Thornton Under Vale Mystery – Part 10

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In an ideal world, newly promoted Detective Constable Sidney Web, would have been celebrating his success with all his Police Station colleagues and his ex-boss, DS Damian Hawk, down at “The Linnet” public house. But this was not an ideal world.

But since it was Damian Hawk’s local pub in Thornton Du Bois, Web was not longer welcome there or in the surrounding village. Conversation ceased abruptly when Web entered the bar. He walked up to bar and asked for Mr Hen, the pub landlord. Despite the roaring open fire in the inglenook fireplace, the reception was as icy as the night-time winter weather outside. He ordered a pint regardless, and waited for it patiently.

Reluctantly sliding the full glass to Sidney, the eldest of Hen’s sons, Nigel, snapped, “My Dad, Charlie, is not here, Constable.”

“Do you know when he’ll be back?” Web asked calmly, only just resisting the urge to punch Nigel’s thick red nose, “Or where he is?”

From a dark corner of the Bar, the old drunk grave digger, Mr Owl, muttered into his empty glass, “Poaching in the Wood again, I wouldn’t be surprised. The damn Roe deer are gathering by the Vale again. Ruined my veg patch last Summer. Bastards.”

Had the pub not been eerily silent, Sidney would not have heard that clue. Nigel Hen snapped, “Watch it, Owl! Or you’ll get barred from here as well as “The Bull”.

Sidney looked at the bad tempered scold on the old man’s face,” “Why, Mr Owl, your glass appears empty, maybe you would like this one?” The old man’s wrinkled face transformed, like a flower bud opening, revealing a happy smile.

Sidney brought the full glass over to Owl’s corner table, softly saying, “Perhaps we should find a friendlier corner?” The old man nodded, and moved to the adjacent  empty room without the warming fire.

Sidney wanted to avoid being overheard, so he turned to the silent customers, and smiled warmly. “I came here to celebrate my promotion. So, gentlemen, please have a drink on me. I’ll pay later.” The ruse worked. There was a very brief pause while they took in that unexpected offer. One moved to the bar and that started a stampede. There wasn’t enough room at the edge of the bar to get all the villagers in, and order shouting started. Nigel Hen was, thankfully, overwhelmed.

Like a child in a sweet shop, Mr Owl eyed the promised pint of dark bitter, and gurgled, “You’re not a bad lad, Spider, despite what Damian Hawk says.” After a sip, he added, “You’d better be careful with Hawk. He’s quick enough with Charlie Hen’s poaching bow.”

Sidney was totally taken aback. “Charlie Hen and DS Hawk know how to use a bow?”

The old man nodded, slurring. “Well, it’s too noisy using a shotgun when poaching in that Wood. That bloody Robin Cock would have’ad every gun in the District confiscated. Not that Hawk went poaching, mind. He just wanted to impress Dolly Dove with his skill. Got a certificate. Lovely looking thing.”

“The Certificate?”

Owl growled testily, “No…. Dolly Dove. We was all really cut up about the bastard Robin Cock getting away with what he done to the girl. Charlie Hen swore he’d get even. ‘Course, he was out clearing his traps in the Wood when that Cock got it, and I never saw him take his bow with him on those nights. I still reckon it was the Graveyard Sprites that did for Cock. They do speak funny – just like that young Chef at ‘The Bull’. Nice lad, bloody awful cook.”

Sidney’s mind clicked into overdrive. Why had there  been no mention that Owl’s graveyard spirits outside the porch of St Genesius were speaking Russian? Was Ivan Romanoff-Reznikov at the Church that night? If so, who was he talking with? And was that the reason Ivan’s alibi for the night of the murder was just, ‘ I was on my own, in my own bed.’?

He questioned Owl’s statement, while his mind’s eye ran over the many statements he & Dr Fish had had spent several weeks going through to produce his Report to Chief Constable Swallow. Charlie Hen was supposed to be drinking with DS Hawk at the time of Robin Cock’s murder. So were both alibis were false?

He was annoyed with himself that he hadn’t interviewed old Owl before. He had been convinced that the gravedigger was just too unreliable, by everyone even Assistant Chief Constable Viper.

However, at last he was able to piece together a time-line for night of Robin Cock’s murder that was making sense. And he was now convinced that Edwina Fly had been murdered because she knew who the killer was, and had been silenced before she revealed that fact to the Police.

Next day, Sidney returned to the nauseously antiseptic mortuary to confer with Dr Fish.

The older, silver-haired, man welcomed him with, “Ah…. A living visitor. I hope you are better company than the judge who droned on and on this morning about the limits of forensic evidence and making uncorroborated assertions. Unfortunately, since his media exposure, more of Hawk’s past cases are being reviewed by Viper, so more work for me. But why are you looking so gloomy, young man?”

Sidney sighed, “I think that I know who killed Robin Cock and Edwina Fly, and the reason, but… my gut says something is not right. Do you mind if I outline what I think and you let me know what you think I am missing?”

Dr Fish brightened up, “Happy to help. I’ll be Sherlock Holmes to your Dr Watson. Take a seat, and lay the facts before me.”

Sidney took a deep breath, and wished he had not. He wanted to throw up. He shivered. “I don’t think I can. It’s just too horrible.”

Dr Fish’s warm, delicate hand touched his shaking hand, “You are a detective, Sidney. Join the dots. See where they lead, wherever improbable. You think our murderer is our mutual colleague, DS Hawk, don’t you?”

Sidney looked into the grey eyes, ”How did you….?”

The pathologist gave a thin smile, “He was somewhat remiss in mentioning his skill with the instrument of Robin Cock’s demise. I’d completely forgotten about our archery course as part of the Police Outward Bound Team Building exercise. A horrid experience. But going through these old files triggered memories. I recalled he got a Marksman Certificate, as did Viper. And Damian Hawk did have a strong passion for Miss Dove. That failure of the rape case really got to him. So you have motive and skill. But did he have opportunity?”

Sidney nodded, “He was supposed to be drinking with Charlie Hen at the time. But, according to my witness, Charlie Hen was out poaching, but did not take his hunting bow. So Hawk’s alibi is suspect, and now he appears to have access to a longbow and arrows. This looks really bad for him.”

Dr Fish, raised an eyebrow, “Have you spoken to Hawk about this?”

Sidney didn’t really want to face his ex-boss. “Not yet. But ACC Viper is meeting him this afternoon, something to do with old cases.”

The pathologist stood up and snapped, “If Hawk is our killer, he’s killed twice, and attempted kill Ivana Cock or Dolly Dove. You’d better warn Viper right away.” As Sidney went for the mortuary phone, he added, “And you be very careful, too, Sidney. He has threatened you as well.”

Remarkably, the phone was answered quickly, but the terse reply did not help. “Sorry, DC Web, but Assistant Chief Constable Viper is not here. “ There was a pause, and the receptionist almost whispered, “…. But, Spider, as it sound’s urgent, I did overhear that he was going to meet someone at the Vale, wherever that is. Does that help?”

The previous ‘free drink’ night at ‘The Linnet’ was clearly thawing the icy atmosphere at the Police Station. Expensive, but worth it for a better work life. Provided he lived that long.

Shouting back to Dr Fish, “Viper has gone to The Vale at Thornton Under Vale. Please ask for back-up for me. I don’t have a big fan base with my colleagues.”

As he rushed for his car, he heard Dr Fish shout back, “I’ll make some calls. Don’t be a hero!”

Now Read Part 11

(Prompts Given: In an ideal world …; The judge droned on and on….; There wasn’t enough room…; They spent several weeks…; )