Murder in Bloom - Libby Sarjeant Murder Mystery Series

by Lesley Cookman

  As she worked, her mind disassociated from her physical actions, she thought through what she knew of the Creekmarsh murder. Or murders, probably. First, Adam had dug up part of a skeleton. Next, the police had discovered it to be approximately three years old and to match Gerald Shepherd’s DNA, although how they obtained that Libby didn’t know.

  Next, Lewis had confessed that Tony West had sold him Creekmarsh with power of attorney for Gerald Shepherd. This had to have been obtained over three years ago, since that was the time Shepherd and his daughter-in-law had gone missing. Libby, from what Lewis had said, was sure that Lewis had been almost coerced into buying the place, presumably to offload it. It looked to be a long-term plan if Tony West’s manipulation of Lewis’s career was any guide, although his presence on Housey Housey may well have been simply as a reward for sexual favours, the offloading of Creekmarsh Place being an inspiration that came later, when Lewis’s money came rolling in.

  Meanwhile, Tony West himself was killed in his bedroom in Hampstead. Although Lewis had been questioned, it appeared the police didn’t think he was connected, even though his fingerprints were found. Old, though, Libby thought, probably overlaid by others. So someone had wanted to cover up West’s involvement with Shepherd, although they must have known it would come out when Lewis was questioned.

  Then Cindy Dale had turned up – or Cindy Shepherd, as Libby supposed she was – with her story of Kenneth being killed by his father. It was perfectly feasible, given the DNA clue, but where was Gerald now? Fran was certain he was alive. Kenneth she wasn’t so sure about, and if Fran wasn’t sure you could almost be certain she was wrong.

  This brought Libby up short. Fran had said she couldn’t see Libby at Steeple Farm. At least, that was what it seemed like. But just because she couldn’t see it didn’t mean it wouldn’t happen, thought Libby, taking a deep breath and pushing the thought away. If she could actually see Libby in three years’ time still living at number 17, that would be different.

  Still, unless the original DNA sample was faulty, it looked as though this skeleton had to be Kenneth on two counts. One, Fran was certain Gerald was alive and two, Kenneth, not Gerald, fell into the age group predicted by the DNA. Libby thought about the DNA. If it was wrong, then whose could it have been? And anyway, the police didn’t get that sort of thing wrong, did they? They must have been sure they had bona fide samples of Gerald Shepherd’s DNA. They wouldn’t have made a mistake.

  So now the police must be looking for Gerald Shepherd. No death certificate had been found, and Libby assumed the police would have checked with whatever was Somerset House these days. Central Records Office? And there was the Office of the Public Guardian, of course, where the power of attorney would be lodged. The police would have checked all of those.

  But Cindy – a name which didn’t suit her – thought Libby, had said he was suffering from the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease. Surely he would have needed to be taken care of somewhere. Wouldn’t there be records? And why didn’t Cindy know? There were too many questions about Cindy. Where had she been, why had she come forward now and why hadn’t she reported her father-in-law as a murderer in the first place.

  Because, thought Libby, sitting down at the table still clasping a damp cloth, she must have been scared of Gerald. He’d killed Kenneth; if she reappeared she would still be a threat and he might have gone after her. Libby shook her head. No, that didn’t work, because if Gerald had Alzheimer’s he would have got progressively worse, so no threat at all. He probably wouldn’t even remember her. But it could still be the reason she didn’t come back to England until the discovery of Kenneth’s body made her realise she could still inherit the estate. She didn’t know Creekmarsh had been sold, but she could still be in line to inherit the proceeds of the sale.

  Anyway, thought Libby, absently rubbing the damp cloth over the window frame, it still doesn’t explain why she ran away in the first place. Except – of course. She stopped rubbing the window frame and smacked the table. If Tony was covering up for Gerald, he’d want her out of the way in case she told the police the truth.

  The phone rang again.

  ‘’Ere, Libby, it’s all go round here.’ It was Lewis.

  ‘What’s happened now?’

  ‘Cindy’s discovered Tony’s dead. Gawd, I haven’t heard so much weepin’ and wailin’ in years. Katie’s going round all tight-lipped ’cos I can hardly turn the kid out now, can I?’

  ‘Didn’t she know he was dead? Didn’t you tell her that first day? Hadn’t she tried to contact him before she came back?’

