Murder by Suspicion

by Veronica Heley

  Ellie looked at her watch. She’d have to step on it, if she was to be home in time for supper.

  ELEVEN

  Friday evening

  Supper was over. It had been tasty and digestible, and Rose was glowing with pleasure.

  Mikey had popped in while Ellie was out and had left Rose a multicoloured lollipop, which she alternatively admired and sucked. Second childhood, thought Ellie, and then had a sneaky thought that perhaps she would have liked to have one, too. The lollipop was all the colours of the rainbow, and Rose said it tasted as good as it looked.

  Susan had settled in, and all was right with the world.

  Except, someone was pounding on the door AND leaning on the doorbell. Not Diana, who rang but didn’t pound. So … Ambrose?

  Oh dear.

  Ellie let him in. He was in a towering rage, claws ready to strike. Well, not actually, of course, but that’s the impression he was giving.

  ‘What,’ he thundered, ‘have you done with Liddy? How dare you encourage her to run away!’

  ‘Oh, for heaven’s sake. Come in and calm down.’

  ‘You cannot deceive me! Dolores has told me ALL!’

  ‘Dolores,’ said Ellie, ‘is so afraid of you that she’d accuse her own mother of murder rather than risk your wrath.’

  ‘What do you know about Dolores’ mother?’

  ‘Nothing. Only—’

  ‘You’re lying!’

  Ellie contemplated the uselessness of saying, ‘No, I’m not!’ to be followed by him saying, ‘Yes, you are!’ That puerile exchange could go on for hours.

  Meantime, Susan and Rose had come out from the kitchen to see what all the noise was about. Rose, bright-eyed, was still sucking her lollipop.

  Ellie said, ‘Ambrose, we have an audience.’

  Susan, being the niece of a serving police officer, knew what to do. ‘Shall I call the police?’

  ‘No, no. He’ll calm down in a minute. Ambrose, shall we go into the sitting room and discuss this matter? Would you like some tea or coffee?’

  ‘I don’t allow caffeine into my body.’

  ‘Silly of me. It pollutes the kidneys or something, doesn’t it? Susan, do you think you could bring us both a cup of peppermint tea?’ Ellie led the way into the sitting room without waiting to see if he would follow. Which he did.

  The phone rang in the hall. Susan answered it and called out, ‘Mrs Quicke, it’s my aunt for you. She says it’s urgent.’

  ‘Tell her I’ll ring her back in ten minutes. Now, Mr Ambrose, I don’t know what Dolores has said to you, but—’

  ‘Don’t you dare deny it! You have encouraged one of my flock to abscond, to return to the den of iniquity from which I rescued her! More, you have stolen monies due to me.’

  ‘Dolores has a vivid imagination.’

  ‘Dolores would not lie to me!’

  ‘Of course she would. She’s terrified of you, and so, apparently, is Liddy. Dolores told me that Liddy needed treatment for toothache—’

  ‘All in the mind!’

  ‘Pardon me, but for most people toothache is not “all in the mind”. I observe you have perfect teeth. Perhaps you have never even needed a filling? Dolores told me that Liddy is not so blessed. She was in so much pain that, in fear and trembling, she risked your displeasure in order to visit a dentist. For some reason she was not on a National Health dentist’s list, but she found one which would treat her if she went privately. No—’ She held up her hand. ‘Don’t interrupt. I’m sure you would have seen to it that she was registered with a dentist if you had thought of it, but you didn’t. If you had, it would have saved you a considerable sum of money.’

  He was astounded. ‘You are saying that she used my money to pay a dentist to treat her? That she actually went to him privately?’

  ‘That’s what happens if you aren’t registered and need emergency care. The dentist said she must have antibiotics—’

  ‘Poisoning her system!’

  ‘Do you know,’ said Ellie, in a conversational tone, ‘I thought at first that what Liddy had done was wrong, but I’m beginning to think otherwise. She took the money she’d earned and spent it on emergency dental treatment. What’s wrong with that?’

