Hawke's Tor (9 page)

H
ARVEY HALLORAN WAS drilling a group of new recruits to the Cornwall Constabulary when Tom found him and the force's sergeant major welcomed the interruption with some relief. The latest additions to the force were mainly farmhands and general labourers, most of whom seemed unaware of the difference between left and right and had no concept of co-ordinated movement with their fellow recruits. The thought of performing a task that promised some excitement appealed to him.

Minions was a village at the heart of the copper mining industry despite being only a short distance from the peace and tranquillity of Trelyn. On the way there Tom brought his companion up-to-date on details of the inquiry into the murder of Kerensa Morgan, the mystery of her missing baby and George Kendall's part in the affair. He also told Harvey what he knew of Kendall, including his propensity for violence and his reputation as a fighting man, especially when he had been drinking.

‘Has he ever been a Royal Marine?' Harvey queried.

‘Not as far as I know. He was a gamekeeper on Colonel Trethewy's estate before he went mining.'

‘Then he'll be no match for two ex-marines,' Harvey said confidently, ‘but if he becomes violent step back and leave me room to deal with him.'

Having seen Harvey in action on a couple of previous occasions when his particular ‘skills' had been called upon, Tom was happy to agree. The Cornwall Constabulary's sergeant major was in a class of his own when it came to fighting. Tom would be ready to help in the unlikely event that his assistance was required, but until then he would be quite content to stand back and allow Harvey to dictate the action.

 

On the return journey from Bodmin, in company with Harvey Halloran, Tom met Amos and Verity returning from North Hill. Jowan Hodge had not been at home and a neighbour had told Amos that the wealthy miner and his wife were absent looking at houses. In view of his success the miner-turned-adventurer and his wife were expected to move out of the area in order to pursue a life more in keeping with their newly acquired affluence.

The neighbour also disclosed that Evangeline, Jowan's wife, was the daughter of a Bible Christian minister who had recently been given responsibility for a large district in North Devon and was destined for higher office within the ministry. She wanted to be closer to her family in order to enjoy the success that had come to all of them.

‘Does that mean we are going to strike Hodge off our list of suspects?' Tom queried.

‘Not until we have a positive lead in another direction, or Hodge can satisfy us he couldn't have been involved,' Amos replied. ‘This is the most wide open case we have ever had to deal with, Tom, and I don't like it – but I mustn't keep you, it's something we can discuss at length later. If you don't get to Minions soon there are likely to be other miners drinking with Kendall and however much he might be disliked by some of
them, they'll dislike policemen more. By the way, I have had a word with Sergeant Dreadon at Trelyn. I told him he can expect to have Kendall in his lock-up tonight. He pointed out that even if you find him right away it will be dark before you are ready to return to Bodmin – and it wouldn't be safe to cross the moor in darkness. He's going to double up his children in their beds and make room for both of you to stay at his house for the night. It's a good idea because we need to question Kendall and I doubt if you'll get any sense from him tonight. By morning he'll be sober enough to answer questions, but too befuddled by drink to lie convincingly.'

‘That makes sense,' Tom said. ‘I'll take any money in Kendall's possession to his wife tonight and after we've questioned him Harvey can return to Bodmin while I go back to Slippery Hill to see whether Zillah's father has returned….'

Aware of the reason for Amos's quizzical look, Tom changed the subject hurriedly. ‘I'll make quite certain Kendall isn't released until he's been given a stern warning about being violent towards his wife and she's had time to spend some of his money on food for herself and the kids.'

‘Fine!' Amos had not missed Tom's sudden change of subject after mentioning Zillah and he added, ‘Be careful of your dealings with that gypsy girl, Tom. Sergeant Dreadon confirms what you have mentioned about her being attractive, but it seems she will not put up with any nonsense from men. He said that when one of the miners up at Sharptor took too close an interest in her she drew a knife on him. Apparently the miner only bled a little and was anxious to keep the incident quiet, so no action was taken by Dreadon, but she's not a girl to take liberties with.'

