A Bombing Enigma

by Angelika Lansdale

  Cynara and Charles described what had occurred since Mrs. Simpson woke them up. Presumably, Elizabeth had not set the security alarm in the house before sleeping. She was quite forgetful about it. The police asked all four of them if they had seen anyone lurking around the house or the grounds. None of them had. Mr. Daniels and Mr. Watson arrived just as they finished with their accounts. The four of them were asked to remain in the study while the police searched the crime scene and the premises for evidence.

  Mrs. Simpson, Mr. Drake, Charles, and Cynara stayed in the study feeling restless. Mrs. Simpson disclosed that it had not even crossed her mind that the culprit could still have been in the house when they found Elizabeth. Mr. Drake had briefly thought about it but had dismissed it after not spotting anyone. Cynara felt that was for the best otherwise it would have been too terrifying. Logically speaking the shooter would have fled from the scene of the crime in order to not be identified and get caught. Mr. and Mrs. Keene joined them looking very frightened. They had walked out of their cottage to a swarm of police officers sweeping through the grounds and the surroundings.

  They all sat there deliberating over the dire circumstances. It was hard to digest Elizabeth had actually been shot. Charles repeated that the shooter had probably been aiming for her heart but got her in the arm instead and did not stay to check. Cynara shuddered at what could have happened. It was really a lucky escape. Poor Elizabeth. Someone actually came here for the purpose of killing her. Who could it be?

  The Scotland Yard agents came in and asked them if their cottages could be inspected. They just wanted to ensure the shooter was not hiding inside. Mrs. Keene and Cynara handed over their keys. Charles asked if they should join in the search. The agents refused politely but firmly. The waiting was agonizing. Time just stood still.

  Cynara’s phone rang after about an hour. It was Jane reporting from the hospital. Elizabeth was going to be fine. It was mostly a surface wound. The bullet had passed cleanly through her arm. She was conscious now but still in a state of shock. Shootings like these were not meant to happen to ordinary civilians. However, Elizabeth’s life had hardly been normal since Jimmy decided to blow himself up.

  Cynara speculated how much terrorism had changed the world. The three murders might not have a link to terrorists but Jimmy certainly had. He had converted to Islam and then knowingly strapped a bomb to himself and killed so many people. What were these terrorists hoping to achieve? If they wanted to commit suicide then why not just keep it to themselves? Why did they have to include others?

  Mr. Daniels, Mr. Watson and two senior Scotland Yard officers, Mr. Ellen and Mr. Brooks, came into the study soon after Jane’s call. Their stern expressions alarmed Cynara. They had not found anything other than the two officers who were meant to be on duty, near the northwest side of the property, unconscious. They had been tranquilized probably through their coffees. One of them seemed to have been dragged to the spot. The other must have been there when he lost consciousness.

  Both the officers had been revived. Neither of them saw the perpetrator. The last thing they remembered was walking around the grounds, drinking their coffees. The coffee cups were recovered from the grounds and had been sent for substance testing. Their blood was also being analyzed.

  “This was a planned hit.” Cynara was still finding it difficult to accept.

  “Yes, very well planned. None of you saw anything. Mrs. Simpson and Mr. Drake were in the house and heard the gunshot but did not see the assassin. There are no clues to be found, no fingerprints, nothing,” Mr. Daniels said solemnly.

  “How did the person come in?” Mr. Drake asked.

  “There are no signs of a forced entry. However, there is a French window in Mrs. Stewart’s room which is wide open,” Mr. Daniels replied.

  “But the front door was not locked,” Mrs. Simpson interrupted.

  “Yes, correct. But we believe the culprit came in through the French windows and then left via the front door after the shooting,” Mr. Daniels said.

  “Through the windows? On the second floor? How did he get there?” Cynara asked.

  “There is a tree just outside,” Mr. Daniels said.

