NO HELP FOR THE DYING (Gavin & Palmer)

by Magson, Adrian

  She sat down at her laptop and fed in what she knew so far. It wasn’t much; merely an unconnected jumble of detail surrounding two main facts; one was the disappearance of Katie Pyle, which had now become her return and death, ten years later. The second was the disappearance - possibly violently - of Henry Pearcy, who claimed to have information about Katie. Yet how could he know anything about her - unless he’d reported on it at the time? It was a slim possibility, but one she couldn’t ignore.

  She stared at the bible, which was the only clue she had. It pointed to Henry definitely having been at the Scandair last night, now confirmed by the police. Yet if he’d gone to the trouble of carrying a personal bible with him, would he have left it behind?

  She flicked through the pages and came back to the flyleaf. It was just possible the Church of Flowing Light might have heard from him, or knew where he might be. She picked up the phone and dialled the number on the inside cover.

  ‘Is he sedated?’ The speaker watched with distaste as the two men deposited a bundle on a single bed in an otherwise bare room. It was a man, with traces of dried blood at the corner of his mouth and nose. He was limp and frail looking, and freshly dressed in a pair of old pyjamas. On the floor by the bed, lay his recently discarded trousers and shirt, creased and dirty from the floor of the white van parked out front.

  ‘He’s out cold,’ said the man with the glasses. ‘Don’t worry – he won’t bite.’

  ‘He’d better not,’ muttered the speaker. ‘When he comes round, I want to know what he’s done and who he’s been in touch with.’ He walked to the door, then turned and gave the unconscious man a malevolent glare. ‘And I don’t care how you get it out of him.’

  Chapter 9

  Broadcote Hall, the UK headquarters of the Church of Flowing Light was located in a rambling mansion fifty miles outside London on the fringes of the Cotswolds. Oxford was only twenty minutes away, close by the M40 to London and Birmingham, but civilisation could easily have been a thousand miles beyond, such was the feeling of isolation. Set in several acres of rolling fields and woodland, the property was delineated by a high, dry-stone wall bordering the edge of a narrow country road with little regular traffic and few other signs of human life. After the fury and gridlock of London, it was like driving off the edge of the world.

  Riley’s call the previous afternoon had got a recorded message, telling her that due to an important function, nobody was free to take her call, but that callers should leave a message. The voice was male, soft and rich, exuding peace, love and tranquillity like a warm balm.

  She hated leaving messages, and once she had traced the address, decided to drop in unannounced first thing next day. There was nothing like catching people unawares, and anyway, weren’t church people renowned for their open door policy and ever-simmering pot of tea?

  It was ten in the morning by the time she arrived at the twin pillars marking the main entrance. As she turned off the road, she passed the first sign of life since leaving the main road several miles back. A drab, dusty Nissan was parked by the gates, with the bonnet up. The driver, a tall, thin man in a sombre suit and tie, was staring down into the engine cavity. He looked up as she turned in, but gave no response to Riley’s nod and sympathetic smile, so she eased on by.

  Accustomed to the growing paranoia of the city, Riley had expected some kind of entry-phone arrangement, but other than a small, stone-built lodge which looked unused, and a set of gates standing invitingly open, there was no obvious barrier to simply driving inside.

  She followed a rutted driveway towards the main house, passing beneath a straggly canopy of trees just beginning to show signs of budding. There were no signs to greet visitors apart from an arrow directing drivers along the track. The verges on either side were a twin wilderness of tangled grass, dotted with rotting leaves and twigs. Beyond the grass a double band of mature trees formed an effective backdrop which, her suspicious mind noted, even without their covering of leaves, would help keep prying eyes from seeing into the grounds.

  After three hundred yards, the track spilled out onto a large open circular area housing a collection of cars. Most looked to be in the luxury class, the paintwork gleaming and polished to a high shine. Riley was surprised. She had been half-expecting a tone of utilitarian restraint governed by calling and necessity, but evidently the people here were well-heeled and not shy of displaying their wealth. She stopped next to a large new Lexus and climbed out onto a stretch of smooth gravel leading up to the main house.

