Chapter 24 - Loose Ends
Inspector Helford and Sergeant Dean sat in the centre of a long table set up in the Clandecy room. James Goswell and the Council staff sat around the remaining chairs on that side of the table, with one chair conspicuously vacant. Everyone was avoiding looking at the space where the female staff member should have been. The other side of the table was lined with Council members. Again, some were missing, though no chairs had been set out for the absentees.
"I have called you all together because you deserve to know the details of the events you have endured here. I want to thank you for your patience and co-operation, especially Mrs Coulthard, without whose courage we would not have been able to resolve this investigation."
Kim moved slightly in her chair, and looked embarrassed. Helford moved swiftly on to save her discomfort. "As you know, Councillor Dennis Massington was arrested yesterday for conspiracy to murder. He told Mrs Coulthard that he had given the orders for the deaths, but he was not working alone. You may also know that Councillor Alfred Wentley was arrested at the home of Sue Cheam, in possession of a firearm. He has also admitted some part in the conspiracy, although he couldn't wait to tell us that Massington gave the orders. It was clear to us that Mr Chewter had been blackmailing someone, and we were in the process of getting bank records for some suspects, but the only clue we had was an entry in his diary for the day of his death - 'A.D'. We knew he left the Gull Inn at around closing time, and assumed he met someone who killed him. But the identity of 'A.D' puzzled us. Anya Dortmann, your former colleague, was a possibility, but she was abroad at the relevant time. Then we found out that Chewter had called Wentley and Massington during the week before his death, but we didn't make the connection. We heard them referred to as 'Councillor this and that', never by their first names. Chewter had begun to feel he could be familiar with them, especially once he had a blackmail hold on them. We now know that 'A.D.' probably meant 'Al and Dennis', just a brief way of reminding himself of the assignation. They could have told him to come and collect a payment, we may never know." Helford looked around at his audience, but they were too stunned to comment.
"We have a suspect in custody," he continued, "the intruder at Mrs Coulthard's, who is 'helping us with our enquiries', which is more than could be said yesterday. We found a parked van near Mrs Coulthard's road, which his keys fitted. Inside we found the gun used in the murders. As Dennis Massington told you, Mrs Couthard, he was indeed let down by some quite stupid criminals. Once we told him that we could connect him with the murders, he quickly dropped his guard and sang like a canary. He gave us the name of his accomplice, and his boss. There the trail goes cold, for until we arrest his boss, we cannot find out who was giving him orders. We think from Massington's comments that someone on the board of Egron was involved, so...." he stopped, as James had gasped. "What is it, Mr Goswell?"
"I can't believe I forgot! It must have been the landslip, so much happened that day. But while I was doing the bungee jump thing, you know, taking their tickets, I saw Dennis Massington talking to one of the Egron people - a senior man, young but he looked important, if you know what I mean. Massington was angry with him, and I was pretty surprised because I'd never seen him look so irate before. How did I forget that?!"
"As you said, you did have a busy day!"
"Sorry, Inspector. Fat lot of help I've been in all this," James sighed. Paula looked at him and smiled. Harry Tanner raised his eyes to heaven, and the cleaners nudged each other. There was a coy moment while everyone tried to stop themselves smiling at the lovers, for this was a serious occasion.
A voice from near the end of the table broke the spell. "If Romeo and Juliet are quite finished, can you tell us the rest?"
The Inspector looked at the speaker. "Yes, Miss Cheam, I certainly can. Now, where was I? Oh yes, Egron. We will have to get you to identify which of their executives you saw, Mr Goswell. Anyway, the chain of command ran from Dennis Massington right down to the man we have in custody. It's not unusual for powerful city businessmen to get underlings to do their dirty work for them, while keeping themselves right out of the frame. The motive was not money, at least not in Massington's case. He loved power - I understand he was a hugely influential figure here in Pebbleton, and you Members frequently followed his lead."
There was a murmur of dissent at this. No-one likes to be told that they have blindly gone along with the whims of someone who is now revealed to be a megalomaniac. Councillor Gordon Denby asked "What about Councillor Clandecy? Was he any part of the conspiracy?"
"We think not," the inspector replied. "We wondered at first, but he genuinely had no idea of the danger that the unstable condition of the Edge posed to the Development. He wanted it to go ahead to increase the value of the family's land, as did Councillor Wentley, but he had no idea there was a problem."
"But his family was one that moved the river!" Sue protested.
