Lesley Cookman - Murder to Music

‘But why? Just because of the mistakes his father had made? Or had he already started killing women for Vindari?’ asked Guy.

‘Luckily Maiden gave me your report before we started questioning Vindari and Weston,’ Ian told Fran and Libby, ‘so we knew roughly what had happened.’

‘What?’ said several voices together.

‘Weston – in Vindari’s terms – defiled a female member of his family and unfortunately killed her in the process.’

There was another collective gasp.

‘Vindari found out and, not particularly interested in the outdated mores of his fellow countrymen, nevertheless spied an opportunity. The barn made a perfect hiding place for girls who had, according to their families, transgressed. He organised the imprisonment and death. He forced Weston to bury the girl in the barn, and then blackmailed him into killing the other girls. Which Weston was well suited for.’ Ian shook his head. ‘It was this that Weston needed to cover up. He had to keep people away from White Lodge.’

‘So the hauntings began again.’ Libby looked across at Fran. ‘But not proper ones.’

‘No. Then it was easy to tell the staff it was a complicated probate sale and not to push it. Because Weston actually had no idea who owned the estate.’

‘And then Rosie came along,’ said Fran.

‘Yes, and she was telling the truth, you know. But fragments of memory had begun to return and she was getting scared. So she recruited you, thinking she ought not to appear in the business herself, although she wasn’t quite sure why.’

‘Hang on – what was the connection with Rachita?’ asked Libby. ‘Is there one?’

‘Think about Rachita’s story,’ said Ian. ‘Where did she meet the young man she ran off with?’

‘At her uncle’s, and Mr Vindari was there.’ Fran nodded.

‘And he’d organised work previously for Kiran and his friend.’

‘The cellar!’ shouted Libby, and the whole of the pub turned to look.

‘Right. It was Kiran and his friend who had been recruited to brick up the cellar. When we came to break into it, we found it hadn’t been done skillfully, and it looked as if it had been done in a hurry. The more we found out, the more interest there was in White Lodge, the more dangerous things were becoming. So Kiran and his friend had to go.’

‘What about Rachita?’ asked Fran.

‘She really did run off with Kiran, but there would have been no chance for her if Vindari had found her before her father. The boys were killed to stop them talking about bricking up the cellar and revealing a connection between Weston and Vindari.’

‘Who killed them?’ asked Guy.

‘They are each saying the other,’ said Ian. ‘We’ll probably never know.’

‘What about Rosie, Ian?’ asked Fran. ‘What was she doing there last night? And why did she disappear?’

‘Her memory had fully returned by now and she went to see if she could find any sort of proof that Willoughby Weston had killed her uncle.’

‘Why didn’t she tell anybody where she was?’ asked Fran.

‘Because she thought if Weston got to know he’d come after her.’

‘Why weren’t you worried about her?’ asked Libby.

‘Because she told me she was going away to think things out,’ said Ian. ‘I should have known she would be up to something.’ He looked at Libby and Fran. ‘She knows you two.’

‘But she’s all right?’ persisted Libby.

‘She’s perfectly all right, and Professor Wylie is staying with her. She wants to see you both, but I said to give it a day or so. We’ll have more questions for her.’

Silence fell around the table.

‘And Weston and Vindari?’ asked Peter after a moment. ‘What will they be charged with?’

‘Murder and whatever else we can dig up.’

‘Ian,’ Fran said suddenly. ‘Whose was the reburial in the new grave?’

Ian smiled. ‘I wondered when you’d get round to that. According to Weston, it was the maid who said she’d seen the ghost. When he found her body – and we don’t know where he found it – possibly somewhere in his own home – she was wrapped in something of his father’s and he put two and two together. He decided, for what reason we don’t know, but with some kind of idea of doing it for his father, that she should go back to the garden. So he buried her. His downfall, or one of them, was keeping the grave clear.’

‘And putting flowers on it.’ Fran nodded.

‘Why did Rosie stay behind when we left her at Ashton Court?’ asked Libby.

‘She says she was looking for proof. Photographs of his father, anything. I’m not sure she really knew herself.’ Ian shook his head. ‘Her main idea was to get to White Lodge without anyone knowing.’

‘She did use us a bit, you know, Fran,’ said Libby.

‘She did.’ Fran sighed. ‘I’m not sure I want to go on with the creative writing classes now.’

‘Oh, go on with you,’ said Peter standing up. We want you to write down all your adventures. Think! You’ve got material for loads of books. Anyone want another drink?’

And somewhere in the darkness, the music began again.