Carruthers Demise, chapters forty and forty one (standard:drama, 3007 words) [22/24] show all parts
Author: Brian Cross	Added: Jul 28 2013	Views/Reads: 2404/1739	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
The killer is exposed in my drama. But is there more foul work at play?

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

hugging his midriff. ‘Whoa, whoa, he breathed, ‘that's certainly a 
change of attitude.' 

‘Is it over? I mean the shots...' 

‘More by luck than anything,' Noades nodded. ‘Adrian spotted me, as I
feared he'd found out that Chelsey had been freed. As I approached the 
car he ran out of the woods setting the dog on me. The dog bounded 
towards me but collided with his knee. He had the gun in his hand and 
as he lost his balance it went off...' Noades broke off, grimaced. ‘I 
reckon the bullet passed straight through his neck.'  He sighed, 
released himself from Casey's hold. ‘I really didn't like that dog. It 
had grabbed my leg in its jaws but I'd had hold of the pistol by then.' 
He wiped his brow, soaking from a mixture of dew and sweat, ‘So folks I 
guess it's all over. All we need do now is wait for the police – no 
need to bolt...' 

‘Have you got the gun?' Casey asked, ‘I mean in case he isn't dead?'
‘No. I tossed it somewhere or other. Perhaps I should have held on to 
it, the police will want it no doubt.' Noades shrugged. ‘But believe 
me, he's dead alright.' 

Carruthers gave Chelsey a hug, nodded. ‘We all owe you hugely...' and
then frowning, ‘But I still can't understand your association with 
him.' Noades raised his head, expelled air as he forked a hand through 
his fair hair. ‘Worst thing I ever did, offering to repay a favour.' 

‘Repay a favour?' Casey narrowed her eyes. ‘What do you mean?' 

‘In a minute. I need to call the police from a land-line, mobiles are no
good here as you've probably found out, the only place that gets a 
signal is the hayloft where Chelsey was...' 

‘Then why the hell didn't you call from the hayloft? Or for that matter
why wait until now when you could have made it when you first guided us 
here?' Chelsey, ashen faced in the light of the lounge lamp, eyed him 
with suspicion. 

Noades halted by the passageway door, his impatience showing through.
‘Because time was of the essence for heaven's sake – as it was, it was 
only luck that saved the day.' He strode into the passage, snatching 
the phone from its wall mounting as Carruthers, fingering his chin, 
turned to the women. ‘That would explain the phone conversations I had 
with Adrian, there was sometimes the sound of a dog in the background – 
and then the time I heard Chelsey shout. I thought it was my mind 
playing tricks on me but...' 

‘But you were right.' Chelsey bit her lip. ‘I managed to loosen my gag,
it slipped. I tried to call you...' 

‘Can't he hurry up,' Casey interrupted, constantly clenching and
unclenching her fingers. ‘I want to get this whole sorry business over 
with...' 

‘Huh, that's a laugh!' Chelsey tossed her head back. ‘You want this over
with, what about me? I'm the one who's been through hell here – whereas 
you...' 

‘Damn you!' Casey raced across the room, launched a punch before
Carruthers could intervene but Chelsey, although weakened by her 
ordeal, saw it coming and reeled aside. 

Before she had a chance to lash again, Carruthers had grabbed her around
the waist, lifted her off her feet and as she struggled furiously, 
carried her away from Chelsey. 

‘You wanna try that again? Chelsey scowled, surging forward, thrusting
her face out tauntingly. 

‘Stop this!' Carruthers bellowed, and Chelsey, surprised by the fury in
his voice dropped  her aggressive stance, while Casey, her breath drawn 
by Carruthers firm grasp, merely scowled back before all heads turned 
as one, as Noades re-entered the room. 

  

Chapter Forty One 

‘The police are on their way; all we need do now is wait.' Chelsey
crossed her arms, closed up to Noades and looked him in the eye. ‘Okay, 
if we're to wait here until the police show up – and this time let's 
hope they do – then we might as well have your explanation – for what 
it's worth.' 

Noades shoved his hands in his pockets, tilted his head. ‘Alright. I'm a
journalist by profession, as was Adrian. My career was going nowhere 
until he got me my first big break a few years back. He had contacts 
with a local newspaper in Dorset and put a first class recommendation 
in for me. I figured I owed him a favour for starting me out on the 
road, and so when he called asking that I arrange a rendezvous location 
with his cherished sister...' Noades broke off for an instant, looking 
apologetically into Chelsey's furious eyes – ‘I'm sorry, those were his 
words – I agreed to oblige. I suggested the location to you at the 
hotel and then advised Adrian.' 

