The Untimely Death Box Set

by James Kipling

  Chapter 17

  1

  Julian arrived at the police station and straight away demanded to see the man in charge of the case. He was taken to Inspector Patrick Campbell, who was currently sipping his cup of tea. When Julian entered, he looked up. “What is it?”

  Tim, who accompanied Julian, explained. “He wants to tell us something important, but he will only tell it to you. He emphasised that he would speak only to the man in charge.”

  Julian was in a state of nervous excitement. Patrick said calmly, “sit down and relax, then tell us what you know.”

  Julian wiped his brow. “I haven’t introduced myself – how foolish of me. I am Gladys’s colleague. I’ve been completely shocked by her death; she was such a decent woman, always full of life. But I guess you don’t want to hear me raving about Gladys… I’ll get to the point. I occupy the cubicle next to Gladys, and yesterday at around 4:00 o’clock in the afternoon, Gladys rang up someone. She said that she had remembered something which may or may not have something to do with Jane’s murder, but she wasn’t sure and wanted advice.”

  “Did you hear anything else? Did you hear what she’d seen or heard?”

  “No. I think whoever she was speaking to wanted to know what she had suddenly thought of, but she said that it wasn’t possible to say on the phone and she planned to meet that person for dinner.”

  “How was her voice?”

  “Gladys was trying to speak softly, but she had a loud voice which carried, so I couldn’t help overhearing her. She seemed rather excited and upset at the same time. I remember thinking, what was Gladys’s imagination cooking up now? She’d been badly affected by Jane’s death. The two always had lunch together. Once I thought about going over to her table and speaking to her, but later I changed my mind.”

  “Do you have any idea whom Gladys was speaking to?’

  “No, no idea at all. When I learned of Gladys’s brutal killing, I thought that maybe what I heard was the reason she was killed. I made up my mind to come to you at once. I don’t want to get killed as well.”

  Patrick smiled encouragingly. “You made a wise decision. You must have known Jane as well?”

  “Yes, of course. We were colleagues. I didn’t know Jane as well as Gladys, but I did know that she was going along with Eric, a man she seemed to love and adore. Gladys told me about him. She said she was frightened for her friend, as he sometimes seemed so cold and calculating. Another thing – after Jane’s death, Gladys spotted Eric at a psychiatric clinic. The guy apparently needed help.”

  “Which psychiatric clinic? Did she by any chance tell you the name? “

  “Yes, she did. It was at Saint Lisa.”

  “Thank you. You’ve been very helpful.”

  Julian got up to leave, and after he had left, Patrick turned to Geoffrey. “Let’s pay a visit to this psychiatric clinic and find out a little more about Eric. Maybe we’ll discover something. After all, our murderer must be suffering from some kind of psychiatric problem.”

  2

  Saint Lisa was a neat little clinic with a beautiful garden, which was a riot of colours. The lobby was sprinkled with leather backed, comfortable sofas. A trim girl, her hair neatly tied in a bun, was at the reception. Geoffrey and Patrick walked in, the latter turning to the receptionist. “We want to meet the person in charge of the hospital.”

  The girl smiled and revealed uneven teeth. “I’m afraid you can’t do that; he’s busy.”

  Patrick said simply, “Please tell him that we’re the police and that we need to see him immediately.” He held up his badge for her to see.

  He saw a hint of alarm in the girl’s eyes and then she picked up the intercom and spoke rapidly. “Excuse me, some men want to see you urgently. They say they are from the police.”

  Patrick and Geoffrey were led to a cosy cabin with svelte leather backed armchairs. Mr. Alex Ford was a bespectacled man in his forties with a rather broad forehead and designer stubble. He was extremely polite. “What can I do for you? It’s very unusual for police officials to visit my clinic. I run a good business, pay my taxes honestly, and try to do my bit for the world. I’m here to help people who need it; they come here to spend a few days to rest and recuperate. They like the surroundings and I make sure they get mental peace.”

