When she arrived back Kinsella was still on the telephone, it always took a time to get through to Miss Watkiss the Chief Constable, especially if she was in one of her regular conferences with the Police Commissioner, Sir Leighton-Knox.
“To summarise Miss Watkiss,” said Kinsella, “as per previous briefings, an elderly, well to do lady, one of the, "Cheshire Set," as they say, well connected, well placed and wealthy is found dead.”
“Due to her age and infirmities, she had cancer, it was initially assumed due to these facts and there being no sign of force entry and apparently no search made that the death was a natural cause, not a police matter.”
“Fortunately as it turns out, a local doctor, a locum not knowing the patient, declined to issue a death certificate. The post-mortem revealed suspicious circumstances. Samples have been taken. I confirm I have visited the scene of the crime and I called the Crime Scene Investigators. I have given this my close supervision. I directed the civilian manager as to the necessary enquiries I require. This is being done, as I speak, samples will be sent to the forensic Science Laboratory.”
“Meanwhile, I have organised detailed police enquiries around the scene to trace witnesses. I am awaiting a contact from the next of kin of the deceased. There is little we can do until we have made a full review of the information and enquiries made, mainly the results from the samples taken.”
Doris could hear the Chief say that she was grateful for the update and would now inform the Police Commissioner that everything was in hand. If this lady was so well placed, no doubt questions would be asked.
That call finished, the telephone rang again, Doris answered, “CID, Scott-Ling here, send him up.”
Replacing the telephone handset she announced the good news of the next line of enquiry,
“Superintendent, Mr Aubrey Carter, son of the deceased is here to see you Maam,” the ever diplomatic, “as you heard I told the station sergeant to bring him up.”
Moments later voices could be heard and footsteps approaching along the corridor.
Doris stood, and walking to the doorway she was confronted by a man in his fifties, of portly build, with a smile, carrying a briefcase.
“This is Mr Aubrey Carter, Maam,” said Sergeant Joe Grimshaw, the station sergeant of so many years standing.
“Thank you Joe,” said Doris, “good day to you, Mr Carter, I am Detective Inspector Scott-Ling, this is Superintendent Kinsella, head of CID, here in Chester. Please Sir, do take a seat."
He moved forward, Doris pulled out the chair adjacent to her’s and opposite Kinsella. She was about to be seated as was he when Kinsella put up a hand, clearly about to speak. Both the others looked and waited in anticipation, this being the first occasion Carter had entered a police station let alone the office of a detective superintendent, he looked up with a nervous glance.
“Mr Carter, may I just ask if you would care for a cup of coffee."
“Why yes Madam, black, strong if I may” he replied.
“Inspector would you please either make a jug of coffee, with some milk and sugar, or arrange for this to be done, please do sit Mr Carter.”
Doris looked in amazement, once again the days when she had first arrived came to the fore. This was not the time however to make an issue of it, but she would not be making the drink either.
She picked up the telephone handset and speaking with Sergeant Grimshaw, the watch commander downstairs she asked if May Day, the office assistant and cleaner would be kind enough to make and bring the beverages. This done she now sat down and like Carter awaited the pleasure of her boss.
“Mr Carter, may I first of all, on behalf of the Police Commissioner, The Chief Constable, the officers of the Chester City Police and myself, offer our sincere condolences for your great loss.” She said with a broad pleasing smile.
“Well thank you so much. I must say my wife and I were shocked to hear from mother’s cleaner and Carer, Mrs Heather Morris of the passing of Mum.”
“Yes a terrible shock for you both.” replied Doris.
“I must say we are just as shattered to hear that there was to be a post-mortem examination. Mother being in her eighties and suffering with several ailments and of course the cancer. Mother, ending her days being dissected, yes very distressing.”
Kinsella shuffled in her chair, picked up her pencil then scribbled on the pad in front of her.
“It was unfortunate in one way Mr Carter, but fortunate in another.”
“Really,” came the reply from Carter, “you do surprise me."
“Yes, the more religious may say it was a message from God.”
Carter and Doris looked in amazement at her remark, they were distracted when May Day arrived and placed down the drinks.”
“Thank you May,” said Doris.
Kinsella was waving the pencil an indication for her Inspector to do the housewife as the saying goes. Doris obliged and poured out three cups. Once done Kinsella continued her narrative.
“I suspect had it not been a coincidence that your mother’s regular doctor was away and thus the locum doctor refused to sign a death certificate the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of your mother may well have gone unrecorded.”
“Suspicious death Superintendent, you say mother’s death was suspicious.” Carter replied, his mouth now dropped and his eyes wide and staring.
