Kendall - Private Detective - Box Set

by John Holt

  The guard knew that he had no real choice. He also knew that the guy standing in front of him had a job to do. “All right,” he said. “But only if we have to.” He looked at Kendall, pleading almost, hoping that perhaps they didn’t have to after all. Kendall said nothing. He knew then that there was no way out. “Let’s get on with it then,” he said reluctantly. “But I don’t see what more I can tell you.”

  “Let me be the judge of that,” said Kendall. “You never know. You might just think of something. If not, nothing lost, except a little bit of time. Not too bad really. Let’s give it a try shall we? I’ll try not to keep you too long.”

  “You better come into the gatehouse,” Ed said, as he raised the barrier. The two men walked over to the gatehouse, and went inside. “Have a seat, I’ll make some coffee.”

  A few minutes later Ed came back with the coffee, and placed it on the desk. “Okay,” he said. “Now we’re ready.”

  Kendall reached inside his jacket and withdrew a small notepad. “Right,” he said. “Now, that night, the night that this terrible thing happened, were there any other visitors? Apart from Mr. Duncan I mean.”

  “No, sir,” Ed replied emphatically. “On the nights that Mr. Duncan was expected, the Governor made it a strict rule that there were to be no other visitors, none whatsoever.”

  “There was no one else, you’re sure about that?” Kendall asked, scribbling on to his pad.

  “Sure I’m sure,” Ed replied, a little indignantly. “The Governor was very strict about that kind of thing. Mr. Duncan didn’t like other people around when he came to visit. Unless, of course, he had made a specific request that others be there. Or it was an official function. Then, of course, he had no say in the matter. Just check the duty register. You’ll see that everything is logged in, and logged out.”

  He opened the book and flicked the pages back to the night of the murder. “There we are,” he said, offering the book to Kendall. “Look, it’s quite clear. There was no one else here that night. No other visitors, only Mr. Duncan.”

  “You’re sure that Mr. Duncan was alone?” Kendall asked. “You’re sure that there was no one else in the car with him?”

  Ed was stunned. What a stupid question. “Sure he was alone,” Ed replied irritably. “I checked the back seat when he arrived. There was nobody there. Mr. Duncan was quite alone.”

  “You’re absolutely certain, there’s no possibility of error,” Kendall said, sounding almost disappointed. His theory was being knocked out of court. “You definitely checked the back seat?”

  “Yes. I definitely checked the back seat,” Ed said, becoming slightly edgy, and impatient. “In fact Mr. Duncan specifically told me to check the area. He was joking of course I know that. I mean imagine checking up on Mr. Duncan.”

  Kendall was not quite ready to give up on his idea, not just yet. “But you did check, nonetheless, despite that,” he said. “Despite the joking, is that right?”

  “Yes, sure I did,” said Ed, now becoming slightly annoyed. “I said I did, didn’t I. I checked.” He stopped suddenly, and became hesitant, unsure. Had he checked the back? Really checked it? He had given it a glance, yes, but that was all. He hadn’t actually opened the back door of the car had he? I did all that I needed to, after all you didn’t check up on a man like Mr. Duncan, did you? An important man like that. A personal friend of the Governor, and a friend of the next President. There was no way. It was totally unheard of. I mean if you couldn’t trust someone like Mr. Duncan well then who could you trust?

  Then he looked down at the ground, a puzzled look on his face, as though he were trying to recall something. He looked up at Kendall. The puzzled look had now completely gone. “I definitely checked. The back seat was empty. There was nobody there.”

  It was a disappointing answer, but it was no more than Kendall expected. After all, if he had checked, and had found someone, I probably wouldn’t be here right now, asking these stupid questions would I? “And Duncan left at what time?” he asked, busily writing in his notepad.

  “It was just after twenty-five minutes past ten,” Ed replied, much calmer now. Now that he was on safer ground. “Look here at the log.” He showed the book to Kendall once again. “There’s the entry,” he said as he found it, and pointed it out. The puzzled look suddenly returned to his face. “Funny,” he said to no one in particular. “That was very early for Mr. Duncan, not like him at all.”