  ‘No, she says he always said not to come back unless he said so, so she was afraid he’d stop her. And I thought I had told her, but I can’t have done.’

  ‘Bit of an evil genius our Tony, wasn’t he?’ said Libby. ‘Is that why she stayed away, do you think? Because she was scared of Tony?’ Libby hadn’t thought of that one until now.

  ‘Could be,’ said Lewis slowly. ‘He could be a bit scary.’

  In fact, thought Libby, how convinced was everybody that Cindy was telling the truth about Kenneth’s murderer? Could it have been Tony himself who killed him? If the body was Kenneth, of course. She must find out about that DNA.

  ‘So what did you want, Lewis? Or was it just a sympathetic ear?’

  He laughed. ‘That an’ all,’ he said. ‘No, I wanted to say thanks for last night. I was supposed to be taking you, not the other way round.’

  ‘Pleasure,’ said Libby. ‘We enjoyed your company. Had Cindy waited up for you?’

  ‘No, but Katie had. Apparently they had a row. I think Katie must’ve told Cindy where to get off ordering her about.’

  ‘Quite right, too,’ said Libby. ‘Even if Cindy had still been the heir apparent, Katie isn’t her servant.’

  ‘Even I don’t treat Katie like she does,’ said Lewis. ‘Anyway, Cindy’d gone off to bed in a huff, and this morning the police are back asking about Tony. And off she goes. Hysterics.’

  ‘I still don’t know why didn’t she know before. When the police first questioned her it would have come up, surely?’

  ‘I said, I thought she did know. When she was talking about him, it didn’t occur to me she wouldn’t have known. She’d told the police about him, an’ all, and I suppose they thought she knew, too. They’d been checking when she come over here. Flights and that.’

  ‘And when did she come?’

  ‘Sunday, like she said. I reckon they’ll have her for false passport and that.’

  ‘I expect so, unless they think it’s mitigating circumstances. No,’ said Libby, catching herself up, ‘of course they won’t. She’s going to be done as an accessory to murder and obstructing the police, isn’t she?’

  ‘S’pose so. Can’t think why she come back. She must’ve known she’d be in trouble.’

  ‘Perhaps Creekmarsh was enough of an incentive.’

  ‘Yeah, but if old German Shepherd is still alive it wouldn’t be hers anyway. Or the money. Not until he was dead.’

  ‘Have they found a will?’

  ‘They wouldn’t tell me, would they? And I reckon if he made one, Tony would have it.’

  ‘What about the solicitor who drew up the power of attorney? He probably drew up a will as well.’

  ‘Don’t ask me! How do I know? I’m sick of the whole thing now. I just want shot of the police, shot of Cindy and get on with me own life.’

  ‘OK, OK,’ said Libby, ‘you don’t want me ferreting about any more.’

  ‘Oh, I didn’t mean that, Libby,’ he said, sounding awkward. ‘You been great, but what you said at the beginning was right. The police always get there in the end, don’t they? They’ll find German Shepherd and that’ll be that. Then they’ll leave me alone.’

  ‘Meanwhile, you must get rid of Cindy,’ said Libby. ‘Tell her she’s got to go.’

  ‘I can’t!’ Lewis wailed. ‘I don’t know how.’

  ‘Then ask Katie to do it, she’d love to.’

&n
bsp; ‘No, Cindy would just come straight to me. You could do it.’

  Libby laughed. ‘The same thing would apply. She wouldn’t believe me and go straight to you.’

  ‘You could come and back me up while I do it. If Katie does, Cindy’ll just say she’s been influencing me or something. She won’t say that about you.’

  ‘Oh, all right, I’ll come. When do you want me?’

  ‘Soon as you like,’ said Lewis, sounding more like himself. ‘Although I suppose we’ll have to let her find herself somewhere to stay.’

  ‘I’ll help with that,’ said Libby. ‘Look, I’m going to have something to eat, then I’ll be over.’

