An unsolvable crime, p.16
AN UNSOLVABLE CRIME, page 16
Framed in the doorway was Constable Higgins, with Godfrey firmly in his grasp and in handcuffs.
On hearing their footsteps, the constable turned. Grasping Godfrey’s handcuffed arm, he had been making his way in the direction of the front door.
There, Mary saw, Lady Hardwick was waiting. She hadn’t been in the bedroom after all. Sherwood’s guess had been right. She wanted to see the groom arrested.
"Ah, there you are," Higgins said, looking around as Mary and Sherwood approached. "You will be glad to know that I'm making a formal arrest."
Another despairing cry came from Godfrey’s twitching lips.
“Has he made a full confession?” Sherwood asked.
“Not in full, no,” Higgins said, shaking his head disapprovingly. “The youth of today are naturally resistant to authority, you know. I’ll be needing to question him further at the local police station. Although he’s been very unwilling to furnish me with any details, his guilt is clear. The uncooperative attitude and the refusal to fully answer questions will only count against him if he persists in doing it. I hope the magistrate shows clemency despite this attitude, because even I do not like sending any young person to the gallows.” He shook his head as Godfrey let out a sob. “However, after a night in a prison cell, most suspects overcome their initial hesitancy. I’m sure we shall get more information by tomorrow.”
“I believe there are mitigating circumstances,” Sherwood said. “If Lord Hardwick’s murderer handed Godfrey the poison, he could have unwittingly administered it, and then been forced to take the blame.”
“Why would he do that?” Higgins frowned.
“Harm threatened to his family?” Sherwood raised an eyebrow. “Somebody has clearly coerced this man into remaining silent. There are still many suspects who could have a reason for killing the lord.”
“I’m afraid that since we have a confession,” Higgins said firmly, “we cannot entertain any further theories. The killer is arrested. And that concludes the case. So, for now – good night, and thanks for your help.”
Turning, he led his prisoner toward the front door where Lady Hardwick waited.
Godfrey’s demeanor was of a defeated man. Shoulders slumping, feet trailing, it was only now that his behavior made sense to her. He was doing what he did for the noblest reason – to protect his family from a threat that had been made, and from a killer who wouldn’t hesitate to harm them if he didn’t take the full blame.
Mary knew that her theory needed more proof. But she had to say something, even if it got her into terrible trouble.
“You’re right,” she said, gathering all her courage. “The killer is here. But the murderer is not the person you have in handcuffs. It’s her!”
Lifting her hand, she pointed the index finger direct at Lady Hardwick.
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
A stunned silence filled the ornate hallway. Four pairs of astonished eyes turned Mary’s way. Constable Higgins was looking blindsided. Godfrey was looking even more shocked than he’d been before, his face sheet white. Sherwood was trying to conceal his amazement at her words.
And as for Lady Hardwick, she was staring at Mary’s finger with an expression that told Mary she would like nothing better than to bite it off.
“What outrage is this!” Lady Hardwick’s voice quivered with wrath. “I demand an immediate apology. I am a bereaved widow, the killer is in handcuffs, and this insinuation is unacceptable! I wasn’t even at the fair until after the race, as I already told the constable yesterday.”
“I must agree with Lady Hardwick.” Constable Higgin’s fleshy face had turned deep pink in color. “This is nothing short of embarrassing for all of us. Kindly issue an apology forthwith, young lady!”
“No,” Sherwood said, and Mary felt grateful that he was backing her up, despite not yet knowing why she was saying this. “I think we need to know Mary Adams’ reasoning. After all, it’s now clear that the killer didn’t have to be at the fair. So, my lady, your alibi is no longer valid.”
“How dare you say that! I want an apology from both of you,” Lady Hardwick stormed, while the constable nodded approvingly.
“Alright.” Finally lowering her finger, Mary stared at Lady Hardwick with as much forcefulness as she could muster. “I’ll apologize, if you tell me where those love letters are, that were in Lord Hardwick’s drawer earlier today when I searched it. They’re all missing now. I thought those letters were from you, but they clearly weren’t. They were from one of his lovers. You must have found them, maybe during the move, and they made you furious. Over and above your husband’s recklessness with money, this was the final straw. You killed him, and then you must have burned those letters because they provided a motive for you to murder your husband.”
