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Chapter 12
“Is that what he said to you, ‘Don’t come back!’”
Agatha was relaying the whole ‘Huntly-Smythe’ episode to a shocked Harriet as they journeyed in the back of a cab to Bromwood Cemetery.
“Do you think he has anything to do with the Thomas Carter murder?” asked Harriet.
“I don’t think so,” answered Agatha. “He certainly didn’t like me being there, that's for certain. At one point it felt like I was being questioned by Inspector Cosgrove instead of speaking to a museum curator.”
“And the name on the sarcophagus,” said Harriet. “You said Huntly-Smythe couldn’t find it in the shipping logbook.”
“Most put out by it all he was too. And that’s another thing that doesn’t add up.” continued Agatha. “Huntly-Smythe was willing to help me, albeit reluctantly, to translate the cartouche and he was prepared to find the excavator for me in the shipping log.
If he was involved in the murder of Thomas, surely, he wouldn’t want me to see the missing entry in the log? He could have quite easily given me any Egyptian name he knew to be in the log, I wouldn’t have known.”
“So, we’re putting a question mark alongside his name for now then?” asked Harriet.
“For now, yes. But he is going to the funeral this afternoon.”
“How do you know?”
“The clerk let it slip before he showed me into Huntly-Smythe’s office.”
“So, he’ll be the one we’ll be keeping an eye on at the funeral?” said Harriet.
“Most definitely. Huntly-Smythe is hiding something, but I don't think he is the murderer".
Harriet and Agatha then turned to look out of the cab window at the murky afternoon. The anticipation of the funeral was depressing enough, without the menacing, grey clouds that hung in the air. As they reached the cemetery, the clouds then decided to discharge their contents in torrents.
The cab driver leapt down from his seat and opened the door for the women. Harriet was the first out and into a puddle soaking the hem of her black dress. Agatha soon followed and the two of them walked behind the black trail of mourners towards the grave side.
It was customary for only the immediate family to be at the open grave, while those just wishing to pay their respects gathered around at a respectful distance. Harriet and Agatha took shelter under a Rowan tree that was on top of a small grassy knoll. An ideal vantage point, thought Agatha, to watch out for any unusual activities.
There was a good turnout, despite the weather, for Thomas Carter funeral. Agatha spotted Inspector Cosgrove, who was accompanied by two uniformed constables. Then she saw Huntly-Smythe standing with, who she presumed, were members of staff from the museum.
At the grave side she spotted who she thought was Thomas widow, but she was so overcome with grief that she had to be carried away. Then, Agatha saw the minister go over to the pile of freshly dug earth and scoop some up in a little trowel. He then gave the trowel to a small lady that Agatha had missed the first time. This was obviously Thomas’s widow.
Agatha watched as a young man of medium build placed his arm around Thomas's widow. With the weight of emotion bearing down on her, she was finding it a struggle to stand. She too almost collapsed, as she let loose the small sod of earth onto the lid of her husband's coffin. With the torrential rain drumming against their umbrella's, Agatha and Harriet found it increasingly difficult to hear the minister's closing his service.
Agatha could see the minister look over in the direction of the two rain-soaked grave diggers. They both returned their caps to their heads and started to load up the freshly excavated soil into their wheelbarrows.
Family mourners were now moving away from the grave just leaving non-family members to pass on their condolence to Phoebe Carter.
Harriet and Agatha now moved closer to the grieving widow. “Please accept our deepest sympathy.” said Harriet.
“Thank you,” said the unknown man accompanying Phoebe. His voice was soft and he sounded sincere.
“Were you colleagues of my brother?” he asked Harriet and Agatha.
“No,” said Agatha, “Just patrons of the museum.”
“I see.” he gave the two women a bow and was about to escort his sister-in-law away, when Agatha asked.
“And your name sir?”
“I’m sorry. James Carter.” And with half a smile, he added. “Now, if you excuse me.”
