Murder Unexpected

by Anita Waller

  The phone call to Enid and Victor was also brief and to the point. ‘Is it okay if we drop Martha off with you tomorrow morning at half past eight, please?’

  Chapter 21

  ‘No biscuits?’ Marsden pulled her coffee towards her, and Doris smiled.

  ‘We didn’t want to be accused of bribery and corruption.’

  She stood and took down the biscuit tin. She put a few on a plate and pushed it to the middle of Kat’s desk. ‘Help yourself,’ Doris said.

  ‘Thank you, I didn’t have time for breakfast, and I’m staying in Eyam for Mr McLoughlin’s funeral later. Will you be going?’

  Kat answered for them all. ‘No. Danny was a really good friend, but my husband killed him. It would be tantamount to rubbing salt into the wound for his family if we went, so we’re going to close the office for the day and go home. We wouldn’t even have opened up if you hadn’t yelled at us on the answerphone.’

  Tessa smiled. ‘I was stressed. Just how many more murders are we going to have in this area? Deaths around here are usually road traffic accidents with crazy tourists not understanding the width and the twistiness of Derbyshire roads, to say nothing of dry-stone walling that doesn’t move when you hit it at eighty miles an hour. The ferocity of the method of murder yesterday threw me. And I think you hold answers to things I need clarifying.’

  ‘Judy Carpenter was our client, it’s why we were there to see her.’

  ‘You didn’t have an appointment?’

  ‘No, we went early to catch her before her day began, really. We didn’t want to prewarn her. We had gone to give this to her.’

  Kat pushed the envelope with the final account and the cheque towards Marsden. She picked it up, opened it and inspected the contents.

  ‘What had she done to upset you?’ she asked.

  Mouse sighed. This was the part she had been dreading. ‘We have a recording we would like you to hear.’ Mouse took the little machine from her bag and placed it on the desk.

  Once again the Connection team listened to it; Marsden’s face showed nothing. The words stopped.

  ‘I went to see Roberta yesterday, and she said nothing about this,’ Marsden said.

  ‘Would you?’ Doris countered.

  Tessa shook her head. ‘I don’t know. She did appear to be shocked, but I didn’t feel she was holding back. I’ll go and talk to her again, in light of this. You believed her?’

  Kat gave a rueful smile. ‘Unfortunately, yes. She came in here while Mouse and Doris were visiting Mrs Bird for the first time. Mrs Bird is Judy’s late husband’s birth mother, just to fix that in your mind. Judy wanted to track her down to fulfil Tom’s last wish. Supposedly.’

  ‘You didn’t believe Judy?’

  ‘Initially yes, but then we found out she had lied to us on a couple of matters, and we decided, after Bobby Outram had talked to me, that Judy had some knowledge of the birth mother’s wealth, and that was the reason for her wanting to find her. We’re sure she had found her and seen her home on Google Earth, and believe me, it’s impressive, but it would have looked as though Judy knew nothing if we facilitated their first meeting. She was using us, we realised that, hence our visit of yesterday morning in high heels.’

  ‘Power dressing, intimidating,’ Marsden smiled. ‘It was wasted. You did look smart though.’

  ‘Certainly did. We’re back to jeans today. Have you found anything out from the bedroom?’ Kat slipped the question in seamlessly.

  Marsden laughed. ‘Nothing I’m going to tell you two Sherlocks.’

  ‘But we found her!’ Mouse looked a picture of innocence.

  ‘I know. I’ll have you in officially if I feel there’s any more to be gleaned from that little statement.’

  ‘That’s not what I meant…’

  ‘It’s what I meant. It was no ordinary crime scene, believe me, and I’ll pull in whoever I want to get to the bottom of it. One thing I will tell you. Because of the over the top way our victim was murdered, we expedited the post-mortem. The first few stab wounds were meant to incapacitate and create the splatter, leaving Judy weakened and unable to fight back, but only one hit the mark. It went straight to the heart, and it went deep, then the knife was twisted. She wasn’t going to survive that. In all there were nineteen wounds, but only one killed her.’

  All three women stared at Marsden. ‘A crime of passion? In Hope?’ Kat’s eyes were huge, disbelief reflected in them. Then she realised how stupid she sounded, and let her head rest on her hands.

