. She came up to Harrogate once and stayed with us. She was at Oxford with me and then we both went to work at the refuge. She’s travelled in Thailand and Australia for a while. Now she’s working in a coffee shop and still trying to work out her next move I think.’
‘Not unlike a lot of people of your generation.’
‘No. Last there’s Jack Ryerson. As I said there’s a bit of history there: him and Andrea were an item a while ago. But it all ended amicably and he stayed in our friendship group. I don’t know where Andrea originally met him but he works for a publishing company in London.’
‘I see. Why has he only got here today?’
‘He said he had work to do or a meeting or something so he had to miss yesterday. I suppose I ought to mention Mark. He’s Maggie’s boyfriend and he’s going to arrive soon; tomorrow, I think. He’s not really part of our group but he comes along to stuff with her occasionally. He works in personnel. They moved in together recently.’
‘D
oes he have any connection with anybody else you’ve mentioned?’
‘Not particularly. I think he was at college at the same time as Andrea and Dom but he didn’t really know them.’
Oldroyd glanced at Steph, inviting her to ask a question.
‘Could Jack have harboured any resentment against Andrea and her new partner? That’s the only possible motive I can see in what you’ve told us,’ she asked.
Louise put down her fork and took a sip of water. ‘I never saw any sign of it. But anyway, how can Jack be a suspect when he wasn’t even there when Andrea was stabbed?’
Oldroyd shrugged. ‘I’ve no idea, but talking about that moment and what happened afterwards, when Dominic went out of that room, did you hear anything else? Did you hear him open the door in the other room to the outside? Maybe there was traffic noise or something.’
Louise furrowed her brow. ‘It all happened so quickly and people were shouting and screaming and he was in the next room. I didn’t hear anything.’
‘Okay, not to worry. It was just a thought.’
Louise lay back on the sofa. ‘God, I’m exhausted again. It’s been another long stressful day.’
‘Yes, well, Steph and I will be off soon. There are a couple of things I want you to do for me. First, can you ask Ben and Maggie about Jack and whether they saw any sign of hostility to Andrea and Dominic? They’re not to mention anything to Jack. Okay?’
Louise looked uneasy. ‘Okay.’
‘And then I want you to ask them if they heard anything from that room where Dominic went after he stabbed Andrea. Okay?’
‘Yes. I don’t like this, though: asking questions and being secretive.’
‘No, I understand, especially when they’re your friends.’ He smiled. ‘But you asked for this, so you’ll have to help.’
‘All right.’
‘Also, you must remember that everything we find out has to go back to Inspector Granger. You understand? She’s in charge of the investigation and none of us can keep any relevant information or evidence from her. I would be in big trouble if that happened.’
‘Yes.’
Oldroyd stood up. ‘Right, love; we’ll leave you in peace now. Give us a hug. How are you feeling now? You look better than when we arrived this morning.’
‘I do feel better, thanks. I’m sure it’s not just my imagination. Do you think you’re on to anything?’ she asked as she embraced him.
‘It’s too early to say and Steph will tell you that I don’t like sharing theories until I have evidence to support them. Let’s just say I have questions in my mind.’
Louise nodded. ‘Good.’
Oldroyd had booked rooms for himself and Steph in a small hotel. As they walked back in the dark, they discussed the case.
‘I presume you’re thinking the sarcophagus has some significance, sir?’
‘Yes, we’ll get Granger to call her forensics people in to analyse that stain.’
‘Do you think someone could have hidden in there?’
‘Maybe, though I’m not sure who. Dominic may have had an accomplice or he may have gone in there himself, hid, and got out later. That’s why I was asking if she actually heard him leave the building. He may have cut himself on the blade he used. That often happens with knife assaults.’
‘But why would he hide in there instead of just going straight out of the emergency exit door?’
‘I don’t know. But if he did, that’s clear evidence of premeditation. He had to know that the sarcophagus had two parts. Louise won’t like the idea, but that together with the fact that he’d brought the knife points to the attack being planned.’
‘Hmm,’ murmured Steph. ‘It’s not a very good plan though, is it? Murder someone in a room full of other people and then bolt for it? It makes more sense if he just lost it and stabbed her in anger, but then you still have to explain why he had the knife.’
‘You’re absolutely right, and it’s what makes me think we’ve got more to find out yet. At the moment it doesn’t really make complete sense either way.’
‘Where do you think he is?’
‘I haven’t a clue, but I would expect him to be found before too long. Anyway, here we are.’ He stopped at the hotel entrance and they checked in.
‘Tell Andy we’re enjoying the seaside. We should send him an old-fashioned postcard saying “Wish You Were Here”.’
