Murder on the Ballarat Express: Chapter 2

…

At the sounds of the panicked shrieks, the Conductor and Porter came running down the passageway, pushing aside curious passengers looking toward the sounds of the commotion. Young Bert Smith, the Porter, arrived first and stood at the doorway to compartment 4 with his eyes wide and his mouth agape. Phillip Crane, the Conductor, shouldered Bert out of the way and viewed the scene. This was not the first time he had experience of a death on a train. There were procedures and protocols to follow and he sprang into action.

'Right. Everyone resume your seats please and stay calm. You,' and he pointed to the Stock Agent who was now leaning over Elizabeth trying to feel for a pulse in her wrist, 'go stand by the window and let me deal with this.'

The Agent nodded and said quietly, 'No pulse.'

Conductor Crane pulled out his two-way radio and turned to Bert. 'Bert, get everyone back into their compartments and sitting down. Tell them there will be a short delay before they can disembark. Don't answer any questions!' he barked. Then he fiddled with the radio and called up the Engine room and started to give directions.

'Incident in compartment 4, Carriage 207. You need to delay unlocking the doors. Advise passengers there will be a short delay…. Yes… it is a death…. Yes, we need to find a doctor…'

Overhearing this comment, Jean spoke up quickly, 'My husband is a Doctor! Doctor Blake. He should be on the platform waiting for me.'

Crane glanced at Jean and resumed speaking on the radio, '…Yes, right, there should be a Dr Blake on the platform. Call the Station Master and get him paged. I'll wait for him at the rear door of 207. And you need to contact the Transit Officer here in Ballarat as well as the local police.' He listened to the buzzing voice, 'Okay, will do. Porter Smith is calming everyone down and I'll see to everything here and report back. Over.'

Over the train intercom came three gonging notes and the announcement that 'All passengers please resume your assigned seats. There will be short delay in disembarking. Country Rail apologises for the inconvenience and we will have you on your way shortly'

Turning to the passengers in compartment 4, Conductor Crane said gravely, 'I am sorry to have to delay you and make you sit here like this. As soon as the Doctor and Police arrive we can clear the rest of the train. But all of you will need to remain behind and make a statement to the Transit and Local police. We will move you all to a waiting room as soon as possible.'

There was grumbling over this instruction, although the lad seemed quite excited and curious about the dead woman and what would happen next. 'Strewth! This is better than a Phantom comic!' He was thinking.

The two businessmen seemed especially put out and one muttered something about 'being delayed over the death of an old bat who had obviously been on this earth too long…' The Conductor glared them into silence with a terse 'have some respect!'.

Faintly the passengers could hear the announcement on the platform, 'Paging Doctor Blake. Doctor Blake please report to Carriage 207. Paging Doctor Blake.'

Looking around the compartment the Conductor admonished 'Don't touch anything! I'll be right back' and turned away down the passage. He could hear them all immediately starting to chatter among themselves, but it couldn't be helped, he had nowhere to put them yet and this was protocol. Ignoring curious passengers peering out of the doors of the other compartments as he went, he rushed down the passage to greet Doctor Blake at the door.

…

Lucien had been lounging about on one of the wooden platform seats reading a paper when the Ballarat express pulled in. He noticed immediately that there seemed to be no first-class carriage and he wondered if Jean told him the right time and train. Folding the newspaper, he stood up and watched anxiously as the train pulled to a stop. He waited. The train doors didn't seem to be opening. Getting concerned he strode towards the front of the train peering into the windows looking for Jean as he passed by. Then to his astonishment he heard his name being paged.

'Doctor Blake please report to Carriage 207'

With his heart in his mouth he rushed to the front end where carriage 207 was. Had something happened to Jean? As he hurried forward he saw the carriage door open and a man in a conductor's uniform beckoned him in.

'Doctor Blake?'

'Yes! My wife! Is she okay!' said Lucien in a panic.

'Fine, Mrs. Blake is fine.' Soothed Conductor Crane. 'But it appears there has been a death in her compartment and I need you to assist. The Transit and local police have been notified and will be here shortly. Please, follow me.'

They passed Bert Smith who was standing guard in the doorway alcove stopping passengers from trying to leave and Crane instructed him to carry on and wait there for the Police. Leading the way, Blake followed Crane down the corridor to the middle compartment number 4. Crane slid compartment 4 door open and turned to Blake saying 'In here please, Doctor.'

Blake's first thought was for his wife, not the dead woman. He looked over at Jean and smiled. 'Okay?' he questioned. Jean nodded. She was fine, if a bit pale.

At that moment Bert returned with the Transit Patrol Officer in tow. He was a man of short stature and tried to stand as straight as possible to seem taller. 'What's all this then? Crane! Why are these passengers still here? And who is this?' he indicated Blake.

