by John Holt
“It’s Mollie.”
“Right you are, Mollie,” said Fletcher. “The function was arranged by the local Chamber of Commerce. I am a member of the Chamber, and was simply obliged to go.”
“But I thought that you were keeping a low profile,” said Kendall. “Therefore you would have stayed away.”
Fletcher shook his head. “Not that simple I’m afraid,” he replied. “I had to go you understand. But I did keep very much in the background while I was there. You may have heard about Lowry’s attack on me?”
Kendall shook his head. “No I don’t know anything about it.”
Fletcher shook his head. “Well it wasn’t anything new,” Fletcher explained. “Lowry attacked me at any opportunity. I was well used to it.”
“So did you retaliate?” asked Kendall.
Fletcher shook his head once again. “No I didn’t. I made no response whatever, even though I was sorely tempted.”
“I see,” said Kendall, not entirely satisfied. “I imagine you witnessed the little outburst that followed that attack.”
Fletcher started to laugh. “I did indeed. It was most amusing, almost worth the entrance fee.”
“Amusing,” repeated Kendall. “Someone threatens to kill someone else, and you consider it to be amusing.”
“Oh Kendall get with it,” said Fletcher becoming impatient. “The man was drunk. It was an idle threat nothing more.”
“But Lowry was killed a few days later,” said Kendall.
“What?” replied Fletcher. “Lowry dead, I can’t believe it.”
“Nonetheless, it’s true,” said Kendall. “You don’t seem surprised though.”
Fletcher shook his head. “I’m not surprised, Mr. Kendall,” he replied. “As I said Lowry had a lot of enemies. Many of them were there at that dinner. Anyone of them would have killed him gladly.”
“Including yourself?” said Kendall.
Fletcher started to smile. “As I said he had a lot of enemies.”
“You sound almost pleased,” said Mollie.
“Well I can’t say I’m sorry,” Fletcher replied. “I won’t shed any tears if that’s what you mean, but I am stunned.” He shook his head. “I never knew anything about it. How did it happen? When? Who did it? Not that guy, the one who made the threat. What was his name?”
“Gardiner,” replied Kendall. “Martin Gardiner.”
“That’s right, Martin Gardiner,” said Fletcher. “Did he do it?”
“The police seem to think so,” said Mollie. “He’s been charged, and goes to trial in a few months.”
“Hard to believe,” said Fletcher. “But if the police think he did it they must know. There’s no smoke without fire.”
Mollie shook her head. “We happen to think he’s innocent,” she said looking at Kendall and smiling. Kendall said nothing.
“Very interesting,” said Fletcher. He heaved a sigh, and looked at his watch. “I wish I had more time to discuss your reasoning, but I haven’t.” He stood up. “Well, if there’s nothing else, I really must get going.”
Kendall nodded. “Can’t think of anything else at the moment,” he said. “What about you Mollie?”
Mollie shook her head.
Kendall looked at Fletcher, and held up the envelopes. “I’ll check these out,” he said. “And get back to you as soon as I can. Where can I reach you?”
Fletcher shook his head. “I don’t know where I’ll be,” he replied. He paused for a few moments. “I’ll contact you in a few days time.”
Kendall heaved a sigh. “Well I have to say that I’m not happy about all this secrecy, but you’re the boss I guess.”
“That’s right,” said Fletcher. “I’m the boss. I’ll speak to you in a few days.” With that he turned and hurried out of the office.
* * *
“So what did you think of that little performance then?” asked Kendall, after Fletcher had left.
Mollie looked up puzzled. “Performance?” she repeated. “What do you mean?”
“That performance,” Kendall replied, pointing to the door and shrugging his shoulders. “There’s something very odd going on, I’m not sure what.”
“What’s the problem?” asked Mollie.
Kendall looked at her for a few moments. “If you were being blackmailed, and you had been told not to tell the police, would you tell everything to someone like me?”
Mollie shook her head. “Maybe not, but ….”
“And if you wanted to lie low, and keep quiet about something, would you be carrying those letters around with you?” Kendall continued.
