The Wild Wood Enquiry (32 page)

“HE SAID AN emergency meeting,” Ivy reminded Roy as they prepared to leave for Tawny Wings next morning. “Sounds as if he has discovered something interesting.”

“I do hope so,” said Roy. “The poor chap has looked very miserable lately. I think his ex-wife has become a heavy burden for him to carry.”

“Specially after years of them not communicating. One thing I promise you, Roy dear. You’ll have no such trouble from me. Once we’re married, it’ll be like we’re stuck together with superglue. Not a chance of unsticking me! Beasleys are known for it. A vow is a vow, and made in the sight of God.”

“Thank goodness for that, dearest! Have you had any thoughts of retiring from Enquire Within once we’re wed?”

“Heavens, no! We’ll still be here, stuck in Springfields. You’re not suggesting we take up bingo and EastEnders, are you? No, no. Enquire Within will go from strength to
strength. Ah, now, here we are. Gus has arrived already, I see. Looking out of the window, waiting for us, bless him.”

There were solemn faces all round as Gus began to tell them what had happened. His chance encounter with Katherine dropped like a bombshell in their midst.

“You didn’t know she was there? Honest?” said Deirdre.

Gus shook his head. “I had no idea, and actually I think she was pretty taken aback seeing me. But in a way, it gave her no chance to brush up her story. At least, so I think. I can never be quite sure of Kath, I’m afraid.”

“No matter, lad,” said Roy. “Carry on, and may I suggest no interruptions until Gus has finished what he has to tell?”

Deirdre shrugged. “All right with me,” she said huffily.

Gus had had time overnight to sort out Katherine’s emotional outburst and gave them what he hoped was a factual account of what had happened on the rooftop. “And so she fled in panic, leaving Folgate Street without anyone seeing her, she said. But Mrs. Feather had let her in, and she decided all evidence gained by police would point to her. Which is why she has gone to great trouble to disguise herself. ‘I’ve killed off Katherine Halfhide,’ she said to me, ‘and metamorphosed into Elizabeth Woodville.’ ”

“As in wife of Edward IV,” muttered Roy.

“Roy!” said Ivy. “Go on, Augustus.”

“Well, she has made a good job of it. Hair dyed a terrible red and cut like a man’s, and clothes that disguise her figure. Mind you, she seems to have lost a lot of weight. No flesh on her bones, and a dry skin. I think she must have been having a bad time lately.”

“Sounds like she deserves it,” said Deirdre. “And don’t tell me off, Ivy, because Gus has finished, haven’t you, Gus?”

“No, there is a little more. After she had told me all this, and we were sitting on the stairs saying nothing, Miriam Blake hove into view. I could see then how effective Kath’s disguise was. She came out into the garden, and Miriam did not recognise her at all. And, don’t forget, Kath had spent a night in Miriam’s cottage.”

“Correct me if I’m wrong,” said Ivy, “but as I see it, and I’m surprised she hasn’t done this, she could easily have upped sticks and disappeared without trace for a very long time. Still could. So should we report to the police and be quick about it?”

“Oh God,” said Gus. He had not intended to tell the others of Kath’s chief reason for staying around. “There is another thing,” he croaked. And then he told them that his ex-wife was determined to find her jewels, come what may. I told her nothing about the raided badgers’ sett,” he added. “She obviously hadn’t found it yet.”

“Not so clever, after all,” Deirdre said. “I think maybe we should have a coffee while we think.”

“No need,” said Ivy. “Our duty is clear. Beasleys know their duty. We have to report to the police immediately. Deirdre, would you like to make an appointment with the inspector right away?”

“No,” said Deirdre, looking at Gus. “I think we should leave it to Gus. He has to see Inspector Frobisher anyway. What do you think, Roy?”

“I rather think as you do, Deirdre,” Roy said, risking all.

“Then it is left for me to do what I know is right,” said Ivy. “Excuse me, I shall go and make a call.”

“My phone’s out of order,” said Deirdre desperately.

“I have my mobile,” said Ivy, and left the room.

IT WAS NOT long before Ivy returned to her colleagues, with a smug expression on her face.

“Did you get hold of Frobisher?” Gus asked. He was looking beaten, and Deirdre sat with clenched fists. Really, Ivy had gone too far.

“No. And I wasn’t trying to. But I did speak to Mrs. Feather, and the results were excellent.”

“Tell us more, dearest,” Roy said gently. He could see the others were very near losing their patience.

“Well, if you remember, Roy and I were going back to Oakbridge to try talking to the boy on the market. Things seem more urgent now, so I got Mrs. Feather to give me the name and number of her neighbour. The boy’s mother wasn’t keen but has agreed we can go and see him this afternoon. She said she had felt very sorry for the poor man and supposed she should help find out what had really
happened. Three o’clock this afternoon, Roy, so we’d better ring for our taxi.”

Gus sighed. “Well done, Ivy,” he said. “But what am I to do about seeing Frobisher? I can’t just ignore a polite request from the police.”

“I think Gus should come with us and then go on to the police station,” Roy said. “Or even go instead of me, Ivy.”

Ivy shook her head. “We can see if Mrs. Feather will let us take Gus, but she said she had told the neighbour—Rickman, the name is—that nice Mr. Goodman would surely put the boy at his ease. Perhaps I should step down and let Gus go instead of me?”

