by Kate Ellis
Then a child began to scream in terror and Monty descended, his coat flapping out like the wings of a great bird.
Chapter 67
Albert rushed to tackle the boy’s attacker. But when he reached the edge of the stone circle he realised he’d misread the situation and Monty Ghent was wrestling with a dark figure while Peter Rudyard lay on the ground, half screaming, half sobbing; terrified for his life.
‘Get Peter away,’ he barked at Gwen before entering the circle and shielding her from the fighting men while she dragged the boy up. Peter struggled at first, flailing out with his thin arms and shouting ‘No, no.’ But once he realised who had hold of him he flung himself into her arms and held tight like a baby clinging to its mother. Then, murmuring words of reassurance, Gwen guided him off to safety, shielding his body with hers.
‘Stop,’ he shouted, grabbing Monty’s coat. ‘Leave him.’ Then he heard a familiar voice. ‘He’s under arrest.’ ‘What for?’
‘Desertion. And kidnapping the lad.’
Peter was standing in the shelter of the trees with Gwen and before she could stop him he rushed forward. ‘You’re a liar,’ he shouted, his voice broken with sobs. ‘The Shadow Man didn’t do nothing. It was you.’
Sergeant Stark turned to face Albert with a mirthless smile on his lips. ‘Everyone knows the boy imagines things. You can’t believe a word he says.’ He looked straight at Gwen. ‘His teacher’ll tell you. Won’t you, Miss?’ Gwen stared at him, lost for words.
‘I thought you were off duty tonight, Sergeant.’
‘I got a message when I arrived home. Mitchell told me you were on your way here so I thought you’d need a hand.’
Peter had returned to Gwen, edging behind her for protection.
Albert looked down at Monty, who had fallen to his knees, head bowed. ‘Peter’s telling the truth,’ Monty said. ‘He’s remembered what happened when his brother was killed but he thought no one’d believe him.’
‘Look at him,’ Stark said. ‘He’s a desperate man and desperate men’ll say anything. It’s a well-known fact. ’
‘Shut up, Sergeant. Hear him out.’
Stark’s fists clenched and Albert could sense his tension. ‘We should be looking for Woodbead. That’s the man you want. I came across young Ghent here attacking the young ’un. I reckon between the two of them – Woodbead and this—’
‘I said shut up.’ Albert’s voice cracked. He didn’t have the whole story yet but it was coming to him in fragments like the shards of glass on Miss Fisher’s carpet. In the meantime he needed to arrest the right man. He squatted down so his face was level with Monty’s. ‘Tell me what happened.’
‘It was getting too much for me at home so I came up here for some peace. I heard Peter crying out and I came to help.’
‘Nonsense,’ Stark butted in. ‘I found you kneeling over him. You were going to kill him.’ He paused. ‘Come to think of it, you were around when his brother died, weren’t you? You were just a lad back in ’fourteen but you were still capable of murdering a little kid. You and that “friend” of yours. The Jew you used to go round with. What kind of friend was he? I often used to wonder about that. If that kiddie saw you together and … ’
Monty struggled to his feet. ‘You’re a bloody liar.’ Albert placed a restraining hand on his shoulder. ‘Let’s go down to the station. I’m sure Mr Ghent has some questions to answer. He gave Monty’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze and began to steer him out of the clearing as he turned his head and added, ‘You too, Sergeant. You’re needed.’
Peter suddenly shouted: ‘He brought me here. He said I had to go with him. But he killed our Jimmy – him and Miss FishFace. I’ve remembered now. I drew a picture to show Miss Davies.’
Albert shone his torch straight in Stark’s face and saw him put up his arm to shield his eyes.
‘Surely you’re not going to take what he says seriously,’ said Stark, regaining his composure. ‘He makes things up.’ ‘I’ve always thought there was a grain of truth in his fantasies,’ said Gwen quietly. ‘The knight he drew was wearing a helmet – policemen wear helmets. I think the two things got mixed up in his mind.’
‘Everyone knows he’s a liar. Now are we going to arrest Ghent?’