  Marsden smiled. ‘I know what you mean, Kat. It was kinda my reaction. Going for the heart does indicate passion, but it also indicates it’s the quickest way of killing someone. Maybe Judy was trying to fight back.’

  ‘You think it’s a man or a woman?’ Mouse knew she was pushing her luck; she didn’t expect Marsden to come up with an answer.

  ‘Gut feeling says a woman because I think a man would have subdued her. But there’s no proof either way. We’ll keep digging. After Mr McLoughlin’s funeral I’m going out to see Mrs Bird. Tell me about her.’

  ‘We don’t really know anything,’ Kat said.

  Tessa stood. ‘Okay, get in the car. I’m taking you to the station. Maybe you’ll realise you do know something once we’re there. And Kat, make sure you’re covered for childcare overnight.’

  Doris grinned. ‘Sit down, DI Marsden. Kat was being an idiot. Pam Bird isn’t even our client, so we can’t claim client privilege on that one. We’ll tell you what you want to know.’

  Tessa took her seat at the desk. ‘Okay, start talking. Mouse?’

  Mouse, desperately trying to remember if everything had been legal that she had done, began by telling Tessa about the documents Tom Carpenter had ordered prior to his death, and how they had copies of them. She stood and walked to the filing cabinet, taking out one of the files. She handed it to Tessa.

  ‘Everything’s in that. Tom had always had his adoption certificate, which is in there, by the way, but when he applied for his adoption pack he then acquired his birth certificate, along with a letter from his birth mother. He then applied for her birth certificate. She was then Pam Farrar, and lived at ten Haddon Row in Grindleford. At sixteen she gave birth to Thomas Edward but her parents forced her to give him up for adoption. She asked that his new parents keep his given names, but had little hope of that happening. She was over the moon when we told her they had done as she asked.’

  She paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. ‘In 1998 Tom married Judy. They couldn’t have children, and Tom didn’t want to go down the adoption route. Reading between the lines, it was that fact that caused the rift in the marriage.’

  ‘How do you know there was a rift?’

  This time the pause was because she needed to come up with an answer that didn’t involve Keeley Roy.

  ‘I went to see Tom’s aunt in Bradwell. She told me that Tom had taken all the documents to her, plus giving her the precious cross and chain given to him by his birth mother before he was taken from her, and when I asked why he didn’t just leave them with his wife, she said because they were on the verge of separating when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He simply let her inherit the house and whatever monies he had. He hadn’t the strength to fight. He died eighteen weeks later.’

  ‘Thank you for that. Now, the birth mother. She lives in Buxton?’

  ‘Indeed she does. A massive house that she shared with her husband until a year or so ago, when he was taken ill. I understand he died soon after, but don’t quote me on that. She has help managing her affairs, and I understand she is a very rich woman, and the lady who helps her is called Grace. Grace also monitors Pam’s medication because Pam herself isn’t well, she has Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, ME to the laymen amongst us.’

  ‘Is she bad with it?’ Tessa asked.

  ‘I think so. After we told her of Judy’s death, she looked quite ill. I think her trigger must be stress.’

  ‘So you told her.’

  ‘
We did.’ Mouse sounded defiant. ‘I didn’t want you lot going in with your size tens and putting her in bed for a month. We told her gently, and without going into massive details about blood on the ceiling, dripping from the lampshade, pooling on the floor.’

  Tessa laughed. ‘Stop jumping, Beth. I just wanted to know how much she knew, and how careful I needed to be. Is there anything else I need to know?’ She glanced at her watch. ‘I’m going over to the church, but I’ll call back here before I go to Buxton, and pick up this file. Thank you for being so helpful finally, and make a note if you think of anything else while I’m away.’

  Chapter 22

  ‘I’m a bit scared.’ Keeley Roy’s voice was tremulous. ‘They’re taking all sorts of stuff out of Judy’s house, and I’ve been questioned twice by officers.’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ Mouse said into the receiver. ‘They’ll be gone soon if they’re at the stage of taking stuff out, and everything will go back to normal.’ Mouse had no idea if she was spouting rubbish or not, but she sensed she needed to calm Keeley down by whatever means possible. ‘DI Marsden is calling in at the office in about half an hour. If I get any more information from her, I’ll give you a ring this afternoon. It might be a good idea to take you and Henry out for the afternoon, and then you won’t be constantly reminded by all the activity. Padley Gorge might be good, it’s a lovely warm day.’

