Entry #520698, added on 07-12-07 @ 6:05 am EDT
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| Chapter Seventeen | Entry #520698 |
When Jennings awoke it was with a stinging headache. The pain made him wince and he cupped his forehead to feebly suppress the pounding. Bleary eyed and groggy he scanned his surroundings. For a moment he thought that his vision was distorted, the bright blur of colours and light only added to his confused state. Looking again he was sure that he could see a mass display of feathers and fabric and all manner of other items he was unaccustomed to.
“Monsieur! Attendent! You must rest!”
Jennings was shocked to hear the shrill accented voice of a woman. His shock increased when he actually saw her. The large frame of a middle aged French woman burst into his sight as she at once strode to his bedside. She wore a thin covering of laces and silks held in place by a tightly strung corset around her waist. Her fleshy voluptuousness spilled most unappealingly out of her attire, and bounced invadingly towards the Superintendent.
“Madam! Please! For God’s sake put some clothes on!”
The woman ignored the complaints of the old man and pushed him down upon the bed. She removed a wet flannel from the bowl on the bedside table and proceeded to mop Jennings’ brow. At once he swatted her hand away and sat back up.
“Get off me woman!”
“Non Cessation! You are still weak.” She retorted.
“Nonsense woman! Go away!” Jennings got to his feet and grabbed his waistcoat from the bedpost and began to put it on. “Where the hell am I?”
“Monsieur you are safe and well and that is in part due to myself. If I knew you would act like an ass I would have left you bleeding on the streets!”
Images quickly sprung back to Jennings’ mind from the previous evening. “Yes, the mugger.” Jennings began to search his pockets.
“I have not taken anything if that is what you’re worried about.”
“The ring? Where is my coat?” Jennings strode over to the woman and grabbed her by the arms. The woman screamed.
“Monsieur! What are you doing?”
“My coat goddamn it?”
Quickly scanning the room he spied his coat upon a chair in the corner of the room. He ran over to it and searched the pockets. He found nothing.
“Shit!”
“Is something wrong monsieur?”
Jennings glared back at the woman.
“I promise I have not taken anything.”
Jennings gritted his teeth and his anger began to build. “I need to go!”
With that, Jennings grabbed the remainder of his possessions and bolted for the door. He kicked feather boas and various cushions and drapes out of his path before swinging the door open. Outside he found himself in a long candle lit corridor with many doors leading off. He called back to the woman.
“Which way is out?”
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay for some fun? Help you unwind?”
“Which way?”
“Ok, ok! Last door on the left! Cochon!”
Jennings turned and jogged down the corridor past unpleasant grunts and groans emanating from the rooms on either side. He reached the last door and turned the knob. He didn’t even look back at the large woman now shouting obscenities at him as he scrambled up to street level to flag down a carriage.
“While you were out an old man came asking about you.” A young constable reported to Stubbs as he entered the foyer of the Police station. “Said he had some information for you. He waited for a little while but then said he had business elsewhere and left a note for you. I’ve put it on your desk.”
Stubbs nodded his appreciation then went to his office. Going to his desk he picked up the note and read it.
The note was from Professor Halloran, he had more information for him, specifically regarding one of the people in the photograph. A Martin Jefferson, one of the Baron’s colleagues had been a co-founder of ‘FairView’ Asylum established a few years ago. This meant that Jefferson must have been in England at some point since the Baron’s disappearance and for all he knew may still be here. Whatever the outcome, Stubbs thought that a visit to ‘FairView’ was a good course of action in tracing the whereabouts of the Baron’s old colleague. The professor had already tried contacting the Asylum but found it to have neither telephone nor telegraph facilities. Stubbs had guessed that ‘FairView’ being a refurbished paupers jail would not have such access and that the best and most discreet course of action would be to go in person. Unfortunately the asylum lay on the outskirts of Derbyshire which meant a good few days away from the station, something which he knew Jennings wouldn’t allow.
After half an hour of meticulously looking through the security arrangements for the royal visit, Silas finally seemed satisfied.
“Well Greening, I believe between us we’ve done a good job. Now my trust is in you to ensure that everything we’ve discussed is executed to the letter.”
“You don’t have to worry sir. Nothing will go wrong.” replied a frustrated yet compliant Greening.
“When the princess arrives I want to know exactly where everyone is and who is doing what.” Silas had stressed this point on more than a few occasions and the Inspector’s patience was beginning to wane.
“Everything will be exactly as you’ve requested Sir.”