  ‘She stole, and she lied! She is expressly forbidden to harm her body by using noxious substances of any kind! Now she has fled to the very people who used and abused her. Ah, you didn’t know that, did you, Mrs Clever Clever? Her sister is a drug addict who is beyond saving. She encouraged her pimp to lure Liddy into his clutches, too. He works the two of them for his friends, keeping them docile with cocaine. I was unable to save her sister, but I managed to rescue Liddy and set her on the road to recovery. Who else would have tried to save her? The doctors? Don’t make me laugh. Now she has gone back to that evil man, and in a few days’ time she’ll be back, grovelling in the gutter, beyond salvation, beyond redemption, bound for the pit of hell. And you are responsible!’

  Ellie blinked. Did this angle on the story make a difference? Well, no. ‘It’s a sad story, but I am in no way responsible. From what you say, Liddy is an adult who has made some wrong decisions in her life. In this case she was torn between obeying you and her need for treatment. The pain won, and she didn’t dare face you. If you had been more approachable and allowed her to go to a dentist in the normal way then she might still be under your roof. She was too scared of you to risk it. I think you must shoulder part of the blame for what has happened.’

  ‘I offer my followers salvation!’

  ‘You offer them shelter, under certain conditions. You provide them with work, you house and feed them, and in return you take their earnings—’

  ‘That is to prevent their buying the poisons that were killing them.’

  ‘I can see you believe you are doing the right thing by these people, but your regime is too harsh. It does not surprise me that some rebel. Whether the decisions they then make are wise or not, I cannot say.’

  ‘You refuse to recognize your part in Liddy’s descent into hell?’

  Ellie almost giggled at that, but managed to stop herself just in time. Ambrose in a rage was alarming. ‘You must know where her sister lives. Why don’t you go and see if you can get Liddy to return to you, allowing her to take the antibiotics and saying nothing about the missing money?’

  ‘So you think it is right to overlook—’

  ‘If what you say is true about her sister and her boyfriend, then you probably don’t have much time to rescue Liddy. Your choice.’

  He opened and shut his mouth several times, then strode out of the room, across the hall, and left.

  Susan was on the phone in the hall. Again? Or on a fresh call? She held out the phone to Ellie. ‘Aunt Lesley, in a panic.’

  Ellie took the phone, thinking that she was tired and could do with an early night. ‘What’s up now?’

  ‘Did you visit the Vision place today?’

  ‘Yes, and Ambrose came round to see me afterwards.’

  ‘Did he, now! I’ll be round in ten minutes, right?’

  ‘No, you won’t. I’m tired, and I want to go to bed. Yes, I know it’s early yet, but that’s not what my body is telling me. Come round tomorrow morning.’

  ‘Very well. Answer me this. What time did you visit the Vision?’

  ‘I don’t know. It was after Susan came. She said she’d cook us some supper, so I had a spot of free time and walked on up the hill … About five? Maybe a bit later.’

  ‘Tell me exactly what you did and what you saw.’

  ‘What is this?’

  ‘Just tell me. You got there about five? Susan may be able to tell me exactly when you left. Oh, Ellie. How do you manage it? You walk through battlefields and don’t even notice the shells falling around you.’

  ‘What should I have noticed?’

  ‘A girl called Karen on her way back home from school. She lives on the top floor of the big house with her mother and a very much younger brother, who is handicapped. The mother
works on a till at the supermarket in the Broadway Centre. She collects the boy from a special school on her way home. Karen should have been home about five. She sometimes stays on after school for some club or other. She hasn’t turned up, and her mother’s going frantic. Are you sure you didn’t see her?’

  ‘Definitely not.’ Ellie found the news disturbing. She hadn’t seen anyone but Dolores, had she? She looked at her watch. ‘I didn’t think the police took notice of missing girls until they’d been absent for more than four or five hours. Don’t they usually assume she’s gone to a friend’s house to watch a film or something?’

  ‘I agree. Nobody would be panicking if this girl hadn’t disappeared from the same house as Gail. As it is, they’ve logged the mother’s complaint, but are watching the clock, hoping against hope the girl will turn up. I don’t think she will, do you?’

  Ellie shook her head. ‘I really don’t know. Depends on the girl. On balance, I think you’re right to worry. It’s too much of a coincidence, isn’t it?’

