Chapter Two.
David Wolverton put his mobile phone back into his pocket and accepted a mug of Earl Grey Tea from Kate. “Thanks Kate, I must say this garden of yours deserved a gold certificate, heck a medal even. I truly have not seen such beauty in years, and some of these plants..., they are truly outstanding.”
Kate smiled after taking a sip of tea and then placed her china cup back upon its saucer. “Yes, but it is largely these days thanks to young Calvin, as he now looks after my garden and does all the heavy and more strenuous work, he really is quite talented, I just tell him what I want, and where to put them, and yes, I am also fortunate to have such a loyal friend as Calvin.”
“I have not met this Calvin..., have I?” asked David.
Kate smiled, “Well not to my knowledge, he is away for a short holiday, his father was the priest of All Saints Church..., but was sadly murdered, and Calvin kind of had his own issues on top of that to deal with, but I must say he has held up well and is a true credit to us all.”
David almost choked on the tea he was drinking, when he had heard the local priest had been murdered. “Murdered you say, could there be a book in there?”
“More than you realise” replied Kate. “More than you realise...”
David could see the wicked grin upon Kates face. “Are you writing another novel based on this single murder?”
“Goodness No, it was not a single murder, but several, and sadly I became targeted, and even accused of witch craft, black magic of all things, but I was innocent..., as I am sure you know.”
David looked at Kate thinking of poisons, and then back to the mug of Earl Grey Tea in his hands, Kate read his expressions, “It might be..., but then my nephew knows you are with me, and he did let us go early yesterday as we could account for our whereabouts.”
David’s eyes widened as he realised Kate had picked up his thoughts, and that he was about to tease her about being a witch, but she had quickly turned it to her advantage and caught him in his own trap.
“Multiple murders..., do tell me more,” said David. Kate finished drinking her tea, and gently placed the cup back onto its saucer. “Well incredibly it started when I was but a young girl, and a certain wealthy land owner held a grudge, and started manipulating nature and her skills in Black magic..., to cut the story short, she was behind most of the killings and of drawing upon demonic powers to aid her.”
David stared at Kate unsure if she was genuinely telling him the truth, or simply having a joke upon him. “Truly David, you can ask my nephew..., I am not playing any kind of joke upon you.”
“You must be having me on,” responded David. “No honestly it is true, and if you want to learn more, then I suggest you buy my book when its published.”
It was just then that the back gate opened and in walked Simon Culvate and WPC Murphy Evans, “I thought we would find you both out here, it’s far too beautiful of a morning, to not be sitting outside and enjoying this fine weather.”
Kate looked across to her nephew as he walked towards her, and then kissed her upon her cheek. “You can always join us you know.”
“Oh, as tempting as that is, I have work to do, this is kind of a social and official visit at the same time. David, it is you I need to see, I heard that you are returning to Utah this evening, could you leave me your contact details, as it is just possible we might need to talk again, it is evident you were with Kate, and the restaurants CCTV confirmed that, and both I and Judge Armstrong..., well we saw you having a meal with Kate. I just need to ask you where you went to after you finished your meal.”
David smiled, “To the toilet..., without meaning to be crude, I needed a crap, or a number two as the polite British call it. As good as the water here is, well..., it, kind of upset my digestive system a little, and then to my shame, I went to the rear of the building and had a smoke. I am trying to give the darn things up, but..., well I’m not quite there yet.”
Simon looked at his notes, “Well that kind of fits into various statements, as the Chef, confirmed he saw you in the toilets, and a staff member said she saw you walking around outside having a smoke, if anything else comes up we will be in touch, but as far as we are concerned, I can see no reason why you cannot return home, I hope you have a good flight back, and it’s been a pleasure to meet with you.”
David smiled. “You also” replied David, and at that, they shook hands, “Well Kate, I do need to be making a move, I have to travel to Heathrow and book in, and it is not a quick journey, thank you so much for your kind loving hospitality, I hope we can do it again one day, however, not to witness an actual murder that is, but maybe next time we might get to finish the annual meeting. And anyway, you have me intrigued about this book, please send me a copy when it is published.”
At that David said his goodbyes, and then picked up his travelling bag from beside his chair and departed, leaving Kate Winslow to talk with her nephew and WPC Evans.
Kate waited until David had exited and driven away, and then she turned to face her nephew, “Do you suspect David been responsible for the murder?”
“No..., not really Kate, I just needed to clear up a small discrepancy in his original statement, as he neglected to say he went to the toilet, and then for a smoke.”
Kate looked at Simon and remained quiet for some seconds. “I am not saying it would have been impossible for David to have committed the murder, but what would be his motive, and someone would have seen him, also as you know the CCTV on top of the Tourist Office’s roof would also have seen him.”
“Kate we are not at this moment pursuing any lead which indicates David was guilty, if anything, he has an incredibly strong alibi, simply because he was seen to have been with you at the estimated time of the murder, and also by myself and Judge Armstrong, and even the restaurants own CCTV, it can’t get much stronger than that, and anyway I timed how long he was away, and he simply just did not have enough time to have committed the murder, and then to have returned to your side.”
Kate bit into her lower lip, this was a habit she had developed when a complexed puzzle challenged her. “Have you found the murder weapon yet?”
“No..., and I doubt if we will, unless the murderer was clumsy or panicked, to my eyes this was planned, who ever committed this crime must have known Mr Wolf, as they got up uncomfortably close, and I also suspect they had possibly prearranged to have met there.”
Kate nodded in agreement with her nephew, “Yes it makes sense, but what would have been the motive, and do you know when he arrived and drove into the car parking area,” enquired Kate.
“Yes, the local CCTV recorded his arrival when we were sitting in the restaurant, and it kind of tallies with the pathologists reported estimation of death, by about a twenty-minute window,” replied Simon.
“And no one reported hearing a car back firing, or any noise resembling a gun shot.”
“No, not even the couple undertaking the survey,” said Simon. “and who were in the opposite end of the far field, and approaching that area, they also have time stamped digital photos of field mice and various birds etc. and they claim they never heard anything unusual, other than what they thought was a Cuckoo.”
Kate smiled, “It is unlikely to have been a Cuckoo, it’s a bit late in the season for Cuckoo’s, and I noticed a hawk in the area, and Cuckoos prefer to avoid such birds of prey.”
“Well they did say it was unusual.” Commented Simon.
Kate thought for some seconds, “are they certain it was a Cuckoo, after all its song is very distinctive, although sometimes confused with turtle doves.”
“No..., they only claimed, in their exact words, it was a muffled sound, much like that of a distantly heard Cuckoo carried upon the wind.”
Kate nodded and smiled, “Could it do you think, have been the gun shot, having been supressed, and its echo rebounding from the side of the Shire Horses wall?”
