Murder at Downton (The Ralph Chalmers Mysteries Book 6)

by P. J. Thurbin

  Ralph rolled down his window. “Excuse me! Is Mr. Edington around?”

  “He’s down at the range. He’s practicing for a clay pigeon shoot that’s scheduled for the weekend. Won’t be back for a couple of hours.”

  “Can we drive or walk over?”

  “It’s about a mile down that road over towards Sandleford; to the left where you turned in at the top of the lane. You’ll see a notice. It’s just beyond Nuthanger Copse. But you won’t get far in that.” He sneered as he looked at the low slung car. “If you park by the house, I’ll take you in the Land Rover.”

  Ralph smiled. “Thanks. But I’ll just drive part way and then we’ll walk the rest. It’s no problem.”

  “Suit yourself. If you get stuck give us a shout and we can pull you out.” With that he turned away and walked off towards a byre that looked as though it was about to fall down. There was a strong smell of cow dung and he could see that farm life was not as idyllic as he had imagined. Pulling weekend drivers out when they got stuck in the muddy lanes was no doubt a regular thing for these farmers, Ralph mused.

  “Thanks. I’ll go easy,” he shouted. But the farm hand just shrugged his broad shoulders.

  When Ralph had reversed to the top of the lane, Katie asked him to pull over. He was annoyed. But did as she said.

  “I know what’s on your mind, Ralph. You think if you confront Justin he’ll confess to being involved in the attack on Liam. And don’t try to tell me that I’m wrong. I know you. It’s too dangerous.”

  He had to admit that he was angry and frustrated by all the lies and intrigue. As he sat there with the engine idling he took a deep breath. If he had been on his own he would have just gone straight at it. But he knew that he would be putting Katie in danger as well. What if Justin found himself cornered and decided to make a run for it? Things could turn nasty.

  “You’re right,” Ralph gave in. “I’ll give Roberts a call. That way we’ll at least have the exit roads blocked if he decides to run. But we have to confront Justin on our own. I know the type. He won’t say anything if the police are there.”

  “Okay, but call Inspector Roberts first. And try not to do anything foolhardy. We aren’t the police, after all. And don’t forget, Justin may be innocent.”

  Ralph telephoned Inspector Roberts and told him that he was at the Edington farm near Burghclere.

  “I don’t need to tell you that interfering in police matters is a serious offence,” Inspector Roberts said when Ralph told him what he intended to do.

  “I appreciate that Inspector. I don’t intend interfering in police business. I just want to speak with Justin Edington. Sorry, Inspector, you’re breaking up.” It was a ruse he had used before to end a conversation on his cell phone.

  “Well that will really piss him off,” said Katie. “He’ll call back, you know.”

  He can’t. I blocked my number before I made the call,” Ralph replied. “Besides, even if he manages to trace it, it’s like I told him, we’re out of range. We’re in a dead spot.”

  “If you don’t go easy we’ll be the dead spots. But if we’re going to do this thing, let’s get on with it.”

  What Ralph did not know was that Inspector Roberts had been interviewing some of the staff at Highclere Castle about the robbery when he got Ralph’s call. When he couldn’t reach Ralph on his cell phone he immediately set off for Nuthanger Farm in the hope that he might intercept Ralph’s attempt to confront Justin Edington on his own.

  Ralph put the Jag in gear and drove slowly down the rutted and potholed track. The tall hedgerows threw dark shadows across the narrow lane. After about a mile a closed gate barred their way. They saw a white noticeboard with a red arrow that pointed to the right: Fishing and Shooting. Private. Members only. He parked the car so that it blocked any escape, at least by this route. The ground dipped away beyond the gate and bright sunlight chased the shadows of a few white clouds across the distant hills. The fields were covered in ragwort and yellow kingcups. A faint breeze cooled the air and made it pleasant to breathe. On any other occasion this would be a perfect day for a stroll and a picnic. He thought of all those picnics that he had enjoyed with his family when he was a kid and how often he had sat in just such a field by the side of a running brook. It was another world. Katie broke his reverie.

