“That’s exactly what Lord Fitzhugh died of. Nobody could understand how he got septicaemia when he was recovering so very well from the surgery,” said Dermot.
“Probably what Sister Fleming wanted to tell you, in addition to giving you the photograph, was that she suspected that there was a connection between the deaths of the two men.”
“She suspected that Lord Fitzhugh’s death was not due to negligence but deliberate,” said Dermot. “Nurse Northam must’ve infected the bandage with the pus from Hayworth’s bandage and then given it to Dr. Steward to dress Lord Fitzhugh’s wound. That’s how he got septicaemia and died. No wonder Dr. Steward blamed himself; he thought that he’d been negligent.”
— — —
The next morning, Dermot was having breakfast with his parents. Edmund was reading the newspaper, which annoyed Edna and she finally decided to say something about it.
“Edmund, put down that paper at once. Your son rarely eats at home because he’s on a case and now that he’s here you’re reading the paper… May I ask what’s so interesting?”
Edmund put the paper aside. “If you must know, my dear, I’m reading an interesting article about one of the German spies from the Great War.”
“Who?” asked Dermot.
“Gerhard Von Schultz. He spied for Germany during the Great War and has written a book about his experiences as a spy. He says that he placed spies in the War Office who acted as double agents.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, and he was in South Africa during the Boer War. His mother was Boer and his father was German. Because he spoke fluent French, he was in France during the Great War, spying for the Germans. He passed on to the Germans the information he obtained from his spies in England and from the French.”
Dermot suddenly sat upright. “Did you say he was in South Africa?”
“Yes, he fought against the English there. So when the Great War began, he continued to fight the English for the Germans. He said he was going to get important information from his spies in England that would’ve helped the Germans in 1916, but it didn’t happen.”
“Please let me read the article, Father.”
Edmund handed the newspaper to Dermot. Dermot read the article and became thoughtful.
“What is it, Dermot?”
Dermot snapped his fingers. “Thank you, Father.” He put a few spoonfuls of scrambled eggs into his mouth and drank his coffee. He got up from the table and went upstairs to his room with a piece of toast sticking out of his mouth. He looked at his notes and smiled. He had a lead that had unexpectedly fallen into his lap. He went back downstairs.
“Father, I think I’ll need to send a telegram to your friend, Elmer Griffin, in South Africa.”
Chapter 20: A Suspect in Custody
Inspector Enderby was at his desk, writing his report. He was overwhelmed with the direction of the case and there was no end in sight. They had a chief suspect, but no concrete evidence to arrest or charge him with the crime. The phone rang and he picked up the receiver. It was Constable Lyons, whom he had asked to shadow the chief suspect. Inspector Enderby smiled. It was an answer to his prayers – they now had the evidence to charge the suspect with murder.
Inspector Enderby took Constables Beckett and Clarke with him and headed to Meadowford Train Station. They went to the ticket counter and Inspector Enderby asked the man behind the counter what time the next train from London would be arriving.
“At quarter past five, sir.”
Inspector Enderby thanked the man and beckoned to the two constables to follow him to the platform. In a few minutes, people began arriving on the platform and the crowd grew bigger with each passing minute. They heard the whistle of a train and saw smoke in the distance.
“Be on the lookout. We cannot afford to let him escape.” The two constables nodded.
The train approached the station and the crowd started moving forward. As the train stopped directly in front of the platform, the doors opened and the passengers began alighting. The three policemen searched the faces of the passengers for their suspect, but none of the faces looked familiar. All of a sudden, one of the constables pointed to a man standing next to the door of the train carriage.
“There he is.”
The man jumped onto the platform and tried to run towards the exit, but the crowd prevented him from passing through. He turned and ran towards the back of the train, jumping onto the tracks. He looked back and saw the three men pursuing him. He stumbled on one of the sleepers and fell. Before he could get up, the two constables grabbed him and Inspector Enderby came closer.
“Arthur Endecott, I am arresting you on the charges of robbery and the murder of your aunt, Lady Doris Fitzhugh.”
— — —
Inspector Enderby and Dermot walked into the interrogation room. Arthur was sitting down, sulking. The two men sat opposite him and Inspector Enderby produced the diamond earrings.
“Mr. Endecott, you’re in serious trouble for selling a pair of stolen diamond earrings and for resisting arrest. Not to mention that you are a suspect for murdering your aunt.”
Arthur looked up. “I knew that I was a suspect, but I’m innocent.”
“How did you know that we suspected you?”
“Everyone knew that I was there to ask Aunt Doris for some money. She wasn’t sympathetic when I told her why I needed the money…”
“What do you need the money for?” asked Dermot.
“It’s private. Nothing to do with this case.”
“Mr. Endecott, you need to tell us everything,” said Dermot.
Arthur explained that he was part of Delhi’s high society and that he loved gambling. Before marrying Cecily, she made him promise that he would give up gambling. The new set of friends he made in Delhi, however, had got him into gambling again and he had squandered his money. Cecily had threatened to leave him and take their three children with her. A friend of his had told him about a coffee plantation in Kenya. Cecily and he thought it was a good idea to move to Kenya for a fresh start and she promised to stay with him if they moved. The only problem was that he didn’t have any money to move or to buy the plantation.