  As she reached back into the car to pick up Henry’s leather bible, she heard a scrape of movement behind her. ‘Welcome to Broadcote Hall.’

  It was too early for surprises. Riley spun round and saw a tall, gaunt man in a black coat and a charcoal shirt buttoned to the collar, standing against the dark backdrop of the trees. His near-skeletal face was the only pale detail, highlighted by flashes of light from a pair of rimless spectacles.

  ‘You shouldn’t do that,’ she told him. ‘You could give someone a heart attack.’

  The man tilted his head to one side, a gesture of apology. It was an oddly bird-like movement. For bird, Riley thought, studying the thin frame, read vulture.

  ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you.’ He didn’t look sorry and his words were too cold and precise. He reminded Riley of a particularly spooky dentist she had once known. ‘I’m Mr Quine. Do you have an appointment?’

  Riley shook her head. ‘No, I don’t. But I’d like to talk with the person in charge, if possible. I’ve driven out from London.’

  His eyes had fastened on the bible in her hand. ‘I see. It’s a long way to come. I’m afraid we’re very busy today. We have an important function in progress.’ At least that explained the fancy cars. ‘But it may be possible.’ He held out one hand, palm upwards. ‘If I could have your car keys for safe-keeping?’

  ‘That won’t be necessary. I’m on a flying visit.’

  His face remained expressionless. ‘I’m sorry - house rule. All keys are held in reception. It’s a precaution in case of emergencies.’

  ‘What sort of emergencies?’

  Quine shrugged. ‘I don’t make the rules, miss. It’s in case we need to move a vehicle quickly. The car will be perfectly safe, I promise. I’ll give you a receipt if you wish.’ The hand crept forward, insistent.

  Riley debated refusing, then thought, what the hell. If she got snitty over her car keys, this might be as far as she got. And this character looked as if he’d enjoy bouncing her right back out of the gates. She needed to find out about Henry. With as much good grace as she could muster, she handed over the keys and received a numbered ticket in exchange. The man nodded and directed her with an open-palmed gesture towards the house.

  Up close, the building was bigger than she had first thought, but with the solid, squat appearance of a fortress rather than a home. Architecture wasn’t her strong point, but she noted how the house appeared to be composed of a mixture of styles, with little regard for any overall sense of design or continuity. The tall windows overlooking the parking area revealed high-ceilinged rooms and enough wattage from inside to light a small town. The ‘important function’ was clearly in progress.

  Inside the main entrance, Riley found herself in what she took to be the general reception area. It housed a huge oak desk with elaborately carved legs and a worn leather top. On top stood a telephone and a guest book. There was no other furniture and no sign of a receptionist. The walls were covered in dark panelling, with an almost dried-blood coloured carpet underfoot, though the overall impression lacked warmth. If the rest of the building was like this, she could understand why they needed the lights on during the day.

  Riley was about to lift the telephone for directions when a door opened and a large figure appeared. He nodded to her in acknowledgement, leaving a steady buzz of conversation and laughter in the room behind him. After the austere atmosphere of the reception area and the strange man in the car park, such geniality s
eemed suddenly at odds.

  Riley guessed the man was in his late fifties, with a broad expanse of stomach artfully concealed beneath a well-cut blue blazer with gold buttons. Smart slacks topped highly polished black shoes. She noticed he had small feet. The overall figure was topped by carefully-coiffured hair and a rather fleshy face with several chins rolling over a stiff collar and tie.

  She half expected a degree of puzzlement at her unscheduled appearance, but he was smiling as if they were old friends. She half expected him to make some effusive comment about how long it had been. She also had the feeling he’d been informed the moment she’d arrived, and presumed Quine, the man in the car park, had called ahead.

  ‘Welcome,’ said the man heartily, holding out his hand. Even with the single word, she instantly recognised the voice from the recorded message. ‘Welcome to the Church of Flowing Light. It’s so nice to have more visitors. I am Pastor de Haan, head of this facility. How may I help you, Miss-?’

  ‘Riley Gavin. I’m sorry for intruding.’ Riley nodded towards the sound of conversation behind the door. ‘I’ve arrived at an awkward moment.’