  “What was that?” asked Kendall, looking up from the Register. “What did you say about Duncan?”

  “Nothing really, it was just so early, that’s all. Mr. Duncan, well he normally would stay much later than that. It would be long after midnight, usually. Maybe one o’clock in the morning, even later. The Governor used to complain about the lateness. He wasn’t able for that kind of thing, you know, late nights. Normally he went to bed by no later than eleven. Mr. Duncan would merely laugh it off. Come on Frank, he would say, you’re younger than me. You’re not some old has been are you?” A tear started to form in Ed’s eyes. “The Governor would just smile.”

  Kendall scribbled a note. “But that night, he was gone by twenty-five after ten,” he said. “You’re absolutely sure of that?”

  Ed once again pointed at the log. “That’s what the log states.”

  Kendall wondered if there was any significance in Duncan leaving early that night. He couldn’t think of anything, and dismissed it from his mind. “And Governor Reynolds was shot at what time?” He flipped the pages of his notepad until he found the section he was looking for. “Here it is,” he said. “According to the police doctor, Governor Reynolds was killed sometime between eleven thirty and one. We know that he was in the study at eleven fifteen speaking to Mr. Duncan on the telephone.”

  “That’s right,” said Ed. “And, Mr. Kendall, we know that he was in the house until eleven thirty, when Jarvis heard the front door close.”

  That hadn’t got Kendall very far with his enquiries. “What about this alleged intruder?” he asked. “I mean if there had been anyone in the garage, wouldn’t you have heard anything? Especially if Governor Reynolds heard something while he was inside the house.”

  “You know you are absolutely right,” Ed said. “I mean if the Governor had heard something, then I should have heard something. I mean the Governor wasn’t just inside the house, but he was in the Study, which is at the far back of the house. The garage is only a short distance from here. No more than thirty or forty yards. If the Governor had heard any kind of a noise, then I would have heard it too. But I heard nothing, nothing at all. I just don’t understand that.”

  “When you saw me at the back of the house, the other day,” Kendall responded. “I couldn’t hear any of the noise going on at the front.”

  “That’s proves my point, Mr. Kendall,” said Ed. “I mean there were at least a dozen or more reporters, and several police officers. You couldn’t help but hear them could you?”

  “That’s right,” said Kendall. “And they didn’t care if they made a noise. They weren’t trying to keep quiet, as an intruder would.”

  Ed looked puzzled. “But I thought that you guys were convinced that there was an intruder. I mean that’s what you’ve been saying all along, from day one. What changed your mind?”

  Kendall decided that it was time to come clean. “Ed,” he said, and then hesitated. He cleared his throat. “Ed, I haven’t been entirely honest with you. I said I was a detective. What I should have said is that I’m a private detective. I hope that you can still help me.”

  The guard looked up at Kendall. “Sure, why not?” he replied. “You’re all right, Mr. Kendall. I like you. Besides, you’re right. I don’t believe that there was an intruder that night. I never did. I couldn’t understand how the police had reached that conclusion. I’m sure that if there had been anyone there I would have heard him. Besides, the Governor would have called security. He wouldn’t go out to investigate, alone? Why should he? All he had to do was press the interco
m inside the house. It would have rung through, just over there.” He pointed over to his left side, indicating a receiver, and handset. “We would have put a call through to the local police, and then gone to investigate. There would be no need for the Governor to go out himself. No reason at all. That’s what we are here for. That’s what we get paid for. No, there wasn’t any intruder that night. I’m sure of that now. I just don’t buy it. Besides, with the high wall, the search lights, and the security cameras, CCTV, there’s no way anyone would get in without being seen.”

  Cameras, CCTV, thought Kendall. He looked over to the far wall. He could see a range of monitors, all showing different sections of the property.

  Ed looked over to where Kendall was looking. “We have cameras all over the place,” he said. “Generally the whole place is covered. The front porch, the east lawn, the main entrance, the garage, you name it.”

  “What about the west lawn, and the north and the south lawns?” Kendall murmured.