Albert didn’t take his eyes off Stark, keeping the torch beam steady on his face. ‘Mr Ghent. Will you escort Miss Davies and Peter back to the police station, please?’
He thought Monty was going to object but after a few moments he led Gwen and Peter away. Albert waited until they were out of sight before he spoke. ‘By the way, if Mitchell had really called you as you claimed he’d have told you that Woodbead’s back in custody. Your handcuffs, please, Sergeant.’
Stark drew himself up to his full height. ‘What if I don’t want to give them to you?’
‘That’s an order from a superior officer.’
Stark’s lips curled up in a snarl. ‘Look at you with your gammy leg and your useless hand. Now we’re here man to man you’re no match for me, admit it. It’s dangerous up here. People have died falling off Oak Tree Edge.’ Stark clenched his fist and aimed a punch in Albert’s direction, knocking the torch from his good right hand, but somehow Albert managed to dodge the blow and when the second punch came Stark was way off target.
Then Stark seemed to gather strength and rushed at him, knocking him to the ground. The sudden pain that shot through Albert’s injured leg made him cry out and he realised he couldn’t scramble to his feet quickly enough so he shielded his head from the blows he was sure were about to come. Stark had him pinned on the damp ground and he couldn’t move. Albert knew he was facing death. He closed his eyes tightly, waiting for the inevitable. Then he heard Stark’s voice.
‘You should have left that boy well alone. Nobody believed him apart from that stupid teacher of his and she’s a whore, no better than she ought to be.’
‘Why did you kill Jimmy Rudyard?’ Albert gasped. If he could keep the man talking …
‘I couldn’t risk him blabbing to his mother that he’d seen me and Ethel together. The whole village would have found out and I’ve got a position to keep up: I’m respected. I held my hand over his face until he stopped breathing so he didn’t suffer. We thought it’d be taken for an accident. This Ridge is a dangerous place.’
‘What about Patience Bailey?’
‘What makes you think I had anything to do with that?’ ‘Mrs Rudyard saw your bicycle propped up on one of the gravestones when she looked out of the window.’
‘I always check the cemetery when I’m on patrol. You get people up to no good in there and—’
‘But you weren’t on duty that night. I’ve checked the duty rotas.’
There was a long silence before Stark spoke again. ‘Very well. The Bailey woman turned up on the Ridge walking her brat in its pram and she saw me and Ethel together in the woods. It’s a handy place to meet on a fine evening now Ethel’s had to take in a lodger. She was staring at us as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing and I knew it’d soon be all round the village. Besides, she was in the habit of taking tea with my wife so … ’ He gave a little laugh. ‘We kept an eye on her, waiting for a chance, and followed her to the cemetery that night – although Lord knows what she was doing taking the kiddie to a place like that. Anyway, Ethel picked up the spade and finished her off. I said not to harm the baby though. We left it on one of the graves.’
‘Good of you.’
‘Yes.’ It seemed Stark hadn’t caught the irony in Albert’s remark. ‘Then the old biddy arrived – Mrs Pearce.’
‘So you silenced her too.’
‘We had no choice. She saw Ethel hit the Bailey woman and she let out a scream and ran off – she was fast for an old ’un, I’ll give her that. Ethel said we had to shut her up before she talked so she paid her a call.’
‘She cut her throat.’
‘Ethel’s always had a taste for the theatrical.’ He dragged Albert up by his coat collar, took out his handcuff
s and snapped them on the inspector’s wrist.
Albert felt himself being frogmarched through the trees. He guessed where they were heading and he knew he didn’t have much time.
‘Miss Davies has evidence of your affair with Ethel Fisher.’
Stark suddenly stopped. ‘You’re bluffing. If she says anything against me do you really think anybody will believe her?’
‘She took the letters you wrote from Miss Fisher’s room. They were in a wooden box by the bed.’
This time Stark seemed worried. But after a momentary hesitation he carried on, more determined than ever, pushing Albert ahead of him. ‘Even if she has letters, I never signed them so I’ll just deny I wrote them.’
