by Bill Kitson
Chapter Twenty-five
With Jäger now residing at Elmfield Grange, we had peace and quiet for the next few days. Whoever Cooper had consulted must have taken his time making a decision. Either that or gathering the information I needed was proving difficult. It had been four days since our initial discussion when Cooper eventually phoned back. ‘I need some reassurance before I can accede to your request,’ Cooper told us. ‘My superiors aren’t happy to release the information you asked for, without knowledge that they are getting something of value in return.’
‘That isn’t easy to provide unless I can decode the entries,’ I pointed out. ‘However the fact that you asked me to let you have anything pertinent to Kershaw, and the knowledge that this dossier is written in code, together suggest that it contains more than a few love letters and some shopping lists. Of course, I could attempt to decipher it and find out. I know someone who is quite good at cracking codes. I could ask him to look at it. He’s a reporter.’
‘No, don’t do that!’ Cooper was obviously alarmed at the thought.
We arranged for him to call the following day, at which point he would collect the dossier and deliver the information I had requested. When he rang off I told Eve what had ensued and suggested she contact Chloe. ‘I think it would be wiser to wait until Cooper has been and gone before Jäger returns. You might want to have a word with Isaac and tell him that.’
Eve gave me a suspicious glance but didn’t question my motives. I was glad about that, because I didn’t want to lie to her and definitely didn’t want her to know what I was thinking. The idea in my mind was scary enough to cause me anxiety. I felt sure it would make Eve far more nervous.
When Cooper arrived the handover was a strange affair, conducted in almost total silence. He placed a large envelope on my desk and then examined the exercise books one by one. It was only after he had looked at all of them that he started to talk. He began by asking me about provenance. ‘They’re in Kershaw’s handwriting for one thing,’ I replied, ‘plus if you look carefully two of them have the initials of a member of his wife’s family in the corner.’
Cooper peered at one after the other before exclaiming, ‘Ah yes, IJ. That would be her brother, Isaac Jäger, I assume.’
‘Thank you,’ I murmured, ‘you have just confirmed what we both suspected – that you knew all along about Kershaw, his marriage and what he was doing in Germany.’
Cooper looked angry at having been caught out in such an elementary way, but bit his lip and remained silent as he passed the envelope to me. Eve, in turn, looked through the list of names and said, ‘This appears to be what we need, but we’ll have to go through every entry to make sure.’
‘They’re all in there,’ Cooper assured us. ‘I trust you won’t go waving the names about. Some of them are still active. Of course, I would remind you that the information contained in there is subject to the Official Secrets Act and that you are bound by the terms and conditions of that Act’
‘I’ve no doubt they are. Don’t worry, we’ll only use them to try and identify one person.’
‘You really think there’s a serial killer in there, someone who once worked for us?’
‘That sort of thing. Although not someone who killed for psychopathic motives; someone with a much colder, more calculated, reason to take the lives of three innocent victims and to attempt one more.’ I refrained from telling him the full story. He had a long journey ahead of him, the first part of which was on narrow, winding roads. Knowing the whole truth could well have resulted in him driving into a ditch or hitting a tree.
As Cooper had left, he delivered a valedictory message. ‘I hope I never hear from either of you again.’
‘You won’t if you take that phone tap off!’
He shook his head. ‘I’ll deal with it tomorrow.’
When he’d gone, Eve asked, ‘Why didn’t you give him the keyword for the cipher?’
‘Because for one thing he will have plenty of experts on hand to work it out for him. It isn’t the most sophisticated code ever invented. That’s not the main reason, though. If he, or anyone, knew I have that keyword, they would probably figure out that I would have been curious enough about the contents to decode the notes in full – and having done so, I would know how dangerous that knowledge is. Not only did I not tell him the key, I also omitted to mention that we have a copy of the documents securely locked in a safe deposit box in the vault of our bank. That way, should we ever get threatened, we have a great insurance policy. Believe me, Eve darling, there is a very real threat to anyone who knows the secrets Kershaw unearthed.’
Having explained my actions, which I could tell left Eve somewhat perturbed, I suggested we should scan the list Cooper had left us. Not only were there the full names, together with military rank where appropriate, but there were also some who had aliases alongside them. The relevant column in the neatly tabulated sheets was headed by the title “Trade Names” from which we inferred that these were people involved in espionage activities. It wasn’t until we got somewhere near the end that I spotted a Trade Name that appeared in Kershaw’s reports There had been no hint or suspicion in Kershaw’s entry that the person only referred to by his codename was anything other than a loyal, trustworthy British subject working undercover. However, at the same time, Kershaw had reported on another agent, expressing suspicion amounting almost to certainty that the second man was a traitor, who had been passing secrets to the East Germans and the Russians for several years. Kershaw had reported his fear that this agent had compromised many of the undercover networks behind the Iron Curtain.
I pointed to the second name and told Eve what I’d read about the man. ‘Neither his real name nor his alias mean anything to me,’ Eve said.
‘Nor me,’ I replied, ‘but Kershaw said that man worked alongside this one.’ I pointed to the first name. ‘The two of them were working side by side in Germany, so what if Kershaw got it wrong? What if the first one, let’s call him Agent A, was not disloyal, but Agent B was the traitor.’
