Murderer's Market

By Joan Dunning

Detective Superintendent Charles Blower goes to Benfield House, a renovated
Georgian country house in Kent, at the behest of his good friend Alex Pike who, with
his wife Barrie, is author of a series of detective novels. Both are keen amateur detectives.

This is an intriguing case for Blower since the crime, the unusual stabbing of a woman
conveyancer surveying an apartment in the house whose owner works abroad, appears
motiveless. It is set up to look accidental. However, his intuition and experience as
a Metroplolitan Police Detective, leads him to work with the Kent County Police
Inspector who originally dealt with the crime scene. Through this association, and the
eruption of a series of burglaries in the county, Blower begins to wonder if burglary
was a factor in the womans murder. Some dubious characters, including the
houseowners son, recently imprisoned for aggravated burglary, come under suspicion.
It takes persistence, application and lateral thinking for several burglars, and the
murderer, to be apprehended.

The Annual Fete on the village green fronting Benfield House, provides the backdrop
to an eventful outcome, which is concluded after a car chase through the Kent
countryside to its coast.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Nov 15, 2013
• ISBN: 9781491883297

Joan Dunning

NB : no about the author

Book preview

ONE

THE GARDEN WAS WARM in the afternoon sun and the air heavy with the scent of azaleas. Among the bushes a woman, white-haired and with an eyeshade masking her face, raked the fallen blossoms into neat piles. Detective Superintendent Blower changed his stance to take in the red brick facade of the house, which, he thought, handsomely offset the narrow—railed, white-painted balconies guarding the Georgian style windows on the first and second floors. He noticed that there was a smaller Dormer window in the roof indicating an attic, rather than another floor. He looked at his companion but the remark he was about to make was pre-empted.

‘Yes Charles, it’s hard to believe that a tragic death occurred in such a tranquil setting isn’t it?’

‘Almost what I was about to say… but hang on, I think we are about to be accosted any minute now.’

Alex Pike followed as Blower moved towards the woman who, rake firmly in hand, was approaching them with determination in her stride.

‘I say’, she called out when just a few yards away, ‘what do you gentlemen want?’

Blower cleared his throat. ‘The owner madam. I understand there’s been some trouble in the house and er…’

‘Oh I see.’

Her answer came in a resigned, distant way as if she’d lost all interest, but it was then followed by a more spirited, ‘well we don’t have much to do with the owners you know. They live at the other end of the house, and we hardly go down there at all.’

She looked directly at Blower and said, ‘you’ll be police I suppose.’

‘That’s right madam, Superintendent Charles Blower at your service.’

‘Yes,’ she nodded, ‘I thought as much.’ She shrugged and turned away making ineffective sweeping movements with the rake, but turned her head towards them again to add, ‘you’ll have to go to the back of the house. The path is that way, and it’ll be the last door before the garden. Can’t miss it.’

‘Thank you very much,’ Alex Pike said. There was no reply as she wandered back towards the azalea and rhododendron bushes.

‘This must be it,’ said Blower, pressing the doorbell, and grinning at Pike as Westminster chimes resounded to his touch. ‘Displaced Londoner do you reckon Alex?’

‘Aren’t we all’ his friend replied.

And, indeed, broad cockney assailed their ears when the door opened revealing a middle-aged, portly man of average height.

‘What can I do yer for genalmun… eh wait a minit,’ he pointed at Alex, ’aven’t I seen yer before?’

‘You may have,’ said Blower, but I don’t think we’ve met Mr Drew. I’m Detective Superintendent Blower and this is…’

‘More rozzers then is it?’

‘No not quite, Mr Drew. I’m the policeman and…’

‘I’m a friend of the owner of the flat where the body was found,’ Pike volunteered.

‘Oh yeah? Fought I’d seen yer around. That’s right, old Lambton’s abroad ain’t ’e?’