  Ed looked puzzled. What was Kendall talking about? “I’m sorry Mr. Kendall I didn’t quite hear what you said.”

  ‘”Skip it,” said Kendall. “I’m just trying to be funny again.” He looked away from the monitors, and back to the guard. “The cameras were all working that night?” he asked. “What about the garage?”

  Ed turned to face the bank of monitors. “That one on the left,” he said. “That camera is located at the first floor level of the house. It generally gives a clear view of the garage. We had a bit of a storm three or four weeks ago, and the camera was blown from one of its supports. It now shows one end of the garage only. I never got round to getting it fixed.” He took a drink of coffee. “Anyway it still picked up Mr. Duncan’s car.”

  Kendall’s ears pricked up. “Have you checked the CCTV footage?” he asked. “If so, did it show anything odd, anything at all?”

  “We checked everything. There’s nothing. Not a thing, not that I noticed anyway. And I’ve looked at it over and over again,” Ed replied. “If there had been an intruder one of the cameras would have picked up something, that’s for sure.”

  That was not what Kendall wanted to hear. There had to be something, something being overlooked. “So if there was no intruder, who killed the Governor?”

  Ed had no idea, but he could not accept the idea of the intruder. “I wish I knew Mr. Kendall,” he replied. “But the tapes show nothing.”

  “You’re sure that the cameras were all working normally that night?” Kendall asked, hoping that maybe there had been a fault somewhere.

  “Sure we checked them,” Ed replied. “They were all operating perfectly.” He paused for a few moments. “Generally, all of the cameras show a total lack of activity. In fact the only cameras which showed any major activity at all that night were the ones close to the garage, and that one at the house entrance.” He looked over at the bank of monitors. “And of course the one at the entrance here, that showed Mr. Duncan arriving, and later it shows him leaving. That’s it I’m afraid, nothing of any consequence.”

  True to form, Kendall thought. What is it about this case? I go one step forward, slap into a brick wall, and fall two steps backwards. “Could I see the tapes?” he asked eventually.

  Ed looked up at Kendall. “Well it only shows Mr. Duncan drive in,” he replied. “Then it shows Mr. Duncan and the Governor walk over to the garage. And later it shows Mr. Duncan leaving. Finally it shows the Governor walk back into the garage. He never came out. And that’s all, as I said nothing of any real interest.”

  “Yes I understand,” Kendall said. “Nonetheless, can I see it? You never know.”

  “Well I can’t see the point,” Ed replied. “There’s just nothing to see.”

  Kendall was not about to give up easily. “Maybe you’re right,” he said. “There’s nothing to see, fine. But I’d kind of like to see for myself, you know. Not that I doubt what you say, you understand. I’m just stubborn I suppose. My mother said I was like a mule, only with longer ears. I just need to see for myself. Where’s the harm? Five minutes, that’s all.”

  Ed was wavering. “Okay,” he finally gave in. “I guess it’s all right. Hold on for a minute and I’ll get the tape.” He went over to a cupboard in the far corner. Inside were row upon row of video tapes. “We usually keep these tapes for about two weeks and then they are re-used,” he explained.

  A few minutes later he had selected the tape that he wanted and returned to where Kendall was waiting. He put the tape into the Video player, and pressed the Play button. It was not very clear, and the area it showed was quite dark. After a few moments Duncan’s car appeared coming from the left side. It drove to the front of the garage, and stopped. Only the front portion and the right side of the car could be clearly seen. The left hand side was in darkness. The car door opened and Duncan could be clearly seen getting out. He closed the door, and walked away from the car, towards the house, and out of range of the camera.

  “Mr. Duncan can be seen on the other tape coming towards the house,” Ed said. “Nothing else happens for a while. I’ll wind it on.”

  The tape was then wound on until Duncan came back into vision. With him was Reynolds. They could be seen walking past the car, and into the garage. It was very dark and they could not be seen clearly. Then suddenly the lights in the garage are switched on. The two men could be seen standing close to a green sports car. They remained in the garage for ten or fifteen minutes. Then the light went out and the men disappeared from view.

