CONSTABLE IN THE SHRUBBERY a perfect feel-good read from one of Britain's best-loved authors (Constable Nick Mystery Book 15) by NICHOLAS RHEA

Author:NICHOLAS RHEA [RHEA, NICHOLAS]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Joffe Books crime thriller and mystery
Published: 2020-12-06T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER IX

“She’s the sort of woman now,” said Mould, “one would almost feel disposed to bury for nothing; and do it neatly too!”

CHARLES DICKENS, 1812–70

The Horse asked, “Is it significant that Brenda left the lounge while the detectives were in the morning room for their conference? Did she take advantage of their absence to slip out? If so, why? Why did she want to sneak out of the house without us knowing? We were all in here, apart from the uniformed constables who were patrolling the grounds. Nick, get me Sergeant Blaketon.”

I found Sergeant Blaketon talking to a constable near the ice house. He looked extremely worried when I said The Horse wanted words and followed me to the morning room, asking what was in store for him. I pleaded ignorance and ushered him through the door ahead of me.

“Ah, Oscar, good of you to come,” beamed The Horse. “Now, tell me this. When we were attending our conference, where were you and what were you doing?”

“I sent my men in for a refreshment break, sir, one at a time. We never left the grounds unattended. There was always three officers out there, two constables and myself. We maintained our patrols.”

“The woman in the ice house, Sergeant, she is called Brenda Armitage. She’s thirty-four and blonde with her hair in a bun. Quite distinctive in appearance. Did any of you men see her leaving the main building? It seems she went outside sometime around 3pm. She was found dead just over an hour later.

“What’s important to us is whether anyone else was seen in the grounds during that time. So, get out there and quiz your officers, Oscar. Did any of them see Brenda? Did any of them see anyone else? Let me know as soon as possible, negative as well as positive answers. It does look as though a murder was committed right under your nose, Sergeant!”

“Sir.” I watched Sergeant Blaketon wither beneath The Horse’s gaze and then he turned and marched smartly outside.

“Right,” said The Horse when Sergeant Blaketon had gone. “Back to your actions, everyone. Martin, we need to allocate more men to the lounge on statement taking. How many people are still in there, waiting to be interviewed?”

Inspector Oakland did a quick calculation, “There’s about thirty, sir, but most have been interviewed about the Drood murder. I think there’s eight or nine whom we’ve not yet seen about that crime, plus members of staff who’ve not been questioned yet, and now, of course, we’ve got to start all over again. None’s been interviewed yet about Brenda Armitage.”

“Good. Get Cliff to organise ten detectives to drop whatever they are doing and start in the lounge, then you come with me. I’ll address the waiting people to tell them what’s happened, and I’ll ask if anyone can tell us about Brenda’s movements just before her death, then I want anyone who can help to be interviewed immediately. So let’s go. Statement readers, you come too, you need to hear as much as me at this stage.

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