The Wind In The Willows

The Wind in the Willows

    “I do not care what you say Martha it is definitely not the wind in the trees made that sound. I will guarantee it was made by a something moving through the bushes. I think we have company.”

   “Absolute rubbish. Look out over the lake. See the white caps on the water? Well you do not get white caps under 12 knots. My Father taught me that.  It takes quite a strong wind. Why are you so jumpy? It is purely the strong wind going through the foliage making that noise. Look around, we do not have company. There isn’t anyone besides us here. We have the whole park to ourselves.”

    “Easy for you to say, you aren’t the one Tracey’s father is out to get. He isn’t the only one. I’m sure he has convinced the police I had something to do with her disappearance and they should re-examine the evidence.”

    “You cannot be serious.”

    “Your impersonation of John McInroe hasn’t improved over the years. Now is not the time for you to use your excuse for humour. Someone is watching me Martha.

    “Jesus wept. Tracey disappeared over seven years ago. There is no proof she was murdered which was suspected at the time. As you said she wanted to get away from her family, pure and simple. You were investigated and completely cleared so why would her father suddenly be ‘out to get you’, as you put it? There are times I do wonder why I married you. This is becoming one of them.  You are becoming seriously weird.”

    “Perhaps you are right. Possibly I am over reacting because it was actually in this park she was last seen. It was her father who was suspected of playing a part in her disappearance wasn’t it, not me?”

   “There is no ‘possibly’ Derrick my love. You are definitely over reacting to a non-existent situation. You were one of many questioned at the time, and I do mean many. Tracey was well known to spread herself around according to the rumour mill. Now will you get some kindling to light the barbeque so I can eat? I am borderline starving.

   “Martha Witherspoon starving? That would be a first. I heard the scales in the bathroom telling you to get off them this morning.”

    “You really are a disaster in search of a place to happen aren’t you? First the wind makes a human noise by rustling the leaves then the scales talk to you and you top that off by inferring I am overweight. Keep this up and these willows by the river will not be the only things weeping Derrick. Get the kindling, there is probably some in that area at the back of the trees over to your left.”

    Fifteen minutes later Derrick returns from his task of gathering kindling, however he is not carrying the wood, he is holding on to the shoulder strap of a purse.

    “To ask the obvious question Derrick, no, let’s make it two questions. First, where is the kindling and secondly more importantly what are you doing with some lady’s purse?

    “I found it in the bushes.”

    “That much I could work out by myself. You didn’t have it when you went looking for kindling and I graciously eliminated the possibility you may have stolen it. It looks pretty old. Is there anything in it to tell you whose purse it is?”

    “I haven’t looked.”

    “Well look for God’s sake, oh give it to me.”

    “I have seen it before, the clasp is unusual. I just can’t recall when or who had it.”

    “Holy hell, the reason you have seen it before is because you saw it with Tracey. It is hers, her driving license and credit cards are here and there is a plane ticket to Bali. We have to take this to the Police.”

    “What? Hold the phone Martha that could be a mistake. We have to think this through before we do anything.”

    “What’s to think about? Tracey disappears seven years ago, last seen in this very park and we now find her purse here which could be evidence she didn’t just disappear. Obviously she was planning on doing just that but the plane ticket indicates something, or more likely someone, stopped her. The police have to be told.”

    “Ok, but you have to ask yourself why the purse wasn’t found at the time. Half the police force and hundreds of locals searched this area for days looking for clues and found nothing.”

    “Derrick you cannot find nothing. How many times do I have to correct your English? Never mind, at least you make a valid point. Was it out in the open where anyone could find it?”

   “You couldn’t miss it, just to the side of the walking path.”

    “Which is the way we came in from the car park and it certainly wasn’t there then was it?”

    “Definitely not, which means someone deliberately put it there so it would be found.”

   “Well that is nothing short of a brilliant deduction, I can viualize Hercule and Sherlock wondering if their jobs are safe. It does mean the person has had the purse for over seven years though, so why now?”

   “Why now at the same time Tracey’s father has asked the police to reopen the case? It is far too much to be a coincidence wouldn’t you agree?”

