Death of a Viewer

[Dark Saint Alaick]

Both Gibbons and Ruttle were red with anger.
"If you dare say that again," the latter exclaimed threateningly, "I will knock your head off."
"No need to say it again," Henshaw retorted. "The police are as capable of putting two and two together as most people. You cannot deny you used those words, or words to that effect."
"You devil!" Ruttle cried, taking a step towards him, his fist raised. Sandra was watching her husband, yet there was no sign of what she was thinking. She knew he was no coward but he was no match for Big Bill if it came to fighting. The intervention came, however, from an unexpected quarter. Old "Jeremiah" Dayton moved between them, his hands aloft in protest.
"Nothing will be gained by our quarrelling among ourselves," he said. "It is possible you are all right and yet all wrong. Certain words were used that might have had a meaning quite different to what Captain Henshaw supposed. Ruttle and Gibbons may have misconstrued certain attentions paid by our poor friend Ewen to one of his guests. I suggest the explanation of the terrible crimes may lie in quite a different quarter."
"And what might that be?" Gibbons sneered.

[Dark Saint Alaick]

"Are there not strange servants in the house? Some of them I believe are foreign. I cannot say what motives they may have had. That is for the police to find out. Those who know they are innocent have no need to be afraid. Let them pray that the truth may be discovered."

"Mr. Dayton is right," Gwennie Wren said. "We can each tell what we know to be true. The question of proof is not in our hands."

"I only said what I knew to be true," Ossie muttered. "It has not been contradicted."

"What I said was true, too," Gibbons commented. "Nor has it been contradicted, only refused to be discussed."

Ossie might have made a hot rejoinder, but there was a sudden silence. The door opened and Superintendent Yeo, grim and purposeful, strode into the room.

[Dark Saint Alaick]

23. Conspiracy Of Silence


"I do not want to make a speech," Yeo began. "You all know what has happened. The murder of Ewen Jones on Saturday night by shooting has been followed this afternoon by the murder of Lady Bethesda by strangling. It does not follow that both crimes were by the same hand, but it would be strange if there were two murderers in the house at the same time, unless they were acting in collusion. I look to you all for your assistance in clearing up these crimes; to all, it may be, except those guilty of them. It may well be that the murderer or murderers are in this room now."
All eyes were on him. What did he know? Had he learned at in the brief time that had elapsed since the new tragedy had been discovered? He could not be sure as to the criminal or he would not have spoken as he did.
Roger Bennion had returned with him and had taken a seat by the door. The two inspectors, Allenby and Bellairs, stood not far off. Sergeant Carston, notebook in hand, sat at the desk Gwennie Wren had previously used.
It was an impressive proceeding and a shiver seemed to pass through the company when Yeo made his statement--as well it might. He had decided it would be best to see them all in this way in the first place, though individual interrogations might follow. There was silence for a perceptible time.

[Dark Saint Alaick]

"Has any one of you anything to say?" Yeo asked.
Then Boyne spoke. He was the man who had declared that Ewen's suggestions seemed like Russia to him. He put forward Jeremiah's theory.
"We are shocked almost beyond words by what has happened," he said. "I am sure we would help you if we could, but I believe there is a considerable domestic staff, some strange to the house. Is it proved beyond doubt that none of them is implicated?"
There was a general murmur of assent and relief when this question was put. It seemed such a reasonable suggestion.
"I am sure none of our men is concerned," Mrs. Boyne added. "But aliens--"
"I need hardly say that the idea as to the domestic staff has been well considered," Yeo replied. "As a matter of fact Inspector Bellairs was in the servants' quarters all the afternoon taking statements and checking references. They were all present and not one of them left their quarters during the time that is vital to us, from half-past two until four o'clock, between which hours Lady Bethesda was murdered. That is why these luncheon things have not been cleared away or tea served. We are also satisfied that no one from outside gained entrance as the doors were guarded."
He paused. As no one spoke he added--"It is perhaps fair that I should say no suspicion attaches to Captain Henshaw, at least for the death of Lady Bethesda. At my request he remained in the billiards room with one of my officers, pending the receipt of a telephone message that has not yet reached us."

[Dark Saint Alaick]

"For which relief much thanks," Ossie drawled.
"No information?" Yeo asked, again looking round the room. There was silence. Perhaps they remembered the maxim qui s'excuse s'accuse and preferred to leave the talking to him. "If you do not help me voluntarily," the superintendent proceeded, "I must ask some questions. When after lunch you gentlemen were discussing matters among yourselves, who was it said Lady Bethesda's mouth must be shut?"
The women looked uneasily at their men. Captain Henshaw's hint was the first they had heard of such a thing. Its significance was obvious and it seemed to be true.
"I rather think it was our friend Bert Doodell," Gibbons said quietly. "But there was no thought of violence in it. I am sure of that."
"I said nothing of the sort," Doodell declared warmly. "I never even thought of it. It was Gibbons who suggested if there was any enquiry about Ewen's speech we must pretend it never happened. All I said was the women were present when he spoke as well as ourselves. I was thinking of our wives, not Lady Bethesda. If anyone mentioned her, it was Gibbons himself."
"No," Gibbons said. "It was not me. It might have been Ruttle."
"Certainly not!" Big Bill shouted.
"Her mouth has been shut," Yeo said sternly. "I want to know who first suggested it."

