The Celtic Dagger (2 page)

CHAPTER 2

Tall and fair, his eyes a deep blue, James Wearing cut a handsome figure as he strolled along Chapel Street in Melbourne to his favourite restaurant.  He ordered coffee and sat down at a table outside, spreading his newspaper out in front of him.  His thoughts, however, were on Alex and their argument the night before.  He ran his hand through his hair and tried to make sense of Alex’s hostility toward him.

‘Ah, James, my friend.’

James looked up to see Claudio Perona, a friend and colleague from the Centre for Classics and Archaeology at the University of Melbourne, walking toward him.

‘Claudio.  It’s good to see you.’

The two men shook hands.  Claudio sat down at the table.  ‘You are early.  The conference does not start for two days.’

James sighed.  ‘Alex and I had words so I decided to take an earlier flight.’

‘Things have not changed then between you and your brother.’

‘No.’

‘Well, I am glad you are here early.  We can have dinner this evening perhaps.  When are you giving your paper?’

‘The first day of the conference at two o’clock.’

‘Good.  I will be interested to listen.’  Claudio caught the waiter’s eye and ordered coffee.  ‘Why do you not make a change in your life, James?’

‘How do you mean?’

'As you know, very soon I will be returning to Sapienza University in Rome so my position at the Centre will become vacant.  Apply for it.  You love Melbourne, do you not?'

‘Yes.’

‘Then move on, my friend.  Louise is gone.  You cannot bring her back or change the circumstances of her death, and this friction that exists between you and your brother does not go away.’

The waiter brought the coffee to the table.

James’s thoughts slid back to the news of Louise’s death on a Sydney street two years earlier.  He had been conducting fieldwork in Cyprus at the time, and still the guilt gnawed in the pit of his stomach.  At the same time, he knew his refusal to face this did not help the situation with Alex, a tumultuous relationship in itself.  The very fact they worked in the same university department created a tense atmosphere at times not only for themselves, but for those around them.  He looked across at Claudio, a man of gentle nature who exuded an aura of calm wherever he went.

‘You’re a good friend, Claudio,' James said.  'I’ll give it some thought.’

‘Good.  Now then, we can speak of other matters.  Carmela and I hope you will join us on the Peninsula for the weekend.  Carmela’s sister, Francesca arrived from Italy yesterday for a visit.  She will be there.  You’ve met Francesca, James.’  Claudio’s eyes sparkled.  ‘Very beautiful, is she not?’

Aware of Claudio’s efforts over the past year to match him with every single Italian woman he knew, James smiled.

‘Yes, I have met Francesca and yes, she is very beautiful, but I can’t, Claudio.  I’ve agreed to attend a field school Flinders University is running in Esperance.  I leave straight after the conference.’

Claudio’s hands went up into the air.  ‘Ah, always the work, James.  You should take time for your life.  It is very important.’  He took a sip of his coffee.

'I know, and you're right.'  James smiled.  'Perhaps next time.'

It was later that afternoon as they sat talking in Claudio’s office that James’s mobile phone rang.

‘Dr Wearing?  It’s Miles Bennett.’

‘Yes, Miles?’

‘I wondered whether you’ll be in the office today before you leave for Melbourne.’

‘Actually I left Sydney early this morning, Miles.  I’m in Melbourne now.’

‘Oh, I see.’  James noticed hesitation in Miles Bennett’s voice.

‘Is there something wrong?’

Miles replied after a moment of silence.  ‘Yes, there is.  The three artefacts we borrowed through the Australian Museum for the open day tomorrow are missing.’

James glanced at Claudio.  ‘You're sure about this?’

'Yes.  I'm positive.'

‘Who has access to them besides you and me?’

‘No one.  Oh, except Professor Wearing.  He has a master key.’

‘Yes, of course.  Have you spoken to my brother?’

‘No, not yet.  I thought I’d talk to you first.’

‘Well, have a word with him, Miles.  He may have them for some reason, although I can’t think of one.’

‘And if he hasn’t?’

‘Then we’ll have to notify the museum and the police, but for now, let’s hope Alex has them.  Let me know how you get on.’

James pressed the button on his mobile phone and put it into his briefcase.

‘A problem, my friend?’

‘Yes.  That was Miles Bennett in Sydney.  The department’s having an open day tomorrow and the artefacts we borrowed through the Australian Museum for the occasion are missing.’

'What were they?'

'A Celtic dagger, a gold torque, and a ring.'

‘Stolen?’

James frowned.  ‘I don’t know.  Miles and I are the only people with access to them, although Alex holds a master key.’

‘And this Miles Bennett - you trust him?’

