A Bombing Enigma

by Angelika Lansdale

  “Yes, same here,” Charles replied.

  He and Peter shook hands warmly before Peter turned to the man he had been speaking with and introduced him, “Meet my cousin, Bradley Robinson. He is a reporter and lives in London.”

  Bradley shook their hands. He had a ruggedly handsome face with jet-black hair and dark blue eyes. Originally from York, he now worked at the London Times. It was his article that Cynara had read about all the victims. He was a friend of Kevin’s and quite intimate with the family.

  They quietly followed everybody outside the cemetery. The reception was at Mr. Michael Stewart’s house. Elizabeth’s staff had left a little earlier to help with the food and the serving. Peter and Janine gave Cynara and Charles a ride. Bradley did not accompany them. An urgent matter required him to leave for London immediately.

  Ruth’s parents had a beautiful house. Many people were already there by the time they arrived. Elizabeth protectively hovered around her in-laws. Her mother-in-law was a very dignified looking slim woman. She must have been beautiful once. Her face was lined with sadness. Senior Mr. Stewart sat beside her in a motorized wheel chair. He seemed to be crouched low in his seat overwhelmed with melancholy. Ruth’s mother looked terrible, totally crushed by her daughter’s death. Ruth’s father sat silently in one corner looking heartbroken. Kevin stood next to him with a similar tortured expression.

  Their grief was heartrending. Everybody seemed affected by it. Cynara and Charles met all the family members and offered a few words of condolences. It was always difficult to know what to say at these occasions. All words were meaningless but you still had to say something. ‘Sorry for your loss’ was the phrase that Cynara murmured to all of them as she shook their hands.

  Cynara and Charles got some food from the buffet laid out in the dining room. Cynara did not have an appetite but selected a butter and jam sandwich. They sat with Jane while eating. There were two elegantly dressed women talking animatedly with Elizabeth. Cynara learnt from Jane that they were Elizabeth’s closest friends, Marie Hall and Nancy Young. Marie had also been widowed due to Jimmy’s suicide. She seemed very affectionate and kept hugging Elizabeth intermittently. Nancy was an attractive woman, still single. She looked a little reserved, with a stiff superficial smile. Nevertheless, she had been a part of Elizabeth’s inner circle in the past.

  Cynara was happy to see Elizabeth interacting with her old friends. All three of them were immersed in their conversation. Jane thought it was probably the first time Elizabeth was meeting them since George’s funeral. She had completely severed all her ties. Cynara hoped that this would be the start of Elizabeth getting re-acquainted with them and coming out of her seclusion. Maybe it took another tragedy to get past a tragedy.

  Charles and Cynara left shortly afterwards. Cynara felt very saddened by the whole affair and Charles realized he needed to distract her. He forced her to take him to York’s Chocolate Story Tour. Cynara was initially reluctant but ultimately gave in. She was glad she did. The tour turned out to be fascinating. After learning about the origins of chocolate, they indulged and ate chocolates to their hearts content. It cheered her up considerably.

  Cynara rang Jane after they reached home. She was back at her parents’ and sounded very glum. Cynara invited her over to sample some of the chocolates she had bought. Jane and David arrived soon after the call. They all steered away from discussing the tragic events. Instead, Charles told them about Perth and life in Australia. Australians apparently were laid back in general but obsessed with sports. Perth was a scenic city, with a great work life and home life balance. It sounded like a remarkable place but just too far from England.

  The inquest was held on Thursday afternoon. The entire household attended. All the Stewarts along with Cynthia, senior Mr. Stewart’s housekeeper, gave evidence. Their testimonies were similar; Ruth had been quiet at the dinner and excused herself early. Jane and David provided the details of finding Ruth dead in the bathtub. The Chief Medical Examiner gave the autopsy results, death due to hypovolemia, decreased blood volume, followed by cardiac arrest. The final verdict was suicide for reasons unknown.

  No mention was made linking Ruth to Jimmy or Mr. Qureshi. The investigators had perhaps not been able to affirm that it was Ruth who had taken the taxi that night. Cynara felt very relieved. The family was also probably feeling the same sense of relief. This strengthened Cynara’s faith that the conjecture in regards to Ruth would soon be proved wrong.

  There was a lot of press outside the courtroom. The family was bombarded with questions as they exited the building. They had to push their way through the paparazzi and duck into their cars and drive away. Cynara was glad she was not a reporter. She had seriously contemplated becoming one before deciding against it. Turning towards Charles, she said, “These reporters are like vultures, just waiting to swoop on their prey. I am so glad I realized this profession is not for me. You have to be very aggressive.”

  “Yes it is tough. This job is not for everyone, certainly not for you. However, I can also understand their attitude. They need to go out and chase the news. It is their livelihood,” Charles said.

  “I guess.” Cynara sighed wearily.

  Charles looked at her with brotherly concern and propelled her towards a taxi. “You are tired. Let us get out of here.”

  “Yes I feel exhausted,” Cynara agreed. “It is all that stress dissipating. I was so fearful about what will be said regarding the events of this past month. Thank God there was no mention of them.”

