No Known Grave (31 page)

As Sister Virginia had warned, the water in the bathroom was meagre, sputtering out reluctantly from the taps. He splashed what little there was into his face. He needed a shave, but he felt he wanted some fresh air and a walk even more.

He went outside.

The sunlight was sparkling on the strip of grass. Even the vegetables looked more sprightly. The birds were putting up their usual frenetic twitter. He turned to have a look at them. And froze. What the hell was that?

Along the grass verge in front of the Fuller cottage were thrust four white wooden crosses.

56.

H
E WAVED OVER THE CONSTABLE WHO WAS STATIONED
in front of the McHattie cottage.

“Biggs. Where the hell did these come from?”

The officer hurried over. “The chap who works in the kitchen, sir. The one who’s a bit …” He twirled his forefinger by his temple.

“When did he put them in?”

“About half an hour ago. He said that you had given him permission to commemorate the poor dead folks.”

“I did no such thing. You should have checked with me first.”

Tyler knew he was being testy, but he couldn’t help himself. The sight of the white crosses had given him a shock.

“I’m sorry, sir. Didn’t seem any good reason to wake you up. I couldn’t see the harm to it.”

Tyler leaned over to take a closer look at the crosses. They looked as if they came from a fence of some kind. The edges of the cross pieces were jagged, as if they had been sawn off from larger pieces.

Shite. Mrs. Valentine’s letter. “
Somebody stole half of my fence
.”

Rowell had assumed the aforementioned fence was a fancy wrought-iron one that would fetch money, but this must be it. A plain white, wooden fence.

Tyler straightened up. “Go and fetch Alfie Fuller for me. Tell him to get out here right away.”

“Yes, sir.”

Biggs started off.

“Hold on a minute, Constable. Have you had breakfast?”

“Not yet, sir.”

“Neither have I. Tell you what, when you get Alfie, see if you can filch us both a couple of slices of toast. I tend not to think clearly on an empty stomach.”

“Yes, sir. Right away. Thank you, sir.”

He hurried away and Tyler stared down at the white crosses. Why four? Jock, Ben, and Sister Ivy were the three who had died. What was going on in Alfie Fuller’s addled brain?

The rear door that led to the kitchen opened and Alfie came out. He started to walk purposefully towards the verge, but when he saw Tyler, he stopped in his tracks. Tyler called to him.

“Hey, Alfie, come over here for a sec. I want to ask you something.”

Alfie didn’t move. “What do you want? I’ve to get on with breakfast.”

“Won’t take a minute.”

Again Alfie didn’t move, but the constable had appeared right behind him and Alfie couldn’t retreat without knocking him over. Biggs seemed to size up the situation immediately and took a step closer. Alfie glanced over his shoulder, flashed him a broad smile, thrust his hands into his pockets, and sauntered towards Tyler, the constable close behind.

Alfie’s expression was wary. Tyler stared at him. His face seemed unnaturally flushed.

“What do you think of these?” Tyler asked, indicating the white crosses.

“They looks like grave markers.”

“They do, don’t they. The constable said you put them here. You told him I gave you permission, which is a fib.”

“No it’s not. We talked about graves just last week.”

“Last week?”

“Well, recently anyway.”

“Nobody’s buried here that I know of.”

Alfie eyed him solemnly. “A marker don’t have to mean there’s a body there. It can mean somebody died and we don’t know where.”

“That is true.”

“In fact,” said Alfie, “I put them there for Mr. McHattie and his son. And Sister Ivy of blessed memory.”

“But we know where they died, Alfie. Their graves will not be unknown.”

“That is correct, sir. But they are in memoriam.”

“Who is the fourth cross for?”

“Could be anybody. Millions and millions of soldiers have already died. And pigeons, for that matter.”

“Is this one for Prince then?”

“It could be.”

“Where did you get the crosses from, Alfie? One of the ladies in town says somebody stole her fence. These crosses all look like they were once part of a fence.”

Alfie bent down and studied the crosses ostentatiously.

“I’d say you are quite correct in that regard, sir.”

“Alfie, look at me. Did you cut up Mrs. Valentine’s fence?”

“Did somebody see me do that, sir?”

“Did you or didn’t you?” Tyler asked in exasperation.

“No. I found them just behind our cottage.”

Tyler didn’t believe him for a minute, but he doubted Alfie was going to confess to the theft. If he even remembered that’s what he’d done.