“What nonsense!” Lady Hardwick spluttered, but Mary noticed she’d gone pale. Needing to press her point home without any room for doubt, she continued.
“You were the one who gave the poisoned cup to Godfrey, telling him that it was for Lord Hardwick, a good luck token from his wife. You told him to wear gloves because the cup was valuable. And then, after Lord Hardwick died, you told poor Godfrey that the cup had contained poison, and that if he was caught, he’d need to confess.”
Mary regarded Lady Hardwick keenly. She was seeing subtle signs that the lady might be about to crack. Her lips were trembling and her eyes were narrowing.
“Go on then,” Lady Hardwick dared her in a shaking voice. “Seeing you’re making up such an interesting work of fiction, tell me what I said!”
“You made a terrible threat, and said that you’d cause harm to Godfrey’s unwell mother, and to his sister, who’s still going to school, if he so much as mentioned your name. You probably convinced him that there was nothing linking you to the crime and no way you would ever be arrested for it, so there was no point in Godfrey talking. Desperate, and alone, all he could do was to keep quiet to save his family – and go on the run, to stop himself from being found at all.”
“I would never do something like that,” Lady Hardwick spat. But there was no conviction in her words, and Mary pushed forward.
“You never thought you’d be found out, but you still wanted to keep an eye on things. That’s why you made sure to be in the drawing room when Godfrey was brought in, and it’s why you’re here now. You have been ensuring that he goes along with your version, and that you escape free and clear.”
“Lies! Utter lies!” Lady Hardwick screeched.
Sherwood cleared his throat. “As a seasoned investigator, I can say Miss Adams’ version of events sounds both plausible and true,” he announced in a calm, authoritative voice.
And Godfrey took a deep, trembling breath.
“I’m not staying quiet any longer. That’s what Lady Hardwick told me! She told me that people might have seen me handing the cup to the lord, and that if so, the police would suspect me, and that if I was caught, I had to say I’d done it.”
Agonized, he stared at Constable Higgins, appeal in his gaze. “I couldn’t risk that Lady Hardwick would stay out of prison and harm my old mum. My mum’s innocent. What if this lady brought around a – a poisoned pie for my family? My mum wouldn’t know, and she’d die! I had no idea the cup was poisoned! She said it was a good luck drink, and I must give it to Lord Hardwick with his lady’s regards!”
With a screech of wrath, her fingers hooked into claws, Lady Hardwick jumped forward. Finally, the testimony had caused her to reach breaking point.
But she didn’t leap at Godfrey.
In one swift, sudden move, she leaped for Mary.
“Eeek,” Mary shouted, trying to leap out of the way, but the enraged lady had the element of surprise, and speed, on her side.
Mary was knocked onto her back, her head hitting the hallway carpet with a painful bump. And Lady Hardwick attacked her like a maddened lioness. Her clawed hand scratched Mary’s face, and she screeched, lashing out in self-defense as the lady grabbed a handful of her hair and tugged with all her strength.
“You meddling good-for-nothing! You should have been arrested for the crime in the first place! If it hadn’t been for you and the detective poking your noses into it, I would have gotten away free and clear. Someone had to murder that awful man before he ran up any more debts or had affairs with any more women! I did a public service getting rid of him! Who cares if a mere maid or horse groom goes to prison for the crime? Their lives don’t matter any more than his! I planned it all so well! I left those cups down at the stables, I foraged for the wolfsbane. Nothing should have gone wrong. Nothing! Until you came along!”
And at that stage, her shocking outburst was cut short by Sherwood, who grabbed Lady Hardwick by her straggly, mouse brown hair. The lady gave an agonized squeal and let go of Mary.
“Stop it! That hurts!”
