Miss Matilda Hayward and the Freak Show (Miss Matilda Hayward series Book 1)

by Helen Goltz

  ‘How kind of you to bring Mr Jo-Jo a book, Detective Dart,’ Matilda said, as Harry finished telling her of Mr Jo-Jo’s love of reading, but his inability to go to a bookstore.

  ‘I’d love to take him to a bookstore and let him browse to his heart’s content,’ Harry said with a sigh.

  Matilda had an idea; she was rarely without one.

  ‘Detective Dart, if you were prepared to collaborate, I might be able to make that happen for Mr Jo-Jo!’

  ‘Indeed, let’s collaborate and give the poor man a happy memory.’

  ‘Done! I’ll talk to my Aunt Audrey in confidence and let you know the outcome. Is he social if we were to have a private supper to follow?’ Matilda asked.

  ‘Indeed, and very articulate, good company. We might have to hasten; I understand from Teddy that the exhibition will leave as soon as they are cleared to do so.’

  ‘Aunt Audrey will love the challenge. She has a heart of gold under that tough exterior.’

  Harry smiled, delighted. ‘Bless her. Wouldn’t that be lovely to do that for him?’

  ‘You have a kind heart, Detective Dart. You need to impart some of that to your protégé,’ she joked.

  ‘Ah Thomas, an intense young man, but he has a soft spot for you. He’s waiting for you Miss Hayward, but I am speaking out of turn to say that.’

  Matilda flushed, but was not surprised.

  ‘It’s odd for us both after a lifetime of friendship to think like that. And Thomas does like the ladies,’ she said.

  ‘Necessity not choice, my dear. He would ask for your hand in a heartbeat if you gave any sign you were ready. But of course, I never said that.’ He tapped his nose and Matilda laughed. Then he knocked on Mrs Tufton’s van, gave Matilda a small bow, and departed after greeting Mrs Tufton.

  ****

  Matilda stepped into the caravan and the two ladies greeted each other with a hug; a sign of their growing closeness. Unbeknown to Matilda, before the afternoon was done, she would make an important discovery on the case, but for now, she accepted the offer of tea.

  ‘I am so glad you came,’ Anna said. ‘It is so hard being in waiting. Waiting to leave, waiting to bury Carl, waiting to find a killer, waiting to do my last show…’

  ‘I can only imagine,’ Matilda sympathised. ‘I’ve never been good at sitting still either and you’ve had much more worldly experience than me.’

  She accepted the offer of tea and produced the slices baked by Cook.

  ‘How thoughtful. Please thank her on my behalf,’ Anna said.

  ‘Of course. So tell me, have you plans in place yet? Where shall you go? We must correspond,’ Matilda said.

  The ladies enjoyed tea and banter for some forty minutes until Matilda rose to return her cup and saucer to the tiny kitchenette.

  She paused, seeing Mrs Wilks through the curtains. She was wandering to the small copse of trees behind the exhibition tents, looking back several times as if she thought someone was watching or following her.

  ‘That’s odd,’ Matilda said, and Anna rose and joined her at the window, catching a glimpse of Mrs Wilks walking into the forest area.

  ‘It is,’ Anna agreed, ‘she looks nervous.’

  ‘What is in there?’ Matilda asked.

  ‘Just dense greenery. Carl and I took a turn of the grounds several times.’

  Matilda noted she said her deceased husband’s name with absolutely no emotion.

  ‘It is a pleasant walk through there,’ Anna continued. ‘Quite dense in places and there are a few boggy areas. You certainly wouldn’t want to be in there at night,’ she told Matilda.

  ‘I’m going to follow her,’ Matilda said.

  Anna gasped. ‘That could be dangerous. Let me come.’

  ‘No, you are kind to offer, but she will see us both, and I will move quicker. I promise to be careful.’

  ‘I’ll keep watch and listen. If you have not returned in a brief time, I will get help. Yell or scream and I will hear you and come.’

  ‘I will,’ Matilda assured her and opening the caravan door, headed down the few stairs of the van and darted around the back towards the small forest. She glanced back to find that Anna had followed her to the back of the caravan where she could see the area and hear if she were needed.