‘Yes.  Completely.  I’ve known Miles for years.  I’m sure there’s a perfectly good explanation, but still, it’s a worry.’

James made his way back to his hotel to await Mile Bennett’s call, his thoughts plagued by their earlier conversation.  If Alex did not have the artefacts, he would have to fly back to Sydney.  He unlocked the door to his room and went inside.  As he put his briefcase on the bed, his mobile phone rang again.  ‘Miles?’

A silence followed for a moment on the other end of the line.  ‘No.  This is Detective Chief Inspector Fitzjohn, from the New South Wales Police.  Is that Dr Wearing?’

James frowned.  ‘Yes.’

‘Dr Wearing, your sister-in-law, Catherine Wearing, has asked me to contact you and your parents.’

‘Oh?’

‘Yes.  ‘I’m afraid I have distressing news to convey, sir.  Your brother, Alex Wearing, has died under suspicious circumstances.’

James did not reply.

‘I realise this is a shock, Doctor, but I’d like to speak to you.  Not over the telephone.  Might I ask your whereabouts at the moment?’

‘Ah...’  James hesitated while he tried to organise his thoughts.  ‘I’m in Melbourne.  I arrived this morning.’

‘Oh, I see.’

‘When did this happen, Chief Inspector?’

‘Sometime in the early hours of this morning.’

‘And you say suspicious circumstances?’

‘Yes, your brother was found this afternoon in his office at the university with stab wounds to his back and neck.’

‘My God, is Catherine all right?’

‘As well as can be expected under the circumstances, but I’m sure your attendance would help.  There doesn’t seem to be any other family members here in Sydney.’

James ran his hand across the back of his neck.  ‘No, there aren’t.  Have you spoken to my parents yet?’

‘Yes.  Just a few minutes ago.’

James’s thoughts went to his mother and father.  What would this news do to them?  His father’s recent heart attack, he knew, had drained his mother of her usual vitality, and the ordeal had left his father a shadow of the man James once knew.  ‘Chief Inspector, can you let Catherine know that I’ll get back to Sydney as soon as I can?’

‘I’ll convey your message, Dr Wearing.’

When he hung up, James sat motionless for a while, his conversation with Miles Bennett forgotten.

He picked up the telephone again and dialled his parents’ number.  His mother answered, her voice no more than a whisper.  ‘Hello.’

‘Mother.’  James heard his mother’s quiet sobs.

‘Oh James.  Thank God you’ve called.  I take it you've heard.’

‘Yes, the police just phoned.  The problem is I'm in Melbourne at the moment.’

'So, Catherine's quite alone.  She must be in a state.  Can you get back to Sydney tonight?

James looked at his watch.  ‘No. It’s too late to get a flight this evening.  I'll have to wait till morning.'

'Oh, well, it can't be helped.'

‘What about you and Dad?’

'Your father and I will be there when he's feeling a little stronger, dear.'

'How is Dad?'

‘He’ll be all right.  We both will.’

James could hear the determination in his mother’s voice, so familiar to him.  ‘Very well.  I'll be in touch.'

CHAPTER 3

James arrived in Sydney early the next morning, climbed into a taxi and slumped back against the seat.  Fatigued, he tried to still the emotions within him as the taxi made its way through the city to Catherine's home in Neutral Bay, where a crowd of reporters and photographers had gathered.  He paid the driver, grabbed his suitcase and climbed out.  Ignoring the journalists' questions, he closed the wooden gate behind him and made his way through the lush garden towards the house, its familiar facade bringing back memories from his early childhood when he and Alex had spent their school holidays here with their grandparents.

The front door opened as he approached and Catherine appeared, frail and drawn.  She looked past him along the garden path.  Once inside, James put his arms around her as she began to sob.

‘Why do they persist?’

‘Don’t worry about them Catherine.  They’ll get tired of standing out there eventually.  What about a cup of coffee?  It’ll do us both good.’

They walked through to the back of the house and into the kitchen, where James found the usual warmth and order of the room gone.  In its place was a sense of uncertainty.  He pulled out a chair for Catherine at the table in front of the folding glass doors.  The doors looked out onto the terrace and the harbour beyond.

As he made the coffee, he looked back at Catherine.  She sat motionless, unaware of his actions.  He took the mugs to the table and sat down.  He could see the strain in her face and took her hand.  ‘Do you feel up to talking about it?’

Catherine sat with her eyes fixed on some point at the other side of the room.  ‘The last time I saw Alexander was at the dinner.’  Her voice was low, toneless.  ‘I left early.  Not long after you.  I could see it was going to be a long evening.’  Tears sprang to her eyes.  ‘I should have stayed.  If I had, he might still be alive.  We’d have come home together.’