Steph laughed. ‘I don’t think he’d particularly want to be here, sir; especially at this time of year. He likes the countryside and the villages a lot more since he joined us from London, but a little coastal town like this at the end of October is probably not for him.’ They laughed and went their separate ways. Steph’s room was on the ground floor.
As he ascended the stairs, Oldroyd felt tired. It had been a long day. It was still quite early but he decided to go to bed. Before he did, he spent a few minutes looking out from his window which had a view over the river Esk. It was a moonlit night with ragged clouds moving across the sky and stars above the dark mass of the abbey on the hill opposite. On a night like this it was easy to see why Bram Stoker had chosen the town as a setting for his gothic novel. And now the town was full of people dressed like characters from that style of fiction. Was there some clue in all this? Why did Dominic attack his girlfriend in that Dracula-themed escape room? Steph was right; it was strange. As yet, he had no answers. But more and more questions were entering his mind.
Louise sat on the sofa trying to relax, waiting for the others to return. Her dad was a reassuring presence, but the events of the previous day were still raw. She would never forget Dominic lunging forward and Andrea’s scream. She was sipping tea and beginning to doze off when suddenly there was a commotion outside and the door crashed open. Maggie came in looking highly agitated followed closely by the others.
‘Louise, it’s him again. Dominic! He’s texted me this time. And look what he says!’
Louise grabbed the phone and read:
Meet you by the church near the abbey 11.30 tonight. I’ll explain all. Dom
‘He wants to meet you?! What the hell?!’
‘I’m not going by myself,’ said Maggie. ‘I still think he’s mad. He might attack me.’
Jack looked at the message. ‘What does he mean, “explain all”? What is there to explain?’
‘Why he did it? Maybe he was forced to somehow,’ replied Louise.
‘What does he expect us to do?’ asked Ben. ‘He must know that you’d tell us about the text. It sounds like a plea for help.’
‘I don’t know,’ replied Louise, looking very thoughtful. ‘But surely we have to respond. Whatever’s going on, I’m sure he’s in a very bad way.’ She looked at her watch. ‘Let’s go, now. It’s nearly time.’
‘Hold on,’ said Jack. ‘Maggie’s right. He could be dangerous. You all saw what he did. I’m taking this stick.’ He picked up a heavy walking stick, which was by the coat stand in the hall.
‘You’re right,’ said Ben. ‘Well, I’m taking a knife.’ He went to the kitchen and came back with a small but sharp knife.
‘Oh no, not a knife again,’ wailed Maggie. ‘For God’s sake be careful with it!’
‘Look, it’s just a precaution, okay? I don’t think for a moment he’ll be any danger to us, but we can’t risk it after what happened.’
‘Ben, you can’t take that, it could just make things worse,’ said Louise. ‘It’s illegal to carry a knife.’
‘Is that what your dad would say?’ asked Ben with an edge of contempt in his voice.
‘Yes, but it’s true,’ insisted Louise.
‘Okay,’ replied Ben, raising his hands in a sign of defeat as he took the knife back to the kitchen.
‘We should just make it over there by half eleven,’ continued Louise as she put her coat on and the group left the house. She thought about telling her dad but decided against it. He would definitely tell her not to go, but this was important. If Dominic needed them, they couldn’t let him down.
<
br /> Two
There was a bright, full moon with heavy black driving clouds, which threw the whole scene into a fleeting diorama of light and shade as they sailed across.
From Mina Murray’s Journal in Dracula
The streets around the harbour were still noisy as revellers, many in goth costumes, left the closing pubs. A figure wearing a mask, steampunk goggles and the sinister beak of a seventeenth-century plague doctor stumbled into Louise and then fell onto the pavement. It was pulled up onto its feet by two grinning skeletons in black costumes painted with white bones.
‘Get up, you drunken sod!’ laughed one of them.
As they progressed down Church Street, it became quieter and, when they reached the famous 199 steps up to St Mary’s Church and the ruined abbey, there was no one ahead on the steep climb up the hill.
‘Where is he going to be, do you think?’ asked Maggie as she looked nervously up towards the abbey over which a purple searchlight raked the sky. This was another way in which the town created an atmosphere for the Goth Weekend.
‘Who knows?’ replied Jack, gripping his stick. ‘No doubt he’ll see us coming up from wherever he’s hiding. There’s a scene in Dracula, isn’t there? Where he’s seen with a victim near this church?’
‘Stop it!’ said Maggie. ‘You’re freaking me out even more.’
They reached the top of the steps and saw the dark mass of the church with its wide, squat tower ahead to their left. The churchyard was full of gravestones and monuments. It all felt very sinister in the darkness.
‘Oh God! Where is he?’ whispered Maggie. They all looked around keenly in every direction. There was no sign of anybody.