  “That’s when they both came into the house,” Ed explained. “That’s all there is until Mr. Duncan leaves. I’ll fast forward.” He pressed the appropriate button and the tape wound forward.

  Suddenly Kendall saw something, or thought he had. “What was that?” he asked.

  “What was what?” asked Ed.

  “That shadow at the side of the car,” Kendall replied. “Rewind the tape will you, please.” Ed slowly re-wound the tape.

  “There,” said Kendall. “There it is, don’t you see it?”

  “I don’t see anything,” Ed insisted.

  “Rewind the tape again,” instructed Kendall, beginning to get impatient. “Stop, now forward.” The picture flickered across the monitor. “There, just there, now pause.” Just to the left side of the car a dark shadow suddenly appeared. A split second or two later it had disappeared. “Did you see it?” Kendall asked, pointing to the screen.

  “Not a thing,” Ed replied.

  Kendall was now beginning to get a little irritable. It was clear as the nose on your face. “You must be able to see it,” he said. “Play it again.” The tape slowly wound back, and then played forward once again. “Can you slow it down?” Kendall asked.

  Ed confirmed that he could adjust the speed, but the quality would be poor.

  “Don’t worry about that,” Kendall replied. “Just slow it down.”

  Ed pressed a button, and the image slowed down. The tape was now playing at a quarter of its normal speed. The resolution was poor, and the image jerked badly.

  “There it is, look, pause the tape,” called Kendall. The tape paused. “See it now?” Kendall asked excitedly.

  Ed bent forward, and looked closely at the screen. “Well I can see a dark blob,” he said. “If that’s what you mean.”

  Kendall glanced up to the ceiling. “Exactly,” he replied. “That’s what I mean.”

  “I don’t know what it is,” Ed continued. “Could it be a trick of the light? More likely it’s a fault on the tape. Don’t forget these tapes are used, and re-used over and over again. Some of them are getting pretty old and worn now.” He was convinced that was the problem. “Yes that’s what it is,” he announced knowingly. “It’s nothing more than a faulty tape. That’s all. No big mystery.”

  Maybe it is a faulty tape. That would be par for the course, as usual. But Kendall wasn’t convinced. “I don’t think that is faulty tape,” he said, with the air of someone who knew what he was talking about. “The shadow is only
there for a second or two, and then it’s gone. The tape is perfectly all right just before, and immediately after.” The tape moved forward slowly. “Look there,” he shouted. “The shadow has gone completely, now.”

  Ed looked closely at the screen. He had to admit that the dark area had certainly disappeared. “Well if it’s not a defective tape, then what is?” he asked, completely mystified.

  Kendall had no idea what it was. Not that he would admit it, but it was perfectly possible that it was a faulty tape after all. “Can we enhance the picture?” he asked, clutching at straws. “I mean is there any way that we can enlarge the image.” His fingers hovered over the control panel on the machine. “Where’s the zoom button?” he asked.

  Ed leaned forward, and started to press a few buttons, adjusting the image. After a few moments he seemed satisfied. “There,” he said. “That’s about the best I can do. It’s not very good I’m afraid.”

  Kendall looked at the image. Ed was right, the quality wasn’t very good. The dark shadow could still be clearly seen, although it was still indistinct. Now it was merely a larger dark shadow. That adjusting hadn’t made any real difference. What could it be? Kendall thought for a moment, carefully choosing his words. Then slowly and deliberately he said. “Suppose that shadow, that dark blob,” he placed his finger on to the screen. “Suppose it was a person,” he paused and looked at Ed. “Let’s suppose it was a person getting out of the rear of the car. That would certainly provide the answers to a lot of questions, wouldn’t it?”

  Ed said nothing, trying to think something out in his mind. “You know,” he finally said. “There was something odd that night, something not quite right. I wasn’t sure what it was.” He paused and looked directly at Kendall. “I never really gave it much thought until right now.”

  “What was it?” asked Kendall, disappointed at the apparent lack of response to his comment.

  “It was the blanket,” Ed replied.

  “The blanket?” queried Kendall. What is he rambling on about now? What has this got to do with the dark shadow? “What blanket?”