“Yes indeed sir,” Kinsella came back. “It was during the post-mortem that the pathologist discovered several unusual and yes I might as well say suspicious signs and symptoms during the examination. As a result the Coroner’s Officer notified this office and of course Her Majesty’s Coroner, Colonel Travers.
“Pray do tell madam,” replied Carter with a look of inquisitiveness on his face
“At the moment Mr Carter there is little to tell, the position is as follows. During the medical examination certain samples were taken. These have been sent for analysis. In view of the report, the police have instigated a thorough enquiry. You may have noticed when you visited the home of your mother the fingerprint dust especially around the doors. Samples have also been seized from the house. These have also been sent for forensic examination. It is only when these tests are completed and the results received at this office will we know the position. We will then of course keep you fully updated.”
“Well this all does surprise me, I gather you think mother was murdered. Good heavens I can think of no possible reason why this should be. Mother was popular locally; I saw no forced entry into the house when I visited. I have checked and as far as I can see nothing has been stolen, no indeed, my first place to look was for her jewellery, as far as I can see it is all there. I have checked with her bank. Although they would not officially reveal details of her financial state, the manager, a fellow brother Freemason us both being on the square to quote a Masonic phrase, he did confide in me that no money of any consequence has been withdrawn from any of mothers accounts. A real mystery. Mother murdered well I never.” he shook his head in amazement.
“Now let us not jump to conclusions Mr Carter, please await the test results. Here is my card we will be in touch with you as soon as we hear anything. Meanwhile please feel free to contact Inspector Scott-Ling about any concerns you have."
Doris noted the comments, she was to be the one to be contacted, she made no response.
“What of the funeral arrangements?” asked Carter.
Kinsella hesitated, “ah now yes funeral arrangements.”
This had stumped her, about to tell Carter the cost of the funeral was family matter to consult with a funeral director.
Doris stepped in, “Unfortunately Mr Carter there will be no funeral of your mother until the Coroner issues a death certificate. He will not consider doing so until the tests are known. If your mother was in fact murdered then the funeral may yet be held up further. If a suspect is arrested the defence lawyers may well wish to have their own post-mortem and tests done. In such an event the body of your poor mother m
ust be retained to cover these exigencies. I am sorry sir, but that is the law."
“It is a nightmare, the more I hear the greater the nightmare." Carter came back.
“I am sorry but there is nothing at the moment that can be done. We await the test results. As the Superintendent has said, you will be kept updated by this office regarding the police enquiries and by the Coroner’s Officer, Mr Jock Peters regarding the funeral arrangements, identification of the body, Inquest etc."
Carter stood, placed his chair under the table, then turned and walked out, Doris walking at his side.
Once downstairs she handed Carter to Sergeant Grimshaw who announced someone was waiting to see Mr Carter. He was invited inside the office and then through to the rear administration department. Doris guessed full well who wanted Carter, his day was about to be made even worse.
She returned to her office. Kinsella was still seated, Doris was amazed when her boss consumed her fourth cup of coffee, that of Carter and herself had only been partly consumed; such was the trauma of the interviews. Looking at her boss she said.
“I take it we will now get off and do the primary interviews,” her flow was disrupted with the sound of loud footsteps and a rapping on the door. A look up revealed a tall young uniformed officer standing waiting.
“Yes Constable, what do you want?” called Kinsella.
“I have come with the report of the house to house enquiries I have made at Oak Lane, Kelsall, here is my report,” he held it out, Doris took it, then handed same to Kinsella.
“Pray, please relate a narrative of your enquiries,” called the Superintendent.
“Well Maam, I visited all the nearby properties within a quarter of a mile, no-one suspicious was reported in the area, nor any suspicious vehicles. No itinerants. In fact the only people seen and that was by a farm worker working in a field adjacent to the road. He only saw those from “Four winds,” going to and from. The nurse, the retired bobby as he called him and the housekeeper Mr Morris. There were no reports of anyone else. Though he did admit that with going to and from the farm there may well have been others and he may not have seen them.
“I see, officer in other words you discovered nothing, Thank you, you can go.”
The officer looked at Kinsella with indignation, his thoughts would clearly have been read by any old time copper but he remained silent, turned and left.
The harrowing day thus far being suffered by Aubrey Carter was to continue. He had been seized at the police station by Mr Jock Peters, the Coroner’s Officer. Thirty minutes later Carter found himself standing outside the mortuary at Chester General Infirmary.
Peters had just left Carter in the car whilst he with the duty porter had pulled the mortal remains of Iris Carter from the refrigerator, lifting the cold steel tray onto the trolley. Then, turning and pushing it into the small chapel adjacent to the post-mortem room which was the covered with the very nice red velvet covering, a large cross in the centre.
Opening the side door of the building leading into the chapel Aubrey was called in.