  Matilda headed towards the forest, staying close to the trees as she entered. She could see Mrs Wilks’ blue gown in the distance as she weaved her way through the trees. Little did Matilda know that behind her, Teddy had seen her and also followed; he had given a brief wave to the giantess and pointed that he intended to follow.

  Anna had no option but to trust he was honourable.

  Matilda heard her name and looked around. She didn’t see him at first and then Teddy emerged from behind a tree, his finger across his lips warning her to hush. She nodded, and they fell in together.

  ‘I was worried I might frighten you and we’d alert Mrs Wilks to our presence,’ he whispered.

  ‘Thank you for following me,’ she said. ‘Do you think it is odd?’

  ‘Definitely,’ he answered. ‘She looked around quite a bit before entering as if she was out to do something.’

  They trod quietly, following and keeping Mrs Wilks in sight, and then she stopped. Matilda and Teddy moved closer without showing themselves and watched.

  Mrs Wilks looked around again, ensuring she was alone and squatting down, she moved a couple of large stones and ran her hand along the earth feeling for something. She visibly relaxed and then moved the two stones back in place, stood, brushed off her hands and turned to walk out the way she came in, but this time much more briskly, as if her work were done.

  Teddy and Matilda scurried quietly behind cover and waited until she passed.

  When they were safe, Matilda asked, ‘Should we go see what is under there before notifying your uncle? It might not be relevant.’

  ‘True, but we might also unearth or ruin something that’s a clue and then find ourselves in trouble with the law,’ Teddy said, less interested in a scoop than Matilda, and mindful of the wrath of his uncle.

  ‘Then we’d best get Thomas.’

  ‘I agree,’ Teddy said, ‘but I’m worried that if we don’t watch the area, it might be different on our return.’

  Matilda nodded. ‘If you are happy to stay here, I will rush back – Anna is watching for me. I’ll have Thomas sent for now.’

  ‘Perfect,’ Teddy agreed.

  ‘Be careful. I’ll be as fast as I can,’ she assured him, and standing, hurried back the way she had come to help solve a case of murder.

  Chapter 31

  As Matilda broke free from the trees and rushed back across the grounds, she saw Anna still waiting for her. Then she stopped suddenly. Standing with her arms folded watching Matilda was Mrs Wilks. She was some distance away, but there was no doubt that she saw where Matilda emerged from. Matilda froze.

  Scenarios rang through her mind: if Mrs Wilks were hiding something related to the murders and Matilda went to Anna, Mrs Wilks would see, and it might put Anna in danger. It would also leave Teddy vulnerable and alone. If Mrs Wilks returned to the rock area, she may well attack him, and he was unprepared and had no weapon. Matilda thought if she were to confront Mrs Wilks, she might draw harm upon herself. Of course it could be completely innocent, and Mrs Wilks may have other reasons for visiting the area, but Matilda couldn’t risk that.

  As she stood frozen, Mrs Wilks turned and walked away. What to do now? Matilda looked to Anna, who had stayed out of sight and appeared to understand the risk. Was Detective Dart still here? Unlikely, it had been close to an hour. Matilda saw an opportunity; one of the crew was coming towards her carting a rope and some tools.

  ‘Miss,’ he said, with a nod.

  ‘Can you help me please?’ she asked.

  ‘I’ll do my best, miss. What do ya need?’ he said, keen to help the attractive young lady.

  ‘Could you please give Mrs Tuft
on an urgent message for me?’

  He looked confused.

  ‘Anna, she is just over near her van and expecting me.’

  He looked over and then back at Matilda. ‘Oh, the giantess, no problem.’

  Matilda continued, hurriedly, ‘Could you ask her to call the detectives and let them know I am still on site? They were expecting me to do a story on them.’

  ‘Ah, you’d be one of those lady writers. Right then. So, tell her to call the detectives and tell them you’re not coming?’

  ‘That will do perfectly, thank you kindly.’

  ‘Pleasure, ma’am,’ he said and strode towards Anna. Matilda didn’t wait to see if he delivered the message or Anna’s reaction. She would understand what it meant and would know who to trust to deliver it. She hurried back towards Teddy and the forest, as fast as her dress would allow her, and not taking her eyes off her surroundings in case she should see Mrs Wilks coming.

  ‘What’s happened?’ Teddy asked, rising and appearing before her from behind a tree.