[Dark Saint Alaick]

There were at once charges, counter-charges and denials.
"You were present, Captain Henshaw," Yeo said. "Perhaps you can tell us."
"It was Ruttle," Henshaw replied. "His voice was louder than the others."
"That is right," Joe Edmonds declared. Edmonds was Ewen's friend, and if anyone really grieved for him it was he. "Ruttle said she hated us and would make mischief if she could."
Then others remembered the same words. Big Bill looked furious.
"We were all talking about Gibbons's absurd suggestions," he said. "How could we pretend a thing had never happened when besides ourselves there were so many witnesses to it? Lord and Lady Bethesda, Captain and Mrs. Henshaw, Gwennie Wren, and Major Bennion? If I mentioned one name it was merely to show how ridiculous it was. I had nothing against Lady Bethesda and I never saw her again."
"It is unfortunate the idea was acted on so promptly," Yeo said icily. "Did any of you see Lady Bethesda during the afternoon?"
"I did," Winkworth replied. "I went to my overcoat in the cloakroom to get my tobacco pouch. She came down the stairs with the little boy and his nurse. They were going out for a walk. I presume she went upstairs again though I did not see her. I did not speak to her."
"That is true," Mrs. Winkworth said. "Mrs. Doodell and I were sitting by the window and saw them start off. Lady Bethesda was there and waved to them."

[Dark Saint Alaick]

"Quite Mrs. Doodell nodded.

"Did you go out of the room again?" Yeo asked Winkworth.

"I did not."

That, if true, seemed to exculpate him. How many more could be eliminated?
"Which of you went upstairs?" Yeo asked very deliberately.

There was no answer.

"You are not being co-operative," the superintendent said sternly. "I have reason to know some of you left this room. It can hardly have been done without anyone observing it."

"I went to the cloakroom," Edmonds said, "but for a different reason from Winkworth's. I did not go upstairs or see anyone."

"What about you, Mr. Dayton?"

"Eh?" asked "Jeremiah," putting his hand to his ear.

"You went upstairs, didn't you?" Yeo said more loudly.

"Yes," was the reply.

[Dark Saint Alaick]

"Why did you do that?"

Dayton hesitated. Every eye was now on him. Could it be old "Jeremiah" after all? Of course he was a bit crazy; had he heard a call to start the doom he so often predicted? His denial soon came.

"Gibbons told me we should shortly be leaving and he had already packed his bag. So I went up to pack mine."
"At what time was this?"

"I do not know exactly. It didn't take long. I passed the nurse and the little boy as I came down. Soon after that there were the screams."

That tallied with what Brigid had said, though it did not prove his innocence. Yeo turned swiftly to Gibbons.

"So you went upstairs, too?"

"I did," Gibbons replied. "Ruttle told me he had done so and I thought it a good idea to be ready to go."

"Yet you did not mention it and would not have done so had not Mr. Dayton told me."

[Dark Saint Alaick]

"I should have done so in private," Gibbons said smoothly. "I was waiting for Ruttle to speak. I did not see Lady Bethesda or anyone else. It would not have helped you."

"And you, Mr. Ruttle," Yeo accused, "you also had been up there and were silent about it. How do you explain that? Had you been putting your suggestion about Lady Bethesda into effect?"

"Certainly not," Big Bill said hotly. "You have no right to suggest such a thing. I did not see Lady Bethesda or go near the room where she was found. I did tell Gibbons I had packed. As Dayton said, it did not take long."
"Was that before or after your interview with me?"

"Immediately after," Ruttle said.

"Yet I had distinctly told you you could not go."

"I meant to stand on my rights," was the defiant reply. "We are not people who can disappear. You could always find me if you wanted me."

"I wanted you here just then," Yeo retorted.

"If I had harmed Lady Bethesda in any way," Ruttle asked angrily, "should I have told anyone I had been up there?"

[Dark Saint Alaick]

"That is not for me to say," Yeo replied. "You did not admit it until I got it from others."

Then he addressed the company in general.

"Is this another conspiracy of silence? I would remind you all of your responsibility in the matter. If you withhold evidence you may be charged as accessories, and that in a case of deliberate murder is a very serious thing. I asked if anyone left the room and with two exceptions you were all silent. We now know that three others not only did so but went to the bedroom floor. Yet not one of you had a word to say about it. Perhaps you do not like to speak in front of your friends. I will question you separately and I hope you will realise more fully your duty in the matter."

He paused a moment and turned to his assistant by the door. "Inspector Allenby, go to the rooms occupied by Mr. Gibbons, Mr. Ruttle and Mr. Dayton and see if all their things are packed as they say. I will wait till you return. You might also look in the other rooms and see if the packing there has been done, too."

"I did not say every little thing was packed," Ruttle muttered.

"I am not sure as to my hair brushes," Gibbons remarked.

"Jeremiah" said nothing.

As Allenby left the room, Rhoda slipped in. She saw Roger and told him her uncle would like to speak to him.