Murder by the Book: Mysteries for Bibliophiles by Martin Edwards

Author:Martin Edwards [Edwards, Martin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780712367639
Publisher: British Library Publishing
Published: 2021-08-09T21:00:00+00:00

IV

At the inquest, Dr. Delmore testified that death had taken place between five and six o’clock and was due to heart failure caused by partial asphyxia resulting from strangulation. Margaret Penfold stated that she had lunched at Dalehurst, leaving at a quarter to three to go to the vicarage. Mrs. Blagrove had seemed to be in normal health, was expecting no visitor. She was confident that deceased had no personal enemy. Arthur Penfold was not called.

Police evidence revealed that the latch of the French window had been lifted with a penknife, and so clumsily that the woodwork had been chipped. The ground had been too wet to yield footprints of any value. The Coroner was encouraged to believe that an unpractised crook had assaulted the deceased intending to make her disclose the whereabouts of valuables, and had then taken fright—there had been no robbery. The jury returned the obvious verdict and expressed gratification that the local police had been prompt in asking the aid of Scotland Yard.

On taking over, Chief Inspector Karslake ordered an intensive search of the drawing-room for some personal trace of the killer.

“She was on that settee when he attacked her. He must have been leaning well over. Try the folds of the upholstery—between the seat and the back.”

The result was disappointing. Between the folds of the upholstery were found three thimbles, two pairs of scissors, nine handkerchiefs and a book in its dust jacket: The Best of Wilcox.

“That’s too thick to have slipped down, sir—must’ve been pushed down.”

Karslake examined the book. A new copy—and there was nothing to distinguish it from any other copy in the edition. He opened it in the middle.

“Poetry!” He glanced back at the moonbeams and cupids. “Love stuff. And she was sixty-four! Didn’t want to be caught at it. Check on the local booksellers—she probably bought it herself. Try those curtains.”

Karslake collected relevant gossip from the local superintendent, then set about eliminating the Penfolds. Margaret was easily disposed of because her movements were checkable up to six o’clock, when the cook and housemaid heard her talking to her husband in the drawing-room.

Penfold’s statement that he had arrived at Crosswater station at five three was confirmed by the ticket collector. His servants had not heard him come home, so could not deny that he might have come straight home from the station. This was a negative alibi which left the theoretical possibility that Penfold might have behaved as, in fact, he did behave, but there was no single item of evidence in support. Innocent persons, in the orbit of a murder, often had no alibi.

Moreover motive, in Penfold’s case, was apparently lacking. There was no known quarrel, nor conflict of interest. The Penfolds were financially comfortable. Mrs. Blagrove’s income had been derived from an annuity. To Mrs. Penfold she had left a sum in cash, her furniture and her house. But the house had been bought on mortgage and the whole estate would doubtfully yield fifteen hundred pounds.

After the inquest, the feeling of tension passed from Penfold.

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