Poison

by Charlot King

  “They are beautiful Inspector, but don’t buy me flowers from the shop again. They are grown in countries which should be growing food for the local populations and then flown thousands of air miles. A very dirty product all round.”

  Abley can’t do right for doing wrong. He is disappointed she doesn’t like them, as he spent a while choosing. How do you choose for a botanist?

  “Okey-doke.”

  Godric sits up and the flowers drop on the floor. There are a few minutes of commotion as he swings his torso around trying to grab at the flowers in their plastic wrap, while the Inspector bends down to retrieve them and their heads knock. Emily gives the Inspector a sympathetic look as Elizabeth busily untucks herself from the blanket. The doctor stands up, having finished putting his medical bag back together, following Elizabeth’s blood pressure and pulse examination. He knows Elizabeth well and speaks frankly.

  “You really need to go to the hospital to get a scan. I don’t have the equipment here to tell you that you’ll be okay. The bump looks nasty.”

  Elizabeth brushes aside his concerns.

  “I’ll do nothing of the sort. Look, I can sit up without feeling dizzy.”

  “Well, I have to leave. Call me if you feel sick, light headed, or you get a pain in your head. Just call me, you stubborn thing -” The doctor knows he can’t make Elizabeth do anything. She raises her eyebrows at him, but then this hurts. The doctor smiles and makes to leave. “You should go to the hospital. That’s all I’m saying.”

  The front doorbell goes and Godric moves to answer it, while the doctor follows him out, turning for a last word before he disappears.

  “Call me if you need me. Good bye.”

  And Godric and the doctor are gone.

  “You hear him, Liz? You could have concussion. He told you to go and get it checked out.”

  Elizabeth is impatient with everyone, including herself. She doesn’t want all the fussing. She wishes everyone would just go, apart from Godric. But even he is getting on her nerves with all his willowy behaviour.

  “A lot of fuss for nothing.”

  “Well if you’re not going to the hospital, which is silly, then you need to do nothing. Lie there and rest. I can come and look after you. Cuthbert will just have to fend for himself.”

  Elizabeth rolls her eyes at Emily and allows her to plump her pillow and pour fresh water.

  “When you hit your head, why do doctors always ask you who’s the Prime Minister, as if you’re not feeling bad enough already?”

  Inspector Abley has been keeping a little distance, but now moves closer to Elizabeth.

  “No point in asking if you saw anything, Liz?”

  Emily is terse.

  “You can ask questions later, Inspector. You shouldn’t have got her mixed up in all this. We all need her here and well.”

  Elizabeth ignores Emily completely, as if she hasn’t even spoken.

  “No, Bob, I don’t think I saw anything. I was sitting at the desk, with my back to the door when whoever came in and did this to me.”

  “You shouldn’t let her go off on her own. Don’t you police always work in pairs?” Emily is cross at the Inspector and at Elizabeth for putting herself into dangerous predicaments.

  “Have you ever tried to stop her do anything? Good luck with that.”

  Elizabeth throws herself back into the sofa and puts her arm over her eyes.

  “I can still hear you both.”

  The Inspector defends himself to Emily, now ignoring Elizabeth.

  “I think Elizabeth is more than capable of looking after herself, Emily. I do think this was a stroke of bad luck. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  Emily points a sharp finger at Abley.

  “I blame you Inspector. I really do. I’m sorry, but she is not in a proper state to be racing about.”

  As Elizabeth listens to Emily she begins to realise this could make Abley change his mind over letting her help. All of a sudden she is desperate for Emily not to ruin her return to the police force.

  “Emily, leave him alone won’t you, for goodness sake. Be a friend and respect my wishes to stop interfering. I know you mean well, but I know what I’m doing and nothing you say will stop me working again and helping the Inspector. It’s what I want.” Elizabeth then gives Inspector Abley a beady stare. “And yes, I agree. I was hit over the head because of where I was I’m sure. There must have been something in that room that the assailant wanted, and thought I was getting close.”

