by Kerry Tombs
‘I would be obliged if you would wait with the others. I’m afraid I cannot allow any of you to leave the town until after we have completed our inquiries.’
‘I quite understand,’ said Hollinger rising from his seat, as Crabb walked over to open the door.
‘Oh one last question, Dr Hollinger — when you were in the abbey, who first noticed the opened tomb?’ asked Ravenscroft.
‘I believe it was myself, Inspector.’
‘And how did you know the tomb belonged to the Templar Knight?’
‘I did not, until I leaned down and saw the name on the side.’
Ravenscroft nodded as Hollinger left the room. ‘Close the door, Crabb. Well, what do you make of our foreign gentleman?’
‘I think he knows more than he wanted to tell us,’ replied Crabb.
‘My thoughts exactly. He was not very forthcoming with the name of his fellow doctor in Cheltenham. We will need to confirm his story. Doctor Meadows I think he said. Also I do not quite believe that he would have stopped the night in Tewkesbury on the way back to London, when he could have taken a more direct route from Cheltenham. Tewkesbury would have been out of his way.’
‘Perhaps he wanted to see the abbey and the town before his return to London,’ suggested Crabb.
‘Maybe. Then he seemed to have some difficulty in recalling the details of last night’s conversation, and what was actually said. When I pressed him all he could think about was that they discussed the weather.’
‘He also said that it was Jenkins who proposed the visit to the abbey, whereas Anstruther claimed that it was Hollinger who came up with the idea.’
‘Yes, you picked that up as well. So we now have two different accounts as to whose idea it was to visit the abbey. I have the distinct impression that we are not being told the truth.’
‘Shall I ask Jenkins to come in next?’
‘No, I think we will leave Ganniford and Jenkins until later. Let us see whether Miss Eames can enlighten us further.’
Crabb left the room and returned a few moments later with his charge.
‘My dear Miss Eames,’ said Ravenscroft rising from his chair. ‘I am sorry that you have been caught up in this affair. I appreciate you must find all this rather distressing, but I am afraid I must ask you a few questions if you don’t mind.’
‘I quite understand,’ replied the lady, accepting the seat which Crabb had indicated.
‘Thank you, Miss Eames. I wonder whether we might begin with the reason for your visit to Tewkesbury.’
‘The reason for my visit?’
‘If you would be so kind,’ smiled Ravenscroft.
‘For the past few years I have nursed my father, who has been very ill. We live in Ludlow in Shropshire. Recently my father passed away and I found myself quite alone in the world,’ replied the lady, in a quietly spoken unassuming manner.
‘I am sorry for your loss, Miss Eames,’ interrupted Ravenscroft, observing the other’s composure.
‘I, er … I decided that I would like to travel for a while, something which I had not been able to do during my father’s long illness. I had always wished to see Bath. I thought that Tewkesbury would be a pleasant place to call upon during my travels.’
‘So you arrived here yesterday?’
‘In the early afternoon.’
‘And what happened in the evening?’
‘We went across to the abbey.’
‘No, before that.’
‘Oh, I see. During dinner my fellow travellers and myself were discussing the antiquities of the town and someone suggested that we should go and visit the abbey.’
‘Can you remember who proposed the idea?’ asked Ravenscroft.
‘I don’t really recall. Is it important?’
‘It would help us a great deal in our investigations if you could try and remember, Miss Eames,’ smiled Ravenscroft.
‘Oh yes, I think it was Major Anstruther.’
Ravenscroft looked across at Crabb. ‘Major Anstruther you say. You are sure on that point?’
‘I think so, or was it Mr Ganniford? No, I do believe it was the major.’
‘It was rather late to venture out to the abbey, and on such an inclement night as well. Would it not perhaps have been more suitable to have delayed your visit until the morning?’
‘Yes, you are quite right, inspector. It was all rather foolish of us I suppose, particularly in the light of what happened. I did not really want to accompany the others, but I felt that now that the visit had been suggested and everyone was quite anxious to go, it would seem churlish of me not to have gone with them,’ replied the lady looking distractedly at the floor.