"Yes, but I don't suppose any of them understood the implications two hundred or so years later. Joey Fisher, working on the geological survey in preparation for the Development, discovered anomalies in the readings, and couldn't make up his mind what was going on. In layman's terms, some parts were strong which should have been weak, and vice versa. He consulted his old university friend, Steve Coulthard, and together they checked the findings. Steve slowly became almost convinced that the Development would lead to disaster, and was torn between his doubts and his anxiety for his wife's safety. He thought the problem could extend both sides of the cliffs, and endanger the part where Southcliff Hall stands. As his wife worked for the Council he told his friend to approach some of the Councillors and the Parish Clerk. He could not have known that the very ones he suggested, first Chewter, then Wentley, who was Ward Councillor for the Development area, and finally Massington, were the worst possible choices. I'm sure that any of you others would have blown the whistle and alerted everyone to the danger."
The Councillors nodded, appalled at what they had voted for. Paula, remembering her misgivings about the Development, wanted to know who had phoned her at work on the day of the Meeting. "We think it was Massington himself, as he was in the building at the time and could have used any phone." She nodded, satisfied.
Councillor Mrs Sheila Cooper piped up. "What will happen now about the Development? Is it a write-off?"
James answered this one. "We now know the geological survey we have on the Development file is useless, it must have been prepared by someone told to overlook every sign of trouble. We are waiting for the final report of the Geological Survey team," he told her. "But I'm not hopeful - the initial findings are pessimistic."
"Does anyone have any more questions?" asked Helford.
Eve Thornton cleared her throat, and shot the one question at the policemen that everyone was wondering but no-one wanted to ask. "Why isn't Fiona here? Is she a suspect too?"
"We understand that Miss Carvell is taking some annual leave on the advice of her doctor. No, she is not a suspect."
"Hmph, darned suspicious if you ask me," Eve replied. "She's been acting odd ever since you found the other bodies, like she had something to hide."
"We have all the information Miss Carvell could give us, and we are not looking for any more."
James added grimly, "Fiona is considering her position."
Another voice broke in. "I want to know why Councillor Wentley was trying to break into Sue's place!" It was Imogen, who until now had been quietly trying to make sense of so much information.
"He was called by Dennis Massington, and told that a vital and incriminating document was in Sue's possession. Actually he was meant to get rid of Sue as well. We made sure Sue was out, but my men were there."
Imogen had another question. "What about Cuffy?"
Everyone except Sue, James and Paula looked puzzled. Then the Inspector remembered.
"You mean the old gentleman, the one in the home? I'm afraid I have no
information about him."
"But wasn't he put in the home by Councillor Wentley? Surely he can be got out now!"
Sue leaned forward and caught Imogen's attention. "I've set things in motion, don't worry," she hissed.
The Inspector and Sergeant Dean exchanged knowing looks, and Dean leaned forward himself. "Any chance you could leave things to the professionals this time?" he asked.
Sue tilted her chin up. "The professionals are the ones I contacted. I have friends in various areas, you know," she replied haughtily.
Kim spoke up. "That's what Councillor Massington said - he reckoned he had people all over Pebbleton giving him information."
"Yes, we heard that on the recording. We found a couple living over the road from you who were passing him information. They had a problem some years ago getting planning permission for an extension, and he told them he would 'oil the wheels'. In return they were happy to help him out whenever he wanted. He told them you were a suspect in the murder of your husband, and that's why the police were calling on you. He alerted them after the intruder had gone, of course, and asked them to let him know when we left. They were told to go out after that, so they didn't see him arrive. He took a chance that no-one else would see him, but he had got tired of people fouling up his plans. The couple were so thrilled, helping catch the murderer as they thought, so they came home again quite soon. They were horrified when he was led out in handcuffs."
"I bet he 'oiled the wheels' for loads of people, or pretended he had," remarked James. "There's going to be a lot of disillusioned people in Pebbleton when this gets out."
Bill Perry of the Frayminster Guardian had a field day with the story, and it even made the nationals in a small paragraph here and there.. The big thunder had already been stolen by Clifftop FM, running the story of the arrest of two Pebbleton Councillors as if they were personally responsible for the landslip as well as being murder suspects. It was quickly realised that the Development was involved, and rumours flew around. Once there was someone to blame, all manner of wrongs surfaced and were laid at the door of Wentley and Massington.
On Monday Imogen and Sue both sat in Reception and endured one after another of the villagers ranting on about their grievances. "I always knew neither of those two cared about animals. I hope now they've gone something will get done about feeding the wildlife," one woman grumbled. "You should see the poor squirrels in my garden, they're positively emancipated!"