  “We need some information about a particular patient.”

  Alex shook his head. “This is highly irregular. All information on patients is strictly confidential. It’s a question of professional integrity. We have a reputation for being discreet and I don’t want to spoil it, even for the police.”

  Patrick said patiently, “we’re investigating the serial murders that have rocked the town, and we’re trying to catch the murderer before they kill again. It’s important for the safety and security of the town to catch him. I too am doing my duty, Mr. Ford, and it’s the duty of all citizens to cooperate. We promise to be discreet. The information you give us will not go any further, I can assure you.”

  Alex looked sulky but reluctantly agreed. “What do you want to know?”

  “We want information about one of your patients, Eric Forester.”

  Alex picked up the phone and a few seconds later, a woman appeared. “Susan, these gentlemen are the police. They want information about Eric Forester. Please give them all the details they need”

  Susan nodded, turning to the two policemen. “Eric is a recent patient, but I wouldn’t call him a psychiatric patient. There was very little wrong with him. He does, however, have a family history of mental disorders. His mother was confined to a mental asylum and spent her last days there, while his older brother, Ricky, also suffered from problems. He was under psychiatric treatment and was on medication for a few years. He now lives a normal life.

  “Eric visited us in a panic. He thought that there was something wrong with him. After one of his girlfriends was killed, he began to blame himself. He claimed that he had treated her rather shabbily in their last days together and this was bothering him. He felt guilty and he said that he seemed to have lost his zest for life. After the police visited him, he became edgy and feared an arrest. He was scared that he, too, was suffering from mental problems, but that was a false alarm. We gave him a bit of counselling and nerve soothing medication and that was it. There was no need to examine him further.”

  “How many times did Eric visit you?”

  “He visited us only twice. I told you that there wasn’t much wrong with him. This murder simply shook his confidence, that’s all.”

  “I may be prying, but did he, in his conversations with you, mention Jane?”

  “Oh yes, several times. He recalled her fondly and said she was a nice girl. He did say something startling though, which may or may not help you: during their last date, Jane kept looking over her shoulder, as if she feared something. Maybe she had a premonition of her death.”

  Patrick and Geoffrey got up and left the clinic. Once outside, Patrick turned to his colleague. “Let’s ring up Eric Forester and have another chat with him. There could be something which he missed telling us when we first questioned him.”

  3

  Eric Forester met them at the bar. “What do you mean by hounding me again and again? I’ve told you all I know. I’m completely innocent.”

  Patrick said calmly, “we just want a few answers from you.”

  Eric was more composed now. “Ever since Jane’s death, things haven’t gone well for me. I’ve been a bit edgy and I just wasn’t able to get her out of my mind. Just ask me what you want to know.”

  “You told us that Jane was her normal self when you met her on the last weekend. Did you meet her again?”

  “Maybe I did… I can’t remember everything. I met her on Monday, but it was just for fifteen minutes, at a store. She wanted me to help her choose a jacket or something like that. She said I had taste.”

  “What happened after you met? I heard that Jane was rather jumpy.”

/>   Eric looked startled. “I don’t know how you dig up these things, but you’re exaggerating. It was nothing of that sort. It was just a case of slight nerves. She kept looking over her shoulder and then she said that Keith, her boss, was giving her a tough time at work. That’s all.”

  “What did Jane say to you exactly? Try to recall. There may be something significant.”

  Eric thought for some time. “No, I don’t know, but she had a weird notion that someone was following her. It may have only been her imagination playing tricks on her. This was, however, for only a moment. Soon she got engrossed in looking at jackets, and I helped her to make a choice. She stared at me intently and then said with concern, ‘I hope I haven’t dragged you here. You must be bored. Let’s have a cup of coffee.’ I said, ‘no, there’s no time. I have to hurry home. I have some work to do.’ I left and that was the last I saw of her.”