  ‘If she doesn’t turn up by tomorrow morning, there’ll be all hell to pay.’

  ‘You’ll keep me informed?’ Ellie put the phone down, thinking back. No, she really hadn’t seen a schoolgirl. She’d seen Dolores and heard her story, had learned something about the other people who lived in the building, and that was it.

  She would wait up till Thomas rang, and then she’d be off to bed.

  Prompt on cue, the phone rang. Ellie nearly dissolved into tears at hearing Thomas’s voice, as clear as if he were in the room next door.

  ‘My dear one, I’ve been so worried about you.’

  Ellie made an effort to keep calm. ‘Oh, you know me, all sorts of things happen, and—’

  ‘What? Tell me what’s been happening.’

  So she told him, trying not to cry because that would waste time and transatlantic phone calls cost money. She ended, ‘I’m in such a muddle. I think Ambrose is something of a nut case. He thinks he’s a prophet, talks wildly about receiving heavenly visions, but there’s no love in his relationship with people. It’s all hell fire and cursing.’ She tried to laugh. ‘He cursed Diana, and she was so upset, you can’t believe! She went so far as to say that if you’d been here, you’d have protected her from him.’

  Thomas was amused. ‘There’s a turn-up for the books. She really thinks I could be of use to her?’ Then his natural kindliness took over. ‘Poor creature. Yes, I will bear her in mind. What about you? I’ve only got a couple more days here. I could cut my stay short and—’

  ‘No, don’t do that. I’m all right, really I am. If I could only sort out what I think of Ambrose and his project—’

  ‘The church side, or the care of his people? As to the visions and so on, it may be that he needs to test where they come from; his imagination, God or the devil? Perhaps he needs guidance to help him decide. Next, does he run this group by himself? He should have someone he can go to, someone he can ask for advice. And lastly, who is his doctor?’

  Common sense speaks, and all is made clear. ‘You think he ought to be on some kind of medication?’

  ‘Without speaking to him personally, I can’t tell, but from what you say of his behaviour and wild words he might be in need of help.’

  ‘Suppose he’s genuine? Suppose he really is receiving orders from God?’

  ‘Do you think he is?’

  Ellie sat down on the chair nearby and considered the matter. ‘I think he believes in himself, believes he receives messages from on high, but his behaviour is not Christian. He doesn’t love and care for people. He seeks to dominate. Also, he sometimes gets hysterical. He is charismatic, can dominate a meeting. He has no doubts. He thinks his followers should obey him implicitly. I’m reminded of the saying that the only people who should have power are those who don’t want it. He relishes it. He’s a despot, a tyrant. He thinks he’s acting for the best, but his methods are questionable. I’m worried that his actions have driven Liddy back on to the streets.’

  ‘Addicts can’t be rescued unless they want to be, but you have a point. I will pray that he reaches her in time and has the sense to relax his regime.’

  ‘They are adults,’ said Ellie, trying to think this through. ‘Surely by law they have the right to make their own decisions, provided only that they are not harming others. Submitting to his regime is keeping them off the streets and away from the temptations of their former lives. I don’t know what his success rate may be, but I’ve heard that some have lapsed recently. Dolores said that two of their lads returned to their former ways and are now back in prison. At least, that’s what I think she meant. I’m not sure she always tells the truth.’

  ‘In a programme such as this, it’s normal for a certain percentage to lapse.’

  ‘I think his success rate is higher than the usual programmes which treat the client with substitute drugs while leaving them in the community, exposed to all the old temptations. He’s backed by Social Services – or so he says. I shall have to check that.’

  ‘The key must be how he treats his followers. I don’t think Social Services would approve of a regimen which is not overseen by a doctor. His people should definitely have been registered with one, and with a dentist and an optician, too. There are some grounds for concern here.’

  ‘Yes.’ And there was the case of the missing girls, too. But that lay outside Thomas’s remit, and she didn’t want to bother him with it now. It really was none of her business, not like the Vision’s application for funds. She said, ‘You’ll be glad to hear we have a new cook-cum-carer. Lesley’s niece is moving in for a couple of weeks. She’s a food technology student and an enormous improvement upon Claire the Tearful … whom I hope we never see again. So we’re fine, now you’ve sorted me out about Ambrose.’