‘I suppose that’s possible, but where does that leave us?’
My finger had been concealing the entry that gave Agent B’s real name. I lifted it clear and heard Eve gasp.
We drove to Elmfield Grange, collected Jäger, and as we returned home, Eve told him about our recent visitor. Glancing in my rear view mirror I saw Jäger smile fleetingly before his gaze met mine. The unspoken message was clear. Jäger was satisfied with what he had just heard.
The conversation moved on to discuss his short stay at the Grange. It was clear that he had enjoyed his visit and that he had been made very welcome by Chloe and the Kershaw branch of the family. ‘We talked about the paintings,’ he told Eve, ‘and Chloe agrees that they should be sold and the proceeds split between charities. She and her fiancé are to decide which ones would be the most suitable causes to benefit.’
‘Have you made any plans for the future?’ Eve asked.
The question surprised him and he gave it several moments’ thought before replying. ‘No, not really, because until now there seemed little point. However, as things seem to be coming to a head, I suppose I should think about it.’
That evening we opted to take Jäger to the Admiral Nelson for a meal. As Eve was upstairs getting ready I sat in my study reading through the plot notes I had made for my current manuscript. I had been away from it for some time and it was interesting to see the flaws in what I’d originally dreamed up. I was in the process of correcting a couple of basic errors when I felt the presence of someone else in the room. I glanced round to find Jäger standing in the doorway, obviously uncertain as to whether he was interrupting something important. Without thinking of the language problem I smiled and asked him to come in. ‘I was only reading through some notes I’d made,’ I explained.
I thought I knew the reason for Jäger’s visit and guessed the reason for his hesitation, so I tried to set his mind at rest. What took place over the next few minutes i
n that room remained my secret for a long time. When I did reveal it, the only person I trusted with the truth was Eve. Although the events that transpired following that meeting would no doubt have shocked many people, I had no doubt that the solution it offered was the only viable one.
One thing we had all but overlooked in our anxiety to solve the murders was the diptych. The day following Cooper’s visit, Michael Phillips rang us with good news. ‘Our workman has recovered from his injury and has put new hinges and a stronger wooden post in position on the wall of the Lady chapel and now the diptych has been found I’m keen to have it restored to its rightful place.’
We arranged to transport the paintings to St Mary’s, following which Michael said, ‘Chloe wants to talk to you about the masterpieces you discovered.’
I handed the phone to Eve. We had already talked about the artwork and Eve had a suggestion to put to Chloe. ‘I don’t know what you feel about this, but I thought the best thing to do would be to hand them over to the museum for the time being. Their curator has been really helpful and he could arrange for the Vermeers to be put in appropriate frames. Then they could be displayed in the new art gallery. The publicity and the upsurge in visitor numbers would be really good for the museum. Perhaps it might even be worth thinking of holding the auction there when the time comes to dispose of them.’
Jäger helped me replace the back plates on the frames of the diptych and load them, together with the other paintings, into the car. Without the packing case, or should I say table, they fit far more easily into the boot. Having put the images of Mary Magdalene face down I laid a rug carefully over them and we placed the Vermeer paintings on top, folding the rug protectively across them before putting the Bellini miniatures into position. Having ensured that they would not get damaged in transit we set off for Dinsdale. Our first port of call was the museum, where Chloe had arranged with Eve for us to meet up and deliver the masterpieces to Evans, who had expressed his delight at taking possession of what would no doubt be a major attraction for the gallery. When we arrived, Chloe was already waiting, along with Michael and his mother. Evans was also in attendance, and had already made a useful contribution to our plans for the artwork.
‘I think before we go ahead with publicity we should get an expert to confirm that these are genuine. There have been a lot of forgeries discovered in recent years and I would hate to find out the hard way. It would be particularly embarrassing if we’d started the publicity machine rolling before we realised these were fakes.’
As they had previously been handled by a master forger this seemed a particularly sensible precaution. Luckily we had Jäger’s confirmation that these paintings had been in Kershaw’s possession long before Casper Harfleur got near them, but erring on the safe side was, without doubt, the correct way to proceed.
Having left the masterpieces with Evans, we went on to St Mary’s to hand over the diptych. Returning the images of Mary Magdalene to the church would take time and effort. Waiting for the end result proved too long and drawn out for Eve, who rapidly became bored and wandered away to explore the rest of the building.
She was gone for quite a while and when she returned from her foray I noticed a mischievous smile on her face. That expression suggested that she had made some discovery of note and was awaiting the right moment to reveal it. Despite guessing that she was up to something, I hadn’t the slightest idea what it was.
Once the pictures were finally in place we stepped back to view the fruits of our labour. The effect was stunning.
‘They look absolutely superb,’ Eve said, voicing the thoughts of us all. She paused for a second before adding, ‘Not only that but now they’re in place, you’ll have an added bonus, Michael.’
The vicar looked puzzled. ‘What might that be?’
‘As long as that diptych remains in place, you and your parishioners will no longer be plagued by the ghostly figure that haunts the Lady chapel.’