  Abley is still curious as to what the attacker must have wanted. “But we went through all his things, twice.”

  Elizabeth isn’t about to reveal the letter just yet. She’d like to digest it first for herself.

  “I’m asking you point blank, did you find anything, Elizabeth?”

  Elizabeth looks blank, to which Emily stops the conversation in favour of rest.

  “I think you should go, Bob. I really don’t think all this excitement is a good idea.”

  Elizabeth wants to make it very clear she has no intention of resting for long.

  “I’ll be buggered if I’m going back to sitting and waiting for something exciting to happen in my life. I’m ruddy well involved and it makes me feel alive. You take me off this case and I’ll hunt you down.”

  Inspector Abley is surprised but pleased by Elizabeth’s adamant stance. He nods and smiles.

  “Of course. I’ll call you later to see how you’re doing. Get some rest and we can compare notes tomorrow. As for me, the first tee beckons, I’m late.”

  Emily rolls her eyes at Elizabeth, what did she tell her friend? As Abley leaves, Godric comes in still holding the flowers the Inspector brought and now also a huge lavender plant, behind which has snuck Rebecca. Abley is intrigued as to why Rebecca is here, but not enough to stop and miss his game. Emily, meanwhile, is exasperated.

  “What is this, spaghetti junction?”

  Elizabeth sits up again, What news does Rebecca have?

  “It’s all right, Emily.”

  Rebecca comes close to Elizabeth.

  “Hello. Sorry for the intrusion, I had to come. I just wanted to ask you if you thought someone had tried to -” Rebecca doesn’t know how to finish her sentence as she stares at Elizabeth.

  “Kill me?”

  “Was trying to stop you -”

  “... from interfering?”

  Rebecca leans in quite seriously, nods, and makes even Elizabeth flinch back a little. Rebecca’s eyes are wide open. “You must be more careful. And leave police work to the police. It’s not safe. That’s what my brother told you.” Rebecca lifts her serious air. “You must come round and see me at Kat’s some time. Come and sit in the garden you liked so much.”

  Elizabeth is bewildered at how mercurial Rebecca seems.

  “Thank you. We’d love to, wouldn’t we Godric?”

  Godric frowns at Elizabeth, he can’t think of anything he’d like less. Rebecca has got the complete wrong end of the stick with him. How could she be so blind? Elizabeth raises her eyebrows at Godric, but again it hurts and she pulls a face. Emily takes control of the new guest and ushers Rebecca out of the drawing room towards the kitchen.

  “Come on. Let’s put these in water, and your lavender out on the terrace. You can help me put the kettle on.” Godric is now alone with Elizabeth and itching to talk to her.

  “What did the Inspector say about Labzuu?”

  “I didn’t tell him.”

  Godric is shocked.

  “What? Why?”

  Elizabeth is convinced as to the merit of her actions.

  “What is there to tell? There’s still no evidence. I don’t have the letter, whoever hit me took it. I’m not pointing the finger. Look at what happened when I casually mentioned Susan Bunt to Abley. She’s dead. I’m not bothering
him anymore on Dr Eruna until I’ve got something.”

  Godric ponders whether to say the next thing, but can’t help himself.

  “Did the Inspector actually hire you to be a detective? I thought he’d asked you back to write a report on the poisons used to kill Edward and Dr Bunt?”

  Elizabeth forgives her grandson for asking a pertinent question, as she knows she’s pushing it, but also knows this was always the way she worked with Abley. She’d solve the puzzle, he’d get the glory. The more glory he got, the more he let her in on the process of policing and turned a blind eye. It was a grey area, she had to admit, but only to herself. She wasn’t going to admit it to Godric, that’s for sure. If it got back to his mother she wouldn’t hear the last of it.

  “He’s off doing what he enjoys. Everyone’s happy. Don’t forget, Godric, this isn’t a normal case. Edward was a colleague. So I want to do as much as I can. I really think Dr Eruna is hiding something.”

  Godric nodded, he also agreed with his nanna, after having found all those protest voices on the internet.

