Murder Repeated
Page 25
‘Well, you needn’t any more. We’ve now got enough evidence to have it shut down – and possibly, the school, too.’
‘No!’
‘It turns out that Sir Nigel was using the club as a recruitment centre. And funding the school into the bargain. Anyway, to go on with the story, this rather unpleasant group were in the habit of attending parties, preferably where they weren’t known, and, while they were there, indulging in a little bit of gang rape.’
This time there were expressions of outrage.
‘However, this became known, as far as we can tell, and parties, including the ones held in the barn, faded out. So Nigel decided to hold his own party, and invite all the locals who hadn’t been regulars at the previous events.’
‘I was going to ask about that,’ said Guy. ‘Why did all those people go to that party if it was known about Preece’s activities.’
‘The previous events were attended by a rather different crowd, mostly out of the area. And the girls who were attacked – and some men – were paid off. Someone – often Ted, he tells us – would go and see them with cash. Never, of course, a cheque. So they kept their mouths shut.’
‘How did Ted get in with them?’ asked Fran. ‘He was hardly public school material.’
‘He’d had a run-in with Preece, involving drugs, we believe, and was thereafter kept on a leash.’
‘Even now?’ asked Patti.
‘I’m coming to that,’ said Ian. ‘As you know, our singer, Shareen Wallis, made a play for Colin here. Then a group of them, we believe the Little Foxes, also started plaguing him. Finally, Preece himself – sorry, Colin.’
Colin, looking miserable, shook his head. ‘No, go on. I want to know.’
‘So that was when Colin asked his friend John to take him home. That’s right, isn’t it?’ He turned to Colin, who nodded. ‘And then, Preece went to keep the assignation he’d made – with Shareen.’
‘It was Preece, then,’ said Libby.
‘Yes – with, and we haven’t had this confirmed yet, Whitelaw and Darling. Unfortunately for them, they were a little too rough.’
‘Oh, God,’ said Patti. The others looked shocked. ‘I’m allowed,’ she said.
‘And Ted was commissioned with getting rid of the body?’ said Ben.
Ian nodded.
‘Why did he choose the Garden?’ asked Colin. ‘I didn’t know him.’
‘He played bat and trap.’
There was a satisfied ‘Ah!’ from the whole group.
‘Again, as far as we can tell, he knew about the cellar door, even though neither of you remember it,’ he said to Colin and Ben, ‘and he knew the cellar wasn’t in use. He didn’t bring her there that night, but a couple of days later. We don’t know where she was kept in between.
‘And so,’ he went on, ‘we come to poor Ossie Whitelaw. We know he’d run away from home, and came back to the place he had felt safe with his so-called mates. His father had bought the house in Steeple Well to be near enough to keep an eye on the old Garden, and employed Ted to do some work for old times’ sake. When he had to sell up –’
‘He sold it to the Darlings so David could keep an eye on it!’ said Libby triumphantly.
‘And he also employed Ted Sachs, partly to keep an eye on his wife.’
‘But what about Ossie?’ asked Beth.
‘Ted used to pay surreptitious visits to the Garden to see that nothing was amiss. He knew about the boys who used to meet there, and he was worried they might find the body.
One night he went there. And there was Ossie.’ Ian stopped. ‘I’m afraid he got rather hysterical at this point, but it seems that Ossie was coming out of the cellar door in the kitchen. Ted didn’t stop to ask what he was doing, but simply lashed out.’
They were all silent for a moment.
‘And then,’ said Ian, ‘they all had a shock. Colin sent Ted the keys. As far as they knew, this meant the place was going to be sold. So Ted came up with his plan.’
‘Plan?’ said Harry. ‘I don’t see -’
‘Oh, I do,’ said Fran. ‘Give Fiona the idea of the community centre, so she would give him the opportunity to perhaps do maintenance? And David Darling would be there to make sure she toed the line.’
‘Exactly. And they all did what they were told because Preece had them over a barrel.’
‘Couldn’t they deny what he said about them, though?’ asked Anne.
‘I gather he has proof,’ said Ian wryly. ‘Not, of course, that he has said anything yet, simply surrounding himself with as many solicitors as he can. Not to mention one of the best criminal barristers in England. I’ve never met a more thoroughly nasty piece of work. I almost feel sorry for Ted Sachs.’
‘And Fiona Darling really is all right?’ asked Libby.
‘Yes, we got hold of her at her mother’s. She’d apparently been suspecting something for a long time, and when the investigation began hotting up she got scared. She doesn’t seem to be worried about either her husband or Mr Sachs.’
‘A heartless floozie, in fact,’ said Edward, and made them all laugh.
‘So that’s it, then,’ said Peter. ‘Clever Connell does it again.’
‘I think Libby deserves a good deal of the praise in this one,’ said Ian, ‘not least because of her performance today. Oh, hell.’ He thumped his head. ‘I wish I hadn’t said that!’
MURDER BY THE BARREL
Lesley Cookman
When the sleepy village of Steeple Martin announces its very first beer festival, the locals are excited. Beer, sun and music, what could possibly go wrong?
But when an unexpected death shakes the village, it’s up to Libby Sarjeant to solve the puzzle.
MURDER AND THE GLOVEMAKER’S SON
Lesley Cookman
The Oast Theatre in Steeple Martin is hosting a touring production of Twelfth Night, but when a document goes missing along with its owner, it seems that the play may not go ahead at all.
When a body turns up, Libby Sarjeant and Fran Wolfe become involved with the investigation with the help, naturally, of their friends and relatives.