‘I thought you didn’t believe in such superstitions, Eve? Do you really believe that the replacement of those paintings will cause her to stop appearing?’
Eve had been smiling before but my question turned it into a grin of triumph. ‘I certainly do, but not for any superstitious reason. There is a strictly logical explanation for the apparition and the reason she has only been seen since the diptych was taken down. I’m only surprised that nobody else has noticed it. They were probably too afraid because they had just seen something that defied explanation.’
I ignored this slur on my courage and asked, ‘Would you care to enlighten the rest of us; the poor, terrified individuals who have seen the apparition and will be delighted to hear that it is all in their minds.’
‘Enlighten is an extremely appropriate word,’ Eve replied ‘and, if you would care to follow me, I will show you what I mean.’
She led us further into the Lady chapel and walked to the front, before gesturing to a small window on the wall to the left of the altar. It was a long, narrow aperture designed, I guessed to shed light onto the focal point of worship within the chapel. Despite Eve directing our attention to the window it was only after she pointed out a figure in the stained glass that we had any clue what she was referring to. It was that of a woman dressed from head to toe in grey, a miniature version of the vision I had seen.
‘I wandered in here while you were seeing to the diptych,’ Eve explained, ‘and after a while the sun came out. That was when I noticed that parts of the images in the stained glass of this particular window were being reflected on the floor of the chapel. Not only were they reflected but the angle of the sun hitting the glass created a magnifying effect. I believe that at certain hours of the day during various parts of the year the angle of the sun would be such that it would reflect that figure across the chapel, creating the image of the haunted lady that people have seen.’
‘What makes you think the apparition will cease to appear now that the diptych has been replaced?’ Michael asked.
‘It will continue to appear, but people won’t see it because the image will be blocked by the diptych.’
As an explanation, it was totally logical and rational enough to debunk the popular myth. Michael was delighted and said he would take great pleasure in informing his parishioners. The bishop was coming to re-consecrate the church and having the diptych replaced would add to the occasion. ‘It will quell the nerves of a lot of the older worshippers, many of whom refuse to sit on the pews at this side of the church for fear of seeing the ghost.’
As we left the church, Jäger paused in the porch and told us, ‘I have decided it is time for me to leave. My work here is done and now I know that Chloe’s future is settled. I will take with me only good memories of this place, and more importantly of the people here, especially you two. Your kindness and hospitality to me have left a warm place in my heart for you. I will continue to remember you in my prayers always.’
On hearing Eve’s translation, Chloe protested. ‘Onkel Isaac, you are the only member of my mother’s family. I cannot lose touch, now that I have met you.’
‘Don’t worry, Chloe dear, I will endeavour to remain in contact wherever I end up. For the moment, though, I have things to attend to; matters from the past that remain unresolved. Following that I will return to Germany.’ He paused, before adding with a rueful smile, ‘West Germany, I mean. After that, who knows? I have distant cousins living in New York and if things permit I might visit them, and perhaps make my future in America.’
We took him to Eden House where, after he had packed his bag, he asked for a taxi and was gone. We wished him well and watched him depart with real regret.
‘I don’t for one minute believe we have heard the last of Herr Jäger,’ I told Eve.
I could see she was puzzled by that remark but I couldn’t explain why I thought that way. After all, at that moment it was little more than a suspicion.
Chapter Twenty-six
Although both Eve and I felt convinced that we knew who h
ad committed the murders and their motive for the crimes, we were also well aware that there was absolutely no way of proving it. Certainly there was insufficient evidence to convince a jury, even if the prosecutors had been prepared to take the case to court. Nevertheless our quandary prompted much discussion, but despite this we were no nearer a solution.
It was only after five days had passed, when I went to the village shop to collect the morning paper that the beginning of a resolution became a possibility.
Eve had the kettle on for my return and, as we waited for the tea to brew, I scanned the headlines. I stopped after reading the first of them. ‘Eve, I think you ought to take a look at this.’
I handed her the paper and added, ‘And when you’ve done so, I think we should phone DI Hardy. I reckon he ought to know what we’ve found out.’
The article shocked Eve as much as it had me. Her response was strictly pragmatic, though. ‘This certainly solves one problem for us, don’t you think?’
‘I suppose it does, if our theory about the murders is correct.’
‘Why wouldn’t it be? Are you saying you now have doubts?’
‘No, not really, but, like everything else connected to this case, the question is how to go about proving a theory to the satisfaction of the police.’
‘Why not make that call anyway, Adam, and let’s hand it over to the professionals. They’re paid to worry about trifling details such as evidence.’
I smiled at Eve’s ironic slant on the investigative process, but went into the study to phone Hardy. Making the call was the easy part. Getting to speak to the DI was rather more difficult. Having been put on hold for what seemed an age, I was eventually told that Hardy was in a meeting.
‘Would you mind interrupting and giving him a message, please?’
‘I can’t possibly do that.’
The dismissive tone was enough to get my hackles rising. ‘That’s a great shame, because I was going to give him some important information but I don’t think I’ll bother.’ I saw Eve wince. That puzzled me because my tone had been polite throughout.