  ‘You’re right,’ Keeley said with a sigh. ‘I’m being paranoid. I’ll make us a picnic, and we’ll get away for a few hours. Thank you for listening to me. Maybe we’ll talk later.’

  ‘Problems?’ Doris asked.

  Mouse shook her head. ‘Not really, it’s Keeley having a bit of a meltdown. All this activity in what was Tom’s house hasn’t been good for her. I think she’s panicking that it’s going to come out about her and Tom, and that’s going to affect Henry. They’re taking lots of stuff from inside the house, and she’s definitely not happy with the situation.’

  The shop bell jingled and Marsden returned. ‘That was an interesting hour.’

  ‘Interesting,’ she reconfirmed thoughtfully. ‘First of all it was a cracking good funeral, as funerals go. It really was a celebration of Danny’s life, lots of lovely loud music, bright clothes, brilliant. And then came a phone call as we got outside. It seems we’ve been authorised to send Leon’s body to Canada. Did you know about this, Kat?’

  Kat nodded. ‘I did, but not when. I had to sign an authorisation form. He’s going to his parents. They asked me and I said yes. It’ll be a clean break for Martha and me. I’ll tell her the full story when she’s old enough to understand, and she can make up her own mind whether to visit his grave or not.’

  ‘You haven’t been pressured into this?’ Marsden was concerned.

  ‘Not at all. It’s a relief, if I’m honest. I just want him out of my life for good. When I go to register Martha’s birth, it won’t be in the name of Rowe, I’ll be Kat Silvers by then. I’m reverting to my maiden name. I’m getting rid of all of that life.’

  Doris and Mouse looked at Kat, surprise on both their faces. This was the first time her original surname had been mentioned.

  ‘He’ll probably be gone within about four days, so I understand. You can change your mind until that plane takes off. Then you can’t. But that’s not all that phone call was about. My team have found a will in the Carpenter house, hidden under the mattress in the spare bedroom. It’s countersigned by two people, neighbours from the little road where the Carpenter house is. It’s Tom Carpenter’s will, not Judy’s, and it definitely hasn’t been acted upon. I don’t want to say anything further about it until I’ve had chance to study it, but this could open up a whole can of worms that would possibly be better eaten by the birds. And I am requesting that the three of you don’t say a word about this to anyone until it is more public knowledge. I don’t know yet what is in it. But I’m asking all three of you if you knew anything about this will prior to my having told you?’

  Kat spoke for all of them. ‘Not a thing, I promise you.’

  Marsden walked to the door. ‘I’ll need to talk more with you, I’m sure, find out if there’s anything you haven’t told me, but until then, take care.’

  ‘Shit…’ Mouse said the word slowly, drawn out.

  ‘Bad language, dear,’ Doris said, her mind on anything but Mouse’s expletive. ‘A will. Let’s have a guess what it will say.’

  ‘He will have left something to either Keeley or Henry, or possibly both.’ Kat’s face screwed up in concentration. ‘Never mind telling Keeley to take him to Padley Gorge, it might be easier for her if she takes him out of the country!’

  ‘Should I ring her and warn her?’ Mouse was worried.

  ‘I think not. They don’t know of our relationship to her, it will probably be better if it stays like that. If Marsden thinks we know her well, Keeley will clam up and we’ll find nothing out. She won’t be able to fake it if she knows before Marsden tells her about the will.’ Doris had obviously thought it through.

  ‘Why has life suddenly become complicated?’ Kat grumbled. ‘Everybody in our circle is becoming intertwined, aren’t they. I need to go and have a few minutes in church, and I can’t even do that because it’s the funeral of the man my husband killed, and it would be insensitive to be there at this time.’ She turned to face the other two. ‘And I saw your faces when I spoke of changing my name. I’ve already taken the decision, it’s going to happen, and that’s an end to it.’