‘You don’t know that, Catherine.  You know Alex - he might still have decided to go back to his office to work.’

Catherine nodded.  ‘Perhaps you’re right.  He often worked through the night.  That’s why I wasn’t surprised the next morning when I saw he hadn’t come home.’  Catherine took a sip of the steaming brew.  ‘We’d all but gone our separate ways in recent years, except for those occasions when it was appropriate for us to be seen together.’  She shook her head and started to sob.  ‘We rarely spoke.  Perhaps if things had been different…’

James squeezed her hand gently.  ‘Don’t blame yourself.  Alex wasn’t an easy man to get on with.’

‘No, he wasn’t but even so…’  She hesitated, her bottom lip quivered and her voice broke.  ‘To have this happen to him.  Who would want to kill him?’

Catherine flinched and the movement knocked a spoon to the tiled floor.  James watched her body tense.  She pushed her hair back from her face.  ‘The police came late yesterday afternoon to tell me Alexander’s body had been found in his office.  I went with them to identify him.’  She reached for a tissue from the box on the table and wiped her face.

‘I know this is a difficult time, Catherine, but you’ll get through it, believe me.’

‘Have you got over Louise’s death?’

James frowned.  ‘No.  Not really.’

James decided to change the subject.  ‘Where’s Eve?’  Catherine's housekeeper, Eve Lawrence, was conspicuously absent.

‘Her sister became ill and she went to stay with her last night.  She’ll be back later this afternoon.’

‘I’ll stay until she gets back, then.’

‘There’s no need.  I’m sure you have things to do.’  Catherine took another sip of coffee.

‘Is there anything I can do for you, then?’

‘No, but there is something I want to show you.’

As Catherine stood up, she swayed and caught the back of the chair.  James put his arm out to steady her.

‘Are you all right?’

‘Yes.  Just a little light-headed.  What I want to show you is in Alexander’s study.’

James followed her into the darkened room.  ‘I came in here yesterday before the police arrived to put Alexander’s mail on his desk.’  She walked over to the window and drew back the curtains allowing a meagre amount of light to strike the floor.  ‘That’s when I noticed it.’  She unfolded a blue cloth in the centre of the desk.  ‘I’m not an archaeologist, James, but I know this is an artefact and I can’t imagine what it’s doing here.  I’ve never known Alexander to keep anything like this at home.’

‘What on earth!  It’s the gold ring we borrowed through the Australian Museum for the open day.’  James stared at the intricate patterns engraved into the gold.  ‘It dates back to the fourth century.’  He looked up at Catherine.  ‘Miles Bennett from our department called me in Melbourne about it.'  He recounted their conversation.

The colour drained from Catherine’s face.  ‘Surely you’re not thinking…  James, Alexander wouldn’t steal artefacts.  He lived for his work.’

James put his arms around Catherine as she wept.  ‘I know he wouldn’t and I’m not suggesting he did.  I’m sure there’s a perfectly good explanation why the ring is here in his study, but I need to find out what it is.  His reputation’s at stake here.’

Catherine nodded.  ‘You’re right, of course.’  She sat down in the chair behind the desk, her arms wrapped around herself against the cold of the room.  ‘You two never did get on, did you?’

‘No, not really.’  James looked out onto the garden where the trees moved with the force of the wind.  ‘There was always a sense of rivalry between us.  Even as children.’

‘I can imagine.  Alexander was a very competitive man.’

‘And determined.’  James paused.  ‘Still, I suppose that’s part of the reason he was so successful.’  James turned and half smiled at Catherine as his thoughts went to the last time he and Alex had spoken before the commencement of the dinner.  Their conversation had quickly descended into an argument, with Alex’s insistence they sell Cragleigh, the family home in the Blue Mountains they owned jointly.  He still could not understand Alex’s sudden desire to sell.  Just then, he heard Catherine’s voice.

‘What shall we do?’

James turned from the window.  ‘You need do nothing and I don’t want you worrying about this.’  James wrapped the ring in its blue cloth and put it into his pocket.  ‘I’ll take this back to the university and contact Edward Sommersby at the museum, and the police.’

James's thoughts went to Catherine.  Having no children, and with her only sister, Rosemary, dying in a car accident years before, she was now alone.

'Are you sure you don't want me to stay with you until Eve gets back?  I don’t like the thought of you being here alone,’ he said.

‘No, you go on, James.  Eve will be here in a couple of hours and I do need to have a rest.’

James ignored the questions hurled at him as he left the house and made his way through the crowd and into a waiting taxi.  He felt sadness for Alex and the way he had died and yet, at the same time, a sense of relief that the continual tension between them was now gone.  As the taxi sped off, confusion and guilt gripped him, and he felt real grief for the first time.