  They went home and mindlessly watched TV. Charles had to take care of some urgent work emails while Cynara made a light dinner. After eating, Charles made hot chocolate for them. She curled up on the sofa to read a book she had bought recently and sipped her drink. Charles browsed the internet, researching companies in York, looking for prospective employers in the area. He was quite serious about making York their permanent home. After an hour, Cynara could hardly keep her eyes open. She decided to go to bed and fell asleep the minute her head touched the pillow.

  Cynara slept deeply like a baby and was jolted awake by a strange noise. Looking at her bedside clock, she realized it was only five. She lay there feeling confused as to what she had heard. Everything was very quiet at this early hour. She got out of bed and padded barefoot to the spare bedroom. The door was closed. She did not want to disturb Charles. Looking around the cottage, she assured herself that everything was fine. There were no intruders. All the doors and windows were secure. Finally deciding it had been a dream, Cynara went back to bed and tried to sleep. The next thing she knew was the insistent beeping of her alarm at 6 a.m.

  Charles roused as she was preparing breakfast. He had apparently stayed up quite late and short-listed a few companies. Some of them actually had vacancies that he could seriously consider. Cynara was delighted to hear this. Charles told her that it was too preliminary for her to get excited. So many things needed to fall into place before it became a reality. Cynara felt it would be ideal if Charles actually moved to York with a decent job. They had not lived in the same city for such a long time.

  Cynara hoped that life for all of them would now return to some semblance of normality. Ruth’s funeral and inquest were over. The agents could not prove their supposition of Ruth’s involvement in the murder. She wondered if the actual murderer would ever be found. For the sake of the family, it was best if the case was closed permanently, even without an outcome. There was no knowing what else would be uncovered if the investigation continued.

  Elizabeth called Cynara on her cell just as she was about to walk over to the manor. She sounded extremely tired and spoke in a very soft voice, “This week has been very traumatic. Why don’t you take the day off and spend time with your brother. I will see you on Monday.”

  “Yes I will do that. Please rest and take care,” Cynara replied before disconnecting the call.

  The next three days were a welcome change. Charles immediately found them a bed and breakfast in Scarborough
on the North Sea. They spent two nights there relaxing and enjoying the sights. Cynara was glad to get away from everything. It had all been pretty intense and disturbing, learning about Jimmy, living in his cottage, the murder and then the suicide. Cynara and Charles did not discuss any of the harrowing events of the past month. Instead, they spent time exploring the seaside town.

  They reached home late Sunday afternoon. The next few days brought no new news. Charles was quite excited about a particular position he had found on the net. He actually visited the company one afternoon and walked around the premises. The offices were set on the north side of the city. Charles came away impressed with the facilities. He decided to apply for it. If he got the job, he would resign from the Diplomatic Corps. Cynara was overjoyed to hear his decision. Their dream of both of them settling down in York permanently could become a reality.

  On Thursday, Elizabeth went upstairs after lunch. She looked tired and was probably not coming down again for the rest of the day. Cynara forced herself to complete the letter she was typing and reluctantly started on another one. Her concentration was waning and her thoughts kept returning to Ruth’s suicide. Why did she do it? She had an affair with an Arab. However, her secret was already out. So what was the point in killing herself? After drinking her afternoon tea, Cynara finally gave up on working. Charles was going out for dinner, meeting up with a few of his old friends at a pub. He had suggested she get some books to read. She was going to do just that and return to the cottage.

  Cynara walked over to the bookshelf. Elizabeth had given her freedom to borrow the books anytime she wanted. She had already read all the novels by Jane Austen. There were four of them. The next set was the Bronte sisters, Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre. Cynara decided to skip them, as they were both a little depressing. She pulled out the hardbound book that was next to Jane Eyre. It was a leather binding but did not have anything written on it, no title and no author. Cynara opened the book curiously and saw a page with a handwritten title that made her gasp for air, “Jimmy’s Diary.”

  Chapter 15

  Cynara continued to look at the book in astonishment, Jimmy’s diary. Jimmy kept a diary! What was it doing here on the bookshelf? Why was it not with the police and the investigators? Cynara looked at it perplexed for a few moments and then took it to her desk and turned the page to the first entry.

  June 15th, 2001

  Dear Diary, mum died last week. I feel like shit. I do not know what to do. The old man is drunk. He has just been drinking since her funeral. How do I make him stop? How do I make the pain go away? Why did my mum get sick? She was sick the whole year, since I started sixth form. She died as soon as the school year ended. It is as if she was waiting for me to finish the year. She had stomach cancer, stage four. There was nothing the doctors could do.

  I never had any friends. Am too skinny, shy, do not play ball. I was a sickly child. Boys do not like me. They bully me. Girls sometimes take pity on me, when they see me being bullied. I talk to a few of them. Mum was my only real friend in the world. She always said I should keep a diary. I never listened to her before. Now I am writing and she is not here to see. Why did she get cancer? Why did she have to die?

  Cynara quickly shut the diary after reading this. She felt very saddened by his despair. Having lost her own parents, she knew what Jimmy must have experienced. It was wrong to read his personal journal. She was trespassing. It made her feel guilty.

