Codename Angel (The Angel Chronicles Book 1) (3 page)

Chapter 4

The curious case of
Edith Jones

RAF Yeadon - South
Yorkshire – 10:09am

Friday 31
^st
July 1952

Frederick walked
carefully down the steps from the AS.57 Ambassador
aircraft where a
flight Officer was there to greet him.

‘Professor Frederick,
I’m Group Captain Walter Fletcher, the Air Ministry has provided a car for you.
I’ve been instructed to accompany you to the village of Ripley.’ Walter
Fletcher towered over Frederick. His Royal air force uniform was immaculate and
he had a grip of iron as he shook the Professor’s hand. Fletcher had piercing
eyes and receding black hair.

‘Thank you Group
Captain Fletcher, if we leave now we can get this over with quickly.’

Fletcher loaded
Frederick’s bags into a jet black 1940s Jowett Javelin saloon car. Grey clouds
lined the horizon as the car made its way out of the RAF base. ‘Been up this
way before have you Professor?’

‘I’ve been to
Harrogate on a number of occasions but not the surrounding area.’

‘Well the hotel
you’re staying at is really nice, good pint of beer.’

‘I’m not much of a
drinker I’m afraid, and this is an official visit.’

‘Suit yourself, I’ll
be staying there as well so if you change your mind.’

‘Thanks for the offer
but I’m fine.’

Fletcher nodded. ‘So
you’re up here investigating flying saucers.’

‘That’s right, I take
it you’ve been briefed?’

Fletcher nodded. ‘Yes
sir, and I understand the classified nature regarding the radar data. Do you
really think this bloke’s wife was kidnapped by a flying saucer?’

‘That’s what I’m here
to find out, although I think it’s a cock and bull story.’ Frederick glanced at
the flight officer. ‘What’s your opinion on flying saucers?’

Fletcher mused over
Frederick’s question. ‘I like to think I’ve been around, I flew Lancasters over
Germany during the war and saw a lot of strange stuff up there. But I dismissed
it as pressure under fire.’

‘You never filed a
report of any kind?’

‘It didn’t enter into
our heads. Besides it was enough to worry about the Luftwaffe trying to shoot
us out of the sky without having to worry about invaders from Mars.’ Fletcher
hesitated before continuing. ‘I remember one night time bombing mission over
Germany we were surrounded by these lights, different colours quite spectacular
to look at. We nicknamed them foo fighters.’

‘What do you think
they were?’ Frederick asked.

‘Don’t know, perhaps
some kind of natural phenomena which occurs at high altitude. There’s plenty
science still doesn’t know, could have been some kind of Nazi secret weapon.’

Frederick thought for
a moment. ‘Before I return to London do you think you could write an account of
what you saw during your missions during the war.’

‘I probably could, as
long as it won’t get me kicked out of the RAF. I heard a couple of stories
regarding on battle of Britain pilot being locked up because he saw something
strange whole out on a run.’

‘No, you can remain
totally anonymous I’m just interested in collecting witness accounts for now.
I’m not a believer in flying saucers, I’m just jumping through hoops for the
Air Ministry.’

Fletcher nodded. ‘I
fully understand sir.’

The car sped on out
into open countryside, and grey clouds advanced resulting in rain. The journey
took about an hour and a half. Typical of a northern village, Ripley boasted an
impressive castle owned by the same family who had lived on the site for about
800 years. The original village itself was demolished sometime in the
nineteenth century and remodelled after a village on the French German border.
The Boars Head Hotel had a spacious bar and restaurant. Frederick and Fletcher
checked in to their separate rooms and then met outside the hotel’s main
entrance. The rain had stopped and was now giving way to warm sunshine which
was quickly evaporating the surface water.

The Jones’ lived in
the street behind the hotel in a small terraced house. It took less than five
minutes to walk to the house.

Fletcher read from
the report as the men walked along the street. ‘Mr Jones reported his wife
missing on June 21
^st
. He claims that she disappeared the night
before on the 20
^th
. After his car started he headed for the local
bobby’s house but was unable to wake him. The following morning local police
called Harrogate who sent out ten police officers to assist in the search.
According to this, the owner of the castle Sir William Ingles rounded up all
his staff and village residents to look for Mrs Jones but they couldn’t find
her. Brian Jones had been questioned extensively by the police but they let him
go, they had no reason to suspect foul play.’

When they reached the
front door Frederick adjusted his tie and then turned to Fletcher. ‘Remember
let me do all the talking, you’re here as an objective witness.’

Fletcher stood to
attention and nodded stiffly. ‘Understood sir.’

Frederick knocked on
the door and stood patiently. Inside movement could be heard. After several
seconds the door creaked open to reveal a man. He was still in his pyjamas and
dressing gown, despite the fact it was afternoon. The man hadn’t shaven in some
time; a thick layer of stubble wrapped itself around his chin. Scruffy black
hair sprayed outwards.

