Promise Made

by Linda Sole

  ‘Get out like the rest of them,’ Sam muttered and sat down at his desk. His ribs were aching and his face felt as if it were swelling up like a balloon. He reached for the telephone, intending to contact the police and then the employment agency in Ely. Milly was the one member of staff he really needed. His hand fell back and he groaned with pain, getting to his feet. It would keep for another day.

  He would go home and sit down somewhere comfortable while he planned his revenge against Daniel Searles. He had already taken measures to cover his tracks in London. With any luck it would take the police months to find the extent of his illegal dealings south of the river. He doubted that anyone knew about the gambling clubs or the other rackets. He could probably pull through this, but he was feeling too awful to deal with it just now. He had to go home.

  Sam went out to the yard, getting in his car. He was moaning with the pain as he drove the short distance to his home. Rosalind looked at him as he walked into the kitchen.

  ‘My God!’ she said. ‘What happened to you?’

  ‘It was Daniel Searles. He assaulted me. I’m going to sue him. He’ll be ruined and serving time when I’ve finished with him.’

  ‘Serves him right for doing this to you,’ Rosalind said. ‘Why don’t you get into bed and I’ll bring you a hot whisky toddy? Have a good sleep, Sam. It won’t hurt to have a rest for once. You do far too much, and this must have shaken you up.’

  ‘Yeah, it has,’ Sam said and looked at her. ‘I’m sorry for what I said to you earlier, Rosalind. You’ve always been a good wife to me – I was just upset about things. You know I wouldn’t have tried to harm Frances – don’t you?’

  ‘If you say so, Sam. I shall believe you, because you are my husband and I don’t want to quarrel with you. I just want a peaceful life.’

  ‘That’s a good girl,’ Sam said and smiled at her. He had known she would fall into line. ‘Milly left today. You can give me a hand at the office until I get someone new – and I’ll buy you something nice. A fur coat, if you like?’

  ‘That sounds lovely,’ Rosalind said. ‘Up you go now and I’ll bring you a soothing drink.’

  She smiled as he walked out of the kitchen, and then she took a pair of rubber gloves from the dresser drawer. She set a heavy glass on the table and spooned some sugar into it, poured a stiff measure of whisky and poured on the hot water, mixing it well. For a moment she hesitated, and then she went to the cupboard under the sink, taking out the small packet of rat poison that Sam had bought. He had refused to let her buy it, because he said the stuff he got through his agricultural merchant was stronger.

  She sprinkled a little into the glass and stirred until it had dissolved, and then she added a drop more whisky for good measure. She transferred the glass to a little tray, took off her rubber gloves and picked up the tray.

  Sam was in bed when she entered the room, propped up against the pillows. She offered him the glass. He took it, smiled at her and drank it down without a murmur.

  ‘That was good, lass,’ he told her.

  ‘Go to sleep, Sam,’ she said and went out of the room.

  ‘Oh, Dan,’ Alice said as she saw the gleam of satisfaction in his eyes when he walked in later that day. ‘What have you done?’

  ‘I thrashed him, Alice.’ He glanced at Frances, who was sitting at the kitchen table, an untouched mug of tea in front of her. ‘I made him pay for what he did to you, Frances. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you when you needed me. I didn’t realize what was going on.’

  Frances smiled at him. ‘I wish I had seen you beat him, Dan,’ she said. ‘Thank you for that, because it wasn’t enough that he may be in some trouble with the police. I know how clever he is over these things. He will probably wriggle out of most of it – though the whispers will ruin him locally.’

  ‘I think they already have,’ Daniel said with satisfaction. ‘The rumours are spreading, and after this morning everyone will know what he has been up to.’ He glanced round the room. ‘Where is Emily?’

  ‘She went back to the house to collect some things for me,’ Frances said. ‘I didn’t feel up to it and Emily said she would be happy if Sam called and she got a chance to tell him what she thought of him. We’re leaving as soon as she gets back.’

  ‘Yes, just as well,’ Daniel said. ‘He won’t get a chance to do anything unpleasant to you then. I doubt if he will feel much like doing anything for a couple of days.’