Alfie gave him a disarming smile. “In my opinion, those markers are a good thing.”

“I tend to agree with you, Alfie, but I think we have to remove them for the time being. People might get upset if they see them.”

Alfie thought for a moment. “You are probably correct about that, sir. Shall I pull them out?”

Before he could do that, the constable stepped forward. “May I interject for a moment, sir?”

“Be my guest, interject away.”

Biggs looked at Alfie. “Perhaps you should show the inspector what you have in your pocket.”

“Don’t have nothing,” said Alfie. He opened up his palms. “See. Empty.” He took a couple of steps back. “Can I go now? I’ve got to be in the kitchen or my ma will give me an earful.”

The constable blocked the way. “I think you should turn your pockets inside out. Just to make sure.”

“Why’re you going on at me?” asked Alfie with a scowl. “I don’t have nothing, I told you.”

Tyler spoke in a stern voice. “Alfie, this gentleman is a constable of the law, just like I am. If he wants to see your pockets turned inside out, he has the right. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to worry about.”

Alfie started to scuff his feet in the dirt. “I found it, I didn’t steal it.”

“Found what?”

Reluctantly, Alfie reached into his right pocket. He held out his palm, revealing a tube of lipstick.

Tyler took it from him and checked the end of the tube.
CHERRY RED
. Made by Coty.

“Where did you get this, Alfie?”

“I told you, I found it. Finders, keepers, that’s what my ma says.”

“But where was it, specifically?”

Alfie waved vaguely in the direction of the east gate. “Out there. It was lying by the river.”

“When did you find it?”

Tyler saw Alfie flinch. He must have allowed his own worry to sharpen his voice.

“I saw it first thing this morning.”

“Do you know who it belongs to?”

Alfie pursed his lips. “Not one of the nuns, that’s for sure. They’re not allowed to wear war paint. Might be Daisy Stevens. She really needs it. Or maybe Miss Shirley. They’s the only two I can think of.”

Suddenly, Tyler realized that Alfie’s pink cheeks owed a debt to the lipstick. He’d put some on his lips as well.

“I saw Alfie with the lipstick, sir,” said Biggs. “He, er, he was applying it.”

Alfie ducked his head. “My lips are chapped.”

Tyler made himself take a deep breath. “Alfie, I want you and me to go to the place where you found the lipstick. Do you think you can do that?”

“I dunno. I should get back to the kitchen. Ma will be needing me.”

“Tell you what, I’ll have the constable go and tell your mum you’re doing important police business.”

“All right. But I can’t be long.”

Tyler nodded at Biggs. “Remove those crosses. Put them behind the cottage for now.”

The constable pulled a napkin from his pocket and unwrapped it. “I did manage to procure you a piece of toast, sir.”

Tyler grabbed the slice of bread and took a bite. “Lead on,” he said to Alfie.

“My ma says it’s rude to talk with your mouth full.”

Tyler swallowed. “She’s right about that, Alfie.”

57.

A
LFIE WENT DIRECTLY TO THE GATE AND SHOVED
aside the bolts. He immediately set off along the path, and Tyler had to scramble to keep up with him.

“Follow me,” said Alfie over his shoulder as he trotted ahead. “We’ll walk like red Indians.”

Overhanging trees leaned into the path. They were damp with dew, and as he brushed past, Tyler received a chilly shower. He kept a close eye out for any sign that Shirley had come this way last night, but he saw nothing. The woods on either side weren’t deep or extensive, but they were lush with summer and hid the surrounding fields from view.

They continued along the path for several minutes as far as the river, and here Alfie stopped so suddenly, Tyler almost collided with him.

“I think it was about there,” he said, pointing to a spot close to the water’s edge.

Tyler shifted his position so he was facing Alfie.

“Now, son, I am going to ask you an important question.”

“Fire away.”

“Are you positive you found the lipstick this morning? That it wasn’t here when you came some other day?”

Alfie nodded. “That is quite correct. I’m always on the lookout for things, sir. I’ve found two sixpences before. And a half a crown from the time of Charles I.” He eyed Tyler. “You don’t want those as well, do you?”

“No, son. You can keep them.”

Tyler hoped that one old coin wasn’t valuable enough to be considered government property.

He looked over at the river sparkling in the sunlight. The current was moving fast.

“Have you ever got across the river, Alfie?”