Frederick removed his
trilby and smiled. ‘Mr Brian Jones.’

The man wrapped his
dressing gown tightly around him, and squinted at the daylight, the curtains to
the house had been drawn throughout the day. ‘Yes.’

‘I’m sorry to disturb
you, my name is Ralph Frederick and this is my colleague Group Captain Fletcher.
We are here on behalf of the Air Ministry regarding your experience last
month.’

Jones stared blankly
at Frederick. ‘The Air Ministry, I don’t understand you interviewed me three
weeks ago regarding my story, why are you here again?’

Frederick glanced at
Fletcher; he’d been caught off guard with Jones’ claim that the Air Ministry
had already been to interview him. The Professor quickly gathered his thoughts.
‘We are here to follow up on our last interview with you Mr Jones, just in case
you have recalled any detail you might have missed out last time.’

Jones nodded and
beckoned them in. The three men walked through a narrow hallway into a small
living room. Jones clearly relied on his wife to do the housework, but her
absence was now obvious. Dirty dishes were stacked up on a dining table.
Newspapers were piled up on the sofa, and piles of clothes had been dumped on
the floor and on the living room chairs. ‘Sorry about the mess, since the night
that Edith went missing I’ve let myself go a bit. Would you like a cup of tea?’

‘That’s alright Mr
Jones, we won’t take up too much of your time so tea won’t be necessary. If you
could just recall what happened that night we would be most grateful.’

Jones relayed his
story to Frederick while Fletcher sat on the arm of a chair jotting down notes.
Frederick listened as Jones talked about his experience trying his best to look
interested, but doubt plagued his thoughts. Jones sounded sincere but despite
this it didn’t convince Frederick that there was any truth to his story. When
Jones had finished the room fell silent for several seconds.

‘I think about it
time and time again, about the bright flash of light then the darkness, and I
still can’t believe it happened.’ Tears welled up in Jones’ eyes. ‘Where’s my
wife, where’s Edith and our baby.’ He started to sob. ‘Please bring her back,
bring them both back please god!’

Fletcher packed his
notepad away and looked at Frederick, who signalled for him to leave the room.

Frederick knelt down
to console the sobbing man. ‘Mr Jones, on behalf of the Air Ministry I’d like
to say how sorry I am about your wife. We will investigate this matter
thoroughly.’

‘But you won’t be
able to bring her back will you.’ Jones continued to sob.

‘I don’t know but I
promise you we will do everything in our power to find out what happened to
her. Mr Jones can you tell me why you decided to contact a newspaper about your
story?’

‘It wasn’t me who
contacted that newspaper it was my employer Sir Ingles.’ He wiped his nose on
his sleeve.

Frederick nodded
thinking about Jones’ earlier claims. ‘You say you had already been visited by
men from the Air Ministry, can you describe the men who interviewed you?’

Jones composed
himself. ‘There were three of them.’

‘Go on.’ Frederick
encouraged.

‘There was something
odd, they didn’t sound English more like European, I couldn’t quite guess. I
have also had American journalists call here as well, the Los Angeles Times,
they called last week.’

‘Really.’ Frederick
replied sounding puzzled. ‘Did they say how they heard about your story?’

‘They claimed the
Echo got in touch, just wanted to interview me. The News of The World has also
been in contact.’

Frederick nodded. ‘No
one else has been to see you?’

‘Sir William Ingles
was here yesterday with another man who was interested in my story, but that’s
about all, except for family and friends, and now you.’

Frederick smiled and
then reached for his trilby. ‘Well I think that’s about all for now Mr Jones,
you have been an enormous help to us.’

Jones escorted
Frederick out of the untidy living room. Fletcher was stood to attention
outside the front door. A few neighbours had appeared and looked on chattering
to each other as the two strangers said their goodbyes.

‘You know I think I
will join you for that drink after all Group Captain, say seven this evening.’
Frederick offered.

‘That would be fine,
I’m going to head back to RAF Yeadon and write that report you requested. I
will be back later this afternoon if that’s alright with you Professor.’

Frederick nodded.
‘Yes, I have things to do this afternoon anyway.’

Both men parted company,
Fletcher jumped into the car and sped off while Frederick headed into the hotel
to look for a telephone.

‘European you say.’
Malcolm Chambers expressed his puzzlement. ‘I can assure you Ralph that you’re
the first people the Air Ministry have sent to interview this man.’

‘Obviously someone
picked up Jones’ story by way of the newspapers, but why they would pose as
ministry officials is beyond me.’ Frederick explained. ‘And then there’s the
American newspaper men.’