“Well I might if I didn’t want anyone else to see them,” Mollie suggested.
Kendall shook his head. “I don’t go along with that. I think Fletcher wanted me to see them.”
“Why would he want that?” asked Mollie.
Kendall shook his head. “No idea,” he replied.
“So why did you agree to keep quiet?” Mollie asked. “Why not contact Mrs. Fletcher and tell her the news?”
“Well that’s good coming from you,” replied Kendall. “You’re the one who wants to take work on, remember. We’ll take it, as a special case, a favor if you like.” He paused and smiled. “Ring any bells?”
Mollie glared at him. “All right so I did. But do you think it right that you should take money from both of them?
Kendall rubbed the side of his face and shook his head slowly. “Well yes and no,” he replied. “Normally I would say that it wasn’t right. But there’s something going on here, and the arrangement seems to suit one or both of them.” He paused. “I’m curious. I want to see what it’s all about. Until I know more, a lot more, I’ll continue to take their money for as long as they want to pay it.”
“Well it doesn’t seem right to me,” said Mollie.
Kendall shook his head. “Fletcher knows the score, he’s over twenty-one. He is fully aware of what is happening,” he replied. “It doesn’t seem to bother him does it? So it doesn’t bother me, I want to know exactly what is going on, that’s all.”
Mollie wasn’t entirely convinced. “I guess you know what you’re doing,” she replied.
Kendall smiled, and shook his head. Did he know what he was doing? “Nothing more than a hunch I’m afraid,” he admitted.
Now it was Mollie’s turn to smile. “Thought so,” she replied. “I’ll make some coffee then shall I?”
“Good idea,” Kendall replied as he reached down and opened the top drawer of his desk. “And some ….”
“I know,” Mollie called back.
Kendall took out the three envelopes and placed them on the desk in front of him. “I should get these checked for prints,” he announced.
“Sorry what did you say?” Mollie asked returning with the coffee.
“I said they should be checked for prints,” Kendall explained. “It’s a long shot, but you never know.” He gathered up the documents and handed them to Mollie. “Send them to Alan at the department. Get him to run a check and get back to me as soon as he can.”
* * *
Chapter Twenty-Two
The Sentinel Offices
Mollie had managed to arrange an appointment for later that day with Raymond Dixon, the Editor of the Sentinel. He had been reluctant at first, and saw no reason for such a meeting. The police had investigated Lowry’s death thoroughly, and they had a suspect in custody. The trial had been set for a couple of month’s time, so what was there to discuss.
Mollie had explained that there were doubts being expressed about the guilt of the suspect and that certain points needed further clarification.
“Two o’clock,” Dixon had agreed. “I can spare you thirty minutes, no more.”
* * *
It was just a few minutes before two o’clock when Kendall arrived at the offices of the Virginia Sentinel. He was shown into a reception area.
“I’m Julie,” said a smart young lady. “I’m Mr. Lowry’s ….” she paused and looked down. “
I’m sorry. I’m Mr. Dixon’s secretary. Mr. Dixon knows that you are here. He won’t be long. Make yourself comfortable.”
Kendall took the seat indicated. He looked around. On every wall there were framed newspaper front pages. “Lee Surrenders” stated one; “Pearl Harbor Attacked” declared another; “President Kennedy Assassinated” said a third. Kendall stood up and walked towards a fourth giving details of the Moon landing. As he did so the door opened.
“Ah Mr. Kendall, I’m Raymond Dixon,” a voice called out. “Two o’clock on the dot. I like that. A man who is punctual knows the value of time.”
Kendall held out his hand. “Good of you to see me,” he said.
Dixon took hold of the outstretched hand and shook it. “I see you are admiring our front pages.”
Kendall nodded, and glanced back at the walls.
“So what exactly can I do for you?” Dixon asked.
“It’s about the death of Victor Lowry,” explained Kendall.
Dixon shook his head. “I told your secretary that ….”
“Business partner,” corrected Kendall. “Not secretary.”
Dixon looked puzzled. “I beg your pardon.”
“Mollie is not my secretary,” replied Kendall. “She is my business partner.”