“No, sir. For one thing I can’t swim. For another thing, my Ma says it’s deeper than you might think in the middle. In my opinion it’s not safe.”

Tyler gazed down at the bank, which sloped gently to the water. There was a long gouge in the grass, as if a boat had been pulled up onto the shore.

“Alfie, Miss Shirley has disappeared. She hasn’t been seen since last night. Do you have any idea where she might be?”

Alfie gaped at him. “She has a baby in her tummy. Perhaps she went to the hospital.”

“I don’t think she did. I think she came here sometime last night.”

Alfie gazed around the clearing, his expression bewildered. “Where would she sleep?”

“That’s a good question, son. I believe she went in a boat.” Tyler pointed. “See that? Somebody pulled a boat up the bank.” Alfie crouched down and examined the earth. “I’d say you were correct about that, sir.”

“Who has a boat that you know of?”

“Nobody.” Alfie wrinkled his forehead. “The police will know. They know everything like that.”

“Quite right, Alfie. I’ll make enquiries.”

Tyler experienced a wave of what he could only call desperation. What the hell had induced a girl weighed down with advanced pregnancy to slip away in the dark and trek down here? Who had she met? Where had they gone?

He nodded at Alfie. “Let’s go back now.”

The other man didn’t move. He was staring at his feet.

“Sir, I told a bit of a fib just now.”

“Yes?”

“I told you my lips was chapped, but that’s not true. I rubbed the lipstick on because I was pretending that Miss Shirley – Miss McHattie, that is – I was pretending she had given me a big smacker on the lips.”

“Did she ever do that, Alfie?”

“No. Not to me. I’m not right in the head, you see, so the girls don’t fancy me.”

Tyler was taken aback by this honesty, but he had the feeling the poor bugger was simply repeating what he’d heard too many times.

“You know what, Alfie, if Miss Shirley is in trouble and we find her, I would be willing to bet she’ll be giving out big smackers right and left.”

Alfie grinned. “Let’s go on searching then.”

Tyler turned, about to retrace their steps, but suddenly Alfie slapped himself on the forehead. “Lord help us, what’s wrong with me? For a minute, I forgot.” He stood stock-still.

“Okay, Alfie. What did you forget?”

“I know why Miss Shirley has taken off. She must have got a letter.”

58.

A
LFIE REMOVED A BRICK IN THE WALL JUST BEYOND
the east gate.

“I came down here one morning for my walk, like usual, and I sees Miss Shirley. She had a note in her hand and I could see the brick had been removed.” He pouted. “She was very cross with me. ‘Are you spying on me, Alfie Fuller?’ says she. ‘No,’ says I. ‘I’m just going for my walk.’ ‘Well don’t tell a living soul that you saw me here.’ ‘I won’t,’ says I. Then she says, ‘If you tell, I’ll say you tried to rape me. You know what that means, don’t you?’ ” Alfie rubbed his head. “Now I’ve told you, sir. I hope she doesn’t go and say I hurt her.”

“Don’t worry, son. I’m a policeman. You were right to tell me. Now, when was it you saw Miss Shirley with that note?”

Alfie ducked his head. “I can’t remember exactly, but I’d say it was weeks and weeks ago. But there was messages all the time.”

“Ah. Did you take a look then, Alfie?”

“I confess I did, sir.”

“Did you read the notes?”

“That is correct, sir. They weren’t mushy or anything like that. Just said, ‘Meet me tomorrow, market, afternoon.’ That sort of thing.”

“Were they signed?”

“No. No kisses or anything either. Miss Shirley put her notes in the same spot, but I didn’t always see those. Usually she just wrote ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ or ‘can’t.’ ”

“Did you ever see anybody else pick up the messages?”

Alfie shook his head. “No, sir. And I only saw Miss Shirley that once. I didn’t want her to get the wrong idea. I stayed out of her way but good.”

“I have another important question, Alfie. Can you tell me the last time there was a message behind the brick?”

The man clicked his tongue. “Hmm. I’m not so good with days, sir. It’s hard to say.”

“Yesterday, for instance. Did you find one yesterday?”

“I would say not. I don’t think I came for a walk yesterday. Ma didn’t want me out of her sight. So she said.”

59.

S
ISTER
C
LARISSA USHERED
T
YLER INTO THE NUNS
’ sitting room. Martha McHattie was still in her dressing gown, her untouched breakfast on the table in front of her.