Pike nodded, ‘and he’s asked me to deal with things this end. It will be a couple of months before he can get away. So…’

‘Yeah, funny that, the flat bein’ up fer sale an’ all. Well, s’pose you want ter ’ave a look-see super? Everythin’ bin left like it were—wivout the body though.’ He chuckled hugely. ‘Didn’ want ter leave that lyin’ about did we now?’

‘So, you had a good look at the scene when the body was there then, Mr Drew?’

‘Well I didn’t ‘ang about like did I? It were my job to report it in as soon as.’

‘And that was to… ? Blower looked at him with a questioning expression.

‘Well, to the local rozzers. Them in the village, bein as ‘ow they’re the nearest. Left it ter them after. They said ter touch nuffin an’ all that, and they’d come along soon.’

‘And they did?

‘Yeah and ‘alf the ruddy Kent force too, if yer ask me.’

Blower smiled briefly. ‘Well, perhaps you’d be kind enough to take us along to the flat and describe what you saw for me.’

‘Will do super’ was the reply. Foller me.’

Once inside the flat, Drew went straight to the broken window. ‘She was ‘alf sitting on a chair wiv ’er ’ead on the table—sideways like. There were blood spread across the table an’ the dress what she ‘ad on were soaked in it. I s’pose they took the table ter test like?’

Blower nodded. ‘They’ll bring it back soon.’

‘Yeah, there were broken glass all over,’ he waved a hand to indicate it’s extent, ‘and a dirty great bit like a dagger stickin’ out ov ’er neck. The blood must’ve spouted out cos of it. ‘Orrible it were.’ He looked at Blower and shook his head, looked up at the broken window and said, ‘rotten luck ’er sittin’ under the winder when it ‘appened. Funny fing ‘bout glass, it can crack all ov a sudden like. Be right as rain one minit and the next explode—boom! It’s vibrations what does it. One fing though, it would ’ave bin quick. She wouldn’ ’ave knew what ‘it ’er by the looks of all that blood.’

Blower, surprised by Drew’s rapid appraisal and solution to a nasty death, managed to keep his feelings hidden. He cast a quick glance at Pike, who was looking somewhat bemused, and said, ‘well, thank you Mr Drew for almost putting us at the scene as it happened: very graphic and succinct. You’ve certainly given me a lot to think about.’

‘Pleased to be of ’elp super. Yer wanna ’ave a look-see on yer own now I ‘spect, so I’ll be gettin’ back.’

‘Right,’ said Blower. ‘I’ll keep in touch. We’ve got keys, so we’ll lock up after us.’

To make sure that Drew was well out of the way, Blower peered round the door looking from right to left and returned to the room. He smiled at his friend and said, ‘well what did you make of that Alex?’

‘Very interesting Charles. Very.’

‘I was beginning to think that if I had committed a crime and needed someone to explain it away, Drew might be just the right person.’

‘The thing is Charles, he quite rightly explained how glass can behave—it does do that. I’ve experienced it. A pane, or whole sheet, of glass can explode as if shot at. It can all start at a minute flaw in the glass and of course with vibrations as he said.’

‘Well, well, he really has given me something to think about now then Alex, but to me it’s taking the form of a good cover-up story. Could he possibly have a suspicion of who might have done the deed, or is he playing down the idea of murder so that the flat won’t lose its chance of a good sale price in the future? I’m certain that he’s only in this property lark to make money.’

He walked to the damaged window, took a quick look through the clear panes of glass to ascertain what the window overlooked, turned to his friend and said, ‘come and look at the window Alex and tell me if something other than an act of god, or scientific flaw, caused those panes of glass to crack. Could it be that something was aimed at the window deliberately? Before you start hypothesising though, I can tell you that no foreign object was found inside the room; many pieces of glass yes, but any sort of projectile no.’

‘So what are you thinking then Charles, that the murder was meticulously planned to make the result look like an accident?’