  ‘Are you sure you don’t want me back straight away?’ He sounded as if he were torn.

  ‘I’m sure.’ Smiling. ‘Enjoy yourself. Take care. Let me know if your plane is delayed, or early, or something.’

  Saturday morning

  Vera and Mikey arrived as breakfast was being cleared away. As usual after a meal, Rose had dropped off to sleep. Vera wanted to know if there was anything Mikey could do for Ellie that morning as, she said with a meaningful glint in her eye, she’d be glad to get him gainfully employed under the eye of an adult. Which meant she really wanted Ellie to have him that morning. Vera added that Dan was supervising a football match and she was due at work in ten, no, five minutes’ time. But not, said Vera, frowning at Mikey, if he were going to cause any trouble.

  Susan said she intended to try out a variation on a recipe that morning, which meant she didn’t want Mikey around, either.

  Ellie wondered what Mikey had been doing to cause Vera to want him supervised that morning, but refrained from asking. Sometimes it was better not to know. She said, ‘I’d be happy for Mikey to help me out with this and that.’ Without specifying what.

  Vera departed with a sharp word to Mikey to behave himself.

  Mikey grinned at Ellie, and Ellie grinned back. She beckoned him to follow her into her study. Ellie remarked to the air that she wondered if anyone could find out where Claire Bonner used to live. Somewhere in Perivale, she thought. Did Mikey think he might be able to find out?

  Would Mikey bite? He was so much better at finding things on the computer than she was. And, he was at a loose end, so he might deign to help her.

  He said, ‘Have you tried the BT phone book? It has addresses and phone numbers. And, all that stuff you can find online.’

  She blenched. She hadn’t tried online. She didn’t know how to and didn’t want to know how to, either. ‘Couldn’t you do it for me?’

  ‘Leave it to me,’ he said, easing into Ellie’s seat at her computer. ‘A tenner?’

  Ellie found her handbag and put the money on her desk beside him.

  What next? Rose wanted to make another will, which meant Ellie needed to contact her solicitor, Gunnar, who was also an old friend.
She withdrew to the hall and, because it was a Saturday and he wouldn’t be at work, phoned him at home. After the usual exchange of courtesies, she explained the situation. He tutted. She sighed and agreed that leaving Rose in the clutches of someone from the Vision had not been wise, that Rose regretted making a will in their favour and wanted to put the matter right. ‘Do you think you could manage to fit her in as soon as possible?’

  ‘Tell me more about these people of the Vision.’

  Ellie obliged, trying to be concise.

  ‘The police are involved?’

  ‘Yes, but I really don’t know what’s happening. Another girl may have disappeared … and they’re still after me for money. But, I’ll cope.’

  ‘I’m sure you will.’

  A vote for Ellie. She hoped his confidence in her was not misplaced.

  And then what? Time out in the Quiet Room?

  Chance would be a fine thing. The doorbell rang. Lesley arrived in a rush.

  ‘Ellie, the girl Karen is still missing. Let me get this straight. You went up to the Vision house yesterday evening and saw … who? Yes, I know I asked you yesterday, but indulge me. Talk me through it.’

  Ellie sighed. Was she never to have any peace and quiet? ‘I didn’t see any young girl. Would you like some coffee? I’m having some.’ She served them both coffee and retreated to the sitting room. Lesley got out her notebook, and Ellie concentrated.

  ‘I went up there to see if I could have a word with Ambrose and to take a look at the place. The people of the Vision occupy part of a big Edwardian house which has a modern extension at one side. Ambrose didn’t answer his bell, and I didn’t have his telephone number. Someone was in one of the upstairs flats. I could hear the television faintly, but as I understand it the tenants in that part of the building don’t have anything to do with the people of the Vision, and they didn’t come down to speak to me. I was on the point of leaving a note for Ambrose when Dolores arrived – she was one of the cleaners foisted on me by Claire – and she let me in.’