Chalk Dust & Broomsticks, Chapter 37

Inspector Stanhope interviews the headteacher about the attack and the missing Alex.

Alex Leaves a Message

The Ka of Alex Simmons, in her guise as a strip of light, spiraled down the long velvet curtains, attempting to attract the attention of the Medium, Mary Sanderson.

Inspector Stanhope's wife, Ann, fascinated, was the first to notice. She tapped her husband's arm. "Look, see there on the stage... there's a strip of light and it seems to be moving like a snake, most odd, look, can you see it?"

The Inspector watched, his heart rate rising. "It looks like a light source, not ectoplasm, a real light, glowing, but with no connection to electricity whatsoever."

The sobbing client was led away, and Mary Sanderson, sighing, allowed the energy to disperse. The Ka twisted itself up the leg of her elegant chair and settled on Mary's lap. Mary felt nothing, but she saw the Ka. She put her hand to her eyes, shielding them from the bright, growing light. The audience watched, amazed, as Mary seemed trapped and listening.

Suddenly, Mary stood up, the Ka slipping to the floor and slithering behind the curtain. Pointing toward the audience, Mary searched the expectant faces.

"I have an urgent message for an Inspector. Is there an Inspector in the hall tonight?"

Inspector Stanhope lifted his arm. "Here," he indicated.

Mary looked disconcerted. "I have someone here, who needs justice. She needs you to know that she left this world abruptly. She wants you to help her to move on. Does this mean anything to you?"

"Yes," the Inspector replied, "yes, it could do."

"She says her name is Alex and she wants you to look in dark places and talk to friends in high regard. She's a strong spirit... but her power needs to be replenished. Does that make sense to you?"

"Yes, it might do."

Ann looked at her husband in awe. "She spoke directly to you. It must be important."

The Inspector's thoughts raced: If it is the missing Alex, then it would suggest she was on the other side, and the case could now become a murder enquiry.

Mary continued, even though Stanhope declined to join her on the podium.

"Have you lost a mobile phone?" she asked.

"Yes, I could have," came the Inspector's evasive reply.

"The phone is waiting to be found... She says, 'try somewhere warm and dry.'"

The Inspector was instantly inspired to hunt anew for the mobile phone. "Thank you," he smiled at Mary, ending the connection.

Shirley's Silent Observation
Sitting at the back of the church, dressed in black and with a feather of spirituality in her felt hat, were Shirley and her fiancé, Ranjit. Shirley didn't want to miss the chance to see her friend, Mary Sanderson, perform.

Shirley had kept up with the Inspector's visits to the school. She knew where the trail would lead but was content to remain silent and watch as the clues eventually revealed their secrets. She had seen the ghost, looking through the window at the top of the boiler room, but if she had mentioned it to anyone, no-one would have believed her, aware as they all were about her fanciful ways.

She clapped as Mary left the stage. The beautiful diamond ring Ranjit had given her caught the light. He looked at Shirley. "What an amazing woman I am going to marry!" he thought to himself as he straightened his jacket and stood up for the National Anthem.

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Next Day

Come in and sit down," said Paula Manipulator, the School Secretary on the junior side, ushering Inspector Stanhope into Althea Gardner's office. The Inspector noted the tidy desk, assuming that Mrs. Phillips had been doing an exceptional job in Althea’s absence. Althea, who had come into the school for the purpose of the interview, stomped into the room, immediately filling the space. She resented Inspector Stanhope’s presence, especially as he was sitting in her chair behind her desk.
The Inspector took advantage by standing up and towering over Althea.

"Now then, Althea, you probably know why I am here again, don't you? I am investigating the attack made upon you by a person unknown AND the disappearance of your friend Alex Simmons. New evidence has just come to light, so I have to tell you that this investigation is now a murder enquiry."

Althea creaked the seat beneath her. Her face was unyielding and she showed no signs of the recent amnesia she had suffered after the attack.

"Now Althea, we’ll come back to the attack later but for now, please cast your mind back to the night of the staff Christmas Party. This was the last time anybody saw Alex so I would like to know if you saw her leave here in her car, after the party?" the Inspector asked, suddenly noticing a gold necklace in the shape of an ‘A’ hanging around Althea’s neck.

"We did have a few words after the party, yes, but I didn't see her go. It was very dark that night. I don’t know what she was intending to do during the Christmas Holidays, if indeed she was taking some holiday at all. The school was on holiday, but the office was working normally, after the Christmas break. If she did go away, my bet is that she went to Marrakech I believe she has family there, but I didn’t hear from her. I was away myself for a week, staying with my brother and his family in London."

"Alex’s car has not been found. Can you tell me if you know anywhere it might be?"

"Sorry Inspector, I can't help you. Alex had many other friends, and it was Christmas. I just presumed she would contact me when she got back."

"No, Althea. It doesn't make sense to me. I think you knew where she was and that's why you weren't worried. Nick Blunt, now he was worried."

Althea countered, "Alex worked with him every day Inspector, so it’s only natural that he would be worried. I, on the other hand, was lucky to see Alex once a month."

The Missing Statuette
Inspector Stanhope's eyes settled on a large statuette displayed on the book cupboard. "Didn't you have two of those?" he asked, remembering Dora’s comment.

"I did have two statuettes. One of them was broken. Our cleaner, Jane, you know, the caretaker's wife, broke it.” She lied. “I think she knocked it with the handle of the vacuum cleaner."

"I suppose she disposed of the pieces?"

"I really couldn't say, although she probably did. There would be no reason to keep them, would there?" Althea's mouth displayed a sly grin, which the Inspector noted. Althea was doing her best to throw the Inspector off the scent, annoyed that he knew there were two statuettes.

"When did you notice the statuette was missing?"

"I didn't. Jane confessed to someone else after she had the accident. I doubt if I would even have noticed. I never liked them anyway."

The Attack
"Let me take you back to the day you were attacked in your office, if I may. Have you any idea who might have attacked you?"

"None whatsoever".

"What had you been doing that day, prior to the attack?

“We had just been having a meeting with the canteen staff, discussing the possible closure of one of the school kitchens. I came back to my office to take a shower and that is when it happened.”

You didn't see your attacker?"

"No, I was in the shower, over there in the corner. I didn't see or hear anybody."

"Perhaps, Althea, they were already in your room?"

"That's possible, but I would have noticed them coming in, wouldn’t I?”

"Not necessarily, if you were in the shower and the water was running! It was the statuette which hurt you, wasn't it?"

"I expect so. It knocked me out cold. I remember nothing."

Althea's denial only strengthened Stanhope's suspicion that she was deliberately covering up the truth about the first statuette, the possible missing murder weapon.

The Inspector leaned in closer, his eyes on the gold necklace. "That's a pretty necklace you're wearing, Althea. Have you had it long?"

Althea fingered the necklace. "Yes, a dear friend bought it for me. She has one just the same." That piece of knowledge slipped out without Althea realising the implication of it.

"Hmmm," replied Stanhope, rubbing his chin.

The murder inquiry had officially begun.
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