‘I never thought for one minute she was,' Tom replied indignantly, at the same time more pleased than he should have been
to hear Amos's testimonial to Zillah's character. ‘But her father might be able to give us the first positive lead to our murderer. Knowing what we do about Jed Smith's activities he might have been contacted in the middle of the night by someone who wanted to get rid of a baby in a hurry. If that was the case the baby could have been Albert Morgan.'

‘True. Do whatever you think is necessary, Tom – and the best of luck to both of you in your dealings with Kendall. I look forward to having a report from you in the morning, Harvey, but don't be too rough with him. Remember, he's the breadwinner for his family, albeit a reluctant one.'

 

Arresting George Kendall at the Cheesewring Inn proved a much simpler task than had been anticipated, even though the unpredictable miner had already been involved in a fracas which had resulted in a rapid evacuation of the miners' public house. Kendall remained in a belligerent mood and the publican, used as he was to dealing with drunken miners, did not try to evict him but continued to serve him with drinks in the hope he would eventually collapse in a drunken stupor and could be carried outside to sleep off his protracted binge among the fern and gorse of the surrounding moorland.

However, Kendall was a hardened drinker and seemed to have an unlimited capacity, showing no signs of succumbing to the undoubted potency of the inn's own brew. When Tom and Harvey entered the tap-room it was occupied only by Kendall and two elderly retired miners who had consumed enough to distance themselves from anything going on about them. When the two policemen entered the premises the landlord showed an unprecedented eagerness to assist the constabulary by pointing out their quarry.

In response to Tom's question as to his identity, George Kendall glared at him through bloodshot eyes and slurred, ‘What's it got to do with you?' Then, recognizing the uniform of Harvey, he demanded, ‘… and what's
he
doing here?'

‘We're here to ask you a couple of questions, that's all,' Tom replied in a placatory tone of voice. ‘If you co-operate it shouldn't take more than a few minutes.'

‘It'll take less than that to throw you out of here,' Kendall's jaw was thrust forward belligerently. ‘I'm enjoying a quiet drink and have nothing to say to you … or any other Peeler, so sod off.'

‘I'll go when you've answered my questions,' Tom replied, more authoritatively now, adding, ‘and your money would be better spent on your wife and children than in here.'

‘Who are you to tell me how I should spend my money…?' Kendall rose to his feet menacingly, albeit unsteadily. ‘I've had enough of people telling me what I should do today, and I'll deal with you the way I did with them—' Tom was suddenly pushed aside as Harvey confronted the drunken and belligerent miner.

‘My colleague has asked you very politely for your co-operation, so I suggest you sit down again and think very carefully before you do anything you're likely to regret.'

‘It's you who'll do the regretting,' Kendall growled. ‘Out of my way while I deal with him … then it'll be your turn.'

He moved to shove Harvey out of his way, but when his arm was pushed to one side he was suddenly galvanized into action with a speed which displayed why he was considered such a dangerous man, drunk or sober and lashed out at the large policeman.

Unfortunately for Kendall, Harvey Halloran had been involved in far too many brawls to be taken by surprise in such a manner and the punch was brushed off almost casually.

Letting out a bellow of rage, Kendall lunged at Harvey, but once again the policeman was too quick for him. Stepping back with a speed which belied his height and weight, he threw just one punch. It landed squarely on the other man's chin – and it was enough.

The drunken miner sank to his knees and then fell forward to land face down on the slate floor, unconscious.

‘Well, that was so easy it was hardly worthwhile my coming all the way here,' Harvey said, regretfully. ‘I reckon you could have dealt with him yourself, Tom.'

‘I doubt that very much,' Tom replied, relieved he had not needed to tackle Kendall on his own, ‘but when the landlord closes his mouth and looks intelligent once more, he can fetch a bucket of water to throw over Kendall to bring him round. The walk to the Trelyn lock-up should help sober him. He might feel more inclined to tell us what we want to know by the time we get there.'