  “Yes you can climb the tree and hoist yourself up onto the balcony. Mr. George used to scale that all the time as a teenager,” Mr. Drake cut in.

  “So after shooting, the criminal ran down the stairs, unlatched the door and left?” Charles questioned.

  “Yes, most likely,” Mr. Daniels agreed.

  “We will only know for sure after talking to Mrs. Stewart. She is conscious and will be able to give a statement,” Mr. Brooks said solemnly.

  “She might have seen the assailant and be able to identify him,” Cynara said optimistically.

  “We will know soon enough. Can we request all of you to just remain in this downstairs area until the forensic team leaves. They are still trying to gather information and should be able to wrap it all up in another few hours,” Mr. Ellen said.

  “Can we go back to the cottage?” Charles asked.

  “Yes, you can. We just do not want any of you going upstairs,” Mr. Ellen replied.

  The agents and police left for the hospital. Mr. Drake, Mrs. Simpson, Mr. Keene, and Mrs. Keene moved into the kitchen. They were going to heed Charles’ advice and eat some breakfast. Cynara and Charles returned to their cottage where Charles proceeded to make them some eggs. Cynara stood quietly observing him. She did not feel like eating but Charles would not take no for an answer. He soon had the food set on the table and insisted that she eat everything on her plate.

  Cynara called Bradley and briefed him on the shooting. He had not heard the news at all and was appalled. It was hard to conceive that someone had successfully managed to infiltrate the manor house, in spite of the surveillance, and actually shoot Elizabeth. He conceded that the case was becoming even more complex then what it already was, with this development. Bradley was grateful for the information and requested Cynara to keep him posted with Elizabeth’s progress.

  The next hour was quite insufferable. Cynara felt very concerned for Elizabeth, even though she realized Elizabeth was in the best of hands at the hospital. She was unable to divert her mind from the shooting. It kept replaying in her head with all the unanswered questions. She was anxiously awaiting answers from Elizabeth. Did she see the murderer? Could she make a positive identification? Was it the same man who had also killed Sharon and Fatima? Maybe even Qureshi?

  Jane finally called and informed Cynara excitedly, “Elizabeth has given her statement to the police. Her attacker was a woman.”

  Chapter 37

  “A woman!” Cynara was dumbfounded.

  “A woman?” Charles queried. Cynara nodded her head.

  “Yes, Elizabeth did not see the assailant but is confident it was a woman,” Jane explained quickly. “Elizabeth woke up around 4 a.m. and was unable to go back to sleep. She went into the bathroom after about half an hour. As she returned to the bedroom, she saw a masked woman climbing into the room through the French window. She had left it open, as it was such a warm night.”

  “Oh my God!” Cynara blurted.

  “Oh my God is right,” Jane continued. “Elizabeth stood there for a second too shocked to react. Somehow, she galvanized into action and ran out of the room. The woman followed and shot at her just as Elizabeth reached the head of the stairs. Elizabeth does not remember anything after that until she woke up in the hospital.”

  “She must have been knocked unconscious with the bullet,” Cynara said.

  “Yes, probably,” Jane agreed.

  “How is she now?” Cynara asked.

  “The doctors gave her a sedative after she spoke with the police. She was in a lot of pain and is sleeping right now. It has been very traumatic for her,” Jane replied.

  “Elizabeth is definite about the culprit being a woman?” Cynara asked.

  “Yes. Elizabeth clearly saw her silhouette as the woman entered through the window,” Jane said.
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br />   “I had assumed that it was a man,” Cynara said.

  “I know. All of us here at the hospital thought the same and are equally shocked,” Jane confessed.

  “So a woman actually scaled the wall, climbed up to a balcony on the second floor and attempted to kill Elizabeth?” Cynara summarized still astounded.

  “Yes and this damn woman had all the luck as the window was open and the alarm was not set,” Jane retorted.

  “Mrs. Simpson said that Elizabeth set the alarm every night, as she was usually the last one to go to sleep. But she was quite careless about it. And she must have again forgotten last night,” Cynara said.