‘It does add depth to
this investigation. I’ll have a word with Morris Stanford later on today and
ask him to try and throw some light on the subject. In the meantime Ralph I
want you to pop in on Sir William Ingles and find out about the man he was with
yesterday talking to Jones. It’s important we find out who else has been taking
an interest in Jones and his flying saucer story. What’s your initial
assessment of the situation?’

Frederick drew a deep
breath. ‘He sounds sincere but I’m nowhere near being convinced that his wife
was whisked away by Martians. The police report states that they searched the
area where she vanished thoroughly and could find no trace of foul play. I
think she just buggered off, judging by the state of their house I don’t blame
her.’

‘Ok, the committee’s
first meeting is on Monday so we’ll discuss this matter further. Hopefully
Morris might have something on the Yanks and our so called European friends.
Good luck with Sir Ingles.’

Chapter 5

Ripley Castle –
2:33pm

Frederick stared at
the large wooden oak door of Ripley castle. An unusual marking caught his eye
as he grabbed the large door knocker. A three armed spiral pattern made up of
individual circles was etched onto the door several inches above the knocker.
After a short while the door was answered by a tall thin man who led Frederick
through to a large sitting room.

Sir William Ingles
stood to greet Frederick shaking his hand vigorously. ‘Professor Frederick I
presume from the Air Ministry, I am honoured.’ Ingles seemed over friendly and
reminded Frederick of a character straight out of a historical novel he was
currently reading. Portraits of long dead ancestors hung on the walls of the
sitting room. One picture above the fireplace dominated the room. A man wearing
a white vest with a red cross stared out from the canvas. ‘So what is it that
brings Cambridge’s finest to my humble dwelling?’

‘I’m here looking
into the alleged flying saucer kidnapping of Mrs Edith Jones.’

‘Really, I didn’t
think the scientific world took the matter of flying saucers seriously.’

‘We don’t, but we are
open minded, and besides this is more of an Air Ministry enquiry. I understand
Mr Jones works for you?’

Ingles nodded ‘He’s
my game keeper’s clerk a most efficient young man, we’re all missing him
terribly at the moment.’

Frederick sipped from
a tea cup a butler had brought in moments earlier. ‘Mr Jones said you visited
him yesterday with another gentleman regarding his flying saucer incident.’

Ingles looked down
his spectacles at Frederick. ‘Yes I was just visiting to see how he was, a
friend of mine came up from London earlier this week and I mentioned the story
to him.’

‘Would you care to
divulge who this friend of yours is?’

Ingles took a moment
to finally reveal his friend’s identity. ‘Peter Horsley.’

‘As in Peter Horsley
equerry to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh?’

‘The very same, I’ve
known Peter for many years he comes up here twice a year to enjoy the trout
fishing in the lake.’

‘And you took it upon
yourself to introduce him to Mr Jones?’

Ingles nodded. ‘Peter
has a passing interest in flying saucers. He is also Air Ministry, I’m
surprised your paths haven’t crossed since you’re both investigating the same
thing.’

Frederick now felt as
if he was the one being questioned. ‘I have met Mr Horsley on a number of
social occasions but he never expressed his interest in flying saucers. And the
ministry doesn’t have any official body investigating UFOs.’

‘Yet here you are
Professor.’ Ingles smiled. ‘Mr Horsley prefers to keep his interest to himself
being a member of the royal household and all that. You know how the press are
these days Professor. The Royal family doesn’t want the newspapers accusing
them of being a bunch of crackpots.’

‘Are you saying that
members of the Royal Family have an interest in flying saucers?’

Ingles smiled at
Frederick. ‘What I’m saying Professor is that these kinds of matters are best
kept behind closed doors. Now if there’s nothing else I can do for you I have
an estate to run.’

Frederick thought for
a moment, but could find nothing else to quiz Ingles about. He finished his tea
and set the cup down. ‘No, you’ve been most generous in granting me an audience
today Sir William, it’s been a pleasure meeting you.’

‘Not at all Professor
I’ve enjoyed your little visit. Let me see you out.’

As both men appeared
out onto the courtyard Frederick pointed at the symbol on the door he had
spotted on arrival. ‘That’s an interesting marking.’

Ingles looked at what
Frederick was pointing at nodding. ‘It’s been there centuries.’

‘Do you have any idea
what it means?’

Ingles thought for a
moment. ‘I believe it was used to ward off evil spirits or something like that.
It appears my ancestors were a little superstitious.’

Frederick smiled and
offered his hand. ‘Thank you again for your time Sir Ingles.’  

Ingles returned to the
sitting room and walked over towards a telephone picking up the receiver.
‘Sarah could you connect me to Peter Horsley at the Palace please.’ Several
seconds passed. ‘Peter old boy how are you it’s William, listen I have some
information that might interest you.’