 

Contrary to Tom's prediction, by the time the lock-up at Trelyn was reached George Kendall was out on his feet. Whether it was the drink he had consumed, sheer tiredness after his marathon binge, or a combination of the two, was impossible to tell, but it would be many hours before he was in a fit state to be questioned.

Before being settled in his temporary lodging, the drunken miner was relieved of the sum of seven pounds and fourteen shillings, which Tom said he would take to Martha Kendall right away, commenting that when the drunken miner woke in the morning he would probably not remember whether or not he had spent the money on drink – and Tom doubted whether his long-suffering wife would enlighten him.

Unfortunately the motive for arresting Kendall in the first
place suffered a serious set-back. During a meal cooked for the policemen by Sergeant Dreadon's wife, the Trelyn policeman said he had been speaking to two of the men who worked in the same
pare
– or ‘team' – with the arrested man. They had confirmed he was working with them throughout the whole of the night of Kerensa's murder and the disappearance of the Morgan baby.

‘Do you think they were telling the truth?' Tom asked.

‘They had no reason to lie,' Dreadon replied. ‘I wasn't even questioning them. It came out in general conversation that George Kendall was working all night at the time in question and it was their casual observation that had he not been with them he would have been a prime suspect in view of his association with Kerensa and the threats he has made against her in the past.'

‘Thanks for the information,' Tom said, trying to hide his disappointment that the man
he
considered the most likely suspect had been given an alibi, ‘but don't mention anything about the murder to Kendall before I have an opportunity to speak to him in the morning. I also intend reading the Riot Act to him about the way he treats his wife and kids and warn him that Harvey won't go so easy on him another time. Not only that, I will
personally
see to it he has nothing but a prison wall to vent his anger on for a very long time afterwards.'

‘Are you upset that Kendall is not the man responsible for Kerensa Morgan's murder? I know you had a strong suspicion that he was the guilty man.'

Harvey put the question to Tom later that evening after the money taken from the drunken man had been given to his grateful wife and the two policemen were preparing for bed in the room usually occupied by two of Sergeant Dreadon's children.

‘I'm disappointed we haven't found the murderer and, yes,
Kendall fitted the bill very nicely. Of course, there's always the possibility his friends are covering for him, knowing he would be top of our list of suspects. Miners would take on the world for one of their own. Still, looking on the bright side of things, if he is in the clear then we've ruled out one of our suspects, but it still leaves us with too many!'

‘My money is on this gypsy,' Harvey said. ‘I was talking to Sergeant Dreadon's wife while you were writing up the report about Kendall's arrest and she was telling me it's well known for miles around that he makes money from trafficking in unwanted babies.'

‘I don't doubt it – but there has never been a shortage of such babies anywhere in the country. He has no need to kill to get hold of one, especially if it would involve the wife and son of an important man like Colonel Trethewy's estate steward. Besides, everyone I've spoken to agrees that Jed Smith's not a violent man.'

‘I suppose it could depend on who the baby was for and how much someone was prepared to pay for it.' Giving Tom a quizzical look, Harvey added, ‘It's not like you to rule out a possible suspect purely on hearsay, Tom. Don't tell me this daughter of his has got to you? I'll have to see if
I
can find some pretty young gypsy girl to give a ride to on my way back to Bodmin.'

Tom made no reply, but the expression on his face told Harvey far more than words could have done. Realizing there was more truth in his half-joking remark than he had thought, he did not pursue the matter.

Tom, too, was aware that Zillah was the reason he had defended a man he had never even met. He was relieved that Harvey said no more on the subject.

When George Kendall was released from custody he seemed
to have taken Tom's strongly worded warning about his future conduct towards his family seriously.

It was also evident he had been chastened by the ease with which Harvey had subdued him in the Minions public house and Tom felt almost sorry for him when the dejected figure left the Trelyn lock-up and headed off in the direction of Berriow Bridge, head down and suffering from a monumental hangover.