"Emaciated..." Sue whispered in her Imogen's ear. "I'll make a note of the problem," she assured the woman. "Like hell I will, you batty old freak," she muttered under her breath when the indignant wildlife enthusiast was out of earshot.
Lunchtime finally arrived. Imogen was picked up by her boyfriend, who was planning to persuade her to have a break from Pebbleton in favour of a week in Taunton, his home town. Sue had to manage alone for an hour, so she was glad when Paula Rivers came into Reception for a chat.
"Off to lunch with James?" Sue smiled.
"Sure, but he can wait. How are you, is your shoulder better?"
"It's fine. Any more news? People have been asking if the Parish Council will survive, or if we'll be absorbed into Frayminster Council. What do you reckon? Will I have a job this time next month?"
Paula looked dubious. "I won't lie to you, Sue, that could happen. Once we get the geology report we can make a decision on how much, if any, of the Development can go ahead. What a mess, eh?"
James came down the stairs and took Paula's arm. "Sue wants to know if she'll have a job by next month," Paula murmured to him as they left the building.
"We all wonder that, but you know how the land lies." He stopped. "Sorry, that's the very thing we don't know!"
"What will you do if the Council is dissolved?" asked Paula. She was anxious to know if James wanted to remain near her. Pebbleton was the place in which she would love to stay living, but if James was planning to move on she might, just might, face leaving if he felt they had a future together.
He said nothing for a while. Finally he sighed, "Let's just wait and see, shall we?" Paula bit her lip, but knew she had to do just that.
Back in Reception, Sue had another visitor. Sergeant Dean, off duty and in jeans, wandered in. "I was just passing and I thought I'd see how you were," he claimed.
"Apart from the fact that the whole world's gone mad and I'm probably going to lose my job, fine, thanks!"
"Lose your job? Really?"
She explained the problem of the diminishing justification for a Parish Council for such a small village. "The Development would have kept us in business, but - well - you get the picture."
Dean thought for a moment. "You could always join the police force," he pointed out. "You're pretty observant and you'd have no trouble passing the entrance exam."
She was taken aback. "You really think so? I thought you had to be quite tall and fit. Come on, look at me!"
"You don't have to be tall now. And you could soon get into shape - you're not that far off, surely...." He blushed as she realised he had made an assessment of her contours. She let him off the hook by saying, "Well, I'll bear it in mind. What are you doing today, anything interesting?"
"Not really," he said, "Just mooching around. I did a bit of gardening at my Mum's earlier, but at this time of year there's not much to do. Are you a gardener?"
"I would be if I had a garden. I do grow stuff on my windowsill, but I'm not in your league. You know, I wish you could hang around for a bit, I'm off for lunch soon and I've got loads of questions about the investigation. Any chance you could come back in half an hour, so I can give you the third degree?"
"OK, why not. Actually there's something puzzling the Inspector, you might be able to shed some light on it. I can walk down to the cafe near the beach, you know, the one with the postcards outside, and come back later."
"I know the one - I love the ice-cream there. Why don't I join you, to save you walking up the path again? I can run down in five minutes, it's the walk back up that kills me!"
Dean set off down the winding path to the beach, whistling happily. He was thinking how she'd laugh to hear his news - the young man in custody had implicated his friend 'Dezzer' in the murders. 'Dezzer' had been tracked down to a prison where he was serving a short sentence for assaulting his girlfriend. The RSPCA had prosecuted him for using the girl's own pet snake as an offensive weapon. 'You just couldn't make it up,' thought Dean.
He wandered into the caf? and ordered a cup of tea. Beside the counter was a display of key rings with boys' and girls' names on. Perhaps he'd buy the 'Sue' version, and give it to her to thank her for her help in the investigation. He must remember to ask her Inspector Helford's question - why did Alfred Wentley risk prison for such a small prize as the value of his brother-in-law's house? Surely an inadequate motive for involving himself in conspiracy to murder?
Paula went to visit Kim after her lunch with James. They sat in the lounge where just a few days before, Kim had nearly had her wrists cut by the psychotic Dennis Massington. "He has gone completely over the edge, so the police tell me," she explained to Paula.
"You poor girl, it's a wonder you're not back in hospital," replied Paula. "You need to get away from here, have a break."
"Mrs Loxwood, you know, Piers Clandecy's mother, has offered to take me on a cruise with her. She knows the owner of the Amnesia, so she's got a last minute booking. We're going to see the fiords."
"Good - but won't it be a bit weird, I mean, she's Piers' mother....he's a pain. Did you hear he's resigned?"