  ‘I hope it won’t mean trouble for you, Dan,’ Frances said looking at Alice’s worried face. ‘I’m glad you thrashed him – but I don’t want you to go to prison for it.’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ Daniel reassured her. ‘When he thinks it through he will see that it would just cause more trouble for him. If I get my day in court I’ll see that he gets dragged through as much mud as I can find. That apartment building in South London isn’t the only dirty thing Sam has his fingers into, don’t you worry. It just needs a bit of investigating and a whole lot more will surface. Sam won’t want to risk that, believe me. He will probably offer me money to sort this thing out. I shan’t take it but it’s what I expect of him.’

  ‘I hope you’re right,’ Alice said. She turned her head as the sound of a car engine was heard outside. ‘It sounds as if Emily is back, Frances.’ She went to embrace her sister-in-law. ‘Take care of yourself, love. We shall always be here for you if you need us.’

  ‘Yes, I know.’ Frances kissed her cheek. She gave her sister-in-law a wry smile. ‘I thought I was all alone after Charlie died – but Emily moved mountains to get me out of that horrible place – and Dan has risked his future for my sake. I didn’t realize that I was loved so much.’

  ‘Of course we love you. We always have.’

  ‘Are you ready?’ Emily said as she came in at the kitchen door. ‘I’ll ring you, Alice. Dan – are you all right?’ Her eyes went over him. ‘Muriel told me there’s a tale going round the village that you thrashed Sam Danby for what he did to Frances?’

  ‘Yeah, too right I did – and I’m fine,’ he said, grinning at her. ‘You did things your way – I’ve done them mine.’

  ‘Well, it seems to have gone down well with the locals. Muriel says that someone needed to stand up to him before this and she thinks you’re a bit of a hero.’

  ‘Nah,’ Daniel said but his eyes were bright with triumph. ‘You had better get off. You’ve a long way to go.’ He went to the door to watch them get into the car, waving until the car pulled out of the yard.

  Going back into the kitchen, Dan looked at Alice. He saw the anxiety in her eyes and sighed because he didn’t want her upset.

  ‘Yes, I know it was a daft thing to do, love – and I know I could go to prison for it – but I had to do it. I couldn’t let him get away with what he did to Frances.’

  ‘I know,’ Alice said. ‘I understand that you had to do it and I’m glad you thrashed him. I just hope it doesn’t rebound on you.’

  ‘Connor will take care of you if I go inside for a few months,’ Daniel said, but he was feeling uneasy beneath his cheerful manner. He hadn’t wanted to admit it in front of Frances, but Sam was a vindictive so and so and he might well want to see Daniel behind bars.

  It was Alice who heard the news first. She was shopping in the village and planning to visit with her mother for the rest of the day. Daniel had promised to fetch her at about four o’clock. As soon as she walked into the shop, she was aware that the place was buzzing, but everyone stopped talking and looked at her.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ she asked, because she knew they must have been saying something that concerned her or her family. ‘Has something happened?’ Her heart raced because she had been anxious ever since Dan had come back home and told them that he’d thrashed Sam Danby.

  ‘It’s Mr Danby,’ one of the women told her. ‘His wife found him dead in bed late yesterday afternoon. She said he must have come home while she was in the garden, made himself a drink and gone upstairs. She didn’t even realize he was ther
e until she went up later to get something from the wardrobe.’

  Alice drew in a harsh breath, because she knew what they must be thinking. Daniel had given Sam a thrashing and now he was dead.

  ‘That must have been a terrible shock for her,’ Alice said, her throat tight. ‘Did he have a bad heart or something?’

  ‘Mrs Danby doesn’t know what he died of yet,’ someone else said. ‘The police came and took him away. It seems as if there was something suspicious about the way he died …’

  ‘Oh …’ Alice swallowed hard. ‘I see …’

  ‘You don’t want to worry about your Dan,’ another woman said, giving her a sympathetic look. ‘Bill was there and he said it was a fair fight. Your husband fought with his fists. No weapons were used and Sam took his coat off and told your Dan to come on …’

  ‘Thank you,’ Alice said. She advanced to the counter and put her list down. ‘Could I collect this later? I want to make a telephone call.’

  She walked out of the shop as quickly as she could and ran to the red kiosk on the corner of the street, fishing in her purse for some coins. She hoped that Dan might be in the house and pick up the phone, but though she let it ring for several minutes there was no answer.