“Exactly!” Sherwood threatened, managing to spin the lady around and press her, none too gently, up against the wall. “If you don’t struggle, it’ll hurt less.”
“Be still, Lady Hardwick!” That was Constable Higgins’ firm voice.
As Mary scrambled into a sitting position, she heard another metallic click. To her surprise, she saw that Constable Higgins was busy removing the handcuffs from Godfrey. And then, while Godfrey looked down in astonishment at his arms, not daring to believe he was a free man, Constable Higgins closed those same cuffs inexorably over Lady Hardwick’s wrists while Sherwood held the writhing lady still.
“I believe we have the killer in custody at last,” Constable Higgins said, somewhat breathlessly. “I must commend you all on your brave actions in assisting with this arrest.”
“Their actions? I’ve been wrongfully arrested!” Lady Hardwick hissed.
“I think not, my lady,” Higgins stated. “You confessed to the crime in front of witnesses, including a senior officer of the law.”
“And a seasoned detective,” Sherwood added meaningfully.
“Furthermore,” Higgins added in inexorable tones, “the evidence clearly points to you having committed this crime. We will, of course, search your rooms carefully for any trace of the foraged wolfsbane you mentioned.”
Lady Hardwick turned pale at those words and began gasping as if she was short of breath. Looking at her reaction, Mary was sure that search would uncover more wolfsbane. Probably, she’d been compiling a list of other people who might need poisoning in the future.
The speed at which events had twisted around had also left Mary short of air. With the dangerous criminal now in police custody, Sherwood and Godfrey held out their hands and helped Mary to her feet, while the constable led the struggling lady to the front door.
Lady Hardwick’s wrathful screams rose again, resonating into the air as the constable escorted her out, sounding like the calls of a particularly vicious night bird. And as they slowly grew fainter, Mary felt a heady sense of relief.
A killer had been caught – and even more importantly, an innocent man, who was his family’s provider, was cleared of the crime.
“What a turnaround,” she said, her voice shaking with relief. “I didn’t expect that. Not any of it. But, as my mum always used to say – all’s well that ends well.”
Sherwood had successfully wrapped up his case. Godfrey was a free man. Mary was cleared. This had all ended well, apart from the one problem that was still weighing on her mind, and that was Gilbert.
If only he was here now, and they could talk about the conclusion of this heart-pounding evening together.
If only she knew where he’d gone so suddenly – and why.
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
“What a beautiful morning,” Mary enthused.
It was still, sunny, and warm. And she, Lucas and Sherwood, as well as Godfrey, were sitting down to enjoy a celebratory breakfast in the summer house. Hannah would be joining them and had said she’d be there in a few minutes. The table had been laid with Lady Hardwick’s good china, and on the table was fresh fruit, orange juice, coffee and tea, as well as pancakes, toast and butter, bacon, eggs, and fried mushrooms.
After the events of last night, Mary, Godfrey and Sherwood had been asked to stay in town for the day in case Constable Higgins needed information to wrap up any loose ends.
Godfrey would be going through to the police station later, to give a full statement as a key witness in the arrest of the guilty Lady Hardwick.
He was eating eggs and bacon as if his life depended on it. Mary was sure that since the lady had dropped the bombshell of the poisoned chalice, he’d been unable to eat a bite.
“I’m so sorry I tackled you in the woods,” he said to Mary. “I felt so bad, but I was desperate to get away. I hope you’re not hurt. And thank you for bringing my bag back. That was really kind."
“No, I’m fine,” Mary said. “I understand why you were so desperate. I hope that things work out for you now.”
“Oh, I think they will,” Godfrey said. "I've already had a job offer from Lord Johns, who'll be taking over several of Lord Hardwick's horses. He wants me to work for him and at a much better salary. Best of all, he said I could bring Bailey along, too. He said they needed a stable cat. Bailey’s my best friend. I feel like he’s my cat. I felt awful when I thought I’d have to leave him.”
“I hope you and Bailey will be very happy there,” Mary said.
A flash of color caught her attention, and she turned her head to see Hannah hurrying up. She was dressed in a pretty yellow frock and sandals, looking summery and comfortable. And in her hand, she was carrying a letter.
