CXVI The Beginning of the End (Book 1): A Gripping Murder Mystery and Suspense Thriller (CXVI BOOK 1) (11 page)

Barnes noticed Woods looked as though he was deep in
thought.

“Did you have any more trouble from him?” Plant
asked.

“Hey, I’m asking the questions if you don’t mind,”
Woods barked.

“Sorry, Superintendent, you looked miles away.”

“Well, he didn’t report the incident,” Pauline
answered. “Gerrard said he wouldn’t, because he’d be in serious trouble for
stalking me. But not long after that, we moved my horses to another farm closer
to home, where there was more grazing land available, and one night someone —
we always suspected it was Mateland — poisoned the stallion’s feed and he died
two days later.”

Barnes ticked motive on the Mateland page.

“Who are you?” Woods said turning to Plant.

“I’m a friend of Pauline’s.”

“And what exactly do you do for a living?”

“I work for the Foreign Office. I’m in the
Diplomatic Service.”

Pauline smiled and rolled her eyes.

“Okay,” Woods said. “I need to check your
whereabouts on a few dates.”

“Are we suspects?” Pauline asked, looking perturbed.

“That depends on the answers to these questions.
Where were you between 9.00 and 11.00 p.m. on Tuesday 15
^th
May?”

Pauline stood up. “I’ll have to fetch my journal,”
she said.

“I was out of the country,” Plant replied.

“Where?” Woods asked.

“He’s not allowed to say… Official Secrets Act,”
Pauline shouted from the hallway.

Plant smiled. “I was in South America, that’s all I
can say.”

Pauline returned. “According to this I was here, I’d
a Skype call from Sarah at 10.00 p.m., could that prove where I was?”

“Yes,” replied Plant.

Woods shot him a disapproving look. “Who’s Sarah?”
he asked.

“My daughter,” Pauline said. “She’s travelling
around Asia with my son Scott.”

“What about Thursday 22
^nd
March, between
9.00 p.m. and 1.00 a.m.?”

“I was out of the country,” Plant repeated. “This
time in Asia. But not with Sarah and Scott.”

“I was here. I had a phone call from a friend,
Tracey Proudfoot. She was the one who told me about Broadbent and Bulmer’s
deaths. It was around 9.30 p.m.; again that should be able to confirm my
whereabouts.”

“What about Wednesday 7
^th
March between
10.00 and 11.00 a.m.?”

“Asia again,” Plant said grinning.

“Spend a lot of time in Asia do we?”

“Sorry, Superintendent, I can’t say.” He was being
cocky.

“You must have an official telephone number I can
ring to check what little information you’ve given me.”

“Yes,” Plant replied. “I’ll let you have it before
you leave.”

Pauline cleared her throat, “I was here until 11.30
a.m. then I had a luncheon engagement in town. I arrived home about 3.00 p.m. I
can let you have the name of the person I met if you need to check.”

“Yes please,” Wood said. “Finally, the morning of
Monday the 30
^th
January?”

“Asia?” Barnes queried, smiling at Plant.

“No, actually we were together in the Canaries.”

“Does the Official Secrets Act allow you to divulge
where exactly you were in the Canaries?”

Plant laughed. “We were at Pauline’s villa in Gran
Canaria.”

“Can you remember what you were doing on that day?”

“Sunbathing and swimming,” Pauline replied.

“Did you visit any of the other islands?”

Both Pauline and Plant shook their heads.

“Right Maria, will you show Pauline the e-fit, and
the photographs of the suspect?”

Barnes passed the images over and after viewing each
one Pauline handed them to Plant; both said they did not recognise anyone.
Woods then handed Pauline an A4 sheet of paper with the sets of numerals
associated with each of the four deaths.

Pauline looked blank. “What have these to do with
the murders?” she asked, handing the sheet to Plant.

Woods explained where they had been discovered.

Suddenly Plant looked concerned. “Have you worked
out what these are?” he asked quickly.

“1516, 1316, 1116, and 916,” Woods replied
sarcastically.