  “So this is how the privileged few spend their leisure time.”

  “Nowadays it’s more like your Investment Bankers and Private Developers,” Ralph replied wryly. “Jokers with white faces and fat stomachs. The upper classes would die a thousand deaths if they saw a place like this.”

  “Maybe we should try and find something we can use as a weapon,” Katie said. “You know, in case he gets violent.” Ralph had to admit that it had crossed his mind, but he did not want Katie to know that he was slightly worried about that prospect himself.

  “I just want to ask him a few questions. I’ve no intentions of getting involved in a fracas,” he said a bit too self-righteously.”

  “Ralph Chalmers, you know perfectly well that you can’t wait to get in there and have a punch up. I’ve never known anyone with so much passive aggression. Don’t tell me there’s not a hooligan in there just waiting to come out.” In a way Ralph took it as a compliment. He revelled in a chance to rid himself of all that suppressed anger. If he were absolutely honest about it, there was very little that didn’t make him angry, or at least annoy him. Perhaps that was the real reason he spent so much time sailing and running. They were socially acceptable outlets for all that pent up aggression.

  As they worked their way around a clump of small trees and pushed through some overgrown bushes, they could hear shouts of ‘Pull’ followed by the bangs from a shot gun. As they stepped from behind a large oak tree they could see Justin standing on a marked area between two machines that threw the clay discs across the hunter’s line of sight. Two whitewashed benches snaked along behind him where the guests could stow their gear or sit down when they were waiting their turn. Weekend punters would pay big money for the privilege of masquerading as the shooting and fishing set in this setting that had been orchestrated for just that purpose.

  “He’s using a semi-automatic shot-gun,” Katie whispered. “See that target system he has? It’s activated by the shooter’s voice. When he shouts ‘Pull’ then the clay plates shoot out. He can adjust the delay and the angle. He’s shooting targets from both houses, so he must be good. Be careful, Ralph.”

  Ralph had learned that if Katie spoke in a quiet voice like that she generally knew what she was talking about. He was no expert at clay pigeon shooting and her advice gave him the confidence to step forward just as Justin reloaded his gun.

  “What on earth do you think you’re doing, you bloody fools? One mistake and you can get a serious injury. Didn’t you see the notice?” Justin shouted.

  Ralph could sympathize with that sort of reaction. He would have been the same. Justin quickly recovered his composure, but Ralph recognized a bully when he saw one.

  “Sorry folks. You just startled me. What can I do for you? Wait a minute, I know you. Ralph and Katie, right? A great way to relax,” he said, as he lowered the gun and nodded in the direction of one of the machines. “Do either of you shoot?”

  Ralph was thrown by Justin’s engaging manner. He almost dropped into his usual banter that over the years had become his default mechanism. Then he remembered Liam laid out on that cold slab in the morgue. Katie was close behind as he walked towards Justin. He stopped about 10 feet away. He remembered that Justin was his adversary, and he wanted to keep it that way.

  “I guess you’ve heard that Anton died in Reading Hospital last night.” Ralph said conversationally. Justin looked stunned. “And the police in Cairo have arrested the man who killed your brother. They found the stolen amulet. It’s now with the Egyptian authorities and will stay there in the Cairo Museum.” Justin almost staggered. But Ralph had more. “How did your brother get the amulet in the first place, Justin? Did you he
lp him steal it?”

  Everything went quiet. Ralph waited for what seemed several minutes as Justin tried to assimilate what he had just learned. Ralph kept up the pressure, hoping that Justin would break. It was a big gamble.

  “It was all for nothing, Justin, and you know it.”

  While Ralph was talking, Katie had noticed two uniformed policemen and another man in plain clothes, whom she assumed must be Inspector Roberts. They were half hidden to the side of a tall hedge behind Justin. She prayed that they would not shout out or make a sudden movement that might startle Justin into a violent reaction.

  “You bloody fool,” Justin snarled at Ralph. “You come around pushing your nose into things you don’t understand. Out here in the country our friends are friends for life. We stick together no matter what.”