"I didn't hear, no, but I met Mrs Loxwood at watercolour classes a long time ago, and we've been friends ever since. She's nothing like her son, but she told me he was a great disappointment to her, not to mention his awful wife. I think she'll be as glad to get away as I will be."
"Sue told me about a letter you found, that gave the game away. What was in it?" her friend wanted to kn
ow.
"It was from Joey to Steve. Here, read it." She went to the bureau and took out the A4 copy she had shown Massington.
'Steve - Here are the maps and stuff, you'll make a better job of convincing those thickheads at the Council than I would. Something's wrong there, I'm sure. First the Clerk didn't seem interested, then that Wentley bloke just got angry, what's the matter with them? It's their village, for heaven's sake. But worse has happened since you spoke to the other one, the tall one who works in London.
I reckon he said something to Egron, because I got called into the office and told to clear my desk. I just had time to copy this lot before security barged in and strong-armed me out of the building. I was so sure it had something to do with Pebbleton, I was determined they wouldn't get the chance to destroy all the work I've done.
Well, all the best, and if our worst fears turn out to be true, make sure you get that lovely wife of yours out of Pebbleton before the whole lot falls into the sea. I'm off to find another job. Take care mate, don't let the blighters get you down! - Joey'
Paula laid the letter down on the coffee table, and sighed. "Poor devil - he had no idea how right he was. And poor Steve, trying so hard to protect you and the village."
"It all makes sense now," said Kim. "All the things like that phone call, when I heard him say 'what if I'm wrong'.......and why he was so quiet and worried. And why he jumped at the chance of the job in Northern Ireland, though that was all a lie. Massington was terrifying, Paula - I couldn't believe how someone can change and show their true colours. He's absolutely evil, power-crazy."
"I suppose he had the perfect set-up here, just a little village, and everyone so easily influenced by the clever big-city businessman. I can hardly believe it, but I guess we'll get used to the idea. It's different with Wentley, I never liked him. Oh, and Piers resigning means three gone from the Council. Good riddance, I say. That actually leaves us with a really nice set of Members. Gordon Denby's getting on a bit, but he's very experienced. Mrs Cooper is a dear, and Hugh Pickford is a decent man - when he's around! Mind you, four of us isn't enough. Once this geology report comes out we'll have to decide whether to recruit more Members."
Kim looked around at her home. "I wonder if there is a problem this side of the cliffs.......if so, this house will be practically worthless...."
Back at Southcliff Hall, Sue sat at the Reception desk, longing to escape to have lunch with Dean. The elderly ladies and gentlemen of the Pebbleton History Club were slowly filtering in, their conversation full of the geological disaster. Current events seldom aroused their curiosity, but they listened to Clifftop FM and they had heard speculation about the cause of the landslip.
James was also back in the building, and hung around in Reception talking to the historians. He was full of bonhomie after his lunch with Paula. They asked him questions about his heroic rescue on the day of the Extreme Sports, which had also filtered through to their collective consciousness. Suddenly the tortoise-like little Mr Corrigan, nearly bent double with arthritis, looked up at James and remarked, "It'll be the river pushing through the cliff, there can be no doubt about that. Once the three Squires diverted that river, all manner of strange things happened to the land. It seemed to settle down after about fifty years, but water always finds its own way."
James stared at the wizened little man. "You mean you knew about the diverted river? And there were problems with the land - for fifty years after? Why didn't you tell us - I mean......" His voice tailed off in confusion.
Mr Corrigan looked hurt. "We would have told you anything you wanted to know, only nobody asked us. We did wonder when they started to build the Development, but we thought they must know what they were doing, what with all their new-fangled equipment for testing things. Ah, well, that's what happens when you get old, nobody listens to you...." His fellow Club members nodded sadly in agreement.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to imply - yes, we should have asked you. You're the History Club. If only we had."
Mrs Ada Flynn patted him soothingly on the arm. Her watery pale blue eyes in the crinkles of tired flesh gazed kindly at him. "We'll get out our old maps and show you, dear. Maybe it will help those young men who are all over the other side of the cliff."
The Club members tottered off to their meeting and James sank onto a chair in Reception. "I don't believe it," he mumbled, shaking his head.
Sue looked at him doubtfully, and was about to say something when the phone rang. "Pebbleton Parish Council, may I help you?" she trilled in her best telephone voice.
It was the manager of the care home where she and Imogen had visited Cuffy. The assessment had revealed that he was quite capable of taking care of himself at home, contrary to the information his sister had supplied. As his sister and brother-in-law were in custody, helping police with inquiries, Mr Acres was asking if any of his friends at Southcliff Hall could drive him home if he was delivered there.