  She left the phone box and stood on the street for a moment, trying to decide what to do for the best. She was still wondering when a small van drew up near her and she saw her brother’s cheery face looking through the open window.

  ‘Want a lift, Alice?’ he asked.

  ‘Oh, Peter,’ she said. ‘I need to talk to Dan. Would you drive me home and then bring me back?’

  ‘Yeah, all right,’ he said. ‘I wanted to have a word with Dan anyway. I bought this van yesterday and it doesn’t sound quite right. He might have a look at it for me.’

  ‘I’m sure he will be pleased to,’ Alice said. She felt relieved as she climbed into the passenger seat. It was dreadful news about Sam Danby, because none of them had wanted to see him dead, even though he deserved to be punished for his crimes. What worried her most was the fact that he had been fighting with Daniel earlier in the day. If the fight had caused Sam’s death, the police might come to arrest her husband. ‘That’s if he can …’

  Peter looked at her, his brows raised. ‘Something wrong, Alice?’

  ‘Yes, there might be,’ Alice said. ‘Daniel was in a fight with Sam Danby yesterday and now he is dead. Apparently his wife found him when she went upstairs for something.’

  Peter whistled. ‘Yes, that is a bit of a worry. You’re scared the police are going to come after Dan – but it was a fist fight, Alice. Dan didn’t go for him with an iron bar or a knife.’

  ‘I know, but it may still mean trouble for Dan,’ Alice said. ‘I have to go home and warn him – but I still haven’t got my shopping. And I left Danny with Mum.’

  ‘Well, don’t worry about it,’ Peter said. ‘Give me the ticket and I’ll fetch it back for you. I’ll bring Danny and the shopping if you like?’

  ‘Oh, thank you,’ Alice said. ‘That would make it so much easier for me – and then you can tell Mum why I had to go home, can’t you?’

  ‘Yeah, of course,’ her brother said and smiled at her. ‘I heard what Daniel did to Sam Danby and I reckon he did the right thing, Alice. We’re all on his side. Don’t you worry. It will all turn out fine.’

  Alice nodded, but she didn’t smile, because she couldn’t. Daniel had been so pleased with what he’d done – but he wasn’t going to feel so happy about it when he knew that Sam Danby was dead!

  Eleven

  ‘Stop worrying, Alice,’ Daniel told her after her brother had driven off in his van. ‘You should have gone back with Peter. You were supposed to have a lovely day with your mother. If I know her she has cooked a special meal and she will be disappointed. Why don’t I run you back there now?’

  ‘I couldn’t rest, Dan,’ Alice said. ‘Don’t you realize what this could mean for us?’ She choked back a sob. ‘I couldn’t bear it if they put you on trial for murder. It was bad enough when you were in that prisoner of war camp – but …’ She looked at him with tears in her eyes, because she was afraid to put the worst of her fears into words.

  ‘Hush, love,’ Daniel said, putting his arms about her and kissing the top of her head. His expression was grim, because he knew that it was possible that he might be charged with assault or even manslaughter. ‘It won’t come to anything like that, I promise you. It was a fist fight. He was alive when I left him and he went home. He probably died of a heart attack or something.’

  ‘But they might say it was the fight that brought it on.’ Alice looked up at him. ‘I’m so frightened, Dan. Supposing they say it was murder?’

  Daniel laughed at her worried face. ‘They won’t hang me for it, Alice. I might get a couple of months for causing an affray or something of the sort.’

  ‘It isn’t anything to laugh at,’ Alice said, tears in her eyes. She heard the telephone ring. ‘I don’t feel like answering that …’

  ‘Let me go,’ Daniel said. Her tears made him feel guilty, because he loved her. ‘Put the kettle on, love. I could do with a cup of tea and then I’ll take you back to your mother’s.’ He went out into the hall and picked up the receiver. ‘Daniel Searles speaking. How may I help you?’

  ‘Mr Searles?’ a woman’s voice said. ‘It is Rosalind Danby. I wanted to speak to you for a few minutes, if I may?’

  ‘Yes, of course, Mrs Danby,’ Daniel said. ‘I heard the news. I am sorry for your loss.’

  ‘No, you shouldn’t be,’ Rosalind said. ‘My husband deserved what you did to him yesterday. It has been coming for a long time, I think.’