‘He called me at the picnic spot,' Chelsey cut in, turning to
Carruthers. ‘I was heading to the toilets, he said he wanted a chat in 
private but when I met him at the car he seemed agitated, insisted we 
took a short drive – he said it wouldn't take long. I couldn't call you 
– I couldn't find my phone but I didn't think a lot of it – I mean 
that's the way Adrian was.' Chelsey shrugged, forked her fingers across 
her temples. ‘Prelude to a nightmare as it turned out. I ended up in 
this godforsaken place, hadn't a clue where it was – but before we got 
here he insisted on that chat being over coffee – so he pulled in to a 
roadside café. Worse thing that could have happened; I guess he slipped 
something into my drink because I don't seem to recall a lot thereafter 
– not until I ended up bound in that barn.' 

‘For you and me both,' Carruthers snorted. ‘We found your phone at the
spot.' He groped for his cigarettes, lit one without asking Noades' 
permission and fixed his stare on him. ‘You came back to look for her 
with me – you knew how concerned I was. Why couldn't you at least have 
told me what was going on?' 

Noades gave a sigh. ‘Adrian said he wanted time undisturbed. I had no
way of knowing things would turn out the way they have – I merely 
thought I was giving him time.' 

‘Even to the extent of arranging his stay on the farm?' 

‘I tried to find him suitable accommodation, searched long and hard...' 

‘Even to the extent of using an alias, Robert Bodes I believe, wasn't
it?' Carruthers cut in edgily. 

‘Now look, I know I took alternative lodgings for a while, if there was
to be any comeback from this, I didn't want it falling on me. I knew 
what I was doing was underhand, that was why I took the precautions I 
did, but no way could I have known it would come to this, don't think I 
feel good about this – dammit I'm not prepared to be cross-examined by 
you!' Noades blasted in his first flash of real anger. ‘I might not 
have handled things very well but I never expected this – Adrian didn't 
seem the type.' 

‘And I never suspected my brother was capable of this – this...' he was
always simmering but never...' Chelsey broke up, thrusting her palms 
over her eyes. 

‘Didn't you Chelsey, didn't you really?' 

Chelsey gazed at Carruthers, open-mouthed, wide eyed. She looked so
abject he didn't push the question. ‘Well never mind, but the police 
will be sure to ask, they'll need some pointers to what caused him to 
act this way.' His eyes roamed the room and then he frowned. ‘Where the 
hell's Casey gone?' He glanced towards the passageway. 

‘Wrong direction.' 

His frown deepened. ‘What?' 

Chelsey lowered her head in the direction of the door. ‘She slipped out
while we were arguing.' 

Carruthers strode for the door. ‘Why didn't you say?' 

Chelsey threw out her hands. ‘Why should I? She's a free agent.' 

‘She's not been in a good frame of mind, lately, not herself at all. We
can't let her walk back alone.' 

‘Why not?' Chelsey's voice, harsh in his ears, but Carruthers ignored
it, stepping out into a dawn throwing fingers of light that were 
beginning to lift the darkness. 

He looked right, through the trees to where the driveway would hit the
open road, but saw nothing. But Casey couldn't have been gone for more 
than a minute or two and even in the poor light he would have seen 
something. 

Carruthers glanced to his left, towards the farmhouse and thought he saw
a small figure move, as if someone had crouched down. Hunching his 
shoulders in the chilly morning air Carruthers headed towards the 
house, where Adrian's car stood, and just over to the right on the 
waterlogged drive where a body lay prostrate, sure enough he saw 
Casey's figure stooped over it. 

She rose to her feet upon laying eyes on him, thrusting her hands deep
into her jacket pockets. ‘Casey, what the hell are you doing here?' 

‘What does it look like?' Casey's reply was frosty, as if she resented
his presence. ‘I was making sure he was dead; for all we know it might 
have been a trick.' 

Casey brushed past Carruthers as he stared at the motionless body
sprawled on the ground. ‘Looks like the police have finally turned up.' 


‘Thank heavens for that.' Carruthers glanced along the drive and then
raised his head skyward as if to endorse his thoughts. ‘And now perhaps 
we can all go home.' 