‘I quite understand. So you all walked over to the abbey together?’
‘Yes.’
‘And what happened when you arrived there?’
‘We walked around the abbey, together, all six of us — sorry, five of us.’
‘It must have been very dark?’ offered Crabb.
‘We took two lanterns with us.’
‘Please continue, Miss Eames,’ encouraged Ravenscroft.
‘Well, we just walked, examining the various monuments, until we came to that dreadful open tomb with that poor man inside,’ replied the lady suddenly faltering in her speech and drawing a handkerchief to her eyes.
‘I’m sorry, Miss Eames. Perhaps you would like some water?’
‘Thank you,’ she replied, taking the glass from Crabb and sipping the liquid.
‘I appreciate this must have been all very upsetting for you,’ said Ravenscroft, trying to sound as sympathetic as he could.
‘I am so sorry. Please forgive me. I am not usually like this. It was just when I saw that man inside that tomb, I suddenly remembered the funeral of my poor late father—’
‘My dear Miss Eames, please do not distress yourself,’ said Ravenscroft rising from his seat and placing a hand upon her shoulder. ‘Perhaps you would prefer another time to answer our questions?’
‘Thank you. You are most kind. It might indeed be better. I’m so sorry. I am not usually like this,’ replied the lady, dabbing her eyes.
‘Crabb, would you please escort Miss Eames back to the other room. I am afraid I must ask you to stay with the others until we have completed our inquiries,’ said Ravenscroft, opening the door.
‘Of course, Inspector. I understand.’
After the others had left the room, Ravenscroft returned to his desk where he busied himself in polishing the lens of his spectacles.
‘Well, she put on a fine act and no mistake,’ said Crabb returning from the outer room.
‘Tom, I do believe you are becoming rather cynical in your young age,’ smiled Ravenscroft. ‘I believe that she was genuinely distressed. I can appreciate that seeing that dead man lying in the open tomb must have been upsetting to her, coming shortly after the burial of her own father. Interesting though that she thought it was Jenkins who had suggested the visit to the abbey, when our two previous speakers claimed otherwise. The more I interview these people, the more I am coming to the conclusion that they are not telling us the truth.’
‘Who would you like next, sir — Ganniford or Jenkins?’
‘Oh, let us have the pair of them in together,’ sighed Ravenscroft, ‘After all, I believe they travelled here to Tewkesbury together, from what Reynolds was saying.’
Before Crabb could leave the room however, the door was abruptly thrown open and a large, red-faced man of more than ample girth strode up to Ravenscroft’s desk. ‘Look here, my man, we are confoundedly annoyed with having to loiter around all morning waiting to be seen!’
‘I’m sorry to have kept you, gentlemen; we had to question your companions first, as I am sure you will appreciate,’ said Ravenscroft, trying not be put off by this sudden intrusion.
‘Blessed if I will appreciate it, sir!’ retorted the new arrival, wheezing as he spoke.
‘You must excuse my colleague’s impetuosity,’ said the second, grey-haired
, thin-faced, gentleman entering the room.
‘Perhaps you would both care to take a seat, gentlemen? I hope not to detain you for very much longer.’
‘I sincerely hope not, sir,’ grumbled the fat gentleman.
‘I am sure the inspector will be as quick as he can with his questions, Ganniford,’ said the elder gentleman accepting a seat and seeking to placate his companion.
‘Thank you gentlemen. I understand that both of you are acquainted with one another?’ asked Ravenscroft.
‘Mr Ganniford and I have known one another for the past fifteen years,’ replied Jenkins.
‘I presume that you travelled to Tewkesbury together?’
‘Of course we did,’ grumbled Ganniford, sinking into the chair.
‘Can I ask the reason for your visit to Tewkesbury?’
‘We had reason to visit the Ashmolean in Oxford, and thought we might like to extend our stay by several days, exploring Tewkesbury and the surrounding area, before our return to London,’ said Jenkins in a matter-of-fact voice.
‘May I ask where you reside in London?’ enquired Ravenscroft.