‘You may not have signed them but they’re in your handwriting. There are samples of it all over the station.’
‘I’ll say they’re forgeries. There are a lot of people out there who’d like to embarrass a policeman who arrested them. Revenge is an occupational hazard as you should know – even in Scotland Yard.’
They’d reached the Edge and Albert could see lights twinkling in the far distance; the lights of Manchester. Between the city and the Edge there was nothing but darkness, like a void in the earth. He felt himself being shoved forward, his feet slipping on the bare rock.
‘Monty Ghent and Miss Davies will testify against you if anything happens to me.’
‘This is a dangerous place. Easy to lose your footing – especially with your old war wounds. Ghent is a coward and a deserter and Miss Davies is an impressionable young woman. She used to be the mistress of George Sedding, one of our most respected citizens, so her morals are highly questionable. And she’s fallen for that child’s fantasies so she’s hardly a credible witness.’
Albert knew he had to act quickly if he was to survive. He collapsed to the ground and rolled away from the edge, crying out in agony as his leg gave way and his knees hit the bare rock. Taken by surprise, Stark stumbled over his prone body in the darkness and Albert heard the scream as he tumbled off Oak Tree Edge.
Chapter 68
Peter was home with his family. Gwen had thought it was for the best rather than making the child stay in the police station for half the night while statements were taken. The formalities could be dealt with in the morning.
Albert had managed to stumble back to the village, his hands still fastened together by Stark’s handcuffs. Somehow he had found his way. Peter would undoubtedly have said the ghosts of Mabley Ridge had guided him to safety although Albert’s explanation was less fanciful. He put his good fortune down to being familiar with the place after so many visits.
Too exhausted to go into detail, he lied to Constable Mitchell, telling him he’d seen Sergeant Stark up there and he’d gone missing. Explanations could wait.
One thing was certain, though. Miss Fisher wouldn’t escape justice and there was no way Albert would allow Gwen to return to her cottage to be at her mercy when she awoke from her laudanum sleep.
Instead he took her to the Station Hotel and asked the man on the reception desk to provide her with a room for the night. It was a police emergency, he explained, hoping this would avoid any awkward questions.
Gwen’s room was next door but one to his own and in the early hours of the morning he heard a light tap on his door. He pulled on his dressing gown before answering, thinking it might be Constable Mitchell come to report on a new development in the case. But when he opened the door a crack he saw Gwen Davies standing there, still fully dressed.
‘I couldn’t sleep,’ she whispered. ‘May I come in?’
For a few moments Albert said nothing. It was hardly proper to be entertaining a lady in his room at that time of night and Stark’s accusation rang in his head. The village schoolmistress had once been the mistress of one of Mabley Ridge’s wealthy residents. Her reputation was already tarnished so another scandal was hardly likely to make much difference. He opened the door wider and she slipped in quietly.
‘Has somebody been to Miss Fisher’s?’ she said as she sat down in the chair by the dressing table.
‘I sent Mitchell and told him to stay there until she wakes up then bring her in for questioning.’
Gwen opened the bag she had with her. ‘You’d better take care of these. They’re evidence.’ She handed him the bundle of letters he’d asked her to keep safe because he hadn’t wanted to leave them at the police station. ‘Why did they do it?’
‘I think it was a kind of madness,’ said Albert. ‘They developed a passion for each other but at the same time they both had to preserve their respectability, especially Stark. He was very conscious of his position in the community and, as far as Mabley Ridge was concerned, he led a blameless life with his job, his apparently perfect marriage and his role in the church.’
‘According to the Bible the worst sin is hypocrisy and judging others – that’s how I read it anyway, although I’m sure there are those who’d disagree.’
Albert smiled. ‘Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.’
She lowered her eyes and took a deep breath. ‘Some people in Mabley Ridge consider me a scarlet woman. While I was here in the war doing my bit on a farm just outside the village I met George Sedding. He was charming and funny and his marriage wasn’t happy, or so he told me. We became lovers and I went back home to have his child – a boy. My married sister in Liverpool agreed to pretend he was hers.’
