Weekend at Eagle House 6

                             Chapter 6


After a long morning of interviewing  Hartlock and Perkins went  back to the station to discuss matters where they would not be overheard.  Eagle House was a large house but Hartock felt better discussing guests away from the scene.  Holt and Pollard stayed behind to make sure the place stayed secure.  The station was just two miles away in in South Kingsley.  “ Right Perkins lets get to the board.”  The chalkboard where Hartlock worked out cases. “ Sir we have only interviewed half the guests.”  “ Yes I know but we have gleaned enough information to get a sense of the situation.”  Hartlock began to write the names of everyone at the house on the chalkboard with Colonel Barrett in the middle as the victim.  “ Ok what do we know?” asked  Harlock to Perkins.  “ Well sir, we know that Bernard did not like the Colonel, John Hodburry told me that.”  “ Right.” said Harlock as he wrote disliked Colonel underneath Bermard.  “ We know that  Nathan Wilson and Simon Hocksworth had a private word together during the dance the previous night.”  “ Have we interviewed either of them yet?” “ No sir we haven’t. I have interviewed Penny,  Bernards wife.”  “ What did she have to say, anything  of interest?”  “ Well not much, confirmed that Bernard  did not like Barrett.  She said Bernard insisted on coming for the weekend though.”  ‘ And why was that?” asked  Hartlock. “ She said people would talk.”  said Perkins.  “ Would they now… “ said Hartlock.

Thinking of the impossibly that happening seeing as all the guests lived fairly far apart from each other and some did not even really know each other. Who would talk? What a neurotic  thought Hartlock.  “ Sounds like a bit of a neurotic to me Perkins.”  “ Aye.  She went on to tell me about the shooting accident which happened. How Morecroft accused the Colonel of trying to kill him!”  “ Really now. I wonder why the hospital did not report  this ‘accident’ to us Do they think we are only called out for break-ins and murders?  I shall have to have a word with that doctor.  If we had known about that we might of saved Barrett.” said Hartlock. ‘ And how is is that?” said Perkins.  “ We would have known who was trying to kill Bernard or Barrett!”  said Hartlock.  “ You think someone was trying as early as then sir?”  “ Yes I do! “ said Hartlock.  Hartlock wrote more notes on the board from the information which had been gathered.  After a quick cup of tea and biscuit the men headed back to Eagle House.  Hartlock decided to put  young Julia Worthing out of her misery and interview her next.    The poor girl came in just shaking, still shook up from finding the Colonel.  Inspector Hartlock knew he would have to be careful and sensitive in his answers.  The girl had already had a bad shock.  “ Now Julia, come sit down here.”
The girl came in and sat down opposite Hartlock.  She could have been more than eighteen.  “ Right now,  how long have you worked here at Eagle house?”  “ About a year sir,  I came here just after I left school.”  “ I see.  Did you like your employer, Colonel Barrett?.”  “ Yes, sir, he was always alright to me.”  “ I see.  How did all the other staff feel about him, do you know?”  “ Well, one of the upper maids thought he fancied her but I didn’t give it no notice, that Mary Jane always thinks someone thinks someone fancies her. A right flirt she is.”  For the moment,  Hartlock kept that information just in the back of his mind.  He knew that it could be a weak but possible lead to something or could be just nothing at all.  “ Ok now Julia take a deep breath now and think carefully about this morning. Was there anything unsual besides the Colonel not  answering when you knocked this morning with his morning tea?”    Julia paused for a moment and thought.
“Well come to think of it yes.  There was a mans foot print outside the door of the  Lady and Masters bedroom and I know I cleaned that area the night before so it shouldn’t of been there, none of the guests are staying on the side where Lady Constance and the Colonel sleep.”  And you are sure it was not the Colonels?”  “ Oh no sir, he had gone in his room for the night when I cleaned that area. “  “ Thank you Julia. You may go now.“  Hartlock rushed out the door.  “ Holt!”  “ Yes sir?”  said Holt a little startled.  “ Go upstairs and see if a man’s foot print is still outside  Barretts bedroom.”  “ Right away sir.”  Holt was gone for a few minutes and came back. “ It is sir, but someone has attempted to wipe it away but I got Jepson to get up what was there.”  “ Good. Take it to  Jackson for analysis.“ Jackson worked in forensics and did all the lab work on the station.  A lead thought Hartlock.  A possible lead to a suspect.