Pauline’s expression remained blank.

“I know that Plato; I was meaning their relevance… which
has obviously slipped you by.” Now Plant was being sarcastic. “These are 15:16,
13:16, 11:16 and 9:16 they are a descending sequence of numbers from 16:16 down
to 1:16.”

“How do you know that?”

“That doesn’t matter, what does is that you’re
probably looking at up to sixteen deaths.”

“Who owns the black Range Rover outside?” Barnes
asked, her mind going into overdrive.

Pauline held up a finger.

“The registration number is CXV1, the Roman numerals
for 116, or in your case,” looking at Plant, “1:16.”

“I’d already worked that out,” Plant said. “Pauline,
I think you might be in danger.”

“You’re frightening me,” she said. “I’ve never
thought of it as being Roman numerals. Honest… Gerrard bought me it when I
became Chief Executive of Vee; that’s my riding clothes company he bought for my
fortieth. He knew I loved their brand; everything I’m wearing today is from Vee.
You see the reg is CX of Vee, one.”

Barnes pondered and looked at Woods who was already
moving on to the next question.

“How many other people have you had unpleasantness
or disputes with?” Woods asked, staring at Pauline.

“Only the four I’ve told you about.”

“What about Gerrard?”

“Err… I need time to think. You’re rushing me… If
you mean major unpleasantness, err, probably… another three people.”

“Would you care to elaborate?” Woods asked.

Pauline looked first at Plant and then at Woods.
“The care worker who mistreated his mother, the farmer who shot his Flat Coated
Retriever, and the chauffeur who tried to blackmail him.”

“Are you sure there’s no-one else?”

“I don’t think so, Don’t you think that’s enough?”

“That makes a total of seven.”

“Get an O level in maths did we?” Plant quipped.

“But with your friend’s theory we’re looking for
sixteen. So far we’ve only got four: all odd numbers, and three possibilities.”

“Oh my goodness,” Pauline said, going ashen. “I
think I might have figured it out.”

“What is it darling?” Plant asked.

“When Gerrard died he bequeathed £1m to each of the
eight people who had inspired him during his lifetime. Don’t you see? They must
be the even numbers and the eight people who caused him unpleasantness must be
the odd numbers.”

“Is this the point where you tell us we’re still
missing one?” Plant said, glaring at Woods. “Because I think Pauline’s CXVI.”

“Stop it, Jonathan. You’re upsetting me.”

“Pauline,” Woods hesitated.

“What he’s going to ask.” Plant interjected. “Is,
did anything happen between you and Gerrard that may have resulted in him
wanting to harm you?”

Now Barnes intervened. “That’s enough; can’t you see
Pauline’s distressed?”

Pauline stood up. “Thank you, Maria; I need a minute
to gather my thoughts. Would you come outside with me please?”

Barnes looked at Woods who nodded. He remained
seated, staring at Plant, so she got up and followed Pauline out of the house
across to the stables.

“Do you like horses, Maria?”
Pauline asked, stroking Huntford’s muzzle.

“Yes, I love all animals; they don’t hurt you like humans
do.”

“You were upset in there too.”

“Yes,” Barnes replied, running her fingers through
the horse’s mane, “but it’s not about me. It’s about you. How are you feeling?”
she asked.

“This is Crozier,” Pauline said, moving to the next
stable box, and ignoring the question. “He was Gerrard’s horse; kind, gentle
and loyal, just like his owner.”

“What do you think about what Jonathan has just
said?” Barnes asked.

Pauline looked into the horse’s eye. “I did betray
him.”

Barnes stayed silent.

“It was a fling, a one night stand. Not that that’s
an excuse, a betrayal is a betrayal.”

“I’m sure you had your reasons,” Barnes said.

“I can’t justify my actions, Maria, but as far as I
know Gerrard knew nothing about it. He was away and I was in the depths of
depression. I’d had too much to drink, and as soon as I’d done it, I regretted
it. I ended the relationship there and then, but it was too late. I’d been
unfaithful, and I never did it again.”

“You’re human and fallible.”