‘Well that did occur to me but then I would have to suppose that this was not an isolated visit to the house, either by the perpetrator, or even the dead woman come to that. Suitable dates and times would need to be known, and arranged. There’s no room for coincidence here unless one of the other occupiers in the house is responsible.’ He sighed, ‘in which case, there’s a lot of questioning ahead. Sometime very soon perhaps Alex, you could tell me more about your friend Lambton and then I shall have to talk to my superiors to get some help down here.’

He looked at his watch. ‘Now though, I think I’d better be making my way home.

Would it be possible for us to meet again tomorrow. Perhaps a little earlier?’

‘Certainly Charles. Would eleven be a suitable time? I’ll chauffeur you anywhere you want to go and if things get interesting why not stay to have dinner with us in the evening. I know that Barrie would love to see you.’

‘That sounds very good Alex thank you. Unfortunately, I can’t be sure that I’ll be able to get an entirely free day—but I’ll phone you if I can’t make it. Meanwhile, something Drew said has given me a little mental nudge’. He tapped his brow. ‘Did you know that Lambton’s flat had been up for sale recently?’

‘I do know that it was on the market some six months or so back when Jim was thinking of changing jobs, but do you mean more recently than that?’

Blower pursed his lips. ‘I do. Thing is, can we find out? Unofficially of course.’

‘Well if Jim put it through an estate agent or his solicitor did, then we can find out. Would you like me to do that?’

‘D ‘you know Alex, I think I would if only to know whether that man Drew knows something we don’t. And especially if he has any interest at all in buying the flat himself. He isn’t the sort of man who fills one with trust exactly, is he Alex? He doesn’t do it for me anyway.’

‘Well Charles, you’ve certainly given me something to think about now.’

Blower smiled. ‘Until tomorrow then Alex eh?’

TWO

IT WAS NEARER TWELVE than eleven, when Blower arrived at the Pike’s house and since he was feeling peckish, Blower suggested that they should get to a pub local to Benfield House for a snack. ‘You see, Alex, I need to suss out the general building layout a bit more thoroughly.’

‘Does that mean you’ve got the official go ahead, then Charles?’

‘I don’t think there’ll be a problem with that, but I do have to be persuasive about the personnel I’m going to need. Someone who can talk to elderly ladies and deal with customers like Drew for example. So more info, without having to ask the last mentioned person, preferably. The less he knows about what we know the better.’

‘You really don’t trust him do you Charles?’

‘No I don’t. Can’t put my finger on it-yet-but give it time and I’m sure something unpleasant will turn up that won’t be much of a surprise. Anyway, did you have any luck?’

‘I didn’t Charles, I’m sorry to say. Jacobs, the solicitor, is on holiday until Monday, so until we talk to him, picking which estate agent might be involved is simply pot luck. Solicitors do have their preferences—depending on the type of property of course.’

‘Shall we get going then Alex? A bite to eat and a beer would go down very well, and then you can satisfy my curiosity about your friend Lambton.’

‘There’s not a lot of detail I can tell you about Jim,’ started Pike, when both of them had downed a half-pint of beer, we met at the golf club when he made up a friendly four. It was him and me against a couple of regular players who were far from useless. You know, it was one of those come-along mornings to welcome new members.’

‘Which club Alex?’

‘Knole Park’

‘Mmm, nice’ said Blower with raised eyebrows—‘and’?

‘Very enjoyable. It was early morning, the sun shone through the trees and at the third hole we had the pleasure of seeing a group of deer descend into the valley and climb the other side. Not a spectacle I’m ever likely to forget, Charles.’

‘Of course, they roam free there don’t they?’

‘They do, and there’s another sight I’ll not forget from that morning either.’

‘What was that?’

‘The look on our opponents’ faces when Jim hit a driver off the tee. The ball went as straight as a die and landed all of 290 yards. It was the proverbial mile, simply amazing. He only needed a short iron to the green.’

‘But it didn’t last I suppose?’

‘Oh yes it did Charles and if Jim’s touch around the greens was only half as good, we’d have won hands down.’

‘But you did win?’

‘We did by one hole.’