  ‘I didn’t intend him to die. Was it his heart?’

  ‘No, I don’t believe so,’ she said. ‘I wasn’t in the house when Sam came home yesterday afternoon. I found him when I went upstairs later, as I told the police. I thought something was wrong with him and I called them and the doctor, because I could see that he was dead – but he looked odd.’

  ‘I’m not sure what you mean?’

  She seemed to hesitate, then: ‘I’ve just had a telephone call from the police, Mr Searles. They asked me if I could think of any reason why my husband might want to take his own life. Well, of course I said yes. Sam was dealing in some rather dreadful stuff, Mr Searles. Some of it may have been criminal. I believe he knew it was all about to come out – and I think that is why he took poison.’

  ‘Sam took his own life?’ Daniel was astounded. ‘I can hardly believe it. He didn’t seem the type to do something like that, Mrs Danby.’

  ‘No, you wouldn’t have thought so,’ Rosalind said in a calm, flat tone. ‘But it is what the police seem to believe. Sam bought some strong rat poison some months ago. The rats had been getting in with the rabbits you see – Sam thought we should get rid of them, because we don’t need them now the war is over, do we? I asked him not to because Charlie thought of them as pets. I never did tell him that we had used them as food when meat was short. It would have broken his heart, you see.’

  ‘Yes, I see,’ Daniel said. She sounded unnaturally calm to him, which surprised him. He would have thought her the kind of woman who might have hysterics over a thing like this. It just showed you never knew how people would react. ‘So do you think that will be the verdict then – suicide?’

  ‘I imagine it might,’ Rosalind said. ‘We wouldn’t want it to be anything else, would we? I would rather you weren’t charged with assault, Mr Searles. My husband was not a nice man. What he did to your sister was unforgivable. I always liked Frances, you know. She thought I was an old fusspot, and perhaps I am – but I liked her. And I know that it wasn’t her fault that Charlie died. We both thought he was settling down after his bilious attack and would be better in a little while.’

  ‘No, it wasn’t her fault,’ Daniel said, and then added thoughtfully, ‘It was very good of you to ring me, Mrs Danby.’

  ‘I thought you should know that the police are satisfied he
took his own life because of circumstances beyond his control. The detective constable was such a nice young man, and he knew all about the investigation into Sam’s affairs. He was very kind to me, asked if there was anything he could do to help.’

  ‘I’m glad,’ Daniel said, feeling slightly at a loss because it all seemed a little unreal somehow. ‘Alice was worried.’

  ‘I knew she must be,’ Rosalind said. ‘I shan’t invite you to the funeral, Mr Searles. I don’t think you would wish to be there – and I intend to have Sam cremated once the police allow it. I don’t want his body to come back here. It will be a very private ceremony.’

  ‘Yes, I see,’ Daniel said. ‘What will you do now?’

  ‘I have no idea,’ she replied. ‘I shall have to think about it. Goodbye, Mr Searles. Give my regards to your wife – and thank you.’

  ‘For what?’ Daniel asked but she had replaced the receiver. He was frowning as he went back into the kitchen.

  ‘Who was that?’ Alice asked, looking at him fearfully. ‘Was it the police?’

  ‘You can stop worrying about that,’ Daniel told her and smiled. ‘Mrs Danby rang me to tell me that Sam took his own life. Apparently, he believed that everything was about to come down about his head like a ton of bricks. He couldn’t face the disgrace and so he killed himself – with rat poison apparently.’

  ‘He killed himself?’ Alice echoed. A look of relief came into her eyes. ‘Oh, thank goodness! I was so afraid you would be arrested for assault, Dan.’ Realizing what she had said, she went bright pink. ‘Oh, that was awful of me. Poor Rosalind. She must be dreadfully upset.’

  ‘She seemed to be coping. You can forget about the police, at least I think you can,’ he said. ‘If they are satisfied that he took his own life I doubt if they will come after me for giving him a smacking.’

  ‘Is there something you aren’t telling me?’ Alice asked. ‘You’re holding something back, Dan. Tell me, please or I shall worry.’

  ‘It’s nothing to upset you,’ Daniel said. ‘It was just something odd about Mrs Danby. She said thank you before she put the phone down – and she didn’t seem to care that he was dead …’