Sue was thrilled, and frantically beckoned James over. She covered the mouthpiece and begged for Cuffy to be allowed to come. "Very well," agreed James. Today couldn't get any more crazy, even if Mr Acres joined them.
Five minutes later Mr Cuthbert Acres, looking none the worse for his stay at The Magnolia Home for Distressed Gentlefolk, was escorted into Reception by Imogen, who had spotted him emerging from a car as she came back from her lunch.
"My dear friends, you have all been so wonderful," he enthused. "You've been through a terrible ordeal, I hear, and you deserve a holiday."
"That would be nice," mused Imogen. "Wouldn't it be fun if we could all of us book into Centre Parcs for a week?"
"Centre Parcs?" Cuffy interrupted. "No, no, dear girl, you don't want to go there. While I was in the Magnolia Hotel they showed us a film warning us about that place. I remember one scene where a goat was lowered into an enclosure, and these frightful monstrous beasts ate it up in a flash. No, I have a better idea."
"Er, was the film called Jurassic Parc, perhaps?" Sue giggled. Cuffy ignored her and continued with his plan.
"I am going to make sure you all have a treat - a free trip on one of my ships. You choose, the Amnesia, the Dreamcloud or my personal favourite, the Sundrifter. I want you to test your sea-legs, my dear ladies, for I have an ulterior motive. I am thinking of purchasing another ship, and I would love to steal you away from the Council and employ you as staff on it."
Sue and Imogen smiled at him, glad to have the old delusional Cuffy back. Most locals knew that the owner of the Daydream cruise line running these three beautiful vessels lived somewhere in the area, and often saw adverts in the Frayminster Guardian. But the girls knew better than to get their hopes up for a fortnight sunning themselves on deck.
Sue looked at her watch and scooted out of the building to meet Dean. She made it down the steps to the beach on record time and found Dean outside the caf?.
Dean got straight down to brass tacks by asking her opinion of Wentley's motives. "You know him from the Council, what do you think?"
"What do I think of the man who came to my house to kill me? Oddly enough, I don't think he would have killed me. If he was a killer he'd have done away with Cuffy, to get the house. But he didn't, did he? He let his wife fix up a Power of Attorney, but they found a reasonably comfortable home for Cuffy. Bless him, he was in Reception when I left, wittering on about giving us all jobs on his fleet of cruise ships."
"Who was, Wentley?"
"No, of course not, you nit. You've got Wentley in custody, I hope. No, I mean Cuffy. His latest delusion is that he's the owner of the Daydream line."
"And is he? I heard the owner lives round these parts."
"He can't be!"
"Why not?" retorted Dean, reaching for his mobile phone.
"Because - well, he can't be - I mean?.he'd be fabulously rich, and?."
"And," Dean pointed out, "that would explain why the Wentleys were trying to get co
ntrol of his money." He called the police station and asked Beavon to check the details. They ordered their food and chatted happily until it came. Sue felt quite comfortable eating at her usual speed in front of Dean. 'After all,' she thought, 'this isn't a date or anything. He just wants to ask me more questions to tie up the investigation.'
She wanted to know how a Power of Attorney could have been obtained, and Dean was able to tell her that Massington had supplied Wentley with the names of a 'bent' solicitor and an equally obliging doctor, who had signed away Cuffy's freedom without even examining him. Wentley had been all too eager to blame Massington for everything, though the charge sheets against both of them were long enough.
Dean's phone squeaked as a text message came in. "From Beavon?." he muttered, "let's see, Daydream line?.registered owner??Cuthbert Acres."
"You're kidding - here, show me that," Sue yelped, trying to grab the phone from his hand. "Hey - let go, you can see," laughed Dean, turning the phone to face her. She read the tiny print carefully, again and again, squinting in the sunlight. Finally she pushed Dean's wrist back towards him, murmuring, "I don't believe it - I just can't believe it."
"Now if you can't trust a police officer, who can you trust?" replied Dean with a superior air.
"So - he really can give us jobs on his ships!"
"OK, I get it - you don't fancy a job in the police force," sighed Dean, his heart unaccountably heavy.
"Oh, cheer up, I'll get you a job as a ship's security officer. You'll look lovely in the uniform!" Sue was so excited she jumped up and impulsively hugged Dean and kissed him on the cheek. "Come on, we've got to tell the others," she urged him. Dean drained his cup and allowed Sue to pull him up from his chair.
"Yes, mi' lady," he replied with a crafty smile. "Race you up the cliff?."
THE END
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