  ‘Hey, don’t snap at us. You know we’ll back you, no matter what,’ Doris said. She waved her hands around at the certificates on the walls. ‘I’ll just get the name changed on all of these, shall I?’

  Kat stared around her. She sat down on her office chair, dropped her head onto her arms and burst into tears.

  ‘How many times did you have to get up during the night, Kat?’ Doris put her arm around Kat’s heaving shoulders.

  ‘Three.’

  ‘Come on,’ Doris said. ‘Let’s have you home. You go to bed and you sleep. We’ll collect Martha and see to her needs, and you stay there as long as you want. You’re still on maternity leave, you know, and this is exactly what it’s for.’

  The tears rolled down Kat’s cheeks as she looked at Doris and Mouse. ‘Bloody maternity leave.’

  ‘Don’t swear, please, Kat, it’s unbecoming,’ Doris said, trying to hide her smile. ‘Go and get in the car with Mouse, I’ll make sure everything’s secure.’

  Mouse and Doris were relaxing in the lounge; the television had been turned off for some time, neither of them feeling inclined to follow anything on screen. They were reading, both occasionally looking up from their books and staring into space as their thoughts drifted into their work life.

  They heard Kat’s bedroom door open, then the flush of the toilet. She came downstairs rubbing her hands through her hair.

  ‘You’re going for the scarecrow look then,’ Mouse smiled.

  ‘I am. It’s not far off midnight. Have I slept all this time?’

  ‘You have. Martha’s in my room, and is staying there all night. I suggest you have something light to eat, and a milky drink, then get off back to bed.’

  Kat sank onto the sofa and laid her head back. ‘I didn’t expect to feel like this. I thought I would simply give birth, and then get on with life with a sweet little baby in tow. The reality has been nothing like that.’

  Doris grinned at her inherited granddaughter and stood. ‘Hot chocolate and some toast?’

  ‘Oh, Nan, that would be wonderful,’ Kat said without opening her eyes.

  ‘It would…’ Mouse leaned back, mimicking Kat, and closed her eyes.

  ‘Toast and hot chocolate for three it is then.’ Doris headed for the kitchen.

  ‘Who do you think’s killed Judy?’ Kat said, her eyes still closed.

  ‘No idea yet,’ Mouse said, as unmoving as her friend. ‘But we will make it our place to find out, if we can. Surely…’

  ‘…it can’t be Keeley
,’ Kat finished off the sentence.

  Mouse opened her eyes. ‘We’re thinking along the same lines.’

  ‘We are. I just don’t see her doing it. She’s not come across as being particularly bolshie or brave; in fact, she’s quite the opposite. And I don’t think she’d do anything to jeopardise being with Henry. He’s her reason for living, and she would lose him if she ended up in prison for life.’

  ‘Quite apart from that, would she have thought to leave that back door ajar? She doesn’t need to use conventional methods for getting into any of those six terraced houses, she can go up into the loft, and down into any of the homes there.’

  Kat sat forward, her eyes now fully open. ‘I’m assuming the police have been up into the loft at Judy’s house. Surely it will have occurred to them there’s a major security flaw in those houses.’

  ‘I would hope so. I happen to think a major fire risk as well. Should we mention our concerns to Marsden?’

  ‘No, she was quite stroppy with us, just because we found her a body.’ Kat yawned. ‘Let her realise it for herself. We didn’t go out of our way to find her a body, did we? It was accidental. Neither of us think Keeley did it, and we’d only be piling trouble onto her head. Quite apart from that, we’ve no idea what this will says. Maybe Keeley’s troubles are already sitting right on top of her head.’

  Chapter 23

  The team gathered around Marsden, waiting expectantly. They seemed to have been working in the Eyam area for ever, one crime melding seamlessly into another. Leon Rowe was out of the picture, but it appeared he wouldn’t just stay in his coffin and die. His wife had taken up the cudgel for the good guys, and subsequently they had another body.

  Marsden walked over to the whiteboard and pointed to the picture of Judy Carpenter. ‘Judith Carpenter,’ she said. ‘Died from a stab wound directly into the heart, but had eighteen other wounds as well. Some pre-mortem, some post mortem. Thoughts?’