  After lunch, Libby borrowed the Land Rover again and set off for Creekmarsh. The weather had turned and drizzly rain shrouded the hedgerows in a faint mist. The wipers screeched across the windscreen and Libby turned them off in disgust. She wasn’t looking forward to a confrontation with Cindy Dale, and wondered what the outcome would be. Would she go? She presumably wouldn’t be allowed to go back to Spain. She wouldn’t have either her false passport or her real one, which hadn’t yet been found, as far as Libby knew, although the police may have found all sorts of things by now. She sighed and wished Ian Connell had been on the investigating team.

  As she turned into the Creekmarsh lane, she was surprised to find herself at the end of a queue of traffic. Was it a sailing day? she wondered. She gave up trying to edge along towards the gates and drew in to the lay-by near the church. It would be quicker to walk.

  When she reached the drive she realised why the cars were there. Reporters. Not too many, as yet, but then, Lewis had said nothing about them on the phone, so this was presumably a recent leak, or even press conference. The rest of the horde would be here soon, she thought. The rusty gates were closed, and beyond them stood Adam, looking scared but determined, with a mobile to his ear. He looked relieved to see Libby, who pushed her way to the front of the crowd and slipped through the small gap he opened for her, practically being flattened by the press behind her.

  ‘I’ve asked Lewis to call the police. Apparently they held a press conference because something had leaked about Shepherd owning this place. That had been kept quiet until now.’

  Libby looked back at the crowd of reporters and photographers. They knew about the body being dug up and Shepherd’s DNA. Why had the police kept quiet about the location, and, if they had, why had they now revealed it?

  Chapter Twenty-one

  THE ANSWER WAS SOON revealed. As Libby and Adam walked towards the house, a commotion behind them caused them to stop and look back. In quick succession came two police cars, a long black saloon and the familiar van belonging to Kent and Coast Television. Adam went reluctantly back down the drive and unlocked the gates. The police were more successful at holding back the crowds than he had been, and while the black saloon and one of the police cars drove up to the house, the other stayed at the gates. ‘To repel boarders,’ said Libby as she and Adam, unchallenged, followed the police into the house.

  ‘Who was that in the unmarked police car?’ asked Libby, as they hesitated in the hall.

  ‘I couldn’t see,’ said Adam. ‘Big Bertha, I suppose.’

  ‘Still don’t know why she’s been so hands-on,’ muttered Libby, and she turned to greet Katie who had emerged from the kitchen wiping her hands on a tea towel.

  ‘Hello, lovey,’ she said. ‘What do they want now?’

  ‘Don’t know,’ said Adam. ‘I asked Lewis to call them because of the reporters turning up, but I didn’t expect all this.’

  Katie shrugged. ‘Come and have a cuppa,’ she said. ‘We’ll find out soon enough.’

  Lewis appeared a few moments later looking scared.

  ‘They’re arresting Cindy,’ he said.

  ‘Really? What for?’ asked Libby. ‘I mean, which bit? False documents, leaving the scene of a crime, accessory, what?’

  ‘False documents, I think,’ said Lewis.

  ‘They’ve only got her word for it about Ken’s murder,’ said Adam. ‘I expect this is to get her into custody so they can have another go at her.’

  ‘Serve her right,’ said Katie, pouring boiling water into the big brown Betty teapot. ‘Stuck-up little cow.’

  No one reprimanded her, but Libby did feel a little sorry for Cindy. Although how she could have expected to get away with coming back to claim an inheritance under the circumstances seemed incredibly naïve.

  ‘What about the press?’ she asked. ‘How did they get to hear about it?’

  ‘Nobody seems to know, but it was hearing about Cindy’s return apparently, and someone linked her up to Kenneth.’

  ‘But Creekmarsh? The police haven’t let that out,’ said Adam.

  ‘Same source I suppose,’ said Libby. ‘Somebody knows what’s going on.’ She looked over her shoulder. ‘They’ll probably think it’s one of us.’

  ‘It isn’t criminal, though,’ said Lewis.

  ‘It wasn’t you, was it?’ Libby narrowed her eyes at him.

  ‘’Course not.’ Lewis was indignant. ‘D’you think I want a bunch of bloody reporters camping on my doorstep?’

  ‘No,’ conceded Libby, looking up at the sound of footsteps on the stairs. They all turned.

  Cindy, accompanied by two plainclothes and one uniformed officer, was coming down like a French aristo to the tumbrel. As she was escorted outside, Lewis rose and went to the door. After a moment, one of the plainclothes officers came back.