‘Don’t see what that has to do with this affair,’ complained Ganniford.
‘My colleague resides in Suffolk Gardens, I have rooms near Lincoln’s Inn,’ offered Jenkins.
‘Why did you decide to visit the abbey yesterday evening?’ asked Ravenscroft changing the subject of his questioning.
‘We had been talking together over dinner. Miss Eames was saying that she had always wanted to visit the abbey to view the monuments there, so it was decided that we would go and have a tour round the place,’ offered Ganniford.
‘Who decided that, sir?’
‘How the blazes do you expect us to remember that?’ complained Ganniford. ‘It cannot be of any great importance who suggested the visit.’
‘I think it is of the greatest importance,’ said Ravenscroft, leaning back in his chair and studying the two men.
‘I believe it was probably the major,’ said Jenkins.
‘Thank you, sir. It was rather late in the evening to go visiting the abbey,’ suggested Ravenscroft. ‘And I believe it was raining quite heavily.’
‘Not afraid of the weather; rain never hurt anyone,’ mumbled Ganniford.
‘I know, Mr Ravenscroft, that it must appear rather strange to you that a group of strangers should all decide to visit the abbey at such a late hour, but we had all been talking so earnestly together and none of us wished to wait until the morning to begin our journey of exploration,’ said Jenkins, staring over the top of his glasses at Ravenscroft.
‘Wanted to see the tomb of that Templar fellow,’ added Ganniford.
‘Ah yes, Sir Roger de la Pole. You must be acquainted with the life of the knight?’ asked Ravenscroft, addressing Jenkins.
‘I know that Sir Roger was one of the Knights Templar, that he made at least one journey to the Holy Land and that he finally settled and died in this area, hence the reason for his entombment in the abbey. That is all I am afraid I can tell you,’ replied Jenkins.
‘So you went in search of Sir Roger yesterday evening?’
‘I would not say, Inspector, that we went to the abbey with the main intention of finding Sir Roger’s tomb. There are plenty of other fine relics inside the building that we wished to see.’
‘How did you know, Mr Jenkins, that the building would be open at such a late hour?’
‘We did not. I suppose we all hoped that the abbey would be open.’
‘And if it was not?’
‘Then we would almost certainly have returned in the morning,’ replied Jenkins, attempting a smile.
‘When you reached the abbey, what did you do next?’
‘Went inside,’ grumbled Ganniford shrugging his broad shoulders.
‘It must have been very dark?’ suggested Crabb.
‘We had two lanterns with us,’ said Jenkins.
‘And did you walk round the abbey together, or on your own?’ continued Ravenscroft.
‘Miss Eames, Mr Ganniford and myself took one lantern, the others the remaining lantern,’ answered the older man.
‘And who was it that discovered the opened tomb?’
‘Doctor Hollinger. He called us over to the other side of the abbey, and that was when we found that unfortunate man.’
‘Had you ever seen the dead man before?’ asked Ravenscroft.
‘Certainly not! Never clapped eyes on the fellow,’ snapped Ganniford.
‘And you, Mr Jenkins, had you ever met the deceased?’
‘I believe not.’
‘Did you hear or see anything else in the abbey — perhaps someone moving around, or leaving the building?’
‘No. I don’t recall seeing anything else. What about you, Ganniford, did you see anything?’
‘Can’t say I did,’ replied his companion.
‘Tell me, gentlemen, had you ever met Major Anstruther, Miss Eames or Dr Hollinger before yesterday evening?’ asked Ravenscroft.
‘No. Never seem ’em before in my life. What’s all that got to do with that dead fellow?’ asked Ganniford.
‘I just wondered whether you were previously known to one another.’
‘No, Inspector Ravenscroft, last night was the first time we had all met,’ added Jenkins.
‘Look here, Inspector, I’m sure we have told you everything we know. We realize that all this is an unfortunate affair, but Mr Jenkins and myself must really return to London on the afternoon train,’ said Ganniford irritably.