  Ralph could see that Justin was on the brink and he decided to press.

  “Did you know that Charles wrote to Anton from Luxor? I’ve seen the letter. It spells it all out. Your plan to steal the amulet for your brother so he could make your fortunes has failed.”

  “You’ve got it all wrong. I didn’t even know Charlie had gone to Egypt until the police told me he’d been killed. Charlie always looked after me when I was a kid. When he got into trouble it was my turn to help him. I never minded paying for all that time he was in the psychiatric clinic. I knew he was desperate to find the tomb and the treasures. He’d spent his life dreaming about it.”

  “So Anton and Charles planned it all and you just paid the bills. Why do you think they didn’t tell you? I thought you said you were best friends?” That remark seemed to sting. Justin raised his gun.

  “You just watch your bloody tongue,” he said with a glance in Katie’s direction. Ralph could see that Justin was gaging what he would have to do to shoot them both. He couldn’t work out what Katie was doing. For a moment he wished she had stayed in the car. He noticed Inspector Roberts and the policemen edging forward, but he knew that they weren’t armed, and it was unlikely they could get to Justin before he could take a shot. He and Katie were too close for him to miss. Ralph decided that there was little to lose, so he took one last chance.

  “You thought that if you had Liam’s pendant, then in some bizarre way your brother’s death wouldn’t have been a waste. You wanted to continue his quest to find the tomb. And you killed Liam because you felt it would somehow make everything right.”

  Justin’s finger moved away from the trigger. He held the gun in his left hand and swept his free hand across his eyes as if to wipe away some nightmare that haunted him. He looked up at the sky as the clouds momentarily blotted out the sun, and then he stepped forward.

  “You bastard,” he cried out. A startled covey of quails flew up from the tall grass just at the edge of the woods and it all suddenly made sense.

  “You poisoned Liam with that quail.” Ralph shouted. Justin had regained his composure. He held the gun in a ready position, his finger back on the trigger.

  “I told you to keep out of this, you bastard. I never meant to kill him. I’d seen cattle eat seeds from those hemlock bushes hundreds of times, and it never killed them. They’d just keel over and sleep for a few hours and then get up and walk off. I only fed the seeds to a couple of birds. Then I put them in the kitchen at the pub”

  “So how could you be sure Liam and not some other poor bugger would eat the quail you took to the pub?”

  “There were only two of them. I knew Silas would cook them for Liam because they were the special. Then Liam would go for his walk and fall asleep and it would be my chance to get the pendant. But the bugger was stronger than I thought. I gave him twenty minutes head start. When I found him he was half asleep, but when I went to take the pendant he started to wake up and so I punched him. It was a reflex. I thought sure someone would find him. He was on the path and the walkers go by there all the time. The police would blame it all on that damned prisoner or a tramp. When he didn’t turn up at the Vineyard I realized that there was trouble. And you know the rest. God knows the last thing I wanted was for the poor bloke to die. I’m not a murderer,” he cried.

  “So you killed him in some twisted attempt to avenge your brother’s death,” Ralph said quietly.

  “I don’t know, for god’s sake. It all went wrong. But I’ve got the amulet. And you two will never get out of this field alive. I’ll say there was an accident; you surprised me and the gun went off.”

  Katie guessed that someone as expert a shot as Justin would not miss with that 12 gage of his. If the police made a move, then a reflex from Justin could easily kill one or both of them. There was only one option. She hoped Ralph had paid attention when she told him how the clay pigeon shooting apparatus operated.

  Ralph heard the shout of ‘Pull’, and just as he saw Justin aim overhead at the clay plates that flew from the two machines, Ralph launched his 195 pounds and six foot frame at his adversary. Justin went down like a sack of potatoes falling off the back of a truck. It was all over in seconds. The two constables ran forward. They grabbed hold of Justin and had him quickly in handcuffs.

  “Good tackle, sir” muttered one of the constables. “We could do with you in the police rugger team. Front row forward was it?”