Arthur had explained the situation to Lady Fitzhugh, but she wasn’t sympathetic. However, while she was getting ready for her birthday party, she called him to her bedroom and told him that she was waiting for some news because she had received a telephone call earlier. Depending on the report she got, she would consider giving him the money he needed, but he had to give up gambling.
“What news was she waiting for and from whom?” asked Dermot.
“She didn’t tell me. It was on a need to know basis with Aunt Doris.”
“Why did you steal the diamond earrings?”
“When I saw her lying there dead, I knew that I wouldn’t receive the money. Nobody would believe that she had made all those promises to me the previous night. I’d seen her put those diamond earrings in the drawer. I knew that Miss Carter was familiar with all the jewellery in Aunt Doris’ jewellery box, but I thought nobody would miss the diamond earrings because they were in the drawer.
“When Slattery and Miss Carter were outside attending to Alice and also preventing the others from entering the bedroom, I saw my chance. I opened the drawer and took the earrings. Then I left the bedroom and acted shocked like everyone else. I knew that these earrings would fetch me some money and I would be able to pay a part of my gambling debts and move to Kenya.”
“Is that all you took?” asked Inspector Enderby.
“Yes, I swear. Honestly, Inspector, I didn’t take anything else.”
Inspector Enderby looked
at his notepad. “We know that you didn’t take the emerald necklace because Miss Carter entered before you and saw the empty jewellery box. However, when we interviewed you just after your aunt’s body was discovered, you said that you only entered the room and stared at the body for a few minutes in shock. Now you’ve admitted that you pinched these earrings. So you lied to us, which is a serious crime. I ask once again; did you take anything else?”
“Just the earrings, I swear,” said Arthur, sounding upset.
Dermot and Inspector Enderby looked at each other and knew what the other was thinking – that Arthur was hiding something.
“One last question; do you have an accomplice?” asked Inspector Enderby.
Arthur looked surprised and shook his head.
“All right, Mr. Endecott. Constable Clarke will escort you back to your cell.”
— — —
A few hours later, after obtaining a search warrant, they drove to Fitzhugh Manor in Dermot’s car. They went to the living room where the two elderly sisters were having tea.
“What’s the meaning of this?” asked Lilian when she saw them.
Inspector Enderby told her about Arthur being arrested and also about Constable Lyons seeing him pawning the earrings in London. He showed them the earrings.
“Good heavens! Those are our mother’s earrings. Haven’t seen them in donkey’s years. Where did he get them from?” asked Flora.
“Mr. Endecott stole them when he entered the bedroom after Lady Fitzhugh’s body was discovered. He lied about not taking anything from the murder scene, but he did. He was always our prime suspect from the beginning. He doesn’t have a solid alibi for the murders of Lady Fitzhugh or Slattery, not like he has for Kerr and Abigail’s murders, but we suspect that he has a partner or two. We cannot figure out who they are… Any idea why he came back to England?” asked Dermot.
Lilian Endecott looked annoyed. “Well, he said that he came to celebrate Doris’ birthday. I knew it wasn’t true because I could tell that he wanted something from her. Doris refused to tell me what it was. She told me at the party that she had an important matter to deal with and that she would let me know once things were settled.”
“What did she mean?” asked Inspector Enderby.
“Doris was always secretive. She never told us anything until she felt that it was the right time to tell us.”
“It’s true,” said Flora. “It drove us crazy that she treated us like children. She would go to any lengths to keep the family name and the fortune secure, just like Father.”
“Did her Ladyship and Mr. Endecott get along?” asked Inspector Enderby.
“He was upset and resented that Father gave everything to Doris because he expected to be his heir, being the only grandson at the time of Father’s death.”
“Any idea why that happened?” asked Dermot.
“He was probably aware that Arthur was just like him. Unfortunately, Arthur inherited Father’s penchant for gambling and excitement. Cecily changed him somewhat after they met and married in Shimla. Father felt that Arthur would squander his inheritance and Doris knew much more about running the estate than Arthur did,” explained Flora.
“Did you know that Arthur’s marriage is on the rocks and that we also received a telegram saying that he’s wanted by the Delhi police for assaulting a high-ranking British civil servant?” asked Dermot.
“No, we never knew about that,” said Lilian. “It wouldn’t surprise me one bit though. Cecily isn’t one to take any nonsense and I’m surprised that she’s stayed with Arthur all this while. Arthur must’ve acted like a martyr and she must’ve fallen for it. Probably, she’s had enough and wants to move on.”
“All right. Well, we have a warrant to search Arthur’s room. We have a feeling that he’s hiding something,” said Inspector Enderby.
Dermot and Inspector Enderby went up the staircase and entered Arthur’s room. They began searching, but after an hour they were still empty-handed.
“Maybe we’re wrong. He may’ve just taken the earrings.”