Crane looked down at TPO Frank Anders. Anders was not Cranes' favourite person in the world. 'Following protocol Sir. Waiting for you and your instructions to clear the carriages of other passengers. This is Doctor Blake who has agreed to attend the death.'

Anders blustered a bit. 'Well, I'm here now! Call the engine room and get the doors open so the passengers can leave. We cannot hold the train up, it has to return to Melbourne within the hour!'

'Is that wise?' asked Blake mildly. 'Won't you want to interview…'

'No!' interrupted Anders. 'No need. We have a full passenger list of everyone if we need to contact them. Only the people in this compartment and our staff are of any interest in this. Hurry up Crane and get everyone else out. Move this lot into the compartment next door when you have done that.'

Blake glanced at Jean and gave her a 'look'. Who was this idiot? Jean just looked back and just raised an eyebrow. While he waited for the main carriage to clear, Blake studied compartment 4 and its occupants. He looked at each person in turn, noting everything. As he did so he could hear the other carriage compartments emptying around him and the excited speculation of the departing passengers. Then Crane returned and informed Anders that the compartment next door was now free and that the local police had arrived on scene.

'Hurrumph.' Grunted Anders. 'Well, better let the plods in. And get that imbecile Smith to move this lot to the next compartment.'

Conductor Crane left to attend to the police and Bert Smith began to usher the passengers from Compartment 4 into Compartment 3. The Stock Agent reached up to take his valise when Blake stopped him with a gesture,

'No, leave all your luggage please for the time being. I am sorry, but the Police will need everything left on the scene. I am sure they will return it to you shortly.' Muttering and grumbling everyone moved out of the carriage. Blake gave Jean a little pat and kiss on the cheek as she passed him.

Blake turned to view the now empty carriage. Empty that is of course, for the body of Elizabeth Peterson and Anders standing belligerently in the centre. As he looked about, he heard the 'thump-thump' of Chief Inspector Lawson's cane on the corridor floor. Anders moved further into the compartment to make room for Lawson and Senior Sergeant Davis. He looked at the local police with disdain.

'And you are?'

Calmly Lawson looked at the little man. 'Chief Inspector Lawson and Senior Sergeant Davis. You?'

Puffing his chest out, Anders replied, 'Senior Transport Police Officer Anders. I have authority for all matters pertaining to incidents on the train. You'll report to me, so, don't mess about man! I have a train to run. Clean this mess up and report back to me within the hour. I'll be in the Station Masters' office. Chop-chop!' turning on his heel he stomped off.

'What an officious little twat' muttered Charlie. Blake grinned.

'Davis,' said Lawson warningly, 'we have to work with these railway rent-a-cops, so just be happy he didn't want to hang around and try and help.' Turning to Blake he said, 'Lucien, what have we got?'

Lucien bent over the body and began a careful visual examination. 'I can see no obvious signs of trauma or blood on the deceased. No twisting of limbs, no facial contortions, in fact, she seems to be smiling slightly.' Blake moved the body to an upright position, carefully moving her head and neck, then returning her to the prone position. 'The body is still in a state of primary flaccidity. Slight signs of rigor mortis occurring in the neck and jaw indicating that the deceased died between 2 and 5 hours previously. I would estimate she died somewhere between 3.30 and 4.30 this afternoon. But I will need to do an autopsy to confirm the cause of death.'

Sergeant Davis had begun to search Elizabeth's handbag and parcels. He found nothing of interest in his inspection except a small black diary. Flipping through he came to that days' date and commented, 'She had an appointment in the City today. It says 'Doctor, 9.20am'. He continued to flip through the book until he came to the address section in the rear. 'I'll get Ned to check through all the phone numbers here and try and find out who the doctor was and what she was seeing him for.'

'Right' said Lawson. 'We will need to search all this luggage and bags as well. Charlie, see if you can arrange with the porter to have them moved. As well, call the ambos and get the body to the morgue.'

Bert Smith poked his head in the doorway. He looked at the men, then stammered out, 'S-sirs, Mr. Crane s-says we can move all the passengers to the station waiting room now. The S-Sation Master has agreed you can use his office for interviews.'

Blake looked at the young porter kindly. 'Thank you, son. Will you and Mr. Crane organise that for us? Sergeant Davis here will help you.' Bert looked at Blake. Bert was pale and obviously disturbed.

'You seem quite upset,' commented Blake to Bert. 'Did you know her?'

Bert started, his eyes like a myxo rabbit. 'Never seen a dead 'un before. She travelled on the train a lot. I recognised her.' He stopped, took a deep breath and vehemently stated, 'I hated her and I'm glad she's dead!'