The rain had at last started to ease, and for the first time in two days, the sun broke through the clouds. Harriet and Agatha shook the rain drops off their umbrella’s and were about to leave the cemetery, when they could hear what sounded like raised voices behind them.
On turning back towards the grave side, the two police constables that had accompanied Inspector Cosgrove, were now arm in arm with Phoebe Carter!
Harriet and Agatha not believing what they were seeing, went back over to James and Phoebe. Agatha could hear James Carter say to the Inspector. “Surely, you must be mistaken! She wouldn’t do a thing like that!”
“Stand back Mr Carter if you please.” instructed the Inspector.
As Phoebe Carter tried to squirm herself free from the grip of the two constables, Inspector Cosgrove placed his right-hand upon her shoulder. “Phoebe Mary Carter, I’m arresting you on the suspicion of murdering your husband, Thomas Robert Carter. You are not obliged to say anything now, but if you do it will be written down and used against you in a court of law. Do you understand the charges?”
Phoebe sobbed uncontrollably, and James tried to free her from the clutches of the policemen constables
“Mr Carter! I shall not warn you again, please stand away!” barked the Inspector.
Both Harriet and Agatha took James by the arms. He was a strong man and it took all their strength to lead him away.
“Mrs Carter, do you understand the charges?” repeated Cosgrove.
Phoebe this time managed a weak ‘Yes.’
“Thank you. Constables you may now take her away!”
Some of the press that had been waiting outside the cemetery were rewarded with this unusual turn of events. Flash bulbs strobed as Phoebe Carter was manhandled into the back of the waiting Black Mariah, which Agatha failed to spot on arrival at the cemetery amid the other black carriages. As Mrs Carter was driven away, the pack of newshounds gave chase hoping to get one last picture.
Standing at the gates, Agatha watched too, as Phoebe Carter was being driven away. This had changed everything; her instincts told her Cosgrove had arrested the wrong person. And if she couldn’t convince him of that, by the time she had to leave to go back to her time, then an innocent woman was going to the gallows!
To be continued...
© Alice White
Agatha was relaying the whole ‘Huntly-Smythe’ episode to a shocked Harriet as they journeyed in the back of a cab to Bromwood Cemetery.
“Do you think he has anything to do with the Thomas Carter murder?” asked Harriet.
“I don’t think so,” answered Agatha. “He certainly didn’t like me being there, that's for certain. At one point it felt like I was being questioned by Inspector Cosgrove instead of speaking to a museum curator.”
“And the name on the sarcophagus,” said Harriet. “You said Huntly-Smythe couldn’t find it in the shipping logbook.”
“Most put out by it all he was too. And that’s another thing that doesn’t add up.” continued Agatha. “Huntly-Smythe was willing to help me, albeit reluctantly, to translate the cartouche and he was prepared to find the excavator for me in the shipping log.
If he was involved in the murder of Thomas, surely, he wouldn’t want me to see the missing entry in the log? He could have quite easily given me any Egyptian name he knew to be in the log, I wouldn’t have known.”
“So, we’re putting a question mark alongside his name for now then?” asked Harriet.
“For now, yes. But he is going to the funeral this afternoon.”
“How do you know?”
“The clerk let it slip before he showed me into Huntly-Smythe’s office.”
“So, he’ll be the one we’ll be keeping an eye on at the funeral?” said Harriet.
“Most definitely. Huntly-Smythe is hiding something, but I don't think he is the murderer".
Harriet and Agatha then turned to look out of the cab window at the murky afternoon. The anticipation of the funeral was depressing enough, without the menacing, grey clouds that hung in the air. As they reached the cemetery, the clouds then decided to discharge their contents in torrents.
The cab driver leapt down from his seat and opened the door for the women. Harriet was the first out and into a puddle soaking the hem of her black dress. Agatha soon followed and the two of them walked behind the black trail of mourners towards the grave side.
