Entry #541446, added on 10-13-07 @ 1:44 pm EDT
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| Chapter Twenty six | Entry #541446 |
The train journey from London to Derbyshire had taken almost eight hours and Stubbs had slept for most of it. He sat huddled rather uncomfortably in a compartment which he shared with three other people. An elderly couple, whom had obviously not travelled on a train before and talked excitedly for most of the journey, and the fourth occupant was a short but rather plumply built Nun. She wore a brown tunic and headdress, and never said a word to anyone. Stubbs had begun to wonder whether she was actually still alive. She sat so still and held an emotionless expression upon her face that when she eventually sneezed it made him jump with surprise.
When the train finally pulled into the station at Derby, Stubbs wearily grabbed his belongings and departed, leaving a bustling and smoky station behind him. He flagged down the first carriage he saw and ordered the driver to take him to his hotel. He was eager to get to Fair View but he desperately needed to freshen up first. Within an hour he had unpacked his few clothes and had a wash. Stubbs was staying at an old hunting lodge just north of the town and only a few miles from the asylum. He had a coffee at the bar and flicked through the notes again that he had collected from the Police station archives. Finally feeling more himself, Stubbs collected his coat and left the hotel. The doorman flagged down a carriage and Stubbs boarded not really knowing what to expect once he got to his destination. He had tried contacting Fair View but he was unsure as to whether any of his messages had gotten through. With his notepad and the professor’s photograph in hand he anxiously looked out at the passing countryside unsure of where the day would end.
When the carriage finally slowed it was outside a large set of iron gates. The asylum grounds and the majestic looking building were contained within a vast expanse of high fencing. Once a paupers prison, it showcased an immense façade of stone and intimidating defences, much like a medieval fort. The words ‘Fair View Asylum’ were emblazoned over the gates. The chief Inspector scanned the area in awe. The coach driver jumped down from the cab and wandered over to the gates and a large burly uniformed man that stood guard. After a short conversation and a quizzical glance over at Stubbs, the man rather reluctantly unlocked the gates and slid open a hefty latch, before pushing one side of the gate open. It swung slowly accompanied by a loud screeching of metal. The driver boarded the cab and once the gate was open sufficiently enough he slowly manoeuvred the coach through and into the grounds of the asylum.
As the carriage slowly trundled up the long driveway towards the main building Stubbs was quite surprised to notice a distinct lack of activity. He had not been to an asylum before but he imagined something resembling a country estate overrun by highly medicated crazy people. So far the surroundings had lived up to his expectations, however there was no sign of anyone. He thought that maybe the patients were too dangerous to be allowed outside, but then as they approached the Asylum and Stubbs could for the first time see into the many windows and doorways of the building, it appeared that the place may actually just be empty. This thought didn’t ease Stubbs’ anxiety, it instead made him feel surprisingly vulnerable. ‘What have I let myself in for?’ He thought to himself.
Once Stubbs had exited the carriage he was at once descended upon by a thin white coated man whom appeared promptly from the buildings foyer.
“Good afternoon officer, my name is Dr. Hill, I am the senior consultant here at Fair View. If there is anything you wish to know I am the man to ask.”
Stubbs nodded in reply, “Dr. Hill. I am Chief Inspector Stubbs.” He emphasised his rank in an attempt to establish his own authority. “I am here in an official capacity, conducting an investigation. I would very much appreciate your co-operation in this matter.”
Dr. Hill smiled wryly back at Stubbs. “Of course Chief Inspector.” He then stepped back and gestured for Stubbs to enter the building. “This way.”
Stubbs scanned his surroundings meticulously. The interior decor was baron and stark. Marble tiled floors and walls, all white and clinical, however a covering of dust suggested that the place was far from busy. Stubbs’ eyes glanced every corner and doorway, half expecting to see some sullen eyed patient looking back, but still there was no-one. The whole building appeared deserted and quiet. Dr. Hill walked Stubbs into a small office in the foyer and introduced him to a waiting female orderly. After brief pleasantries Stubbs was led from the office by the woman and given a fleeting tour of the primary building. The woman spoke quietly as she pointed out interesting facts about the history of the building and the wonderful work done by the Psychiatric team at Fair View over the past few years. All of which Stubbs had already read in the notes he brought with him. Soon her rehearsed patter wore off to an uncomfortable silence which prompted a swift return to the foyer office. Dr. Hill was waiting for them.
“So how do you like our little establishment?”
“It’s hardly little.” Stubbs remarked, “There is one thing that has been puzzling me though.”
“And what would that be?”
“Where are all of your patients?”
“Ahh. So you noticed?” Dr. Hill’s voice contained an element of sarcasm in it.
“Yes. Considering that Derbyshire has the highest concentration of Asylums and Psychiatric Institutions in Europe I expected the place to be heaving.”
“What you say is true Chief Inspector, however Fair View is a private establishment and referrals are very rare. We don’t just let anyone in.”
“But I haven’t seen anybody?”
Dr. Hill crossed the room to a large filing cabinet and opened it. After a brief flick through various papers he withdrew a small thinly bound journal.
“Inside here are the registration details of all our current residents. We have a total of fourteen at present. Eleven of which are housed in the east wing, the remaining three are in solitary confinement in the southern wing.” He then offered the document to Stubbs. “You can see for yourself if you wish.” Stubbs took the file and briefly glanced through the names and dates. None appeared familiar.