“Probably,” said Dermot. “But wait, the painting of the landscape looks a bit tilted.” Dermot pointed towards a painting on the wall. “There could be something hidden within the frame. If not, then perhaps I should find another job,” said Dermot.
Dermot took the painting down slowly. He heard something move inside as he turned the frame. He took off the clips and removed the back, then he looked at Inspector Enderby’s eager face and smiled.
“You know we’re missing the murder weapon… Well, here it is, along with the handkerchief he wrapped it in. I’m positive that the blood on the handkerchief is Lady Fitzhugh’s.”
Inspector Enderby looked shocked.
“Blimey,” he said as he caressed his moustache. “He looks like a simpleton. I never thought he’d be capable of committing cold blooded murder.”
“Yes, it’s an Indian dagger. The design on the hilt will have left that bloody impression on the carpet under the bed.”
“I believe we have our killer,” said Inspector Enderby with satisfaction.
— — —
Inspector Enderby and Dermot stood in front of Dr. Talbot who had Lady Fitzhugh’s autopsy file in front of him. He had taken a close-up photograph of her throat where it had been sliced.
“May I?” Dr. Talbot asked as he reached for the dagger.
“Sure, our fingerprint expert at the police department has already taken a partial fingerprint from the dagger. It had been wiped clean, except for the fingerprint on the side of the handle. He’s comparing it with Arthur’s fingerprints that we took when we arrested him and I’m positive it’ll match,” said Inspector Enderby.
Dr. Talbot held the dagger and examined the blade. “The blade is blunt like I suspected, and the width of the blade seems to match the cut on the victim’s throat. I believe that this is the weapon that killed her. It sliced the carotid artery and she would have died within a few minutes.”
“Thank you, Doctor. I believe that Mr. Endecott will start talking when we confront him with the evidence we have,” said Dermot.
— — —
Inspector Enderby and Dermot once again sat in front of Arthur, who now looked scared and worried. He gazed at the table as he was afraid to look at the two men.
“Looks like you’re in a lot of trouble, Mr. Endecott,” said Inspector Enderby sternly.
Arthur looked up, surprised and upset. “Why?”
“We’ve just received a cable from the Delhi Police. It says that you’re wanted in Delhi for assaulting a Mr. Lipton at the Delhi Country Club.”
“It… it’s not what you think. He started going after Cecily when I asked him for a loan to pay off my gambling debts and he wouldn’t leave her. He was drunk and wouldn’t listen when I asked him to let go of her hand. So I hit him.”
“That’s not what we were told. The police didn’t know that you’re in England. They thought that you’re in Calcutta and have been searching for you there.”
“I had my friends spread false rumours that I was in Calcutta, while I went to Bombay and boarded a ship that brought me back to England. I did not mean to assault Mr. Lipton, but he just wouldn’t leave Cecily alone. He’s well connected with the Delhi Police Commissioner and I knew nobody would believe me. So Cecily and I decided that I would come to England, get money from Aunt Doris, and then we could all move to Kenya.”
“It’s not just that; we found this in your room,” said Inspector Enderby.
Arthur’s eyes widened when the dagger, wrapped in the bloodied handkerchief, was placed in front of him.
“Where… where… did you f
ind that?”
“In the painting where you hid it. Did you think that nobody would find it? You didn’t clean it very well. We even found a partial fingerprint on the handle and we have compared that fingerprint to the one we have on file, and it’s yours.”
“Please… I can explain. I did not kill Aunt Doris. I…”
“All right, let’s hear what you have to say,” said Inspector Enderby.
“After I put the earrings in my robe pocket, I turned around and I suddenly spied the dagger under the bed. I was shocked to see it. It was the dagger I had brought from India and it should’ve been in my suitcase. I knew I would be accused of murder. I took my handkerchief and grabbed the dagger, and then I put it in my pocket and walked out like nothing had happened. That’s the truth, I swear. I was just scared that I would be arrested for a crime I did not commit.”
Inspector Enderby banged his fist on the table. “Liar… Do you think we’re fools? Do you think that acting like a martyr will get you some sympathy? I’ve dealt with criminals like you before, and I can tell when someone is lying. You’re in big trouble for murder, assault, avoiding arrest, and theft. The long arm of the law has finally got you.”
“Please… I was scared; I did not murder Aunt Doris.”
“What about the blood stain on the window sill?” asked Dermot.
“I took the bloodied handkerchief to the window sill and wiped some blood on it to make it look like someone had left by the window – so that people wouldn’t suspect that I had something to do with the murder.”
“Mr. Endecott, we know that you have two very good motives for murdering your aunt because you felt that you should’ve inherited the estate from your grandfather and because you also needed money. Besides that, you also tampered with evidence and stole from the crime scene,” said Dermot.
Arthur looked at Dermot almost tearfully. “I did, but I just wanted to tell the truth because I realised that it wouldn’t be in my best interest to withhold anything. Eventually, it would come out in the open and it wouldn’t look good for me.”
A Bloody Hot Summer Page 17