The room was small; it contained a shelf upon which was a plain cross, a register and nothing else. The body lying in its back, the face a deadly shade of ashen grey, even yellow was all that could be seen.
“Please Mr Carter if you might just step forward,” said Peters.
Carter did as he was bid and as he moved he caught the lower end of the body covering, it moved revealing a foot and on the toe was tied a plain white label, Iris Carter. It was this sight more than any other than brought home to Carter how horrendous the situation was. Poor mother ending her days like this, it was awful, so very awful. A reality of life he had read or heard about but never really considered it, until now.
Looking up, he saw the still hard face of mother. Her eyes were closed, he touched her face, it was cold, so very cold. A different coldness as he had never before experienced, the skin was so firm.
A tear was falling onto the red covering.
“Do you Aubrey Carter identify this body as being that of your mother Iris Carter?” asked Peters.
Aubrey nodded in the affirmative. In reality such was the look upon the face of the deceased, it is difficult to identify anyone dead, they looked so different than they had done so in life.
The identification made, they both left the Porter to remove and replace the body into refrigeration.
Arriving inside the hospital and taken to an office there was a man seated ready and waiting.
The duo walked inside and Peters said, “Mr Carter, this is Colonel Travers, Her Majesty’s Coroner for the area of Chester City. This sir, is Mr Aubrey Carter son of the deceased.”
The Coroner looked up and said, "Mr Carter I am sorry for your loss. Please take the testament and read the words on the card Mr Peters will give to you.”
Carter did as requested, “I Aubrey Carter do herby solemnly declare that the evidence which I will give to this Inquest will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”
The Colonel then said, “Mr Carter you have today been shown the body of a deceased person in the mortuary at this hospital can you please identify that body to the court as being that of your mother Iris Carter?”
“I do,” replied Carter.
“In that case I adjourn this Inquest sine-die until such time as I am notified by the Chief Constable Miss Watkiss that police enquiries are complete or until such time the court feels it is fit and proper to hold a full Inquest before a jury. I declare these proceedings, now closed.”
“Come, Mr Carter,” said Peters, taking his arm and leading him out.
“We can now discuss what will happen next, the funeral etc."
The duo left, Carter, now in a state of unknowing and confusion, poor mother left lying there alone and so cold, so very cold. He recalled the days of his childhood. Mother had been such a kind caring mum, her story telling, and the playing of games in the bath which he always hated, especially when the water ran over his head. The chasing and other games in the garden, the Christmas and birthday parties. All now gone but as vivid now in his mind as if they all happened yesterday.
Meanwhile Detective Superintendent Susan Kinsella and Inspector Scott-Ling were arriving at the home of their first and hopefully star witness, Heather Morris.
She lived only a mile from her late employer. When the duo arrived they saw her sitting on a bench in the garden, reading.
The noise of the engine and the closing of the car door clearly drew her attention for she looked up and put down her book on the bench.
“Hello, Mrs Morris, good day to you, I am Detective Inspector Scott-Ling, this is Superintendent Kinsella. Here is my police warrant card to identify that we are police officers. We are investigating the death of Mrs Iris Carter for whom you worked.”
“Good gracious, a terrible affair, I have not slept since. I feel so guilty going and leaving her. I wish now I had contacted the supermarket and ordered the goods over the telephone.”
“Please,” replied Doris in a comforting tone, “ Please do not criticise yourself for what happened to Mrs Carter. It might just as well have happened when you had left work for the day, now if you might answer a few questions.”
“I will help all I can but really, it is all such a shock and mystery you see, finding her was such a shock, then the ambulance, doctor and now the police, my it is so awful.”
“Mrs Morris, if you might just answer a few questions, the Inspector will make some notes, when you are ready Inspector.” Doris nodded to confirm she was pen in hand and ready.
Kinsella continued, “Please Mrs Morris relate to us what exactly transpired when you arrived back from shopping.”
Heather then related how she had left, locking the door, calling to the gardener Ron Gittins reminding him to close the gate when he left. Arriving back she had come inside, put the shopping away and then saw Iris and eventually after several attempts, receiving no response she realised something serious was amiss. She call
ed the ambulance, the doctor and Kyle the nurse had arrived.
She recalled how surprised she was that the doctor had declined to issue a death certificate even though nurse Gittins had remonstrated with him.
“Now Mrs Morris,” said Kinsella, “just a few questions to clear up any ambiguity.”
Heather looked and then said, “Ambiguity, what is that?” Kinsella looked, it was Doris who clarified, “It just means to clear up any points not quite clear Mrs Morris, nothing to worry about.”
“Oh I see one has to be so careful, listening to the news there are all kinds of things said about the police these days, you know, not telling the truth not like the old days as my husband did, when he was a Special Constable.”
The Judas Murders Page 5