“What I would like to ask you about if I may is a man called Martin Jefferson?”
Dr. Hill raised his hand to his mouth and coughed politely. “I’m afraid there is little I can tell you Chief Inspector. That man is not a popular name here amongst the staff. I honestly don’t know why so many people would have an interest in the no good waste of…”
“Excuse me? Did you say people? Has someone else been asking about Jefferson?”
Dr. Hill stared at Stubbs. “Why yes, only a short while ago, we had another unexpected visitor. He also wanted to ask about Jefferson. I tell you, all these years of complaining and no-one listens, then all of a sudden two people in as many weeks turn up at your door asking questions. I take it he’s in trouble then?”
“I’m afraid I can’t say; confidentiality. However if you could tell me where I might find Mr. Jefferson that would be a great help.”
“Like I told the last fellow, he’s not here. We haven’t seen or heard from him in months. He just upped and left. No reasons or explanations. All he left was a forwarding address.”
“So he wasn’t liked?”
“Chief Inspector Stubbs, Martin Jefferson may have been responsible for setting up this establishment, but he is by no means connected to the good work we do here.”
“How do you mean?”
“What I mean is Jefferson is a front- man. Completely motivated by financial or material gain. He had no interest in Psychiatry when he founded this Asylum. In fact the mere sight of one of the patients would near send him into palpitations. No, he worked for someone else I’m sure. Jefferson bought up the place and hired the staff, but then for three weeks we were left cleaning the place up. We didn’t get our first patient ‘til after then. The others all followed sporadically over the next few months. All from over seas. All foreigners. Not one of them spoke a word of English.”
“Do you know why these people were specifically chosen to come here?”
“No.”
“Why would Jefferson set up a private Asylum for a handful of foreigners?”
Dr. Hill shrugged his shoulders. “You can understand why people began asking questions. However these questions were only met with a stern attitude, and then Jefferson disappears. Being the Senior Consultant I took over in Jefferson’s absence, however I have no contact with any of the founders. I continue to run the asylum with its limited resources but conditions are getting dire. It’s as though these patients were sent here to die. The worst of it is that whoever Jefferson works for obviously has a lot of influence because no-one will intervene. Not the Psychiatric association, nor the BMA, not even the government. Apparently the very ground on which the Asylum is built was bought by a foreign consulate and as such is now classified as foreign territory, no English jurisdiction. How fucked up is that? Not only do we not know who we work for, but it turns out we’re not even in England anymore!”
“It’s all very puzzling.”
“Bloody ridiculous is what it is!”
“Why don’t you just leave?”
“Why does anyone do a shit job they hate? The money that’s why. All of the staff here are paid very generously. I get nearly three times what I was getting in Cardiff and believe me I have an easy life here.”
“I thought you said that you had little resources?”
“That’s right. We’re given a huge wage for running the place at a miniscule budget.”
“Surely you must have some idea who pays you? Paperwork, an address, even a name?”
“Once every three months a gentleman courier arrives with a briefcase of money. We are all paid in cash. We then have our quarterly staff meeting whilst he checks the building and records. Once we’re finished and everything is in order he leaves.”
“You must talk to him? What does he say?”
“Believe me Inspector, when you come face to face with a man of his size, you do not ask too many questions. He’s not a very talkative person. Jefferson brought him in when he was still here, and he’s continued to visit ever since.”
“You told me you didn’t have contact with anyone?”
“A slight oversight then on my part for which I apologise. I just don’t consider the occasion grunt from a behemoth any kind of useful lead.”
“I don’t suppose he’s due soon?”
“I’m afraid not Inspector, another month yet.”
“You mentioned a forwarding address for Jefferson, could you write it down for me please?”
“Sure, but he won’t be there. It was for an item that arrived about a week after he left. We forwarded it on for him and that was that.”
“And did you know the other man who came asking about Jefferson?”
“No. He said he was an associate.”
Stubbs suddenly remembered the photo he had from the professor and scrambled to produce it.
“Do you recognise him in this photo?”
Dr. Hill looked at the photo briefly before replying.
“Yes that’s the fellow.”
Stubbs headed back to his hotel and rang through to the station to inform them of his intentions for the remainder of his stay. He managed to speak to Officer Collins whom he trusted well, but unfortunately couldn’t get hold of Jennings. Collins had made a note of the forwarding address he had got from Dr. Hill; it was for a building near Whitechapel in London, and he was going to have a look around the place in the morning. Stubbs hadn’t found Jefferson and by the sounds of it he wasn’t going to, but there was still the slim possibility that Collins might find something. He planned on returning to the asylum and asking a few more questions of the staff. Hanging around for the courier was out of the question, but there was still the chance that someone else may have information that may be of some use. Stubbs settled down in the bar lounge for the evening with a glass of whiskey and used the opportunity to go through his notes.
The Chief Inspector was finding this a very intriguing case and getting more so as it went on. However he still felt like he was as long way from actually resolving the mystery of the Barons disappearance. If anything it was turning into a double disappearance what with Jefferson also now gone. Dr. Hill had positively identified that the unknown man in the photo the professor had given him had also been to Fair View. This probably meant that he had also made the journey to London, but that was some time ago now so there was little chance of finding him. Was he also after Jefferson? Stubbs still didn’t know who this mystery man was, or what had happened to the Baron, but he was determined to stay until he had some more answers; answers to an ever increasing list of unanswered questions he was building up in his head.
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