Another Meeting in the Village

The day of the pre-arranged meeting with Brenda Ellacott arrived. Temple and Cantwell drove to the village green early, positioning the car so that they had a clear view of the various streets that converged there. Cantwell observed several locals going into the pub for their lunchtime drink and snack. His own stomach began rumbling actively and loudly. He shuffled on the seat, trying to disguise the cause of the noises from Temple's acute ears. Temple smiled knowing full well that Cantwell's weakness for food was a major driving force in his life.

"We'll have a pint and a pasty, as soon as we've seen Mrs Ellacott. There's no need to fret, Cantwell, so long as she's on time. She usually is reliable."

A few yards further along the High Street, Brenda Ellacott was, in fact, going into Mrs Tyler's shop to buy the twill trousers and sturdy shoes that Mrs Hannaford had recommended. She also bought a grey windcheater to keep out the gusty rain that so often swept the pasture. As she emerged, clutching her shopping bags, she caught sight of Temple's car. Not giving any sign of recognition, she sauntered past and then into the post office and general store. She knew they would have been keeping an eye open for her to appear. She reached into her pocket for the note that she and Mrs Hannaford had concocted together earlier in the morning. She intended to hand it to Temple or Cantwell and say as little as possible to either of them. She felt rather guilty that she was being duplicitous and knew that if she talked to them she was quite capable of giving the game away. Taking the note in her hand, she stood looking at a shelf sporting rows of tinned spaghetti and baked beans. Temple entered the store and indicated that she should join him.

"I can't be long," she said as she stood next to him, "I've written everything you need to know in a note. I won't be back in Starmouth for quite some time. Redbourne intends to keep me at the farm."

"Everything alright?" His voice expressed concern. "You're safe, are you?" She merely nodded, carefully putting the note into his hand then immediately moving away further down the shelves. She stopped to pick up a notepad then, after paying for it, left the store.

Cantwell, sitting observing the comings and goings in the village, saw her leave the store. He watched her head out of the village in the direction of Grange Farm. She had quite a spring in her step, he thought.

Temple lingered a bit longer, bought a copy of the Daily Express, then returned to the car.

"So, what did she have to say, Gov? Couldn't have been much, you were hardly there two minutes before she left."

"Your observations are correct, Cantwell. She said very little. However, she says she's written everything down in this note." He waved the paper in front of Cantwell. "I don't think she was being completely frank with me though. I noticed she had some severe bruising to her face and she seemed rather nervous, not her usual self." He handed the note to Cantwell. "You read it for us both."

Cantwell unfolded the paper and glanced at it for a few seconds before reading it aloud.

"I've been here for over a week now, it seems like forever! Redbourne insists that I stay here until more of the work is done. Then I can go home to collect some of my things.

I had a bit of a run in with the man called Charlie Davey, one of Redbourne's henchmen. He's a rather rough and vicious man. He's managed to upset all of us at the farm. Mrs Hannaford, the former tenant farmer's widow, tells me that Redbourne, Steele and Davey know more than they've told you about Ben's death. In fact, she thought that Davey and Steele were there when Ben died.

There are various things going on with the 'dodgy' dogs. Redbourne has big plans for several meetings coming up in the next month or so. What he's up to is going to be difficult to prove, without involving Soppy Soper. That would NOT (in heavy capital letters) be right and I would have nothing more to do with this should you try to do so! You will have to be patient and think up alternative ways of getting proof. Have you considered finding a police-friendly vet? This might prove difficult, Mrs Hannaford says that most of the local vets are being paid to turn a blind eye to all sorts of illegal activities.

Mrs Hannaford also told me that several of the so-called County set know Redbourne more than passing well. They wouldn't want to see him go under since it might affect their pockets!

I'll leave another note at the 'drop' on Wednesday or Thursday. However, it looks as though I'm in this for the long haul.

Best wishes
Benda Ellacott."

Cantwell stared at the paper, "That's it, Gov, not much hard information, is there?"

"Maybe, maybe not. This Hannaford woman sounds useful though. Also the County set keep cropping up, don't they? Bloody hell, Cantwell, are we still living in Feudal England? We'll have to tie Redbourne into Eager's and Ellacott's deaths. Not even the County set will want to know him then - stuffed pockets or not!" He glanced at his watch. "Come on, time for your lunch. Your stomach rumblings are getting deafening."