  Matilda told him what had transpired.

  ‘Perhaps we should move the rocks and see. It might be nothing and we can explain that to Uncle when he gets here… but if she returns with support and outnumbers us…’

  Matilda nodded. ‘That’s what I was worried about, too. Let’s do it.’

  She allowed Teddy to lead the way, constantly watching and listening to the surrounding forest. He knelt in the area where Mrs Wilks had been and moved the two large stones. The earth underneath was fresh and not compacted like the soil around the surrounding rocks. With his bare hands, Teddy dug away the top layer, and then glanced at Matilda.

  ‘What is it?’ she asked, leaning over, keen to get a glimpse.

  ‘I think we’ve found the two missing walking canes.’

  Teddy dug a little deeper and sure enough, two long sticks appeared, one with a distinct metal globe on the end, encrusted in the dirt.

  ‘Should we get them and go?’ Matilda asked.

  ‘Uncle Thomas will have my head if we touch them. I know that much from his stories, but we may have to,’ he said and looked around.

  ‘If only Anna, the giantess, were a man, we could secure the scene and have our own personal guard,’ Matilda said with a sigh.

  ‘I can lift two men,’ a voice said and made them both jump and swing around.

  The giantess stood there.

  Chapter 32

  The forest area was quiet. The giantess had moved with stealth – an impossible feat one would have thought for a person so large but yet neither Matilda nor Teddy had heard her approach.

  ‘Anna! We didn’t hear you!’ Matilda said, shocked, her hand racing to her heart. Had she sent a message to the detectives, or had Matilda misjudged Anna? Were Anna and Mrs Wilks involved in the murders of Mrs Wilks’ lover and Anna’s husband?

  Anna smiled. ‘There’s a small path behind you that I discovered on one of my afternoon walks,’ she said. ‘It’s been used regularly, and the path is clear of branches.’

  ‘Right,’ Teddy said, ‘and here I was thinking you were a stealth expert.’

  Anna laughed.

  Matilda realised Teddy had not made the connection; he didn’t think they could be in trouble.

  ‘I am surprisingly light on my feet,’ Anna said and smiled. She returned her attention to Matilda. ‘I had a message sent to your friend,’ she said subtly, with a glance at Teddy and then back to Matilda, not sure about Teddy’s involvement.

  ‘Thank you,’ Matilda said, breathing a sigh of relief. ‘I knew you would understand. You have met Teddy, have you not?’

  ‘I’m the new assistant cook,’ he said, ‘and we’ve seen each other in passing, Mrs Tufton.’

  ‘Yes, indeed. Please call me Anna.’ She looked at the small unearthed trough. ‘You’ve found something?’

  Teddy explained about following Mrs Wilks and unearthing the walking canes as they watched and waited. Matilda thought it might still be possible that Anna warned Mrs Wilks and she would come with reinforcement, instead of the expected detectives. But it wasn’t long until Matilda saw Thomas and Harry entering the caravan lane and she relaxed.

  ‘I’ll go to them,’ she said. ‘Thank you, Anna.’ Matilda raced out of the treed area and waved her arms until they noticed her. Both men picked up speed and ran towards her, Thomas well in the lead.

  ‘I’m fine, it’s all fine,’ she assured him, holding up her hands. Thomas’s look of panic subsided. He slowed down and drew large breaths, and Detective Dart caught up.

  ‘For the love of God, Matilda, I thought you were attacked again,’ he snapped, scanning her and taking a measure of his anger when he saw her eyes widen at his display of temper.

  ‘No, I’m fine. I’m sorry, Thomas,’ she said and explained, ‘I had to be a little cloak and dagger. I wasn’t confident of whose side everyone was on.’

  ‘Very smart indeed,’ Detective Dart said to her between pants.

  ‘We’ve found something,’ she said. ‘Mrs Wilks went into the bush, and we followed.’

  ‘We?’ Thomas asked sharply, his eyes narrowing.

  ‘Teddy and I, and Anna called for help and came back to watch over us.’

  ‘Thank Christ,’ Thomas swore under his breath. They followed Matilda into the copse of trees and coming upon Teddy and Anna, Thomas and Harry acknowledged them before looking into the area that had been dug out.

