The Tewkesbury Tomb Read Online Free Page A

o’clock at night,’ interjected Lucy.
    ‘Exactly, ma’am.’
    ‘This is all very interesting, Tom, but why are you telling me all this? Tewkesbury is out of my jurisdiction. Sergeant Braithwaite is in charge there, I believe – and how did you learn about this strange state of affairs?’
    ‘That is correct, sir, but Sergeant Braithwaite has been ill of late, and is undertaking a few days’ rest in Eastbourne.’
    ‘Rather a long way to go,’ remarked Ravenscroft.
    ‘He has got relations there, so I understand.’
    ‘I see.’
    ‘Constable Reynolds made his way straight over to my house this morning, where he imparted all that had taken place. When I arrived at the station this morning I found this telegram hadarrived there from headquarters, says you are to take charge of the case until Braithwaite returns,’ said Crabb, reaching into his pocket and removing a piece of paper which he passed over to his superior.
    ‘You are right, Crabb. “Proceed with all haste to Tewkesbury. Investigate murder in abbey”,’ read Ravenscroft.
    ‘I’ve harnessed the trap, sir.’
    ‘Then we should leave now, without delay. Excuse me, my dear,’ said Ravenscroft rising from his chair.
    ‘Of course,’ said Lucy.
    ‘I’m afraid The Gondoliers will have to wait for the present.’
    ‘We can go later in the season,’ said a resigned Lucy.
    ‘When we shall certainly take in the museums, and the abbey as well. I think you will also enjoy St Paul’s. Lead on, Tom.’
     
    Later that morning as their trap approached the bridge that would take them into the town of Tewkesbury, Ravenscroft looked across the road to where old warehouses and tiny cottages fought for space along the banks of the river.
    ‘I take it you have not visited Tewkesbury before today, sir?’ asked Crabb.
    ‘You are correct in your assumption, Tom.’
    ‘It’s a busy market-town, also popular with visitors at weekends who like to take trips along the river.’
    Ravenscroft nodded as the trap approached an old inn with decorative flower baskets and rustic seats around its exterior. Crabb swung the vehicle sharply to their right and the pair found themselves travelling along the main street of the town, where a fine collection of four-storey, timber-framed buildings looked down upon their progress.
    At the end of the road Crabb again turned the trap to their right, narrowly missing two young girls wearing pinafores andlarge hats who had been attempting to steer a pram from one side of the road to the other. Here, the Victoria Coffee Tavern looked across towards the Berkeley Arms Inn, the shop-front awnings and tall buildings cast long shadows on the ground and a number of half-laden carts stood idly by. A large building on their right announced itself to be the Hop Pole Hotel, its fine entrance portico attempting to enhance its importance.
    ‘That’s the abbey,’ said Crabb pointing to his left.
    ‘Rather a fine building,’ said Ravenscroft alighting from the trap and beginning to make his way up the path that led to the main entrance. ‘If I am not mistaken, I see someone is expecting us.’
    ‘That will be Reynolds, sir. I told him to meet us here.’
    ‘Good morning, sir,’ said the stout, uniformed constable raising his hand to his temple.
    ‘Reynolds,’ acknowledged Ravenscroft.
    ‘I took the liberty of forbidding all access to the abbey for the public, until after you had visited the scene of the crime, sir.’
    ‘Good thinking, Reynolds. I trust the body has been removed to the mortuary?’ asked Ravenscroft.
    ‘It has, sir.’
    ‘Constable Crabb has informed me of the circumstances of yesterday evening. You say it was the light from a lantern that first drew your attention to the building?’
    ‘Yes, sir. Usually when I go past the abbey at that time of night, there is not a light to be seen inside and the main door is locked.’
    ‘And when you entered the abbey you found a group of people standing round the open