  “You must have heard about Gladys’s murder.”

  Eric seemed startled and said, ”yes, I heard. I felt very bad; I’d met her before and she seemed a nice enough girl. But if you have the notion that I’m behind her death, you’re mistaken. I will be frank with you. I didn’t like Gladys. I thought she interfered too much in Jane’s life and Jane trusted her blindly.”

  Patrick leaned a little closer to Eric. “You haven’t been entirely frank with us – you haven’t told us that you’ve visited the psychiatric clinic and that you have a family history of psychiatric problems.”

  Eric turned pale. “Mind if I smoke?” Patrick nodded. He took out a pack of cigarettes and then lit one with his lighter. Patrick noticed that his hand was trembling. He dragged on his cigarette and then said, “so you got hold of that, too. I don’t see what my family history has to do with this case. I tell you I was at a meeting when Jane was murdered. I didn’t kill her. It is true that I consulted a doctor out of fear but if you’ve spoken to the doctor, you’ll know that there is nothing much wrong with me and that I am as sane as you or any normal human being. It was just a case of nerves and my sleep patterns being disturbed.”

  Patrick stared Eric down. “It’s very important since we’re dealing with a serial murderer who is obviously mentally unstable. Your mother, I believe, was in a mental asylum and your brother has been under prolonged medication, is that correct?”

  Eric sighed. “Fine, I’ll come clean. My mother did have severe mental problems and she later went completely mad and had to be put in the asylum. I visit her at times but she can’t recognise me anymore; it’s extremely depressing. My brother, too, suffered from depression. With such a family history, it is natural to get worried. But the doctor confirmed that there was nothing wrong with me.”

  Patrick said softly, “by the way, where were you when Gladys was murdered?”

  Eric replied angrily. “You can’t pin that on me; I was nowhere near her place. I read that she was murdered at around 7.30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. the day before yesterday. At that time, let me see, I was in the market buying a few vegetables.”

  “Anyone with you?”

  “No, I was alone.”

  “So we only have your word for it.”

  Eric seemed a bit jittered. He tried to regain his composure. “Believe me, I didn’t kill Jane or Gladys. I am not a murderer and I would never harm anyone. At the time Gladys was murdered, I didn’t even know where she lived. I’ve come to know it since only through the papers.”

  Just then, Patrick’s phone rang. It was from headquarters. The officer had just discovered that Jeremy was a good dart player. He had even won a prize in a competition.

  Patrick said beneath his breath, “this could be interesting; the case is getting hot.”

  4

  He called Geoffrey. “Let’s pay Jeremy a visit.”

  They arrived at Jeremy’s residence after giving him a phone call, and he opened the door and let them in. He seemed rather irritable. “Why have you come here again? I’ve told the police all I know.”

  Patrick said firmly, “no, you didn’t. You conveniently forgot to mention that you are a good sportsman and that you’re a master in the game of darts. You won several trophies at the Eastside Club, isn’t that right?”

  Jeremy’s face drained of colour – it turned almost as white as a sheet. He gulped and then said, “how did you find out?”

  “Never mind how. My men are working hard. So it is true?”

  Jeremy placed his hands on his head and then said, “I didn’t know that my luck was so tough. Now you will arrest me and lock me up, just because I played with darts. I wish to God I had never seen a dart in my life.”

  Patrick said coolly, “you jump to conclusions too soon. What we want from you is only the truth, nothing else.”

  Jeremy licked his lips and then said, “I didn’t mention anything about playing darts because this is what I feared. I thought my knowledge of darts would go against me and I’d end up in jail. Yes, I do play darts, but only as a sport. I mostly play it in the club. By the way, all the darts we use at the club have plastic tips and are completely harmless. They won’t hurt you even if they land on a person. I enjoy playing, and I don’t mind admitting that I am a pretty good sportsman. Sports are my hobby. I’m a pretty fine hand at carom and I can play table tennis as well.”

