Episode 23 - Post mortem

You could not describe the atmosphere in Gary’s office on a wet Wednesday afternoon as jolly, but the guys gathered there were certainly relieved, and Gary was almost smug, though he could not take the credit for actually catching Akbari. As far as he was concerned, that detail would be cast side. He hoped that the press would not make a thing of it.

Gary was now riding on a wave of the self-confidence of which he had shown precious little recently, but if Cleo was upset that he wanted to take centre stage, she said nothing. Dorothy Price was getting nearer by the minute to getting up and telling him not to try and take all the credit himself.

“We still have a lot of work to do,” was the general tenet of his opening words. “Forensics can hardly keep up with the number of corpses that have popped up.”

“Have you got a list of what still needs to be done, Gary?” Dorothy said.

“Well, not quite,” Gary admitted.

“But I have a list. Would you like to hear it?”

There was general consent to this suggestion. Gary put on a brave face, and Cleo winked at Dorothy. Dorothy knew that Gary was now toying with the idea of taking up with Sybil. In fact, Cleo had told her that she suspected Gary had indulged in a one-night stand, but Dorothy was sceptical and comforted Cleo with the thought that Gary was simply frustrated and it was Cleo’s own fault. The sleuths had spent the rest of Wednesday morning combing through the events that probably involved Malik Akbari, and the list of tasks was indeed impressive.

“Go on, Miss Price,” encouraged Roger. If she had been half a decade or two younger she would have made a good team member.

“Let’s start at the beginning,” Dorothy said, balancing her reading glasses on the tip of her nose to make sure she didn’t leave anything out.

“It’s a bit like the way M. Poirot wound up his cases,” Dorothy explained. “Only here we are not in presence of a hitherto unrevealed murderer, but in the absence of at least one killer, since we do not know if Mr Akbari killed all the victims himself.

“Quite right,” said Robert, who had elected to accompany Cleo on his afternoon off. “Get on with it.”

“Don’t hurry me, young man,” said Dorothy. “I’m doing my best.”

“Sorry, Dorothy. I’m a bit on edge.”

“I don’t see why. You are not guilty of anything, Robert, are you?”

“Of course he isn’t,” said Cleo in his defence. “But we should not make it all too dramatic. We’ve had enough drama for a while.”

“May I remind you that it is dramatic,” said Gary and Roger wondered about his rival. Something must have happened in the meantime. Surely he had not switched his affections to the little girl’s mother. He could not do that to Cleo. But looking at Sybil, Roger decided that Gary had done more than just taken a liking to her and he could not be reasonably be expected not to glad.

“OK,” said Dorothy. “I know Chris will fill us in with some of the details,” she added, giving Gary a severe look because the Hartley Agency suspected Gary of withholding information when it suited him.

Dorothy announced without further preamble that it was still a mystery why Banu Akbari had returned to Middlethumpton with Anna in the first place and why the woman had travelled to Upper Grumpsfield. Had she had an assignation with Akbari? Had he ordered her to the bistro to talk things over? Akbari was photographed there after all. Or did Banu simply let him know that she was back in the district?

Chris, pathologist by profession and passionate forensic analyst, said that data on Mrs Akbari had only been available for a couple of days and had shattered him, too. He would now reveal what he knew if anyone was interested.

That last remark was ironic. He looked from Gary to Cleo to Sybil and back again and saw what was happening. Gary was emotionally struck.

“Go ahead,” he said now. “Though it’s hardly relevant given the drama we have just witnessed.

“Banu was incurably ill. Tests revealed that her body was riddled with cancer. A brain scan had revealed that cancer had also caused an inoperable brain-tumour.”

“So there we have it. Banu knew what was happening to her and decided to get the child home while she still could, home being Beethoven Road, of course,” said Dorothy. “Banu did not know that Sybil had moved away. Akbari knew of his wife’s intentions and interceded, probably without telling her about Sybil, for whom he might still be searching.”

“No one was supposed to know I’d moved,” said Sybil. “I even kept it a secret from Berta because I did not want Akbari to find me. He thought Anna was his child, so as long as he knew Anna was with Banu, he did nothing and there would have been no way of getting Anna back without risking her life. Akbari is callous and cold.”

As Sybil said those words she was looking at Gary. She had left Anna at the vicarage with Edith on the pretext of giving evidence at HQ. She had then driven with Gary to his flat and they had spent the night together, not just holding hands. Gary had not given a thought to Cleo. He was numbed emotionally and glad that Sybil was able to take the initiative. If he could not have Cleo except when she decided they could meet, he would cultivate a relationship with Sybil.