  “Well, yes. But a long time ago.” Ralph was out of breath. He looked around for Katie. She sat on one of the benches with her head between her knees.

  “You okay?”

  “Just. But what took you so long? You waited bloody ages after I shouted ‘Pull’ to make your move.”

  He just smiled. That was Katie’s way of dealing with things.

  “Well done, sir,” said the Inspector as he carefully picked up the shot-gun. “I see it’s part of your MO to ignore police advice,” he said with a grin. “Lucky for you and unlucky for Justin Edington. Jones. Charge him with Liam Wilkes’ murder. And for heaven’s sake do it properly. We don’t want some overpaid silk getting him off on a technicality.”

  Sergeant Jones had a grim expression as he charged the prisoner and read him his rights.

  “You’ll need to come into the station as soon as possible, sir; and you too, madam. We’ll need a statement from you both,” Inspector Roberts said. “Do you two need a lift?”

  “No thanks, Inspector, our car’s at the top of the field.”

  Everything was calm and peaceful as Ralph and Katie walked slowly back across the sunlit fields.

  “Not bad, Ralph. It’s a good thing your reflexes haven’t rusted out completely. I would have hated to see you take a blast from that swine. Or me either, for that matter.”

  “I honed my reflexes catching the sheets from flying jib sails in rough seas. You have to react quickly when it’s down to you.”

  “Please. This is me you’re talking to,” Katie laughed. “Those sort of remarks should only be made in a darkened room, and preferably when you’re alone.”

  Ralph grinned. His Katie was back in form.

  ____________________

  Chapter 11

  The VC had asked Ralph for an update on what had happened at Highclere. They had met one evening a few years back at a concert being held at the Royal Festival Hall in London and at a dinner at Dorich House with some visitors from Russia. So at one level they were not strangers. But in spite of his background and experience, Ralph still found him a bit daunting.

  The VC was all smiles and handshakes as he welcomed Ralph into his oversized but comfortably furnished office. He was not one for small talk and that suited Ralph just fine.

  “Thanks for coming over, Ralph.” He gestured towards one of two upholstered chairs that were set back from the desk, ensuring that visitors were kept at a distance. The VC leaned back in his high backed leather chair and waited for Ralph to get situated.

  It seems only a few weeks ago that we were enjoying dinner in London with our guests from Grand Valley,” he began. “A lot has happened since then.” The VC paused as if choosing his words carefully. “But you seem recovered from what must have been a prett
y awful experience. Rupert tells me it was a close run thing, by all accounts. So well done for keeping the whole thing tight. He made a good choice when he decided to get you to stand in for him.”

  Ralph recognized the move to side-line his own part in things. It was no surprise that Granger would pounce on any opportunity to take credit if he possibly could. If Ralph had made a hash of things he would have distanced himself and washed his hands of all responsibility. Ralph decided to adopt a low key approach and wait to see what the VC had to say.

  “Yes. It was an unfortunate affair. But these things happen and at least we salvaged what we could out of the whole sad business,” Ralph replied.

  The VC moved on to the real agenda for the meeting. “It seems as though my counterpart at Grand Valley appreciated the part you played in all of this. I have a letter from him which is full of praise. He says that he would like to do something to demonstrate Grand Valley’s gratitude.”

  Ralph expected to hear that GV had offered to sponsor a student exchange programme or provide some bursaries or even scholarships.

  “President Lenners wanted to invite you and your partner to the annual award ceremony in Grand Rapids in order to grant honorary doctorates.” He stood up, paced over to the window and looked out at the passing traffic. Ralph recognized the element of theatre. He had seen Granger try the same thing. It had never quite worked for Granger because he did not possess the requisite panache required to pull it off.

  He knew the minute the VC used the word partner that this could not have come from President Lenners. It simply was not a term that an American would use to describe someone in that relationship. The VC turned and put the folder back on his desk in the tray marked ‘out’. He paused for effect before he continued.

  “As you know, Ms Eggerton is no longer on the staff at Kingston and my HR Director advises me that it would be totally against policy for her to be associated with the University In any way.”