  Geoffrey asked, “how do you play the game at the club?”

  “We don’t do anything much. There’s a dartboard hanging on the wall and there are these plastic darts lying on the side table. Anyone can pick up the darts and throw it at the board. A few of my friends would organise a game and contest it in a friendly manner just to see who would win. I won most of the time. We did it just for kicks although sometimes we organised serious competitions, but I assure you that I’d never use poisoned darts to kill anyone, least of all Sarah. As I told you, she seemed a nice kid and I enjoyed her company.”

  Geoffrey said suddenly, “this isn’t the only lie you told us, is it? You also said that you went over to the chemist to get some medicines. What was the medicine and how did you get to the market?”

  “I have hypertension and I have to take medicines regularly. We have a family history and the disease caught up with me at an early age.”

  Patrick asked again, “how did you get to the market?”

  “I told you. I simply walked to it.”

  “I think not. I’ve checked your records and my men have talked to the people who were on duty on the fateful day at both the chemist and the department store. They said you arrived ten minutes earlier. The woman at the chemist counter remembered the time clearly, as she happened to check the time on her mobile when you entered.”

  Jeremy flushed. His lips twitched. “OK, I lied. I lied because I don’t trust the police. They believe in putting a noose around a guy at the slightest pretext. I went to the market by car.”

  “You must have come back earlier, too. A trip to the market hardly takes more than a couple of minutes by car.”

  “Well, I did. I spent a couple of minutes parking the car and then I just paced about, thinking. Then I went to the lobby.”

  “No, you didn’t. You were seen in the lobby just a couple of minutes before you discovered the body. I’ve checked with the receptionist.”

  Jeremy seemed cornered, like a rat in a trap. He lost his colour and then gulped. “You’ve come here to arrest me, haven’t you? You think that I’m the guy who killed Sarah and the other girls, don’t you?”

  Geoffrey said, “now, don’t panic. We aren’t here to arrest you but simply to get a bit more information. If you come clean and tell the truth, we promise to do our best to see you don’t get into needless trouble.”

  Jeremy hesitated and then said, “OK, I’ll put all the cards on the table. I don’t want to get into trouble.”

  “What happened?”

  “Well, I was rather tired and I was carrying a few packets of food, so I thought of a short cut. I thought of going in through the French windows, which were open and could be ea
sily reached through the lawn, rather than strolling across the lobby. So I went through a side gate to the garden and approached that way. The windows were wide open, the way I’d left them. I tried to climb in but a pot was in the way, so I removed the pot and then had placed my hands and one leg on the windowsill when I noticed Sarah lying on the floor. I called out her name loudly, but there was no response. She was lying quite still, as if she was dead. I panicked.

  “I realised at once that I was in deep soup. I quickly climbed down. I was in a daze. There wasn’t a soul to be seen in the garden. I thought if something serious had happened to Sarah then I would be blamed and it would look odd if I entered the room through the window. I quickly climbed down, brushed my trousers, picked up the packets that I had left on the ground, and quickly exited through the side garden. Then I entered through the main gate, walked into the lobby, greeted the woman at the reception, and went to my room. It was only after I entered that I discovered that Sarah was dead. I guess I screamed and cried for help. People came running… and you know the rest of the story. I swear I didn’t kill Sarah – I had nothing to do with the murder.”

  Patrick said softly, “we believe you. Do you have anything else to say?”

  Jeremy shook his head. “No.”

  “Did you put the pot back in its place?”

  “Yes, I did so after some time had passed, when the commotion had died down.”

  Chapter 18

  Something was bothering Patrick as he was trying to sleep. He turned this side and that and tossed about, but still he couldn’t get any rest. He was missing something important – something that Carla Carlson had said about a man. He couldn’t think of it. His wife Donna stirred beside him, grumbling, “can’t you go back to sleep? You’re disturbing me. Don’t tell me the case is bothering you again.”