by Packer, Vin
Mr. Reynolds again reviewed the psychiatrists’ finding, asking the jury to realize that there is a tendency for “Crown doctors” to approach a case in a “not exactly impartial manner … After all, they are employees of the Crown!”
He ended by saying that even if it could be proved that quite normal youngsters were capable of behaving as the Edlin and Kent girls did, up until the time of the murder, the fact of the murder cannot be discounted. “It is one thing to say they acted like any other highly imaginative adolescents might,” he said, “and another to round out the story with the fact of the brutal murder of Mrs. Edlin, described in Mary Drew Edlin’s diary as ‘polishing off’ and ‘the joyous forthcoming event I’ ”
• • •
Mr. Thomas Baird gave the concluding address. He asked the jury to remember that insanity is a disease that renders its victims unsound in mind; that is, unable to know right from wrong. The murder, Baird contended, was planned very carefully. There was argument between the girls over whether or not the rock would do the job. There was a weighing back and forth as to whether or not Southwark Park was the right place. Their motive was clear-cut: to rid themselves of the one person who most strongly objected to their close relationship, who had in fact always objected most strongly. Would a person of unsound mind, incapable of knowing right from wrong, have been capable of such exacting detail as throwing the ring’s stone on the path to get Mrs. Edlin’s attention; choosing a secluded area in Southwark Park on a weekday afternoon when this area was not usually frequented; selecting an egg-shaped rock that was symbolic of the Druid’s egg; and frequently and consistently recording the plans in daily diary entries!
Mr. Baird ended his address by saying, “I do not contend that the Edlin and Kent girls are healthy in mind; they are filthy in mind, depraved, and thoroughly evil in mind, but they are sane. They knew that murder was contrary to the law. If they hadn’t, they would not have planned it so carefully, picked such an isolated area, and then told their fantastic lies, until they were trapped by the police into admitting the truth. This was an evil deed; the rotten fruit of an evil friendship. You have no choice but to find the accused guilty of the murder of Louisa Edlin. Mary Drew Edlin and Martha Kent are incurable, yes … but they are incurably evil, not incurably insane!”
• • •
The jury had retired at 12:01 and had taken an adjournment for lunch.
It was reported that as police matrons waited to take Mary Drew Edlin and Martha Kent in charge, an attempt at passing notes was made between the girls. The notes were seized; their contents were not revealed.
Thus ended the most sensational murder trial ever to take place in this area, a murder case as shocking as the infamous Leopold-Loeb case that took place in America in the early nineteen-twenties.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
GIRLS GUILTY, SANE!
— Weerdale Sentinel headline on the final day of the Edlin-Kent trial
WEERDALE, AUG. 30. — A verdict of “guilty” was returned by the jury in the Edlin-Kent murder trial this afternoon. The girl prisoners were sentenced to be detained at Her Majesty’s pleasure. When the foreman of the jury returned the verdict at 4:25, and the “guilty” verdict was read, the Edlin girl glanced quickly in Martha Kent’s direction, then seemed to snicker with embarrassment. Martha Kent showed no emotion, but kept her head lowered, her eyes averting the crowd’s curious stares, as the pair were led from the dock.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
On the afternoon of the trial’s end, I intercepted and destroyed the following notes, written by Mary Drew Edlin and Martha Kent to each other.
— Police Matron Stella Terrence, on the final day of the Edlin-Kent trial
AUGUST 30, 1956
“Dear Moly,
Isn’t lawyer Reynolds ugly? Really ugly! Ugly enough to be Horrible! I bet Miss Nicky was fired from Chillam as a result of all this. Wish we’d kept the note she sent to Rush. What a great sensation it would have been in court! What a row there must be at Chillam!”
I have dreamed up a wonderful torture for Raynor, with needles. Can’t wait until this damned mess dies down and we can get on with our affairs!
Decided Raynor and Gretchen will have children after all. Then we’ll have imbeciles like Belinda — to drown!
Thought of Rob and L.L. the other night. They seem very far away. I won’t make this too long or it’ll be impossible to pass. What a lot we have to discuss, Moly!
Yours, Druid.
“Druid dearest,
Guess what! Roddy has walked out on Mother! Father told me yesterday. He’s run off abroad! So maybe, if things work out, I won’t be leaving after all.
I hope I can slip this to you. Wish you could slip me a note, but I know it is not anything we planned, and by the time you get this, we may know our fate.
Doesn’t Reynolds look like Horrible! Every time he gets up in court, I smell sardines!
I miss Raynor more than I can, write, even Rob a little. I have an envelope bulging with novel ideas to discuss. I thought of matching off Reynolds with Dr. Mannerheim. Wouldn’t they be divinely silly!
I am praying to God we will be back soon in our Paradise, and our special, wonderful, dear Palace. I hope someone thinks to save the newspapers.
Always, all ways, Gretchen”
THE END
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Original Copyright © 1958 by Fawcett Publications, Inc.
Copyright Renewal © 1986 by Vin Packer
All rights reserved.
Cover Art ©123RF
This is a work of fiction.
Names, characters, corporations, institutions, organizations, events, or locales in this novel are either the product of the author's imagination or, if real, used fictitiously. The resemblance of any character to actual persons (living or dead) is entirely coincidental.
eISBN 10: 1-4405-3699-6
eISBN 13: 978-1-4405-3699-1