  ‘Thank you, Mr Osbourne-Walker,’ he said. ‘I expect we’ll be in touch.’

  ‘What about Miss Dale?’ said Lewis. ‘I mean, she doesn’t live here or anything. Where will she go after?’

  ‘I don’t think she’ll be going anywhere soon,’ said the officer. ‘We’ll be in touch.’

  A silence fell after the officer left, until Libby said, ‘Do you think they’ll look for evidence to connect her to Kenneth’s death?’

  ‘Oh, Ma, of course they will. I bet they go through Tony West’s place with a toothcomb looking for clues. After all, she knew him well enough for him to get her away after Kenneth’s murder.’

  ‘They’ve already gone through his place,’ said Lewis. ‘They’d have found anything there was to find by now.’

  ‘What do you suppose he did with her real passport and stuff?’ said Libby. ‘And Gerald’s whereabouts? He must have known that as well.’

  Lewis shrugged. ‘Bank safe somewhere?’

  ‘He’d have had documents relating to it,’ said Libby, shaking her head. ‘Well, it all comes down to Tony West in the end, doesn’t it? I wonder why he did it?’

  ‘Dunno. He didn’t seem a soft sort of bugger to me,’ said Lewis. ‘Cruel but fair, as someone said.’

  ‘Devious, if you ask me,’ said Adam. ‘What do you think, Katie? You knew him.’

  Katie had been sitting at the end of the table, her head bowed over her mug of tea. She looked up and Libby was surprised to see real grief in her eyes.

  ‘He was good to me,’ she said shortly. She stood up and took her mug to the sink, rinsed it out and left the room by the back door.

  ‘He got her the job with you, didn’t he?’ said Libby. Lewis nodded. ‘So he knew her before then?’

  ‘Yeah, I think so. Not well, though. He got to know her better after she started working for me.’

  ‘Were you still –’ Adam stopped, going bright red.

  Lewis grinned at him. ‘Shagging? No, mate. Not regular, anyway. Once or twice.’ He leant over and patted Adam’s arm. ‘Now you’re shocked, aren’t you?’

  Adam shook his head, blush subsiding. ‘I just wondered how often you saw him after you moved in here.’

  ‘Few times. He knew the house, see? He come down to have a look round if I wasn’t sure about how I ought to do things.’

  ‘And he didn’t say anything about Gerald Shepherd?’ said Libby.

  ‘No.’ Lewis shrugged again. ‘Just as how he knew the house, like.’

&nb
sp; ‘Hmm,’ said Libby thoughtfully. Then she stood up. ‘Well, as you don’t need me to help you get rid of Cindy, I’ll be off. See you later, Ad.’

  ‘OK, Ma.’ He, too, stood up. ‘I promise I’ll sort out some transport of my own. I know you don’t like driving the Land Rover.’

  ‘You can always stay here,’ said Lewis, following them to the door. ‘I’ve said so before. Then you wouldn’t have to keep going backwards and forwards.’

  ‘You’re all right, Lewis, thanks. I quite like being at home with Ma.’ Adam gave Lewis a grin. ‘See you later, Ma.’

  Libby was shepherded through the gates and the rabble of the media by the two policemen on duty. Outside the Kent and Coast Television vehicle she caught sight of Campbell McLean, the reporter she’d met during last summer’s murder investigation into the body on the island. He, luckily, either didn’t see or recognise her, and she drove safely away towards home.

  The red answerphone light was winking when she got in. Pressing the button she listened to the message while unwrapping her cape from around her shoulders. One day, she thought, she really must invest in a more conventional coat.

  ‘Libby,’ said the answerphone, ‘I found the DVD in Canterbury. Do you want to see it? And Guy says there was something on the radio about Cindy Dale and Creekmarsh while I was out. What’s going on?’

  Libby sat down on the cane sofa and lit a cigarette. Sidney jumped up beside her. After a short period of stroking and bonding, he jumped down again and Libby picked up the phone.

  ‘I wouldn’t mind seeing the DVD, but I’m still not sure why you wanted to. You really went all the way into Canterbury just to buy it?’

  ‘Well, they wouldn’t have it in any of our shops,’ said Fran. ‘And I bought a couple of other things as well, so it wasn’t a waste of time. Shall I bring it over?’