  ‘No, not at all,’ he said, almost dismissively. His fingers were warm and dry to the touch, like old leather. He eyed the bible Riley was carrying in the same way Quine had done, although with a slight lift of one eyebrow. ‘A conference, that’s all. We’re just enjoying a coffee break. Perhaps you would like some?’ He held out a hand and gestured towards the door, moving smoothly for a man of his bulk.

  Riley had no choice but to follow as he led the way into a vast, panelled room with ornate plaster cornices and heavy brocade curtains. At the far end was a podium with a microphone and lectern overlooking rows of chairs, and a large banner on the back wall bearing the Church’s name and motto. The room was filled with people, some standing, some sitting, but all holding coffee cups and chatting the way crowds do when they have been released from the rigid confines of listening to a speaker.

  Pastor de Haan eased through the crowd, patting a shoulder here, pumping a hand there, plainly at ease. He stopped at a heavy oak table where a young man was pouring coffee and milk from silver jugs and offering plates of biscuits. Riley took the coffee but decided against the biscuits. She was already juggling the bible and a handful of bone china. She didn’t need to add to her anxiety.

  ‘Now,’ said the pastor, skilfully edging her to a quiet spot against the wall. ‘It’s true I haven’t much time, but I promise I will help as much as I can. That is our mission in life, after all.’ His smile was open and the voice was carefully modulated. For a brief moment, Riley felt as if she could tell this man almost anything, and reminded herself that she was probably in the presence of an expert at gathering funds and support for his good causes.

  ‘I’m looking for someone,’ she told him. ‘A friend called Henry Pearcy. I was hoping you could tell me where he is. He seems to have gone missing.’

  Chapter 10

  For a fraction of a second Pastor de Haan’s genial expression wavered, and he appeared to adjust the way he was looking at her. Whether it was the mention of Henry’s name or the realisation that she was not about to dip her hand in her wallet and bestow a new wing on his elegant building, Riley wasn’t sure. But she had the feeling she was being deftly slotted into a different compartment to the one she might have occupied moments earlier.

  ‘I’m sorry - that’s not possible.’ The refusal came smoothly, the smile easing back into place. For the first time, Riley detected a slight American accent which had been buried earlier by something more overtly European. She had guessed Dutch, because of the name, but now she wasn’t so sure. ‘Not because I wouldn’t want to, Miss Gavin,’ he continued. ‘Far from it. It’s our policy never to divulge details of our members’ activities… or whereabouts.’

  ‘So you do know him, then?’ Alongside her rush of relief, Riley noticed a change of accent again, this time more American. She wondered which one was the original.

  ‘Yes. We know Henry. What seems to be the problem?’

  ‘I think he might be in danger.’

  ‘Danger? Surely not.’ De Haan’s eyes widened at the very idea. Riley couldn’t tell if it was meant to convey alarm or scepticism - it was a close call. ‘What makes you think that?’

  ‘We had a meeting planned. Henry didn’t make it.’ Riley told him about finding Henry’s bible in the hotel, and his sudden disappearance. She didn’t mention the police or crossing the crime scene tape. His eyes dropped to the bible again and he nodded. ‘I wondered about that.’ Before she could stop him, he reached out and plucked it deftly from her hand, flicking back the cover to check the inside. ‘Our senior members value these highly, Miss Gavin. None of them would willingly leave them lying around, I assure you.’ The way he said it sounded terse, as if the very crime was punishable by death.

  ‘Senior members?’

  ‘People we value highly for their hard work and efforts on behalf of the Church.’

  ‘Financial supporters, you mean?’ Riley put the question carefully, one half of her brain trying to analyse the crowd gathered here. She was already wondering how the church managed to maintain a building like Broadcote Hall. It would cost a fortune in maintenance and heating alone. Neither was possible by simply passing around a silver plate once a week among the faithful. Not, she thought, unless the faithful were all afflicted by huge wealth and stonking generosity.

  De Haan gave a patient smile. ‘They are few, but nonetheless a solid core of blessed help. We rely solely on the charity and good works of others, you see.’ He beamed with what might have been gratitude, although to Riley’s cynical soul it looked more like an inner core burning with the heat of self-satisfaction.