    “Yes, and we can add on your contention her father has pointed the finger at you since she disappeared and this happens when you are in the park. This was planned. Would he have had the purse all along and for some reason is using it now to involve you? I know you two were an item for a while before we met. That ended long before her disappearance, didn’t it?”

   “At least a year. Tracey wanted to go overseas, something I couldn’t afford to do financially and my job was too important. I have always said she went overseas to get away from her father. Her home life was anything but great according to her.”

    “Tracey was a grown woman of twenty eight, why didn’t she just up and leave?”

    “The family are more than well off and there was a codicil on the family inheritance document stating she could only leave the family home to get married. She was never to live with anyone outside of marriage or she could not claim any inheritance. We are speaking about multi millions and she is an only child. It is a very puritanical family.”

    “That doesn’t make sense, if as you say she was leaving to get away from her father that would have negated her inheritance anyway. It certainly didn’t stop her having several relationships even if only half of the rumours are true Even a puritanical father would realise she was having sex outside of marriage with several men, you included. If she was only going on a holiday which the plane ticket to Bali indicates was probably the case, she intended to return. No, we have to give this to the police, if anything it appears she did not even leave the area. They should be looking for a body.”

    “The first thing they will do is put two and two together and make five out of my having had a relationship with her and seven years later finding her purse in the last place she was seen alive. This is a nightmare.”

    “One that is about to get worse. There are two policemen heading straight for us.”

    “Oh shit, he has set me up hasn’t he?”

   “Are you Martha Witherspoon?” the question comes from a man in plain clothes who has joined the two police.

    “Me? Why are you looking for me? I think it is Derrick you want.” Martha sounds nervous.

    “Please answer the question, are you Martha Witherspoon?”

    “Yes, but I don’t understand why you are asking. Who are you? Derrick why aren’t you saying something?”

    “Mr Witherspoon has nothing to contribute Madam, contrary to your good self who can clarify a missing person case involving a Tracey Pendleton seven years ago.”

    “Derrick, do you know this man? Say something.”

   “I am Detective Inspector Worrall from the fraud squad.”

   “Which tells me absolute zilch about why you are asking me for my name.” Martha is angry.

   “I think this is where I explain Mrs Witherspoon, it has to do with the seven year period since Tracey disappeared. Ah now you show interest.” Inspector Worrell smiles as Martha’s shoulders slump in recognition the seven year plan is about to go down the toilet.

Derrick can hardly get words out, he stutters, “Will somebody explain what the fuck is going on. What has the seven year period since Tracey disappeared got to do with anything, and why are you questioning my wife? Martha what is this about?”

   “Simple mathematics,” Worrell replies and then continues, “After a seven year period a missing person can be legally declared dead and their will submitted for probate allowing the beneficiaries to claim any money or property. In this case the beneficiary of Tracey’s will is one Martha Louise Witherspoon born Martha Louise Pendleton, a second cousin to Tracey Pendleton.”

   “You are saying Martha killed Tracey and waited seven years to have her declared dead to claim the inheritance? Rubbish Martha couldn’t swat a fly let alone kill another human being.” Derrick has at last grasped the seriousness of the situation.

   “No, no, Mr Witherspoon, no one is dead. Tracey is well and truly alive in custody at HQ, she has been out of the country. She returned a few days ago. It all went pear shape for her at the airport, Tracey did not know of the new security system which threw up a red flag on facial recognition as a person of interest who may re-enter the country. Basically she did not want to wait until her father dies to collect her fortune. He is still a relatively young man at fifty eight and is very healthy. Waiting seven years to her was worth every penny of the eighteen million dowry.”

   “So Tracey is in custody and Martha is here, how do you explain the appearance of Tracey’s purse after we got here this morning, tell me that?”

   “I think it is called smoke and mirrors, I am sure you were in front of your wife as you walked along the path, correct?”

   “Yes.”

   “Well she dropped the purse knowing you would find it because she directed you to the area.”

   “So there wasn’t anyone watching us, the sounds I thought I heard were not made by a human?”

   “No Mr Witherspoon, it was only the wind in the willows.”