Dark Room

examination today, but a preliminary examination revealed nothing of significance.

·        A reading of Harris's diaries, in conjunction with the evidence of friends and relations, suggests that Harris & Wallader had an ongoing, if spasmodic, sexual relationship for some eleven years. In addition, it is now clear that Harris was sexually involved with Russell Landy both before and during his marriage to Jane Kingsley.

·        There is evidence that Harris had an abortion in February 1984, some five days aifter Landy's murder, although it is unclear who the father was. Some indication that it may not have been Wallader or Landy. Her diaries reveal a promiscuous personality, as borne out by her brother's evidence.

·        There remain question marks over the Harris family. Clear indication of tension, neither Simon nor Rev. H. had much time for Meg, with both expressing preference for Jane Kingsley (bizarre in the circumstances); Mrs. H., on the other hand, seems overly fond of Meg and angry/jealous (?) of Jane.

·        A twenty-five-year-old psychological assessment of Wallader, supplied by his mother, describes a child with a severe personality disorder.

·        The Walladers mention an argument on Monday, May 30, during which Leo claimed he planned to marry Meg instead. He phoned later that evening to warn his parents not to say anything until he gave them the go-ahead. In the event, the go-ahead was not given until Saturday, June 11, although Sir Anthony & Lady W. cannot account for the delay.

·        Current estimate of Wallader's wealth, held in property, stocks and shares, and gold: L1.1 million. According to his solicitor, Wallader consistently refused to make a Will, so there is none in existence.

·        Harris informed her parents of events on Saturday, June 11. On the same day she also phoned her business partner and two friends, with the information. We can find no one who was privy to the facts prior to Saturday, June 11. She told her business partner she would be in the offtoe on Monday, June 13. (NB: Harris's diary entries are erratic. There are empty weeks, followed by a day, or days, fully recorded. There are no entries after Monday, May 18, and no mention of Leo Wallader, by name, since December 1993, when she writes that after all these years she has finally introduced Leo to Jinx.)

·        According to her partner, she did not visit her office on Monday, June 13.

·        NB: Entry in Harris's diary, following Kingsley's marriage to Landy, reads as follows: 'Since becoming unattainable, Russell is so much more attractive.' Echoed, in April 1994, by the following: 'Jinx tells me she is taking the plunge again. I knew I would live to regret that introduction.'

·        According to Mr. & Mrs. Kingsley's statements of Tuesday, June 14 (following Jane Kingsley's accident), they were informed by telephone of their daughter's canceled wedding on Saturday, June 11. This is supported by the evidence of Colonel Eric Clancey who stated, also at the time of the accident, that Jane Kingsley told him about her changed wedding plans on June 11.

·        The evidence of Mr. & Mrs. Kingsley (taken after the accident) is that Jane spent the week from Saturday, June 4, to Friday, June 10, at Hellingdon Hall. She appeared to be in good spirits, made no mention of the row with Leo, and discussed preparations for the wedding as if it were going ahead.

·        Jane Kingsley's own evidence in an interview conducted 28.6.94 is that she cannot remember anything since June 4. She admits to knowing about Harris's affair with Landy, though claims she only learned about it after Landy's death. She claims not to remember being told about Wallader & Harris but this is disputed by the Wallader parents' testimony which states Leo told her on the afternoon of Monday, May 30 (i.e., prior to memory loss from June 4). DI Maddocks is convinced she remembers more than she says, and this would seem to be borne out by the above.

·        Miss Kingsley admits she believes her father could have ordered Landy's death but does not believe he did so. She can offer no evidence in support, other than her own conviction that he would not have allowed her to find the body. There is some merit in this argument if Kingsley is fond of her.

·        A possibly related incident occurred at the Nightingale Clinic during the night of Monday, June 27. Dr. Protheroe, the clinic' s director, was attacked by an intruder with a sledgehammer. Miss Kingsley has been a patient of his for some ten days, and in addition Dr. Protheroe was visited by Kingsley's solicitor during the afternoon of June 27.

·        Protheroe escaped relatively unscathed; however, the weapon was found later in an outbuilding at the Nightingale by a member of the security staff who states it belongs to the clinic. This is supported by preliminary forensic tests which have found no blood/hair/tissue on the hammer head but some paint from Protheroe's car, which was badly damaged during the assault. This would suggest his assailant was well acquainted with the layout of the clinic grounds and points to a past or present patient, or possibly a visitor. Protheroe described his attacker as male, 5'10' or 5'11' and of medium build. The assailant was dressed in black and wearing a ski mask or similar.

·        Miss Kingsley is 5' 10' and of slim build. However, (1) the attack was at night, (2) DI Haddocks is of the opinion that Protheroe is doing his utmost, for whatever reason, to protect his patient, (3) Miss Kingsley could have worn padding. One pointer that may be worth considering, assuming the incident to be related to the Landy/Wallader/Harris murders, is that Miss Kingsley is unquestionably weak following her accident and Protheroe had little trouble fighting off the attack. Dr. Clarke does not rule out a woman being capable of the attacks on Wallader & Harris. In addition, the heel marks on the bank near where the bodies were found do seem to imply that a woman was present at the scene.

·        Re: the Xandy murder. Miss Kingsley's alibi for the afternoon and early evening of February 1, 1984, was supplied by Miss Harris. In light of the new evidence that Harris and Landy were having an affair, and that Miss Kingsley may have known about it, this alibi is not as straightforward as it appeared at the time. Worth a second look. NB: Harris's diary says nothing on the subject, indeed does not mention Landy's murder at all.

IN CONCLUSION:

1.     Meg Harris clearly made a bid to win back both men after they had made serious commitments to Jane Kingsley. We only have Kingsley's word that she knew nothing about this and/or did not bear a grudge.

2.     It appears Wallader & Harris did not reveal their proposed marriage plans until shortly before they were due to leave for the relative safety of France.

3.     Jane Kingsley, too, saw fit to keep the secret.

4.     Their killer probably drove them to Ardingly Woods in his/her own car.

5.     On the most likely date of Wallader/Harris's deaths, Kingsley drove her car at a concrete stanchion only some twenty miles from Ardingly Woods.