It was customary for only the immediate family to be at the open grave, while those just wishing to pay their respects gathered around at a respectful distance. Harriet and Agatha took shelter under a Rowan tree that was on top of a small grassy knoll. An ideal vantage point, thought Agatha, to watch out for any unusual activities.
There was a good turnout, despite the weather, for Thomas Carter funeral. Agatha spotted Inspector Cosgrove, who was accompanied by two uniformed constables. Then she saw Huntly-Smythe standing with, who she presumed, were members of staff from the museum.
At the grave side she spotted who she thought was Thomas widow, but she was so overcome with grief that she had to be carried away. Then, Agatha saw the minister go over to the pile of freshly dug earth and scoop some up in a little trowel. He then gave the trowel to a small lady that Agatha had missed the first time. This was obviously Thomas’s widow.
Agatha watched as a young man of medium build placed his arm around Thomas's widow. With the weight of emotion bearing down on her, she was finding it a struggle to stand. She too almost collapsed, as she let loose the small sod of earth onto the lid of her husband's coffin. With the torrential rain drumming against their umbrella's, Agatha and Harriet found it increasingly difficult to hear the minister's closing his service.
Agatha could see the minister look over in the direction of the two rain-soaked grave diggers. They both returned their caps to their heads and started to load up the freshly excavated soil into their wheelbarrows.
Family mourners were now moving away from the grave just leaving non-family members to pass on their condolence to Phoebe Carter.
Harriet and Agatha now moved closer to the grieving widow. “Please accept our deepest sympathy.” said Harriet.
“Thank you,” said the unknown man accompanying Phoebe. His voice was soft and he sounded sincere.
“Were you colleagues of my brother?” he asked Harriet and Agatha.
“No,” said Agatha, “Just patrons of the museum.”
“I see.” he gave the two women a bow and was about to escort his sister-in-law away, when Agatha asked.
“And your name sir?”
“I’m sorry. James Carter.” And with half a smile, he added. “Now, if you excuse me.”
The rain had at last started to ease, and for the first time in two days, the sun broke through the clouds. Harriet and Agatha shook the rain drops off their umbrella’s and were about to leave the cemetery, when they could hear what sounded like raised voices behind them.
On turning back towards the grave side, the two police constables that had accompanied Inspector Cosgrove, were now arm in arm with Phoebe Carter!
Harriet and Agatha not believing what they were seeing, went back over to James and Phoebe. Agatha could hear James Carter say to the Inspector. “Surely, you must be mistaken! She wouldn’t do a thing like that!”
“Stand back Mr Carter if you please.” instructed the Inspector.
As Phoebe Carter tried to squirm herself free from the grip of the two constables, Inspector Cosgrove placed his right-hand upon her shoulder. “Phoebe Mary Carter, I’m arresting you on the suspicion of murdering your husband, Thomas Robert Carter. You are not obliged to say anything now, but if you do it will be written down and used against you in a court of law. Do you understand the charges?”
Phoebe sobbed uncontrollably, and James tried to free her from the clutches of the policemen constables
“Mr Carter! I shall not warn you again, please stand away!” barked the Inspector.
Both Harriet and Agatha took James by the arms. He was a strong man and it took all their strength to lead him away.
“Mrs Carter, do you understand the charges?” repeated Cosgrove.
Phoebe this time managed a weak ‘Yes.’
“Thank you. Constables you may now take her away!”
Some of the press that had been waiting outside the cemetery were rewarded with this unusual turn of events. Flash bulbs strobed as Phoebe Carter was manhandled into the back of the waiting Black Mariah, which Agatha failed to spot on arrival at the cemetery amid the other black carriages. As Mrs Carter was driven away, the pack of newshounds gave chase hoping to get one last picture.
Standing at the gates, Agatha watched too, as Phoebe Carter was being driven away. This had changed everything; her instincts told her Cosgrove had arrested the wrong person. And if she couldn’t convince him of that, by the time she had to leave to go back to her time, then an innocent woman was going to the gallows!
To be continued...
© Alice White
