Don Gutteridge - Minor Corruption

Robert sighed. “At least it’s Cobb.”

***

In the hall, Robert explained to Cobb how fragile astate his uncle was in. Cobb suggested that Robert remain near thedoor so that he could be fetched if Uncle Seamus requiredassistance. Cobb also promised to be tactful, insofar as heunderstood that ambiguous term.

Uncle Seamus sat at the library table waitingfor him. He struck Cobb as a character out of Shakespeare, a Festeor Touchstone in a down moment, the kind they must have had whenthe duke wasn’t looking. Right now his gnome’s head seemed toolarge and heavy to be borne.

“You aren’t putting any credence inThurgood’s charge, are you?” he said wearily when Cobb sat downopposite him.

Cobb did not take out his notebook. “We areobligated to look into it, sir, that’s all.”

“So you want to know if dear Betsy and I hadever been lovers?” Uncle Seamus said with a fine edge to hissarcasm.

“ Somebody put a baby into her,” Cobbsaid quietly.

“Well, sir, it was not me. I loved that lass,but as a parent. She was a lonely girl whose own father and mothersaw her merely as a cash-cow. She was very intelligent. She couldread and write. I gave her the run of the library. I made her laugh- ” He could not continue. A held-back sob broke. He coughed itaway and, to Cobb’s embarrassment, looked up at him with tearsrunning down both of his scarlet cheeks.

“So you are denyin’ you ever ‘interfered’with the girl?”

“I am, as God is my witness.”

“Well, that’s a good start, then.”

“A start?”

“Yes. I need you to give me a causible explanation for this letter I found in Betsy’s bedroom.” He drewthe note from his pocket and handed it across to Uncle Seamus, whoread it through carefully.

“Well, sir?”

“It’s a thank-you note for the five pounds Igave her last week.” His voice faltered as he added, “That’s herhandwriting.”

“But you don’t understand, sir. That fivepounds was handed by Betsy to Mrs. Trigger, the abortionist. You give the girl abortion money.”

“I did no such thing. She never told me shewas pregnant. If she had, none of this would have happened, Iguarantee you. She told me her mother had a tumour that needed tobe removed by a surgeon. Obviously, and sadly, she lied to me. ButI gave her the money for that purpose alone – and will swear to it,if need be.”

Cobb cleared his throat. “What do you make ofthat ‘I love you’ business at the end of the letter?” he saiddiffidently.

For the first time anger showed in UncleSeamus’s eyes. “Good Christ, man, don’t you love yourchildren? Don’t they love you?”

Cobb blushed, and the wart beside his leftnostril quivered. “I see what you mean, sir.”

That burst of anger seemed to use up the lastreserves of the old man’s energy. His face, his entire body, justsagged. “I’m awful tired,” he said, barely audible, and with thathe slumped against the table.

Cobb went to the door and called for Robert.Chalmers was right behind his master.

“I’ll see to him, sir,” Chalmers said,scowling at Cobb.

Robert turned to Cobb. “This is a sorryaffair,” he sighed.

“And I’m sorry fer upsettin’ the old gent,”Cobb said. “But it was a useful conversation.”

“You are satisfied he had nothing to do withBetsy’s death?” Much relief was evident on Robert’s face.

“He denies bein’ the father or in any wayapproachin’ the girl improperly. And he had a perfectly logicalexplanation for a letter I found from Betsy to him. As far as I cansee, it’s his word against the Thurgoods. And my Dora’ll swear thegirl was delirious to boot.”

“Thank God. It’s time we let this matter lie.For everybody’s sake.”

“I agree, sir. Now I got to head back topolice quarters and dictate my report. Good day to you.”

Robert shook Cobb’s hand and led him to thefront door. He didn’t know it, but it would be some time beforethey would be able to shake hands like this again.

Cobb had intended to be well away from policequarters when Burton Thurgood arrived to read his report at seveno’clock. Thurgood would find little in it to please him. Cobb haddutifully recounted his interviews with Dora, Auleen, Burtonhimself, and Seamus, and attached Betsy’s thank-you note. Afterdiscussing the matter with Wilfrid Sturges, Cobb agreed with hischief that the investigation had produced a stalemate. SeamusBaldwin’s denial and plausible explanation for the contents of thegirl’s note had to be balanced against the questionable“confession” of Betsy Thurgood. There was no way to prove thatSeamus was the father of her babe or that the five-pound note hadbeen provided for an abortion. Betsy had spoken his name; she hadobtained money from him; she had given that money to Mrs. Trigger;Mrs Trigger was directly responsible for her death. Those were thefacts as they presently stood. No formal charge could be laidagainst Seamus Baldwin or recommended to Magistrate Thorpe.

Alas, Cobb was still at work when Thurgoodarrived promptly at seven o’clock. He should have been at homeeating a hearty supper, but Gussie French had been called away onan emergency (his son had the mumps, it turned out) and by the timehe had got back, there was just time for Cobb to finish the reportand discuss it with the Chief. Cobb spotted the wiry little manstomping up the walk, and ducked into the constables’ room. It wasthe Chief’s job to deal with him.

For a few minutes he heard nothing from theoffice next door. Then he thought he could detect the drone of theChief’s voice – reading the report aloud, no doubt, to theilliterate mill-hand. Then silence again. Then:

“What! You’re gonna let that rapin’ bastardget away with this!” Thurgood’s voice was already loud and tightwith rage. “You call that an investigation? The bastard says ‘no’and you walk away believin’ him? My poor girl called out his nameon her death-bed! She swore to me and to God that Seamus Baldwinraped her and put her in the family way! Let the bugger come intacourt and deny it. I won’t take anythin’ less!”

“Please calm down, sir.”

The two men were in the main room now,visible to Cobb, who was beginning to feel like a coward forstowing away from the fireworks. Thurgood was actually backing theChief up with the force of his anger, and Sturges was hobbling andflinching as he retreated towards the door.

Cobb came out. “You got complaints, sir, youmake ‘em to me . I was the fella that did theinvestigatin’.”

“He admitted he give her the abortion money!”Thurgood shouted. His bold black eyes blazed and his sheaf of blackcurls shuddered with each bob of his jaw. “She wrote them wordsabout lovin’ him in her letter. What more do you need? The man’s apervert. He oughta be gelded and then hung!”

“There’s no proof,” Cobb said, coming betweenThurgood and Sturges. “It’s her word against his deny-all. And Mrs. Cobb is willin’ to swear that the girl’s words did notsound like she was accusin’ him.”

“But she’s yer wife ! A policeman’swife!”

“She’s an honest woman and I’ll flatten theman that says she ain’t!”

Thurgood stepped around Cobb, jostled pastthe Chief and strode to the door. He turned to face them. His angerslowly evolved into a contemptuous sneer. “This ain’t the end ofthis! I’m gonna go to the magistrate and bring my own suit againstthat bigwig bastard. We’ll see what a jury of ordinary folkthinks!”

“That’s your right, Mr. Thurgood,” Sturgessaid, wincing. “But that won’t change the evidence. All you’ll bedoin’ is draggin’ a gentleman’s name through the muck.”