  The diary was evidence. The right thing to do was to let Elizabeth and the investigators know. Despite knowing what was right and feeling guilty, Cynara was unable to resist the strong urge to see what his secrets had been. After pondering for a few seconds, Cynara quickly stood up. She pulled out the classic, next to where the diary had been on the shelf. Holding both the classic and the diary, she walked out of the study. Mr. Drake was in the hallway. Cynara told him she was leaving a bit early and borrowing a couple of books to read. Her excuse was going to be that she had just pulled out the next two books on the shelf, not realizing that one was Jimmy’s diary.

  The cottage was empty. Charles had already left. He had needed to take care of some financial business prior to his dinner. This was Cynara’s opportunity to read the diary. She was not sure how Charles would react to her bringing it with her instead of turning it in to the authorities. Knowing her righteous brother, he would probably make her call Mr. Daniels or Mr. Watson immediately. Cynara decided to not waste any time. After changing into a comfortable t-shirt and baggy shorts, Cynara settled down on the sofa and read further.

  June 16th, 2001

  I have been trying to sleep but am not able to. So have decided to write. It is almost midnight. Old man is sleeping on the sofa, drunk as a skunk. I keep remembering how much mum suffered towards the end. She was strong. Never complained. I want to be like her, be strong. But I miss her so much. I wish I could bring her back. Why can’t I go back in time to when I was little? It was so much fun. All evenings after school were so special. She spoilt me. We used to go out places, cook dinner together, go to the movies. She was such a lady, always soft spoken and so pretty. Dad worked in a factory and never had time for us. Mum brought me up almost on her own. We did not need him. Mum and I had each other.

  We live in York. I was born here. So was mum. Dad is from Bradford. They met at a friend’s birthday when they were still in school and fell in love. Married early. Mum had me when she was only 21. Her parents died just after my birth and she had no siblings. My other grandparents live in Bradford with dad’s sister, Aunt Bess. They all came for the funeral and stayed for two days. I wish they had stayed longer as dad is inconsolable. He must have loved mum a lot. It is funny. I never thought so when she was alive. He never showed his emotions. Just went to work, came home, ate, and slept. On weekends, he watched TV. Now that she is dead, he has bloody lost it. What should I do?

  June 17th, 2001

  Today is the same as yesterday. There is no improvement in dad. He has not gone to work at all. I am worried he will lose his job. He needs to be helped. Mum had great faith in God. She and I regularly went to church, a small Anglican Parish, every Sunday for as long as I can remember. I will go tomorrow and talk to Father Wilson.

  Cynara pitied Jimmy. Instead of being taken care of by his father, he had to become the parent.

  June 18th, 2001

  I went and met Father Wilson in the evening. He was kind and told me to be brave and pray to God. Why should I? God did not help my mum. He gave her that incurable cancer. She had never done anything wrong or harmed anyone in her life. Even through her illness and in spite of all her pain, we went to Church every Sunday. Towards the end, her pain was unbearable to see. Her death was almost a blessing, so great was her agony. God saw her suffering but did not do a thing. He let one of his innocent believers be tortured. There are so many people more deserving of that pain. Instead, God chose her and showed no mercy. It was his curse. Mum was not afraid of dying but she worried about me. She made sure I studied for my GCSEs. Only her will kept her alive until the year completed and I had taken my first set of examinations. God took her away from me. I am so miserable, so miserable.

  Cynara had to control her tears as she read Jimmy’s despair.

  June 19th, 2001

  Father Wilson visited us today. He spoke to dad privately. I am not sure if the old man understood anything. He was sitting at the kitchen table in a drunken stupor. I waited outside the house. Father called me inside after their talk. He told me that dad was going to join work from tomorrow. I hope that is the case. Father Wilson also asked me to come to church in the evenings and join a workshop for teens. It will give me something to do during the holidays and support me. I am not sure but promised him I will think about it.

  June 20th, 2001

  Old man did go to work today. He was gone by the time I woke up and came back late evening, drunk. I hope he only drank after his shift finished at the factory and not during. Tried to talk to him but he totally ignored me. I had c
ooked some pasta for dinner. He ate that and disappeared to his room. It is better than drinking and sleeping on the sofa. I need someone to talk to, feel very lonely. I think I will go for the teen workshop tomorrow.

  June 21st, 2001

  I went to the workshop today. The priest had told me its every evening from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. When I entered the church, it was dark. There was no one there. I spotted Father Wilson by the altar. He was pleasantly surprised to see me. I asked where all the other teens were. He said he had cancelled the workshop, as he was not feeling too well. However, as I had come, he decided to give me some reading material that would provide me with peace and solace. It was quite the opposite!

  He took me into his private chamber behind the main hall. Like a fool, I entered his den of horrors.

  Cynara paused as she read this. She guessed what was coming. Feeling uncomfortable, she continued.

  He tried to rape me. Somehow I managed to get away and ran back home. The old man was sleeping in his room dead drunk. I tried to revive him, but he did not wake up. There is no one I can call for help. I am all alone. My tears just keep coming and coming. I am unable to control them. I want my mum.