  “Okay, need me to drive you to Labzuu HQ up at the Science Park?”

  Elizabeth is tempted. It is good having an assistant like Godric, who was so keen and quite sly. But she remembers why he is staying.

  “Do you want to pass your freshman year?”

  Godric is resigned to Elizabeth’s words. He wants to stay in Cambridge too, it fits him like a glove, and doesn’t want to fail. But can’t face revision today.

  “You know I do.”

  Elizabeth pulls off her blanket and drinks some water.

  “Then do some revision, Godric. I see young men like you every day of the week. You can’t survive on your imagination alone.”

  Godric has an idea to avoid work today.

  “Someone has to take Rebecca home?”

  Elizabeth thinks it a bit odd that Rebecca even knows that she has been injured. Then thinks perhaps Rebecca called for her at the department and they told her. She guesses there are reasonable explanations.

  “Okay, I am going to let you take the Talbot. But, only if you’re very careful. And if there is a scratch on it when you get back I will kill you myself.”

  Godric’s eyes light up. This was more like it! He leaves Elizabeth to look for Rebecca who he finds in the kitchen making tea with Emily.

  “Is your grandmother okay?”

  Godric grabs Rebecca.

  “Let’s get out of here before she changes her mind.”

  He pulls Rebecca into the garage to the Talbot.

  “I love this car. It was such a smooth ride before.” Rebecca strokes the side.

  Godric grins and opens the door.

  “I didn’t say, but it’s my grandfather’s. He used to take it to shows up and down the country.” Godric is sad for his nanna. “He died last year. Bunny stopped using it. It’s, well it’s part of him. You know? That was the first time it’s been out since, before when we drove to yours.”

  “Kara and Jonathan’s, not mine.” Rebecca is quick to point out.

  They get in the car and Godric pushes a button to open the remote control garage doors. They sit waiting, so Rebecca tries to make conversation.

  “What happened?”

  “He was on his bicycle. So... Bunny has never forgiven this. Says it was the worst toy in the world. If he’d bought a normal car he probably would have driven to work, but this was his pride and joy - so he would use his push bike. And he was hit.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Godric understands all too well the resonance of what he’s saying, but he’s not going to let it spoil the trip.

  “Put this on.”

  Godric hands Rebecca a head scarf left on the seat. Rebecca accidentally lets go of the scarf, which blows into the drive.

  Elizabeth has gotten up off the sofa and is watching them drive away. Emily comes back in from the kitchen with the flowers in a vase.

  “What did I tell you? If you’re not going to the hospital, then don’t move.”

  “I’ll be fine. But I feel a bit tired. Go on. You go home. I’ll take a sleep. You can come back later, to check up on me before bed time.”

  Elizabeth smiles, she loves her friend dearly, but isn’t about to tell her that right now she has more desire to solve this case than sit about drinking tea with her.

  “If you promise to stay put. Here’s the phone.” Emily ushers Elizabeth back on the sofa. “Call me if you need anything. I’m going to pop home and put Cuthbert’s dinner on, then I’m right back here. I’ll bring you some. We could have it here later.”

  “Thank you, no. I’m fine. I’m not very hungry. Now go, go on.”

  Emily replies pointedly.

  “I’m coming back later.”

  Elizabeth looks up and smiles. Emily can be pretty forceful, but she knows she can be more so. They eyeball each other as Emily drums home her concern. Elizabeth rolls her eyes.

  “Why does that sound like a threat?”

  As Elizabeth hears the front door bang shut and Emily’s car engine start up on the road outside, she gets back up from the sofa and walks upstairs to get dressed.

  37. We need to talk

  Kara pours Jonathan a glass of wine as he loosens his tie.

  “I thought you were not coming back until tonight? You’re much earlier than you said. I would’ve picked you up from the station.”

  “I got a cab. Those ruddy trains are packed full of arguing kids, people eating fast food, sprawling into the so called first class because of blinking over crowding. I thought it would be a good idea. Never again.”