“Oh, well whatever I told her that I saw no purpose in this meeting, but she insisted,” Dixon continued. “I’m still of the same opinion but you are here now so let’s get on with it shall we?” He turned towards the secretary. “Julie no calls for the time being, I’ll tell you when.”
He walked to the doorway. “Let’s go to my office. It’s this way, Mr. Kendall.” He paused and turned to face Julie once again. “Perhaps you could rustle up some coffee, I could use a cup, and I’m sure Mr. Kendall wouldn’t say no.”
Dixon and Kendall left the room and continued a short distance along the corridor. “Here it is,” said Dixon. “My humble abode, do go in.” He opened the door and beckoned Kendall to enter. “Have a seat,” he said as he closed the door behind him.
“Now you were saying you wanted to talk about Victor’s death,” said Dixon as he sat down.
“That’s correct,” replied Kendall.
“Poor Victor,” Dixon said. “Such a great loss, and he will be sorely missed.”
Somehow Kendall wasn’t entirely convinced that it was such a great loss. It seemed more like an unexpected opportunity that Mr. Dixon fully intended taking advantage of. “Perhaps so,” said Kendall. “And yet I understand that he won’t be universally missed.”
“I don’t understand,” replied Dixon.
“Enemies, Mr. Dixon,” replied Kendall. “I understand that he had plenty of enemies.”
“Mr. Kendall in this industry no one gets to where Mr. Lowry was without making enemies,” Dixon replied. “But I’m sure that you had already worked that out.”
Kendall said nothing and merely nodded agreement.
“So what can I tell you,” Dixon continued. “I’ve told the police everything that I can think of.”
“Yes I’m sure you have,” agreed Kendall. “There are just one or two loose ends that’s all, nothing major. I’m sure we’ll ….”
He was interrupted by a knock on the door. The door opened. “Your coffee, sir,” said a young man.
“Thank you, Roger,” said Dixon. “That will be all.”
The young man left closing the door behind him.
Dixon passed a coffee to Kendall. “Help yourself to cream and sugar.”
Kendall helped himself as instructed, wondering where the cookies were. Coffee was nothing without a chocolate cookie. It was like ham and eggs, without the eggs. It soon became clear that there were not going to be any cookies.
Kendall looked around the office. Clearly there was a lot more money to be made working for a newspaper, than there was being a private detective. Less trouble as well.
“Nice office,” Kendall said, taking Dixon by surprise.
Dixon gave a quick glance around the room, and simply nodded. “You were saying Mr. Kendall, something about loose ends I recall.”
“So I was,” said Kendall as he finished his coffee. “Just a couple of points I’d like your help on.”
“Go ahead I’m only too pleased to help in any way I can,” said Dixon. “Can I get you another coffee, or maybe something stronger?”
The something stronger sounded good. Okay so it was a little early but who would know? Only himself and Dixon, and he wasn’t about to say anything to anyone was he.
“A scotch sounds good,” Kendall replied.
Dixon got up and went over to a drinks cabinet on the far wall. “Ice?” he asked as he poured a good measure of scotch.
“Just a little water,” Kendall called back. “Nice picture.” He pointed towards a silver frame at the corner of the desk.
Dixon looked over. “My wife and son,” he explained. He walked back to the desk. “Disney World, a couple of years ago,” he continued. “Ever been?”
Kendall shook his head.
Dixon handed Kendall his drink and sat down. “Now what was it you wanted to know?”
“Well firstly let me say that Mr. Lowry’s death must have been quite a shock to you all.”
Dixon said nothing for a moment and took a drink. “The Sentinel and Mr. Lowry were one, inseparable. Without Victor I really cannot see a future for the paper.”
Kendall heaved a deep sigh. If they gave Oscars for insincerity that performance would have won hands down. “I’m sure he would have wanted you to carry on though,” he suggested.
“Perhaps Mr. Kendall, perhaps,” said Dixon. “It certainly won’t be easy.”
Was that a tear he saw rolling down Dixon’s cheek? “I think you’ll manage,” he said, trying not to sound sarcastic, but failing.