‘So the other chaps are still talking to you then?’

His friend laughed. ‘Only just, only just, Charles. We’re still waiting for another invitation to play them.’

‘Some golfers can be like that Alex. There are always those who can’t lose gracefully.’

‘It happens in all sports Charles.’

‘More ‘s the pity Alex. Anyway, what about another half before we get on our way to Benfield House?’

Once again Blower appreciated the look of the house as they drove through the open front gate marking the entrance to the garage. They parked some fifteen yards from the garage door on the tarmac surface leading up to it so that they could back and be quickly out of the way of any car leaving or entering the garage.

‘What shall we do now then Charles, stick together on the basis that four eyes might see better than two, or each of us take a different part of the house.’

‘How about me doing a clockwise tour round the outside, starting here, you doing the anticlockwise similarly and us meeting back at the front door. We’re looking for exits and entrances; doors or windows that might open inwards or outwards. Whoever did the dirty deed had to get in and out somehow. You’ve got your set of keys I take it?’

‘Of course.’

‘Well, I’ve got some keys that the local force prised out of Drew, but there’s no knowing that they are complete, of course. Houses like this with multiple tenants have to be able to cope with evacuation procedures in emergencies—fire, water etc and those of general health too. So, here we go—property inspectors at the ready. I have a notebook Alex, have you?’

‘In the car Charles.’

‘Right, see you at the front door fairly soon,’ he said, setting off on the path that led to Drew’s door. This time he looked at every architectural feature of the side of the house and even made a rough sketch of the window positions below the roof.

When drawing in the drainpipes, he noticed that there was a door set below and halfway between the first floor windows which could indicate an entrance. On closer inspection, the solid black wooden door had a bronze escutcheon keyhole with a curved handle that could be gripped easily. A Yale lock further up indicated that this was a well-guarded entrance, and he surmised that the door probably opened outwards. A quick look at his set of keys revealed a couple of the Yale type but only one that looked the usual sort of door key. He tried all the keys singly and together with no result and continued on past Drew’s door to the end of the building. He peered around the corner and quickly pulled back. What had confronted his view was a substantial looking brick-based conservatory and a portly figure, which could only be Drew standing over and berating somebody seated: it was clear from his wagging finger and posture, that he was very angry about something. This is where I go back and find Alex, he thought.

Blower reached the front steps first and had just started to take Pike’s route when his friend rounded the corner and noticeably increased his pace.

‘Did you see Drew in the conservatory?’ he asked when Pike was near enough not to have to raise his voice.

‘I did, and very angry he looked too’

‘Yes I thought that but couldn’t see the other person properly from my angle. Could you?’

‘Not all that clearly but a youngish chap in his late twenties I would say.’

‘Mmm… a son maybe?’

‘Well he was certainly looking as though he’d heard it all before, Charles.’

‘We can find out easily enough. I’ll get someone onto it from the local nick, but, before we go in to suss out who’s who in the flats, did you notice a door below the first floor windows at all?’

Pike held out his notebook. ‘Something like this you mean?’

‘Yes, that’s it, just like that.’

‘I found it somewhat intriguing Charles but guessed that it was probably a cubby hole for electric and gas meters or even a coal bunker perhaps.’

‘Was it locked?’

‘Yes—just a normal sort of garden door type key would open it’

‘Could you open it?’

‘No—I did try but there’s only one such key on my set, look.’

Blower took the set of keys held out to him.

‘These look interesting Alex. Come and look at the door that I couldn’t open either. Your keys might be worth a try.’

‘Fascinating,’ Pike said, after opening the door, which earlier had frustrated Blower’s attempts. ‘It looks as though we’ve got a flight of steps here. Shall we go up?’

‘After I find a light switch, Alex. There must be one surely? Ah here we are.’

The sturdy stone steps, supported by concrete pillars on the open side and the wall on the other, with metal railings and handrails, were now lit by an array of hooded lamps that gave good downward illumination.

‘Somebody meant these steps to be well seen