  Kara empties nuts into a bowl and strokes Jonathan’s forehead. She is glad he is back and looks at him adoringly. Trying to soothe him after his journey, she says, “Why don’t I buy another car for us? We can have two. It makes sense. What about a fast sports car for you, so you can bomb up the M11?”

  But Jonathan is having none of it. He can’t decide if it is his journey, or seeing Kara that has put him in a bad mood. He removes her fingers from stroking his brow, and looks away at the garden through the open patio doors. He settles on the fact that it is the past three days which are making him agitated, not Kara. He just can’t believe the bad luck he’s having. His career is about to take off and there is a murder in the family. Tabloid heaven. It’s all about damage limitation now.

  “Let’s not jump the gun just yet. I came up earlier than I should because I wanted to talk to you about the wedding.”

  Kara misunderstands. Her body noticeably relaxes and she strokes the back of a nearby chair excitedly.

  “At last. Good.” Kara takes a large gulp of wine.

  Jonathan’s face does not convey a man who’s excited at the prospect of getting married.

  “All this noise up here isn’t going unnoticed down in Westminster, Kat. There are things we need to talk about which change things.”

  Kara pours herself another glass of wine from the pool bar. Just these last words from Jonathan have stolen her cheer.

  “That sounds ominous.”

  Jonathan shakes his head, where to start.

  “Where’s Rebecca by the way?”

  “I don’t know. She went out.”

  “What?” Jonathan is furious and starts pacing. His thoughts of wedding discussions have disappeared. “I can’t believe it. Can I trust you to do anything?”

  The temperature rises in the room as Kara tries to defend herself.

  “She insisted on going to Edward’s rooms. The police told her about a break in. I don’t know where she went. I phoned the porter’s lodge and apparently she left college a while ago.”

  Jonathan clenches his fists and screams to the ceiling. “Aargh! Why didn’t you tell me about this break in earlier?”

  “I didn’t want to keep bothering you at work. I thou
ght you’d appreciate me waiting until you got back. I was hoping the police wouldn’t tell Rebecca if I’m honest, as all it did was upset her.”

  Jonathan glares at Kara. “Well that’s the rest of my day gone. I’ll have to go and look for her.”

  Kara drinks her wine far too quickly, and breaks yet more bad news.

  “There was a radio report about that Elizabeth Green being attacked. You know, that woman you don’t like?”

  Jonathan laughs out loud. He can’t imagine the day getting any worse for him.

  “My sister is out there and you’re drinking wine?”

  Kara sees Jonathan’s red knuckles as he slams down his wine.

  “Your hands still hurt from moving those pots?”

  “Well, if you will sack the gardener. Have you found a replacement yet?”

  Kara moves to sit on a sun lounger by the pool, and lifts up a ‘weddings’ magazine to read.

  “Have you spoken to the wedding planner?”

  “Katie? I’m not getting into all that. We need to talk first. But not before I find my sister.”

  Jonathan slams out of the house as Kara sips her wine, flicking through the magazine, unhappier than before.

  ✧

  Godric and Rebecca edge their way along St John’s Street in slow moving traffic. Some are taking photographs of the car against the backdrop of the colleges as Godric plays up to the crowd, raising his nose in the air and tightening his white scarf, which he grabbed just before he left the house, just for show. Although he’s not into Rebecca, and acutely aware she has just lost her husband, so it being wrong on all counts, he does rather like driving a pretty woman while being observed by strangers. It’s so easy and yet so glamorous.

  “Why did you come and see my nanna, Bex?”

  Rebecca shrugs. “I heard she’d been hurt.”

  Godric doesn’t believe Rebecca, but let’s it go.

  “What do you need to pick up from college?”

  “I just want to go and rest there. I can’t go back to Kat and Jonathan’s. They’re always arguing, and I just don’t feel safe.”

  Godric looks at Rebecca, curious. Safe? What does she mean? It’s probably the safest place for her right now, staying out of Cambridge. She can see he needs more of an explanation, so continues, “Maybe it’s because I don’t have Edward. I’ve got nowhere else to go that’s close to him.”