  “Very fortunate for the home invader,” Jane murmured.

  “Yes,” Cynara agreed. “How is everyone in the family doing?”

  “Shocked and distressed. Uncle Philip wants the murderess caught. We are all still here but will start rotating in shifts now that we know Elizabeth will be fine. I am leaving the hospital soon and will return in the evening with mum,” Jane said.

  “Can I also stop by then and look in on Elizabeth?” Cynara asked tentatively, not wanting to encroach.

  “Certainly. I can pick you up on my way, around five,” Jane said.

  Cynara readily agreed to this arrangement and hung up the phone. Charles had been able to follow most of the conversation and Cynara filled in the rest of the gaps. Cynara went back to the manor before lunch to check on the staff. The forensics team had left. Cynara found Mrs. Simpson and Mrs. Keene in the upstairs hallway cleaning the bloodstains from the floor. They all looked very somber. Senior Mrs. Stewart had called and given them an update on Elizabeth.

  Cynara stayed to help with the cleanup. They walked around the house ensuring all the doors and windows were secured. None of them wanted any more uninvited visitors. They flocked to the kitchen after checking every room in the manor. Mrs. Keene put them to work making sandwiches. They all wanted to stay busy and decided to clean the attics after lunch. Cynara went back to the cottage just after they set the table and starting eating their meal.

  Jane and her mum arrived promptly at 5 p.m. Charles wanted to accompany them as well but then decided against it. He felt it might be one too many visitors. They drove swiftly to the hospital. It was at a short distance and they were there in less than fifteen minutes. They found Ruth’s father and brother, Michael Stewart and Kevin Stewart, sitting outside Elizabeth’s room in the lobby. Mr. Michael Stewart still looked very haggard, his eyes sunken with sorrow. The family had not yet recovered from Ruth’s suicide. This just added to their woes. Kevin told them that Elizabeth had mostly slept through the afternoon and the doctors were pleased with her progress. It was heartening to hear.

  Kevin and his dad departed and the three of them took up vigil outside the room. A nurse went in with some medication and roused Elizabeth from her sleep. They all trooped in to greet her. Elizabeth was propped up against the pillows and looked as pale as the white sheets she was lying on. Her eyes were blue pools of bewilderment. She looked so forlorn that Cynara felt quite upset. Elizabeth knew someone wanted her dead, first the bomb and now this. Luckily, she had somehow turned and the bullet caught her in the arm instead of the heart. She just kept repeating that she was perplexed as to why. Why did someone want to kill her? What was the motive?

  Elizabeth had also told the police she no longer wanted their protection. The two officers who had been safeguarding the premises had hardly been any help. Instead, they themselves had become victims. She could not tolerate the thought of any more victims. Elizabeth felt confident her security system and her own staff were sufficient. The authorities had to yield to her request.

  Cynara visited for a short time and then left. Jane and her mum were going to stay through dinner. Elizabeth’s in-laws were also on their way. Cynara did not want to intrude upon the family. Her phone rang just as she exited the hospital and was walking towards the bus stop. It was Bradley. He told her he would give her a lift to the cottage. She readily accepted his offer.

  Cynara went back inside into the main lobby and waited for Bradley. He arrived within a few minutes. She came outside and got into his car. Bradley looked very solemn and told her that the news of the shooting had already leaked to the press. Elizabeth was in the hospital. It was impossible to keep the shooting a secret at such a public place. Anyone could have talked to the media. Senior Mr. Stewart had been contacted and he had agreed to update the press later on in the evening at his home. The local correspondent of the newspaper where Bradley worked was also planning to attend the briefing, wanting to get the full story.

  Cynara hoped the press would accept this as an independent incident rather than link it with all the other deaths. Somehow, that did not seem possible under these circumstances. They definitely would connect it to Sharon’s death. The police and the agents had been very tight-lipped about terrorism and the terrorist angle. Thus, the letterbox bomb story never made it to the papers. This was different though. The Stewarts’ luck had to run out sometime.