  Thomas nodded. ‘I think you’ve unearthed a murder weapon.’

  *****

  Mrs Wilks sat in the gaol cell, tight-lipped and waiting for legal counsel. She had said little in her police interview, but Thomas guessed a night in the cells would make her feel a little more talkative the next day. Mr Jo-Jo had identified one cane was his and the other was the deceased Mr Burnham’s cane.

  Thomas paced around his office, stopping only long enough to look at the canes displayed on the table before beginning his pacing again. He had only just retrieved them from the coroner, who had confirmed that Mr Jo-Jo’s cane was indeed a positive match for the skull wounds received by the first victim. Why beat one and not the other? Was it the same killer, or was he interrupted before he could deliver his modus operandi?

  Thomas wanted to see Matilda. He pondered why she seemed to find herself in the middle of trouble. Did it seek her, or did she draw it to her? As if he didn’t have enough to worry about, he sighed. He couldn’t even call in on her this evening on the pretence of seeing Daniel – she was at some bookshop outing with Harry and Harry’s new charity recipient, Jo from the Freak Show. Going home was no consolation when Teddy had been commissioned at a handsome rate by Aunt Audrey to produce her menu for Harry’s evening. He paced around his office for a while longer before deciding to have one more crack at Mrs Wilks. He found the night desk clerk and ordered her returned to the interview room. He made his way there at his leisure.

  He had to give Mrs Wilks credit, she had more front than Finney Isles Big Block Emporium in Adelaide Street and that had front. Most ladies, except for the street girls, were fearful of the law and revealed their hands without any pressure needing to be added, but Mrs Wilks had Russian stoicism, a healthy distrust of men and the law, and self-preservation working for her. Sitting opposite her, Thomas took a different tack.

  ‘I do not believe you killed Mr Burnham yourself,’ he said.

  Irina Wilks placed her hands on the table and exhaled, gratified.

  ‘I do, however, believe you know who did and you may be protecting them. What other reason would you have to hide the two canes?’

  She looked down at the table and did not speak.

  ‘You know this does not bode well for you,’ Thomas continued. ‘If you are protecting yourself or your husband, or even someone in your employment, you did lead us to the weapons, which a jury will see as guilt. You were in a relationship with the deceased, and Mr Tufton was a bully trying to coerce more money from a business that
you manage and now run. Are you protecting your husband?’

  Mrs Wilks laughed at the suggestion, but did not answer.

  ‘Did you witness Mr Jo-Jo and Mr Burnham in a fight, and are you protecting Mr Jo-Jo?’

  She sighed and, breaking her silence, said, ‘I assure you, Detective Ashdown, neither of those gentlemen would fight to the death.’ She emphasised the word gentlemen and Thomas gave that some thought before phrasing his next question.

  ‘So if it was not you, and as I said, I don’t believe you to be the killer, the light has to fall on your husband or Mrs Tufton as the likely suspects.’

  ‘Anna, the giantess!’ Mrs Wilks exclaimed with surprise. ‘Good lord, there’s an original idea. Would she need to beat them though, or could she just crush them to death?’ She gave a wry laugh.

  Detective Ashdown pushed himself out of his chair and moved to the exit door, turning and leaning against it.

  ‘I get the impression you would be happy to see your husband charged and locked away, Mrs Wilks. If Mr Burnham felt the same way about your husband and wanted you to himself, was he intending to bump him off, but was overpowered and Mr Wilks won the fight?’

  She appeared to think about this for a while and then answered, ‘I guess that’s as good a scenario as any.’

  Thomas sighed. ‘Mrs Wilks, I’m not looking for your help to come up with a reason to arrest your husband. I’m looking for the truth.’

  She gave him a wry look; her lack of fear again surprised him, particularly in a foreign police station.

  ‘How many languages do you speak, Mrs Wilks?’ Thomas asked out of the blue, remembering Teddy overhearing her respond to the boxer.

  ‘English and Russian,’ she retorted.

  And then he cut to the chase, bluffing just a little. ‘I have in the cells a man that was brought in earlier today. The man you were seen paying money to at the Exhibition.’

  She sat upright, and her head snapped to look at him. It was the reaction he was hoping for and he was not disappointed. This man was involved and now Thomas just had to find him.