eased the rotting collar round so that he could see the metal tag. “
? Weeping on Wednesday ?
Twenty-Four
Rosie and Sebastian sat at the kitchen table, silently staring at each other. They were shocked and grieving. For an hour, they had talked about Sebastian’s grisly discovery, speculated on who could have done it, and – most of all – why? The most likely explanation, Sebastian decided, was a tramp in the woods, an unhinged tramp who was scared by the sudden appearance of Anna and the dog. Tramps often carried knives for cutting up food, or opening tins, and he could have used a heavy handle to finish off poor Rick. Maybe he hadn’t meant to kill him, but just stun him to stop him barking, so that he could get away quickly.
“Get away from the frightening sight of a defenceless young girl?” countered Rosie, who was not impressed by this theory.
“But a tramp out in the woods in that wintry weather would not be a rational human being, Rosie,” Sebastian explained patiently. “Panic probably took over. Then after Anna had gone, the tramp buried Rick to cover his tracks.” He was trying hard to convince himself, as well as Rosie. He had a recurring mental picture of a neat, middle-aged woman hoofing it through the trees next day…In other words, Enid Abraham, with muddy hands.
Rosie, who could read her husband’s thoughts, said, “Well, what about that time you and Bill found Enid in the woods? She’s not a tramp, and is a perfectly rational human being. So far as we know…”
“That was another occasion entirely,” Sebastian said. “And she lives right by the woods, just like us, and would naturally go in there for a walk. We do, all the time.”
“Mm.” Rosie got up from the table. “Might as well make a cup of tea. I’ve gone off the idea of the auction. What are you going to do, anyway? I suppose we should tell the police? After all, now we know Anna wasn’t making it up, we should do something to show we believe her. Are you going to tell her you’ve found Rick?”
Sebastian was silent for a minute. “Oh, I dunno, Rosie,” he said finally. “I don’t want to alarm the girl, or make her too nervous to go out with the kids. Perhaps it would be best to keep it to ourselves for a bit, until I’ve done some thinking. I shall go back and collect him. Take him to the surgery and see if I can get a better idea of what killed him.”
“I’d be happier if you told the police.” The thought of their beloved Rick reduced to a decomposing corpse, being taken to bits – even if it was by Seb – like a laboratory specimen, set her off weeping again.
“Oh, come on, love, pull yourself together,” Sebastian said. He was only too familiar with grown men and women sobbing their hearts out in the surgery as he prepared to ease their pets into whatever animal heaven awaited them. He had always respected this raw emotion, and sometimes felt tears prick his own eyes. Dogs, particularly, were heartrending in the way they looked at their owners, trusting that they wouldn’t let them down. And, in a way, they didn’t. Sebastian often thought it would be a good thing if human beings, lingering on in great pain and with no possibility of recovery, could be ‘put to sleep’. It was a daily event in the surgery, and he’d never had a moment’s doubt.
Rosie scrubbed at her face with a tissue, and gave him a watery smile. “Seb,” she said, “I think there’s only one thing to do now.”
“What’s that then?” said Sebastian, dreading that Rosie would demand an emergency call to Tresham Police Station asking for the Chief Inspector to come out to the scene of the crime immediately. He misjudged her.
“We’ll go to the view day of the auction after all,” she said. “I saw the catalogue the other day…one of the mums had it outside the school. There was this rather nice-sounding display cabinet…just what I’m looking for. D’you think it would be all right to go…not heartless?”
Sebastian sighed with relief. “Good girl,” he said. “I’ll sort things out while you tell Anna we’re going.”
He disappeared out into the yard and Rosie turned off the kettle. She quickly tidied things away and picked up a scrap of paper from the table. About to screw it up and bin it, she saw handwriting. Ah, yes, Seb had said Enid mentioned a Labrador breeder who’d be sure to have puppies. Well, now they could go ahead, absolutely sure that Rick was not coming back. She smoothed out the paper and tucked it into the kitchen drawer, noticing with mild surprise that Enid’s script was all in spiky capitals.
¦
By the time they reached the grand country house, they had about an hour before the view day closed. “Let’s go straight to the display cabinet,” said Rosie, and looked up the lot number in her catalogue.
“Oh, Seb! It’s just what I’ve been looking for!” Rosie was ecstatic, and Sebastian shushed her, saying they didn’t want everyone to spot it.
“No chance of that one going at a bargain price,” said a voice at his elbow. It was Bill Stockbridge, grinning at them and holding hands with a good-looking girl he introduced as ‘my Rebecca’.
“We’ve already marked it down,” she said. “Got just the place for it in the cottage.” She and Rosie eyed each other competitively. Their smiles had a definite edge. It was a cut-throat business buying at auction.
“Seen anything else you like?” said Sebastian, changing the subject tactfully. Bill and Rebecca had made a short list. Furniture in the cottage was still a bit sparse, and they’d spotted a sofa and a couple of bookcases they hoped to get.
“Coming tomorrow, then?” said Rosie lightly. Rebecca nodded. “My head teacher has very kindly given me time off…she’ll cover for me for the time it takes. All the lots I’m interested in are coming up before lunch.”
“Well, then,” said Rosie, “I shall see you here. I expect the dealers will push up the prices. They usually do, at quality sales like this.”
Bill and Sebastian had wandered off to look at an old bag of golf clubs. “Look at this – hickory shafts!” Bill said. He pulled one out and tried a few practice swings, narrowly missing a small woman coming suddenly round the corner.
“Enid!” Bill was mortified and apologetic. “I thought you were working this afternoon?”
“I am, just on my way,” she said. “I was just having a quick look around. I love auction sales, as I said to Mr Charrington.” She turned to smile at Sebastian, who had difficulty returning the smile. “Glad to see you took my advice,” she said. “Did Mrs Charrington find a cabinet?” Sebastian nodded mutely. All he could think of was the rotting body of his dog in a rough grave in the woods.
“Well, I must be off,” Enid said happily, looking at her watch. “Mustn’t be late, or I shall be getting New Brooms a bad name,” she added. “And that won’t do, will it, Bill?”
After she’d gone, Bill looked at Sebastian and said, “You all right, mate?”
Sebastian nodded. “Yes, I’m fine,” he said, “but I think there’s something I should tell you. Remember that day we went looking for Rick in the woods, and we didn’t find him? Well…”
¦
Rebecca was subdued that evening, and in the middle of a television programme that neither of them was really watching, Bill switched off.
“All right,” he said, “come on, let’s have it. What’s bothering you?”
“Nothing.”
“Rebecca!”
“OK then, there is something. But you’ll be cross.”
“Try me,” said Bill.
Rebecca pushed her hair back from her face and twisted it at the nape of her neck. “Well, it’s those people we met today. The Charringtons.”
“What about them?”
“Didn’t you say Enid worked for them?”
“Yes, she does. She’d been there today, as a matter of fact. Why?”
“Well, she went to Uncle Christopher the other day, filling in for Bridie Reading – is that her name? – and he told me something really odd. Seems Rosie Charrington told one of uncle’s young mums…he’s started a family service in church, and she’s a regular…”
Bill shook his head as if to clear it. “Could you stick to the point, Rebecca duckie,” he said. “Now, your uncle