  Cynara empathized with senior Mr. Stewart for having to face the paparazzi. She had only met him at Ruth’s funeral but had gleaned what kind of a man he once must have been, very charismatic and handsome. According to Elizabeth, George had been like his father. It was unfortunate George had continued his Don Juan ways even after his marriage.

  Bradley accompanied Cynara into the cottage. Charles was sitting on the sofa looking a little anxious. He immediately enquired about Elizabeth and was relieved to hear that physically she was better. Recovering mentally and psychologically would take time. It must be terrifying for her to think she had almost died this morning, that too in her own home. Everyone assumes their home is a sanctuary, the place where no one can harm them.

  The three of them sat down with a cup of tea and speculated about the identity of the shooter. Cynara wondered if it could be a female recruit from Abaan Khalid’s group. Bradley repudiated her suggestion. He now felt that terrorists were not embroiled in the plot at all. Charles disagreed with him and asked how the bomb in the mailbox, Fatima’s death, and Qureshi’s death be explained. Moreover, there was Abaan. Some Muslim terrorist angle was self-evident.

  “Abaan was definitely involved, either directly or indirectly,” Cynara agreed with Charles. “He and Jimmy were very close. Additionally, he and Sharon must have been communicating with each other. After his death, another comrade could have taken over the job, using Abaan’s name, as that channel of communication was already set up. It is the only explanation for the email Sharon received on the day of her death.”

  “I agree that Jimmy knew Abaan, they were close. Then Jimmy converted and became a Jihadi. But that is probably the extent of Abaan’s involvement,” Bradley suggested.

  “What do you mean that is the extent of it? Sharon was still exchanging online messages with someone,” Cynara pointed out.

  “I truly believe that the email the agents found in Sharon’s Inbox was a hoax,” Bradley stated confidently. “It was meant to deceive us.”

  Chapter 38

  “A hoax?” Charles asked. “Whatever do you mean?”

  Cynara just stared at Bradley in bewilderment, “Why are you calling it a hoax?”

  “Because I think it was sent to misdirect us,” Bradley said.

  “Misdirect us? How?” Charles asked.

  “Well this is just my theory,” Bradley said. “But I feel the email was sent as a ploy to make us believe that Sharon knew Abaan and was working with him.”

  “But she did know him, through Jimmy,” Cynara said.

  “Well other than the email, is there any proof of their relationship?” Bradley asked. “Also, were Jimmy and Sharon even intimate? No one in the Stewarts household can confirm it.”

  “If what you are saying is correct, the question is why,” Charles said slowly. “Why does someone want us to believe that Sharon knew Abaan? What is the benefit in that?”

  “I do not know. The reasoning eludes me. But hopefully
I will solve it soon.” Bradley tried to look confident.

  Charles and Cynara spent a quiet evening after Bradley’s departure. Charles prepared for his interview the following morning. Cynara kept thinking about Bradley’s theory. If he was correct, then Sharon was not the girl who had wanted to convert to Islam. She did not know Abaan and she did not murder Qureshi. Then who was the girl in the email? Who killed Qureshi? Not just Qureshi, who killed Sharon? And why? Where did Sharon fit in this diabolical scheme? She must have been involved, otherwise why would someone go to the extent of fatally shooting her?

  Cynara went to work Monday morning after wishing Charles good luck for his interview. He had to reach the company at 1 p.m. Mr. Drake let her in and asked her to join all of them for tea. She followed him into the kitchen and found Mrs. Keene pouring tea into cups while Mr. Keene and Mrs. Simpson sat at the table. Mrs. Simpson had spoken with senior Mrs. Stewart about half an hour earlier and learnt that Elizabeth was recovering well. She would probably be released from the hospital after another twenty-four hours.