‘Pain?’ Dora asked.
‘Death is often painful, my child, even if the suffering lasts for a brief time. Unless one passes away in their sleep, of course. Phillip must have endured pain for a few moments.’
‘I have two requests for you, Father,’ Athreya interposed softly. ‘We need your help.’
‘At your service, Mr. Athreya. What can I do for you and the stricken household at Greybrooke Manor?’
‘Phillip was killed sometime during the night, and I am making enquiries to see if we can find anything that points to how and why he was killed. I have spoken to everyone at the mansion, and I thought I must speak to you too.’
‘Certainly.’ Father Tobias blinked rapidly, and gazed at him with muddled benevolence. ‘How can I help?’
‘You spent the night at the annex. Did you happen to hear or see anything during the night that might help us understand this crime?’
The cleric bowed his head and stayed silent for a long moment, trying to remember.
‘Sebastian very kindly showed me to my room after dinner,’ he said slowly, at length. ‘Once there, I removed my cassock, washed and said my thanks for the night before retiring to bed. One of the blessings I enjoy is that of deep, undisturbed sleep. I slept soundly till about five in the morning, when I rose out of habit, said my prayers and left the estate.
‘Unfortunately, I didn’t hear anything during the night, neither from the chapel nor elsewhere. Poor Phillip. He must have had no time to shout. I’m sorry, Mr. Athreya, I wish I had some information that could throw light on this tragedy. But don’t be disheartened. Our prayers will be answered, and light will dawn on this affair.’
‘Did you see or hear anyone when you left early in the morning, Father?’
‘Only Bahadur at the gate. Nobody else.’
‘Did you hear any voices or sounds from the rose garden or the rock garden?’
Father Tobias shook his head slowly.
‘Did you pass anyone on the road?’
‘No…it was still dark when I left. The few people who might have been about at that time would have been in their houses that day. It had been an unusually murky night.’
‘It was,’ Athreya agreed. ‘And you had lost your way until you saw the lights of Greybrooke Manor. Did you pass anyone or hear any voices when you were approaching the estate?’
‘Once again, I am forced to answer in the negative. I’m sorry; I can’t throw any light on this tragedy. But, as I said, the Lord will show the way, don’t fret. Light will shine on the misdeeds of men. All will be revealed.’
‘Thank you, Father,’ Athreya replied with a bowed head. ‘With your blessings, I’m sure it will. My other request is to ask you if you recognize any of these things.’ Athreya opened a cardboard shoebox with a number of items and showed it to the cleric. On top was a dark-blue silk scarf, which Father Tobias picked up and examined.
‘No,’ he said. ‘I don’t recognize it.’
He dropped the scarf into the lid of the shoebox and picked up the next item. It was a silver cigar case with intricate carvings depicting the three kings visiting the infant Jesus on the night of His birth. The gleaming silver box was coated with clear lacquer to keep it from tarnishing.
‘Ah!’ the cleric exclaimed, as he picked it up appreciatively and opened it. ‘A beautiful piece. This is from Mr. Fernandez’s collection, isn’t it?’
‘Are you sure, Father?’
‘Yes, I’ve seen it in the display case next to the dining room door. And this next one …’ He dropped the silver box and picked up a glass paperweight. ‘Is from Mr Fernandez’s study.’
The paperweight had small purplish bubbles frozen in the glass, and at the centre was a splash in an eye-catching shade of bright red.
‘You are an observant man, Father,’ Athreya commented. ‘I am hoping you would recognize this, too.’
He pulled out his mobile phone and showed the priest the photograph of the dagger they had recovered from the stream. After gazing at it for long moment, Father Tobias shook his head.
‘No, what an evil thing it is. Is it the murder weapon?’
‘Yes.’ A disappointed Athreya pocketed his mobile phone and closed the shoebox. ‘Thank you, Father.’
‘I will come to the estate after the Sunday morning service tomorrow,’ Father Tobias said, turning to Dora and blinking rapidly. ‘If there is anything I can do to ease the pain, I will be delighted to do it. And we must hold a service for poor Phillip.’
‘If you could let me know when you wish to come, Father,’ Dora said, ‘Manu or I will come and pick you up.’
‘Thank you, my child. Meanwhile, if you need me there at any time, do tell me. I will come immediately. Please ask your uncle when he would like to hold a memorial service.’
* * *
Back at Greybrooke Manor, Athreya strolled through the dining room into the kitchen, where dinner was being prepared. He complimented the cook and her helping girls on the previous night’s excellent dinner. Having missed lunch, he sat down and snacked on some of the dishes Bhuvana was preparing for dinner.
As he munched, he struck up a casual conversation, which Bhuvana and her girls were more than willing to participate in. They had heard about his interviewing the others, and showed an unholy interest in anything he had to say.
It turned out that one of the girls had heard the whir of the wheelchair sometime at night, but was unable to pinpoint the time. Murugan, who was also in the kitchen, dismissed it as a combination of fertile imagination and morbid curiosity.
‘Sebastian tells me that the front door had been kept unlocked last night,’ Athreya said to Murugan. ‘Is that right?’
‘Yes, sir. Those were Mr. Fernandez’s instructions. Guests were to be completely free to come and go as they pleased.’
‘I see that you keep the doors in good condition. The bolts of the front door are lubricated with just the