“By the way Greening, Superintendent Jennings was filling me in on some case involving the Baron Wienhaven. A case I have a particular interest in. Is there any progress?”
“I’m not sure I’m at liberty to say sir. No disrespect intended.”
“None taken my good chap. The Superintendent just said that should I feel myself to be of any use then I should get in touch and collaborate. I simply wanted to get up to speed with the case. Of course if you wish me to check again with the Superintendent then I shall.”
Greening could sense a threatening tone in Silas’s voice emerging.
“No, no sir. That won’t be necessary. To be honest no-ones seen Jennings for a while.”
“Superintendent.” Silas snapped back.
“Sorry Superintendent Jennings. But I don’t really know much about the case myself. It’s the Chief Inspector that was dealing with it. He’s probably the best man for you to see.”
“And this Chief Inspector, he was solely involved?”
“I believe so. Until the Superintendent relieved him of the case.”
Silas paused as if in thought before continuing.
“And where may I find this Chief Inspector?”
“If he’s back, he should be in his office. I can take you if you wish?”
“No, I shall be able to find my own way thank you Inspector Greening.”
When the knock came upon Chief Inspector Stubbs’ office door, he instinctively stowed the note from the professor into his desk drawer.
“Yes?” Stubbs shouted rather irately.
The door opened to which the Chief Inspector stood and exclaimed,
“Did I say for you to enter? I’m extremely busy!”
“Oh I do apologise Chief Inspector, I would have made an appointment had I known you were not to be disturbed.”
“Sir Silas! I’m so very sorry for my outburst. Please come in and take a seat. You must excuse me, my mind is elsewhere.”
Silas chuckled as he sat down.
“Now Mr. Stubbs there is no need to apologise, I quite understand. In fact I was just sorting the arrangements out for the royal visit with your Inspector Greening and he mentioned you may be able to bring me up to speed on one of your other cases.”
“Oh yes, and which one might that be.”
“The Baron Weinhaven.”
“Ahh well that’s…”
“I know that you are usually not at liberty to speak about cases, but I know that certain members of the royal household have a special interest in the progress towards locating the missing Baron.”
“I suppose when you put it like that, however I’m afraid there is not much to tell.”
“What about the Baron’s ring?”
“Well when the ring was found in the possessions of a body in the Police morgue, I took it to an old friend to see if they could identify the crest. When they told me of its origins and the disappearance of the Baron, it seemed a far too intriguing case to leave alone. I brought it to the attention of Superintendent Jennings whom relieved me of the case. That was yesterday morning.”
“So no-one else was privy to the case details?”
“No.”
“And how is the Superintendent’s progress?”
“I couldn’t tell you. No-one’s heard from him since yesterday. In fact he missed a meeting with myself this morning. I guess he must be busy.”
“I shouldn’t worry about Jennings, I saw him last night at the Commonwealth Club and he was engrossed by the case. I expect he’s following up clues now. He’s a very determined man, doesn’t like to leave things.”
“I expect your right. I did consider calling in at the Club but even his wife didn’t seem concerned so I thought better of it. I’ve enough on my plate without running after my superiors. I expect he wouldn’t appreciate such a fuss being made anyway.”
“Quite right. Anyway it’s reassuring for me to know that the Baron’s case is being dealt with subtly. We really don’t want everyone speculating over the Baron’s whereabouts and such. Political relations and all. I also know that the Queen herself has connections to the Austrian nobility and we don’t want anymore scandals emerging. Not if we can help it. No, it’s best that all of the information is kept on a strictly need-to-know basis. Just you, Jennings and myself. Oh and what was the name of the old friend you mentioned?”
“Professor Halloran, at the Royal College.”
“Ahh yes. Well let us just keep it to that shall we.”
“Certainly Sir, if you feel it’s for the best?”
“Yes I think I do. By the way, are there any current leads you’re aware of?”
“I’m afraid not. When the Superintendent took control of the case we were in the process of interviewing the deceased’s neighbours and family. Very discreet regarding the details of course.” Jennings lied, he didn’t like to, but he didn’t want anything getting back to Jennings that might suggest he was still working on the case.
“What a shame.”
“Like I said though, my involvement has ceased. If you want to know more you need to see the Superintendent.”
“Yes, yes. I shall make a point of it.” Silas rose from his seat and began to back away from the desk. “Thank you Chief Inspector, you’ve been most helpful, and you‘ve certainly set my mind at rest regarding the matter.”
“No problem Sir Silas.”
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