“The only way to find out if she had contacted Akbari and asked for help is to ask him,” said Dorothy.

“He won’t say anything because that would incriminate him further, Ladies,” said Gary. “Don’t forget that he is a criminal with a high I.Q.. He’s unlikely to put his head in the noose voluntarily.”

“So we’ll probably never know how he knew,” said Cleo. “Not that it matters much now, but it would be interesting to fill in all the knowledge gaps.”

“One thing is clear: he has been involved with a string of females, professionally or otherwise,” Robert added. “And they all seem to have fallen for him.”

“And look where that got them,” said Dorothy. “He certainly got rid of a few. Was he also responsible for that manipulation at Social Services?”

“We’re onto that,” said Gary.

“And was that nursery place in Thumpton Close ever really taken apart?”

“We’re onto that, too.”

“And who buried Mr Singleton in the garden? Was he murdered, too?”

Forensics are onto that, Dorothy,” said Chris.

“I hope you are more efficient that the homicide department,” Dorothy replied, looking at Gary and instinctively knowing that he was ‘carrying on’ with Sybil.

“And what about Mrs Singleton removing one of the Daniels twins?”

“We’re looking into that.”

“The Hartley Agency will find that child,” said Cleo.

“But you can’t just take him away from people he thinks are his parents, Cleo,” said Gary, thankful to have something constructive to say.

“I think the main thing is to bring Mrs Daniels into contact with her son,” said Cleo. “Don’t forget that the parents bought the child illegally.”

“They may have thought it was all legal,” said Dorothy.

“The record book I confiscated confirms what Mrs Singleton was up to,” said Barbara Fielding.

“Except that I have the page she ripped out,” said Cleo. “Here it is,” she continued, taking the folded page out of her own notebook. “I’ve made copies to hand round. Will you go to that address with me, Barbara?”

“That’s a good idea, Cleo. You may be glad to have the protection of the law.”

“Exactly.”

“Is that all right with you, Gary?”

“I’ll sanction it if necessary,” said Roger, who had been a silent witness to events unfolding at that meeting.

Gary did not understand why Cleo had not asked him. Bed and business were two kettles of fish, after all. Cleo knew perfectly well why, and so did Dorothy, now she had witnessed Gary’s blatant infatuation with Sybil.

Dorothy had not quite finished her list.

“I have to ask again about Mr Singleton, since he does not seem to have captured the imagination. Did he die a natural death or not?”

Roger Stone was impressed by Dorothy’s formidable onslaught. She really didn’t miss a trick.

“I think he did,” said Chris, coming to the rescue. “His heart gave up, but only blood tests can reveal whether he was poisoned or smothered or simply had a lethal heart attack. There was no injury or bruising on his body. On the slab he just looks like a harmless old man who had died a natural death. It’s the unconventional way he was buried that makes it all so fascinating.”

“I suppose it makes a change from cremation,” said Dorothy.

“Don’t be so gruesome, Dorothy,” said Robert with a shudder.

“Carry on Dorothy!” said Roger. “You’re doing a splendid job.”

That brought it home to Gary that his role had so far been less than impressive. Roger would have liked to say more, but he didn’t.

“I’m still hoping that someone will admit to knowing about the baby trading,” said Cleo. “I’m sure Akbari was involved, but he has probably killed off the women who knew the most.”

“We don’t know yet that he killed Ruby Singleton,” said Chris.

“Who else could have?” said Dorothy.

“I’m right in thinking Ruby Singleton sheltered Akbari, aren’t I?” said Cleo.

Gary now looked at Cleo. She had not mentioned that suspicion to him. How long had she had it?

“We’ll have to wait for confirmation of the fingerprints now we can get Akbari’s to substantiate our evidence,” said Chris, and Gary just looked on. He assumed rightly that Cleo had discussed the possibility with Chris that Akbari had been hiding out in Singleton’s loft.

“The movement I heard upstairs must have been Akbari,” said Cleo. “I think you’ll find that Akbari took Mr Singleton’s place. The old guy’s death was at least convenient if not brought forward.”

“We might still be in luck and Akbari confesses everything,” said Dorothy.

“I wouldn’t count on it, Dorothy,” said Gary. “He’s a sly fox and he got away with all his crimes so far, though we aren’t yet sure how many murders that includes.”

“On my list are Banu Akbari, Mary Devonport, Margot Smith, Mrs Courtney, Mrs Singleton and possibly Mr Singleton,” said Dorothy.