‘Do you see your son?’
‘I stayed with my parents during the school holidays but my brother-in-law didn’t like me coming round because he thinks I’m a disruptive influence. He says I’ll confuse the boy.’
‘I’m sorry.’
‘I’m leaving Mabley Ridge and going back to Liverpool so at least I’ll be near him. They might not let me see him very often but it’ll be something, won’t it? I’m going back to live at my parents’ house. My sister can’t avoid me there.’ He could see the pain on her features. She’d lost a child just as he had. The night seemed made for confidences. He sat on the bed facing her and reached over to take her hand in his, hiding his injured hand because he was conscious of its ugliness.
‘I lost a child too. My son, Frederick, died just as the war was coming to an end and … And I had another child too by a woman who wasn’t my wife. A boy. But I don’t know where he is.’
‘You should try to find him,’ she said, squeezing his hand. ‘Do you know where his mother is?’
‘She’s dead.’ He hardly liked to tell her that his mother was a murderess who’d faced the hangman.
‘Don’t give up hope,’ she said, leaning forward and kissing the top of his head. He grasped her hand and pulled her towards him, his lips seeking hers. They kissed, her free hand travelling up to his scarred face, feeling the smoothness of his damaged flesh.
Then she pulled away. ‘I’d better go,’ she said softly, standing up. ‘I’ll see you in the morning.’
‘There’ll be a search for Stark as soon as it’s light. You’ll be needed as a witness.’
‘I know.’ She delved in her bag and brought out a small notebook. ‘I’ll give you my parents’ address in Liverpool. Just in case you’re ever up that way.’
She tore the page out and handed it to Albert, who folded it neatly and placed it on his bedside table.
Then he watched as she left the room, his heart heavy with regret.
Chapter 69
The hunt for Abraham Stark was started at first light, shortly after Miss Fisher had regained consciousness and been placed under arrest. According to Stark she’d been the one who’d actually murdered Patience Bailey and Mrs Pearce, but Albert wondered whether he’d been trying to shift the blame. The pair had encouraged each other in their depravity and now she was likely to pay with her life, as Flora had paid for her actions all those months ago.
While the search was going on there was one visit Albert felt obliged to make. He walked to the cemetery lodge and when Grace Rudyard opened the door to him, she actually smiled.
‘I know it’s taken a long time, Mrs Rudyard, but we’ve finally got him. Thanks to your Peter.’
To his surprise she invited him inside and put the kettle on the range after telling him to take a seat. ‘I’m keeping him off school today. He’s had a rough time. Besides, I don’t want him telling tales to all and sundry. You know what he’s like.’
‘I know, Mrs Rudyard. But he’s a brave lad and I couldn’t have caught your Jimmy’s killer without him.’
‘Why couldn’t he just have said who it was when it happened?’
‘If we see something terrible our minds can block it out.’ He touched his face. ‘I don’t really know how I got this. All I remember is waking up in agony. Sometimes the memories come back in flashes … or don’t come back for years. With Peter they became mixed up with his fantasies. We all have our own ways of dealing with pain.’ He stood up. ‘I won’t stay for that cup of tea if you don’t mind. There’s a lot to do before I leave.’
‘You’re going?’
‘Back to London.’ He took her hand. ‘Take care, Grace. And look after Peter, won’t you.’ He heard a baby crying. ‘I thought he’d be back with his real mother – the actress.’
A satisfied look appeared on Grace’s face. ‘She says she’s got to work so she’s asked me to look after him for her. I told her I didn’t mind. She’s even giving me a few bob.’
Albert walked to the police station with a feeling that all his unfinished business had been dealt with. He’d have to interview Ethel Fisher then, once charges had been made, he’d return to London until such time as he was needed to give evidence at her trial.
As soon as he walked into the station he was greeted by Constable Mitchell. Since the revelation about his sergeant, the young man seemed to have grown in stature. Albert hoped promotion would soon come his way.