Carruthers' Demise, Chapters Twenty & Twenty One (standard:drama, 2788 words) [11/24] show all parts
Author: Brian Cross	Added: Jan 05 2012	Views/Reads: 2386/1803	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Carruthers is finding out that Casey Jennings is not quite the person he thought she was. Continuation of my drama.

Chapter Twenty 

Carruthers rejected the idea of calling Adrian's home number, of late it
had gone unanswered, and phoning his mobile instead, he was greeted by 
an unusually breathless voice. 

‘I take it this isn't a convenient time?' Carruthers enquired,
perplexed. 

‘Not particularly.' He heard Adrian take a deep breath. ‘Been doing a
spot of jogging, have you any news?' 

‘Something you're not going to like,' Carruthers said grimly. 

‘I trust you're not bearing bad news about Chelsey?' Adrian asked, his
voice on a downward curve. 

‘No, there's no word.' Carruthers bit his lip. ‘But they're not ruling
out Chelsey's involvement in Goldhawk's death – or mine either for that 
matter.' 

‘What the hell have you said to make them suspect her?' Adrian demanded
angrily. 

‘Nothing – nothing at all.' Carruthers stiffened; he'd been expecting an
accusation of some kind from the arrogant son of a bitch. 

‘Well you must have said something. They should be concerned for her
safety, not treating her as if...' 

‘Look just let me finish...' Carruthers shouted over him, finally losing
his cool with Chelsey's brother. ‘They've got grounds for suspicion – 
that's what the Inspector says – I don't know what they are, they won't 
tell me.' 

‘To be brutally honest, I can imagine them suspecting you, Carruthers,
but Chelsey? The thought of that makes my blood boil.' 

Carruthers swallowed his resentment, took a deep breath; the spectre of
Noades raised its head, he thought about revealing his own suspicions 
to Adrian but the atmosphere was sour enough already, and besides, 
Adrian's superior voice began to grind into his ears once more. 

‘Well, if there's nothing else I need a shower, it's jolly hot and I'm
sweating like a pig – but don't you go running down Chelsey – I'll hold 
it against you if you do.' 

Carruthers ignored the warning but took pleasure in his final remark:
‘Oh – and by the way, you can expect a visit from the police, too. I've 
been asked to compile a list of family friends and acquaintances.' 

Carruthers slammed down the phone, how good it felt to be having the
last word. It didn't feel good to be home though, particularly without 
Chelsey to share it with, but he'd been strongly advised to remain in 
the area – thus he'd adhere to it, at least for the night. In the 
longer term though, he had unfinished business in the New Forest. 

Rather than sit around anxiously clicking his fingers, Carruthers
elected to pay Casey a visit – her Ealing Common home being just a few 
miles from his. If he couldn't run his thoughts through Adrian – and 
that wouldn't have been wise anyway – Casey would listen, he was sure 
of that. 

Listening to his car radio on the journey across to Casey's house, the
hourly news report carried an account of Goldhawk's murder – ‘the 
police are conducting urgent enquiries,' the report said, though there 
was no mention of any suspects and Carruthers was thankful for that; 
for the moment at least, he and Chelsey went unmentioned by the press. 

It took Carruthers only fifteen minutes to reach Casey's house on the
northern fringe of the Common; the white-washed three storey town house 
stood neat and bright in the evening sunlight. 

Carruthers pulled into Casey's driveway and parked behind her car, upon
alighting becoming aware of her rich voice which sounded as if it came 


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