‘Except one...' Casey gazed back at Adrian's body and Carruthers raised
his brows. 

‘You sound as if you'll miss him. Come on, let's join the party,' he
said wearily. Ahead he saw Higginbotham emerge from a squad car 
accompanied by three uniformed officers, whilst behind, flashing blue 
lights indicated another response unit. 

Higginbotham spotted them, gestured to his officers to attend Noades'
house and then hurried in their direction. The response unit swerved 
round Higginbotham's car and followed the sergeant along the drive, 
passing him and pulling to a halt alongside Adrian's body. 

‘If you'll wait here, please.' Higginbotham laid a hand on Carruthers'
shoulder before striding forward and examining Adrian, the occupants of 
the response vehicle soon joining him. 

As Higginbotham got to his feet, Carruthers saw Noades and Chelsey
emerging from the gate house in the company of the remaining officers. 
Higginbotham, returning to Carruthers' side, waited for the approaching 
party to reach them before he spoke. 

‘I'm pleased to see you're well, Mrs. Carruthers, it seems you've had a
harrowing ordeal.' He turned to Casey. ‘We did despatch a unit to a 
location given by Miss Jennings in a note, but unfortunately it proved 
to be a little wide of the mark.' 

‘I can hardly be blamed for that; I'm not a native of the area.' 

‘Nobody's blaming you, Miss Jennings.' Higginbotham said, switching his
attention to Noades. ‘I understand from what you say that 
Frampton-Williams shot himself whilst in the process of trying to shoot 
you.' 

Noades looked towards the body and nodded. ‘His dog sprung forward,
lunging for me and collided with him. He stumbled, the gun went off and 
the bullet passed right through his neck. I shot his dog. No 
apologies.' 

Higginbotham looked to the ground behind them, the light was still poor
but his men were searching for something. ‘The weapon, Mr. Noades, I 
take it you have it in your possession?' 

Noades shook his head. ‘No, I tossed it aside. I'm afraid I've no idea
where it landed.' 

Higginbotham took a deep breath, let it out slowly. ‘Well, no doubt
we'll find it once the light improves.' He turned to Chelsey. ‘I'll 
need an account from you, Mrs. Carruthers, something for the Inspector 
to go on when he arrives here – he'll no doubt require statements from 
you all – we need to understand why this man acted the way he did.' His 
eyes travelled over Casey and Chelsey as they glared at each other but 
neither spoke. ‘In any event,' he continued, ‘we appear to have found 
the killer of both Mr. Goldhawk and Mr. Foulkes, but I'll leave such 
judgements to the Inspector.' 

‘Alexander, dead?' Chelsey squinted. 

Carruthers nodded. ‘You'll find fragments of Chelsey's diary inside the
house, sergeant.' He threw an apologetic look in her direction. ‘Sorry, 
I haven't had a chance to tell you – but yes, and you were prime 
suspect thanks to Adrian's sick mind.' 

Higginbotham sniffed, addressed the gathered party. ‘Well, you're all at
liberty to go about your business. I'm sure you'll be more than happy 
to do that.' 

‘Won't we just.' Chelsey, her face pale and drawn in the gathering
morning light looped a hand around Carruthers' arm. ‘Let's get our 
stuff together and go...' shooting a glance at Casey, she added, ‘just 
the two of us.' 

‘I wouldn't dream of intruding,' Venom flared in Casey's eyes as she
stared out Chelsey, and then Higginbotham broke into the exchange. ‘The 
Inspector will of course be in touch with you, sooner rather than 
later, no doubt. However it does seem that this unfortunate business 
can be concluded.' 

‘We can't let Casey walk back,' Carruthers protested. 

‘Why all this concern about her?' 

‘Will you...' Carruthers' anger rose at the continuing hostility between
the two but Higginbotham intervened. ‘If I might suggest in the 
circumstances that I drop Miss Jennings off? We are returning to 
Lyndhurst when all said and done.' 

‘Thanks Sergeant.' Carruthers turned away, glad that another potential
flashpoint had been avoided, and then he had a thought. ‘I'm afraid 
we're stuck here for a while, Chelsey.' 

‘What do you mean – this is no time to play...' 

‘He means that one of Adrian's little tricks was to immobilise the car.'
Noades ventured forward, leading the way along the track towards the 
back entrance to the farm. ‘But I might have an answer to that.' 


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