6. Shortly after Kingsley's admission to the Nightingale Clinic, Dr. Protheroe was attacked with a weapon similar to Landy/Wallader/Harris.
The investigating team is concentrating its efforts on uncovering the movements of Wallader/Kingsley/Harris between May 30 and June 13. All relevant parties will be requestioned with a view to establishing a timetable of events.
Yours,
City Worries About Franchise Holdings
There was a sharp drop in the value of Franchise Holdings (FH) Ltd. shares yesterday, following the identification of one of the bodies found in Ardingly Woods last Thursday as Leo Wallader. Until recently, Wallader, a 35-year-old stockbroker, was engaged to Adam Kingsley's daughter, Jane, and the market has reacted to press speculation linking this murder to the murder of Kingsley's son-in-law, Russell Landy, ten years ago.
Concerns have been expressed for some time about who will succeed Adam Kingsley to the chairmanship, and it is these concerns that are fueling the present crisis. Adam Kingsley has a reputation for hands-on management and without his driving force, there are doubts about the future of Franchise Holdings.
A spokesman for the Company said this afternoon that investors are being panicked by irresponsible press coverage. 'There is no question of Adam Kingsley stepping down,' he said. 'Our investors have done well by us and will continue to do well for many years to come.'
However, City analysts are more skeptical. 'Franchise Holdings is a one-man band,' said a source. 'If Kingsley goes, the collapse in confidence will be catastrophic. Frankly, it will be a miracle if he can weather the present storm. The fear is that any investigation into Kingsley's affairs will uncover financial irregularities. The funding on some of his early acquisitions has never been adequately explained. It would be different if there was an obvious successor.'
Kingsley's sons. Miles, 26, and Fergus, 24, were expelled from public school for possession of drugs, and have been cautioned in the past for vandalism and theft. They are regulars at the various London casinos and at race meetings. Adam Kingsley's daughter, Jane, who owns and manages a successful photographic studio in South London, was married to Russell Landy for three years before his murder. Police have reopened the file since the death of her fiance.
*18*
WEDNESDAY, 29TH JUNE, CANNING ROAD POLICE STATION, SALISBURY-9:00 A.M.
WPC Blake noted the thunderclouds on DC Hadden's face as he pushed past her and shouldered his way through the double doors. 'What's up with Hadden?' she asked the Sergeant as she leaned her elbows on the front desk.
'Politics,' he grunted, preoccupied with some notes he was writing. 'He reckons the DC1 has given away the best case he's ever had.'
'Who to?'
'Hampshire police. He handed over a prime piece of evidence last night on the Ardingly Woods murders and Hadden's furious about it, claims he's the one who cracked the case and now no one's going to credit him with it.'
'What was the evidence?'
'The sledgehammer that was used to attack the doctor up at the Nightingale on Monday night,' the Sergeant told her.
Blake watched his busy pen for a moment. 'So what's the connection with Ardingly Woods? Sledgehammers come two-a-penny on building sites. What's so special about this one?'
'The dead man's fiancee is a patient at the Nightingale, and she appears to be in the habit of losing husbands and lovers to death by bludgeoning.' He glanced up from his notes. 'Jane Kingsley, daughter of Adam Kingsley. It's been all over the newspapers for the last couple of days.'
'I've been busy.'
He pushed a tabloid towards her and stabbed a double column with his pen. 'Hampshire gave a press briefing yesterday. It's all there.'
Blake took the paper and read the piece rapidly. 'Well, I can see why Hadden's pissed off,' she remarked, laying it back on the counter. 'Who do you reckon did it?'
He shrugged as he signed his name. 'All I know is I wouldn't want to be employed by Franchise Holdings if they arrest Adam Kingsley. According to the business pages, the shares are sliding already, and that's just
'Not bad.' She gave him a rundown of what she'd discovered. 'He was carrying a key ring with a black disc embossed with a gold F and H. Flossie thinks they might be his initials but I'm not keen to put that in the description in case she's wrong. What do you think?'
He stared at her thoughtfully for a moment or two, then picked up the newspaper and leafed through the pages, looking for the business section. Inset into the article on Franchise Holdings was a picture of the company's logo-entwined initials against a black background. He showed it to her. 'Something like that?'
'What are you, Sarge,' said Blake in amazement, 'a bloody magician?''
'Just a reader of newspapers. Would you believe, there are two degenerate sons as well as the hammer- wielding daughter?'
THE NIGHTINGALE CLINIC, SALISBURY-9:30 A.M.
The floor around Jinx's feet was awash with newspapers when Alan Protheroe knocked on her door at nine-