  ‘And these people?’ She nodded towards the crowd. From what she could see, they matched the quality and opulent appearance of the vehicles in the car park. Of varying ages, but with a preponderance of middle years, there was an abundance of expensive jewellery on display and they all had the groomed appearance of people secure in themselves and their place in society. Among the smart suits and dresses she thought a couple of faces seemed vaguely familiar.

  ‘Indeed. Like these good people. But without supporters like Henry to focus on reaching out to the right quarters, we would have nothing and be nothing. Tell me, what is your… relationship with Henry?’

  ‘I used to work with him. We were friends, but haven’t seen each other in a while.’

  This seemed to satisfy him. ‘Yes. We all need friends, don’t we? Did Henry tell you about us?’ He offered another coffee and Riley wondered if she was being shuffled back gently towards the box marked ‘potential donor’.

  ‘Henry didn’t talk much about his private life,’ she replied truthfully. ‘But then, neither do I.’

  ‘Very wise, too. All too often we become labelled by what we do, don’t we? It shouldn’t matter, of course, but it does. Being in business doesn’t preclude being charitable, after all.’ There it was again: the nudge towards the possibility of being one of the generous few. She decided to turn the conversation back to Henry.

  ‘Can you tell me if Henry is ok? I’m worried about him.’

  ‘Of course,’ de Haan replied. ‘In fact I’ll do better than that - I’ll get him to call you. I’m sure he didn’t mean to alarm anyone… he’ll be most upset at the idea.’ He studied a fingernail, tilting his hand to catch the light as if suddenly finding an unexpected blemish. ‘Although I can’t guarantee he’ll respond. He has been under a great deal of stress lately. But then, as a friend, you probably know about that?’ A raised eyebrow accompanied the questioning tone at the end of the sentence, a gentle signal meant to reassure her that she was among mutual friends and could safely unload all her secrets. Riley ignored it.

  ‘I didn’t. But I do know he left his job recently.’

  ‘So he did. It was all part of the… umm… problem. A difficult time for anyone - especially at his age. But I’m sure he’ll come through it with our
- and God’s - help.’ He flicked a glance upwards in deference to the higher authority. ‘For sure we have plenty of work for Henry to do.’ He smiled again and by the briefest of gestures, managed to turn Riley back towards the door to reception, a clear signal that it was time for her to leave.

  ‘This work,’ Riley said, sensing she wasn’t about to get anywhere further with Henry’s whereabouts. ‘What do you do, exactly?’

  The pastor seemed surprised by the question and appeared to relax slightly, relieved, perhaps, to be on more familiar ground. He held the door as though unwilling to pass through. ‘That’s right - you said Henry didn’t tell you. Well, among other things, Miss Gavin, we bring help and succour to those in need, in any way we can. A necessary result of our times, I’m afraid.’ He replaced his smile with a more sombre look. ‘We help the disaffected,’ he continued, with a sudden rising note in his voice, the energy if not the volume catching the attention of people nearby. A born showman. ‘The lost, the weak and the disadvantaged - we hold out a hand to the ones who can’t help themselves. To the ones who have been rejected, the ones who are unwanted, we offer the hand of friendship. After all, if we don’t, who will?’

  A woman nearby clapped enthusiastically in appreciation, causing de Haan to raise a hand in modest acknowledgement. A tall, hawkish man beside her looked less impressed, while other listeners seemed poised to come nearer and join in. But a sudden crackling and thumping sound from the speaker system signalled that it was time to resume.

  ‘You go out looking for them?’ Riley asked, as the crowd shuffled back to their seats. The dewy-eyed woman cast a backward glance as if she would have preferred to stay and listen to de Haan rather than whatever discussion was on offer from the speaker. ‘That can’t be an easy task.’

  ‘We rarely need to do that, Miss Gavin.’ He placed a soft hand beneath her elbow and steered her through the door, letting it swing shut behind him. ‘They come to us. They seek us out, you see, and when they find us, they know they have found salvation. For we can give them something their families have been unable to.’ His grip hardened on her arm and she decided that whatever lard covered Pastor de Haan’s body was based on an ample foundation of muscle. ‘Or maybe unwilling.’