“Mary, talk about good timing!” she said. “This has just arrived!” She waved the letter excitedly.
“What is it?” Mary asked.
“It’s a short-term job offer from Lady Sutherland, who lives on an estate about twenty miles from here,” Hannah said.
“Ah, I know her,” Lucas said. “She’s a pleasant woman and a good employer. I did some work on her neighbor’s cottages last year.”
“Her two housemaids are going on a month’s vacation from next weekend. She wondered if we’d like to fill in for that time. It sounds like a very generous salary, and it might be just the thing for us for now.” Hannah quirked her eyebrows in Mary’s direction.
Relief filled Mary. Although Gilbert’s absence was her main worry, her precarious work future had been weighing on her mind. Knowing that the next month, at least, would provide steady income for her and Hannah was a huge relief – especially since she had a nasty feeling that word was spreading. People were starting to think that Mary might be the cause of the trouble she landed in, even though in every case, events had spiraled beyond her control.
After this job, she was concerned that it might be difficult to find permanent employment again. Still, that was a problem for another day. If everything went well at Lady Sutherland’s residence, then maybe finding a permanent job would be easier.
“Let’s write back immediately and accept that job,” Mary said, as Hannah piled her plate with pancakes and bacon. “Or rather, when I say ‘immediately’, what I mean of course is after breakfast. Let’s get our priorities right.”
Hannah grinned. “I’m glad you think it’s a good idea. I’m excited!”
“So am I. I’m really glad you’re set up for the next month,” Lucas said.
It was only Sherwood who was frowning. In a quiet voice, as Hannah attacked her plate of food, he said, “Mary, can I have a word?”
Intrigued, Mary stood up, and followed him out of the summerhouse. They stood on the well mowed lawn, with butterflies chasing each other around the flower beds.
"I have a long-term offer for you," he said in a quiet voice. "No rush – you can take this job for a month while you think about it. But I like the way you work, and I've been looking for a junior partner, somebody to bring on board in the next few months, to help with cases when needed. I'd like to offer you that role. It isn't full-time work – it's only when situations arise – and there is some risk involved, but the money is excellent, and of course, the position would speak to your strengths."
Mary felt astounded.
A future offer as a trainee investigator? That sounded like the most magnificent work opportunity, even if it was on a part-time basis. She'd enjoyed working with Sherwood and had learned a lot from him in these two intense days. This would most definitely be the chance of a lifetime.
“Once this month’s job is over, I would love to consider it,” she said.
“Excellent!” Sherwood looked thrilled. “Thank you, Mary. I can’t think of a better long-term partner. You have all the potential to succeed in the challenging yet rewarding world of private investigation.”
To her surprise, he reached out and shook her hand, enveloping hers in his own firm grip.
“Here’s to a bright future,” he said.
***
Mary was already lugging her suitcase through the hallway, ready to go and book a room at the local inn with Hannah for the next few days, when she saw a familiar vehicle pull up outside the front door, and her heart accelerated.
It was Gilbert! He was back.
Feeling the blood rush to her face, she abandoned her bag and raced to the front door, pausing in the doorway as she watched him climb out.
“Mary!” he said. “Mary!”
He rushed up to her, his face alight, and enveloped her in a giant hug. Her arms wrapped around him, she felt the way he was holding her tight, and she knew for sure that whatever Gilbert’s reasons had been for leaving suddenly, it hadn’t been because he thought she was trouble, and wanted to part ways.
“I’m so sorry I had to go!” he said. “My mother slipped and fell while she was chasing down a runaway chicken who escaped the henhouse, and she sprained her ankle badly. The doctors thought it was broken, and I had to rush back. It was a tense day yesterday!”
“You’re right about that,” Mary said ruefully.
"I couldn't stop thinking about you and how I hated to leave you in those circumstances, but my parents were both in a terrible state of worry. The problem is that I’ve been in a state of worry ever since leaving you. Did everything end up alright?”