‘I’m afraid, gentlemen, that we have to fully investigate this “unfortunate affair” as you so described it, so I would be obliged if you would all remain here for a while longer,’ said Ravenscroft.
‘Oh, come, man, this is all so absurd—’ protested Ganniford.
‘We quite understand, Inspector,’ interjected Jenkins, ‘I’m sure we can wait a little longer, Ganniford. We have a duty to assist the inspector in his inquiries. After all a man has been killed. There is always the evening train.’
‘Suppose so. Dashed inconvenient and all that,’ sighed Ganniford, with an air of reluctance.
‘Thank you, gentlemen.’
The two men left the room, the younger muttering under his breath, the elder placing a reassuring arm on his friend’s shoulder.
‘An odd couple,’ said Crabb.
‘I believe Mr Jenkins is what you might call, an antiquary. Ganniford can best be described as a gentleman of leisure. I believe that neither of them was telling us the truth. But then I do not think that the other members of the party were either. I do not believe that they all just fell into conversation last night, and then decided to visit the abbey, at such a late hour as well, and on such a bad evening, because one of them suddenly decided that it would be a good idea. Each one of them claims that it was a different person who came up with the idea. Hollinger and Miss Eames’s account of the evening’s conversation seem different from one another, and I am certain that more than one of them had met the deceased man before. The only thing they agree on is that it was Hollinger who found the opened tomb first.’
‘What are we going to do next, sir?’
‘I find it strange that the abbey was open at such a late hour. The Reverend Jesterson said that the building was locked when he left at eight, so why was it open at twelve that evening? I will go and see this fellow Trent, who is the verger. Apparently he has the other key. He may know something. Meanwhile I would like you, Tom, to pay a visit to the local library, and see if you can find out if these people are who they say they are,’ said Ravenscroft rising from his seat.
‘How will I do that, sir?’ asked Crabb, licking the point of his pencil.
‘Directories. The library should have a local Gloucestershire directory, so find out if this Dr Meadows is listed as practising in Cheltenham. They will probably have a London directory as well, so see if Jenkins and Ganniford are resident in the places they say. I doubt if you will find a directory for Sh
ropshire, but if you are fortunate in that direction, you can look up the Eames family in Ludlow — and check the latest Army List for Anstruther.’
‘Right, sir,’ replied Crabb writing furiously in his notebook, ‘And what about our friends in the other room?’
‘I shall have to tell them that they are to remain here for a while longer, whilst we are continuing with our investigations.’
‘That will go down well.’
‘That’s as may be. Perhaps a little enforced delay might encourage them to be more forthcoming with their answers.’
* * *
A few minutes later Ravenscroft stood outside one of the old cottages that ran in a row along the side of the street outside the abbey. The brass plate next to the knocker was engraved with the word ‘Verger’ in neat italic lettering.
‘Good morning to you, sir. Am I correct in assuming that I am speaking with Mr Trent?’ said Ravenscoft addressing the rather scruffily dressed, unshaven, bleary-eyed, grey-haired man who opened the door to him.
‘That depends on who wants him. My head be all-about today.’
‘My name is Ravenscroft. Inspector Ravenscroft of the local constabulary. I am carrying out an investigation into the body that was found in the abbey last night. I would like to ask you a few questions.’
‘Nothin’ to do with me,’ replied the old man, rubbing his head and turning away from Ravenscroft. ‘I knows nothin’ about any dead body.’
‘Your name is Trent?’
‘I might be.’
‘Are you Trent or not?’ asked Ravenscroft, becoming annoyed.
‘No need to caddle,’ protested the man.
‘I understand that you are responsible for locking up the cathedral each evening,’ said Ravenscroft, ignoring the last comment.
‘I locks building up if Reverend ain’t there.’
‘And did you lock up the building last night?’
‘No. Reverend did that. We both left together.’
‘What time was that?’
‘Can’t remember,’ grumbled the verger, rubbing his head again.
‘Try and remember. It is most important,’ insisted Ravenscroft.
‘Just after eight it were.’
‘Did you go back to the abbey after that time?’
‘No — why should I?’