“One killing’s enough to send him down for life,” said Gary.

“He’ll probably try for extradition to France,” said Cleo. “I don’t know what British law does in such a case.”

“France?”

“He is a French citizen, Gary,” said Cleo. “Don’t his personal documents prove that?”

“He had none on him, Cleo.”

Gary decided there was a more tit for tat going on. Why didn’t he know the guy was French? Why had the Hartley Agency kept that information from him?

“I’m sure the French won’t want him,” said Sybil.

“I think I can answer that,” said Roger, who had been listening quietly to the discussion and was seriously worried about Gary’s frame of mind. “We have two days to apply for the application to be heard. If all goes to plan, Akbari can be extradited to France and tried for murder there.”

“You’d better get a move on then, Gary,” said Dorothy. “Get the proof documented and Bob’s your uncle.”

“Or he can be tried here and extradition can follow later if or when he’s found guilty,” said Roger. “But on the other hand, he’s been living here for years, so he might be treated as a UK resident. We don’t know how he got French citizenship or even if it’s legal. There are a lot of open questions.”

“The main thing is that he’s locked up,” said Robert. “If the meeting’s over, I’ve got things to do.”

***

Cleo realized that nothing more would be achieved. Dorothy told Gary that he should look into the evidence available and then write a report they could all read rather than summoning them to his office for another meeting that had proved to be to his detriment.

Sybil said she would get a lift with Gary when he’d finished his work. While she was waiting, she would go shopping for new things for herself and Anna. Gary said he would accompany her to the vicarage and back.

“It’s all such a let-down,” complained Dorothy, once she, Robert, Barbara and Cleo were back on the street.

“Do you need me now, Cleo?” said Barbara. “I’m officially free for the rest of the week, so we could visit that little boy’s home any time.”

“That’s a good idea. Thanks,” said Cleo. “We could try at the weekend. I don’t want to warn them that we are coming. The shock of knowing that the child is now known not to be legally theirs is going to be enough for them to cope with.”

“Gary is not in a good frame of mind,” said Robert to Cleo and Dorothy. “All that uncertainty, and he’s clearly more interested in catching Sybil than in catching murderers. You’ll have to do it for him, Ladies.”

“He’s caught Sybil already, I should think,” said Dorothy. “What about Julie?”

“She’s taken care of,” said Cleo, to Robert’s astonishment. “A little bird told me that Colin is coming back.”

“I thought Julie was going out with Chris,” said Robert.

“It seems not.”

“I give up,” said Robert.

”Do that, Robert,” said Cleo. “Your little girl is 29 years old and will do what she wants to do!”

“I really like Colin,” said Dorothy. “He reminds me….well, it doesn’t matter. It’s all decades ago.” Dorothy paused to reflect for a moment before shaking herself out of her reveries. “So what do we do next?” she said.

“I’m going to find Johnny Daniels’ twin brother first, Dorothy. Barbara will support me, and that will make it all a bit simpler, though it’s really only reconnaissance the first time. We can’t simply take the child away.”

“Where are you going, Robert?” Dorothy asked. “You said you had things to do.”

“There are several T-bone steaks in the fridge crying out to be grilled. Would you like one, Dorothy? And how about you Miss Fielding? If you’re a free agent for the rest of the week you are free enough to cope with a steak!”

“Thanks and please call me Barbara.”

“Will do! I expect you’ve noticed that I’m Robert.”

“I sure would appreciate a T-bone shaped square meal,” said Dorothy. “I need my strength. Tomorrow I’m going to talk sense at the vicarage and then I’ll go to the hospital and read a sermon or two to the vicar.”

“Just like old times, in fact,” said Robert.

“If the vicar survives,” said Cleo.

“Oh, he will,” said Dorothy, with more conviction than she felt.

***

Later, while Robert was cooking dinner for all his invited ladies, Cleo and Dorothy planned their strategies for the coming days. Barbara chatted with Robert in the kitchen. He was a man after her own heart. What a pity he belonged to someone else!

“We must talk with Mr Courtney,” said Cleo. “Dorothy. Any ideas?”

“I’ll go there and say who I am, Cleo.”

“I may have to go there myself, Dorothy.”

“It’s up to you, Cleo,” said Dorothy. “I have offered.”

“On the other hand, he has no reason to doubt your story about being a grandmother with an axe to grind,” said Cleo.

“I just hope he hasn’t got the axe,” said Dorothy.