Deirdre took a deep breath. “Oh, for God’s sake, Ivy! You know perfectly well you have to go, and wild horses wouldn’t stop you. No, I’m sure if the three of you ask nicely, this woman will let you in. If not, Gus will have to wait outside. My guess is that the boy saw and heard nothing, so Gus won’t have long to wait.”

“Very well,” Ivy said icily. “We shall see. Now, if everyone is agreeable, we should get back to Springfields and organise ourselves for this afternoon.”

After they had gone, Gus remained with Deirdre after an invitation to have lunch. He was silent and frowning, almost unaware of her presence. In the end, she took his hand and kissed his cheek. “Don’t fret, Gus. I’m sure nothing will come of Ivy’s plan, and you can tell Frobisher just what Kath told you. What happens after that is out of your hands. No doubt they will go to pick her up immediately, but whether she is still there is anyone’s guess. Come on, now, have a bite of lunch and then you can go off to Oakbridge with Ivy and Roy.”

MRS. RICKMAN HAD been sitting behind her lace curtain keeping watch. When she saw three people approaching her door she went quickly to open up.

“Alan!” she shouted up the stairs as she went. “Come on down, love. Those people are here.”

To her surprise, her son had cheerfully accepted that nice people were coming to talk to him about the man who fell to his death in the yard. “I’ve already told the police I didn’t know nothing. Might be interesting to hear what they say,” he had replied. Now he clattered down the stairs and stood by his mother at the door.

“Good afternoon,” Gus said, “I do hope I may meet your son with my friends here?”

“I spoke to you this morning on the phone,” said Ivy, moving forward. “This is Mr. Halfhide, and this is Mr. Goodman. I do hope three of us won’t be too many for young Alan.”

“More the merrier,” said Alan, nothing like the sulky boy they had been expecting. “Let them inside, Mum. You can get the kettle on while we’re talking.”

Ivy glanced at Roy, and he shrugged. It was all too good to be true. Too easy by half.

When they were settled in the best room, Ivy took over.

“Now, Alan, you remember that day when poor Mr. Ulph fell off the roof? We still do not know what
exactly
happened and wondered if you could help us.”

“Are you relatives?” said the boy. His voice was firm, commanding even.

“No, not close,” said Gus. Diplomacy needed here, he thought. “But Miss Beasley had met him and liked him
very much. She has asked us to help find out more, if possible.”

“And so,” said Ivy, “I wonder if you saw anything that day? Any visitors standing on the roof with Mr. Ulph? We are not sure what time it was, but probably latish in the morning.”

Alan shook his head. “Nope. I didn’t see nothing.” He smiled angelically.

“Or heard?” asked Ivy, using all the force of her personality to will the boy to tell the truth.

Again, he shook his head. “Plenty of noise around here but nothing out of the usual. What d’you mean? Something like a scream?”

“Yes, that’s it,” said Ivy. “A shout or a scream?” She was sure now that the boy had heard something.

“No, nothing like that,” Alan said, and reached for another biscuit.

“May I ask you a question, Alan,” said Roy. He had been helped into the house and a comfortable armchair by Mrs. Rickman, and she had warmed to his gentlemanly ways.

“I think that was all you remembered, Alan dear,” she said. “It was around that time that you were playing on your computer.”

“What’s the question, Mr. Goodman?” Alan was enjoying himself. It was nice to have people being so friendly and himself the centre of attention.

“Does your bedroom window look over towards Mr. Ulph’s rooftop? I’m sure he would have waved to you, just like Miss Beasley here. He must have been pleased to see a friendly wave.”

“Oh yeah. We often waved to each other. I reckon he was lonely, poor old sod.”

“That was kind of you, Alan,” Roy continued. “I expect you sometimes wondered if it was safe for him out there. No guardrails or anything like that.”

“Yeah, I did. I said to Mum, didn’t I, Mum, that he often got too near the edge.”

“And you were quite right. Well spotted, Alan.” Roy smiled encouragingly.

“Mind you, that woman didn’t help, giving him a push.”

In the horrified silence that followed this revelation, Alan’s mother reached out for her son’s hand, but he brushed it aside. “It’s no good, Mum. I did see it, and even if it does get me into trouble for lying before, I should speak out.”

Ivy shook her head slowly. “I think it would be best if you just told us in your own words what happened, and then it’ll be up to your mum. She’ll know what to do.”

“Well, I was fed up with my computer game. Went to look out of the window, which was open. Sometimes we get police helicopters. Not that day, though. The only thing to look at was that bloke and a woman. They had drinks in their hands, and I waved, like I always do. But they didn’t look at me. I thought maybe they were having a private discussion and I ought to shut my window. It stuck, and then just as it started to move, she shouted something. Looked like she’d lost her temper. Then the next thing was, she chucked her drink in his face and began to push him backwards. I thought she’d stop, but she kept going, and he screamed something awful as he went over the edge. I rushed down to tell Mum, didn’t I, Mum?”

Mrs. Rickman nodded. “Oh my God, Alan,” she said. “I’m sorry, boy.”

She turned to the others and, scrubbing away tears, said that she had done wrong telling him to keep quiet about it, but wanted only to protect her son. “There wasn’t nothing
we could do. It was all over for the poor man. And then the police come round, and I decided the best thing would be for us to say nothing.”