“But those loose ends that you mentioned,” Dixon said.
“Ah yes,” replied Kendall. “It’s just that I thought it odd that Mr. Lowry was at his home that day, the day of the murder. I would have expected him to be here, at the office.”
“Ah yes I can understand where you are coming from,” replied Dixon. “You are quite right, normally he would have been here, or at one of the other offices. Apparently he had received a call, and he needed to be at home that afternoon.”
“Was that a normal occurrence?” asked Kendall
“Not at all,” replied Dixon. “Something important had cropped up, I’m not sure what. He said that if I needed him then I should just give him a call at home.”
“So he had an appointment with someone,” said Kendall.
“Correct.”
“Do you know who had made the call?”
“No I’m afraid not, he never said, and I have to admit I never asked,” replied Dixon. “It was none of my business really.”
“Have you any ideas at all?” Kendall pressed.
“Well in the light of what happened, I had imagined that it had actually all been planned, and that it was the murderer who had made the call,” Dixon replied. “Martin Gardiner.”
“Martin Gardiner,” repeated Kendall. “That’s interesting, but I think a little unlikely. I mean after sacking the guy, and then the scene at the hotel a few nights afterwards, I really can’t imagine Lowry agreeing to meet with him at his home. Can you?”
“You could be right Mr. Kendall,” said Dixon. “I really don’t know. Maybe Julie, his secretary, might know more, she would have taken the call.”
“Maybe,” replied Kendall, far from convinced. “There’s one other thing.”
“Go on,” said Dixon.
“It’s about Martin Gardiner as it happens,” Kendall continued. “I wondered if you knew why he had been sacked?”
“No I’m afraid not,” replied Dixon. “Something between Gardiner and Victor I imagine. He never told me anything about it.”
“It must have been something quite serious, I imagine,” suggested Kendall.
“Certainly it must have been serious,” replied Dixon. “Vi
ctor was a hard task master, but he was fair. He would never dismiss anyone unless there was a good reason.”
“I see,” replied Kendall. “What about the scene at the hotel, were you there?
Dixon started to smile. “Oh yes, I was there, a very entertaining evening if you know what I mean.”
Kendall didn’t know precisely, but he had an idea. “What did you think about Gardiner’s little outburst?”
Dixon took a drink, and began to smile. “Surprised,” he replied. “Yes that’s the word for it. In fact for a while I thought it was all some kind of a joke, you know, a wind up. It was so unlike him. Martin was normally such a quite person. He got on with his job, and was never any trouble. Obviously he was upset about being sacked, but he had clearly been drinking.”
“So do you think he meant it, when he threatened to kill Lowry?”
Dixon hesitated for a moment. “Well I didn’t at the time. I thought it was just the ranting of a man who had too much to drink, but later events proved me wrong.”
“Well it just so happens that he denies murder,” explained Kendall.
“Oh I see,” said Dixon. “But I thought that the police had it all wrapped up.”
Kendall nodded. “It certainly seems that way, but I’ve been asked to investigate.”
“So how’s it going?”
“Early days yet,” replied Kendall. “But there are a couple of things that don’t quite add up.”
“Lowry being at home being one I gather,” replied Dixon.
“That certainly,” replied Kendall. “And Gardiner’s insistence that Lowry was still alive when he left the apartment.”
“Very interesting Mr. Kendall, but I’m afraid I really should get on. Was there anything else?”
“Oh yes, of course. I shan’t keep you,” said Kendall as he stood up. “There’s just one other thing though, nothing to do with Mr. Lowry’s death.”
“What is it?”
“Well I was just wondering about this phone hacking,” Kendall said. “I wonder what your take on it was.”
“That’s quite simple Mr. Kendall, said Dixon. “The Sentinel, and I personally, are very much opposed to it.” He paused for a moment. He stood up and walked to a small table near to the door. He picked up a newspaper, and returned to his seat. He handed the paper to Kendall. “Here we are,” he said. “Today’s edition, take a look we are running a four page feature on the whole matter of phone hacking, and the press, our opposition to it; our view of those who use such practices, and our welcome to the enquiry.”