Rooted in Evil by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788631051
Publisher: Canelo Books
Published: 2018-04-06T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

But, as things turned out, it had involved the Old Nunnery. On his return from Oxford, Carter brought Jess up to date on what they’d learned.

‘Finch was removing items from the house and selling them!’ Jess exclaimed incredulously. ‘I must say, he didn’t lack nerve. Guy and Harriet surely had no idea. I can’t see Guy allowing it.’

‘I suspect it had been going on for a long time. It probably started as soon as that will was read and Finch realised he wasn’t going to get what he felt he was entitled to! He decided to put matters right by helping himself.’

Jess said thoughtfully, ‘When he was a kid, he probably explored that house thoroughly. He knew where everything was. The attics must have fascinated him.’

‘Probably. We’ll go and tell the Kingsleys now, if you’ve got the time to spare,’ Carter said. ‘It’s late, I know, but sometimes it pays to strike while the iron is hot. Your visit this morning telling Guy we know about his dust-up with Carl in London will have unsettled him. We might as well build on that.’

It had already grown dark when they reached the Old Nunnery. The golden glow from a few windows dotted the massive black bulk of the old house like warning lanterns slung at night around a wooden man o’ war at anchor. Clearly, neither Guy nor Harriet had expected them to return that day.

‘Is it me you want to see?’ asked Harriet unhappily. ‘I know I wasn’t here when you came this morning, Inspector Campbell. Tessa thought I needed a break and took me off to lunch.’

‘We’d like to see you both,’ said Carter. ‘Because we’ve learned something that might be of interest to you.’

They received the news of the books Carl had sold in a stunned silence.

‘Do you mean to tell us?’ Guy asked, his face a picture of outraged disbelief. ‘Do you seriously mean to say that Hattie and I were struggling to make a going concern of an antiques business, selling some of her old furniture and knick-knacks, which turned out to be worthless junk. Yet, all the time, up there in the attics, there was a set of valuable books… six thousand pounds’ worth, at least – maybe more! That blighter Carl stole—’

‘I won’t have my stepbrother called a thief!’ Harriet spoke loudly and firmly. Carter and her husband both looked at her in surprise. She was flushed with anger. ‘If Carl recognised those books might be valuable and took the trouble to find out, then it’s right he benefited. We didn’t bother about them.’

Guy had been scowling in thought. ‘Look here, I’m pretty sure they weren’t up there in the attic when we were hunting around,’ he said suddenly. ‘I’d have seen them. Or you would, Hat! He must have pinched them before that. He must have sneaked up there and had a good look round for something portable. What else did he smuggle out of the house? I wonder. You told me, Hattie, that when you were kids exploring up there you found boxes of china and other stuff.

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