Pauline smiled. “You sound like my psychologist.”

“Can you give me the name of the person involved?”

“Why?”

“They may be the potential victim, not you.”

“Mark Gilroy, he was the gardener when we first
moved here.”

“Did Gerrard ever discuss getting even with any of
the other people?”

Pauline shook her head.

“Was he the type to bear grudges?”

“No, he was the type to move on; he didn’t have time
for revenge.”

While Pauline and Barnes were at
the stables Woods and Plant were having a different kind of discussion.

“I get the distinct impression you don’t like me,
Superintendent, but that doesn’t matter. What does is we’re on the same side,
and protecting Pauline is our main priority. Do you agree?”

“What are you keeping from me? Because from where
I’m sitting, I’ve got two murders and two suspicious deaths linked by Roman
numerals and Pauline having issues with all the deceased.”

“The suspicious deaths are murders, you’ll have to
trust me on that, and you’ll eventually uncover the evidence. What you need to
do now is organise 24/7 protection for Pauline, otherwise I’ll do it.”

“What, you’ll organise a few Diplomats to come round
and have cocktails with her? You must think I just sailed in on the banana boat
- you don’t work for the Diplomatic Service; you work for MI6.”

“Look, we can continue to keep trying to score
points off one another, or we can act like the professionals we both know we
are. Can we agree to work together?”

“If, and it’s a big if, what you’re saying is
correct, then it’s not only Pauline that needs 24/7 protection. What about the
other three?”

“Yes, I agree.”

“I’ll need more evidence. I can’t justify providing
protection to four individuals without something more credible than your hunch.
Unless you can show me a direct link between Gerrard and the numerals, or tell
me what you know.”

“Trust me, there won’t be a link between Gerrard and
the numerals. You’ll need to concentrate on the four people at risk and that
way you might catch the killer.”

“Tell me what you know,” Woods insisted.

“Not possible.”

“Then neither is me being able to organise the
protection. Have you any idea what it’s like in the police service? I need four
pages to justify buying a paper clip. Wake up and smell the coffee!”

The sound of Pauline and Barnes returning to the
house curtailed the discussion.

“Hello, is it safe to return?” Pauline said, as they
came back into the room.

“Are you alright?” Plant asked.

“I think so; Maria and I have had a little heart to
heart.”

“Listen, Pauline, I’m going to organise some
protection for you, just while we figure out what’s going on. I know some
people who do that sort of thing, and you’ll hardly know they’re around. Then
while I’m away I don’t need to worry,” Plant said.

Pauline looked expectantly at Woods. “What do you
think, Superintendent?”

“If Mr Plant wants to do that, I’m okay with it, but
before I can organise protection I’ll need more evidence.”

Pauline looked back at Plant, then at Barnes and
finally at Woods.

“Can I ask you about Gerrard’s Will?” Woods said. “Were
Roman numerals used in connection with the eight beneficiaries?”

Pauline shook her head. “You can have a copy if you
like.”

“You’re wasting time,” Plant said, clearly annoyed.

“Can you stay out of this please? If you won’t
cooperate, go away and leave us alone.”

Plant stayed put. Woods looked at Pauline. “Can you
tell us a bit more about the care worker who mistreated Gerrard’s mother, the
farmer who shot your dog and his chauffeur?”

Pauline nodded. “I don’t know the name of the care
worker, but Gerrard’s mother was in Lakeside Residential Home, here in Hawes.
It was back in 2001. When his mother had Alzheimer’s disease, she needed
constant care. Lakeside was run by a lovely couple and, after visiting, Gerrard
was convinced it was the place that best suited his mother’s requirements. At
first everything was fine, but after a few months he noticed a change in his
mother’s behaviour. It wasn’t as if he could ask her what the problem was
because by then she couldn’t communicate, she was permanently in a flux.
Gerrard therefore decided to install hidden cameras in her room to see if
anything untoward was happening. He was horrified at what he discovered; it was
always on the nightshift and this particular guy, I think he was Polish, was. .
.”