Chapter 39: Accusations

Wednesday Morning

"Preliminary handwriting analysis and comparison of the suicide note with other documents known to be in Rachel Wenn's handwriting have concluded that the note is authentic," announced the magistrate. "And so this inquest is concluded with a finding of suicide."

The audience's shock at the initial revelation of the note and its contents had subsided, and people began to disperse, still buzzing with excitement but satisfied that the mystery had been solved. The Wenns retreated to a quiet corner to avoid making eye contact as the others left, Mrs. Wenn turning her attention to buying a fizzy drink from a vending machine.

"This is still an active investigation," Penhale told them. He urged the Wenns, along with Mrs. Daniels and a reluctant Martin, to follow him down the street to the police station. He took them into the room where he had conferred with Martin the day before.

"What is this, Hercule Poirot?" Mr. Wenn demanded when he saw the board set up with the photos and names. "You've got us all lined up there like a bunch of suspects. Why don't you just arrest her?" He pointed at Mrs. Daniels. "She's the one that helped Rachel to do it. The old witch probably talked her into it too."

"It is an offence to 'aid, abet, counsel or procure the suicide of another' under Section 2 of the Suicide Act of 1961, carrying a prison term of up to 14 years," Penhale stated,

"You're still trying to pin this on me," Mrs. Daniels retorted to Mr. Wenn. "I knew this would happen, that's why I wasn't completely honest about it before, but the fact is when Rachel was in trouble it was me she turned to, not to you, her own husband. She came to me and told me about the cancer. She couldn't face the treatment, she was always so proud, she didn't want to go out that way. But she didn't tell me she was going to go the suicide route. She asked me hypothetically what it would be like if someone were to swallow a whole bottle of my special herbal insecticide and I was honest with her. I said there would be some discomfort but it would be like falling asleep forever and it would take about a half hour. She said if she were ever to do something like that she would drink from the bottle and then dive to the heart of the sea that she loved and never come up."

The housekeeper's voice took on a wistful note as she recalled Mrs. Wenn's words to her. Then she seemed to snap back to reality and glared at them. "It was all strictly hypothetical though," she said. "It was only later I saw one of my bottles was missing and I knew she must have taken it. Like I said, I never told anyone because I knew you would all blame me. You can't prove anything against me."

Martin frowned. "You must have overestimated the amount of time for the poison to take effect. She appears to have expected to have enough time to finish writing her note, don her mask, and go over the side. Instead she succumbed as she was writing the note. The boat must have been swamped during the storm."

"You're a compulsive liar," Wenn insisted to the housekeeper. "Why should anyone believe anything you say? Rachel came right out in the note and said you gave her the poison."

Mrs. Daniels appeared genuinely distraught. "I don't know why she said those things about me, lying and calling me names. Rachel could be so cruel but in the end she confided in me and not you. What does that tell you? She must have taken the insecticide bottle after I left."

"Don't act like you cared about the state of my marriage," Wenn retorted. "You were fine with people thinking all this time I had somehow done in Rachel. Did you put something in my tea and poison my dog too? Was that just out of pure spite?"

"I had nothing to do with that. I swear I don't know what happened to you and the dog. Maybe it's her you ought to be suspicious about, the little deceiver. You let yourself be seduced by a mere child, a wicked child." Mrs. Daniels turned suddenly on Mrs. Wenn, who clutching her fizzy drink can indeed looked like a guilty child caught in the act of something.

"You already know she stalked you to trick you into marrying her," Mrs. Daniels continued. "It's the house she really wants, she always had her eye on Wenn Hall. Now that she's got it what does she need you for?"

Martin wasn't a keen student of human behaviour, but it seemed to him there was real spite in the housekeeper's accusations and when he looked at the young woman's reaction the animosity was returned. Mrs. Wenn finished it off her drink by throwing her head back and emptying the sugary contents down her throat. She threw the can sideways into a bin and glared back at the older woman defiantly but said nothing.

"I've had enough of this," Mrs. Daniels said. "If you had any real evidence to charge me you'd have done so by now." She stalked out and departed.

Mrs. Wenn stalked off in the other direction, mumbling about needing the loo. Penhale took the opportunity to address her husband directly. "Your wife and your housekeeper don't seem too fond of each other. I'm surprised you didn't sack her on the spot after all this."

"I don't know why you would say that." Wenn seemed surprised but Martin noticed he avoided their eyes. "Mrs. Daniels has her quirks, no doubt, but she does her job well enough. She's practically a family member. My wife even suggested I give her a pay rise the other day."

Penhale was taken about by this response. "Well, are you at all suspicious about your wife's actions on the morning you were poisoned?" he countered.

"She wasn't even home when it happened. She was out and about on her scooter. She could drive our Land Rover anytime she wants but she loves her little vintage Vespa. She said she always wanted one so I bought it for her as a wedding present. I don't where she gets out to on that thing sometimes."

Mrs. Wenn came back in the room, glancing at them curiously. Martin wondered if she had overheard Penhale's conversation with her husband.

"I think we're finished here, constable," Mr. Wenn said. "Wait at the door Luv, while I get the car."

As Penhale went to his office to write up his notes, Martin found himself alone with Mrs. Wenn. Not one for small talk, he nonetheless felt compelled to say something. "Erm… it seems likely Mrs. Daniels will no longer be in your employ… given what's happened."

Her reaction was similar to her husband's. She acted surprised but avoided his glance. "It's just disagreements, everyone will get over it in time. Mrs. Daniels does her job okay, she's served my husband's family well. She's practically family herself."

"Hm." Martin recognized family dysfunction when he saw it, it was a subject he was very familiar with, but he still didn't understand any of it.

Mrs. Wenn took out a little device out of her purse. She put it to her lips and inhaled. An LED light at the tip glowed briefly and she exhaled a small cloud.

This was a subject Martin felt far more confident dealing with. "You can't smoke in here."

"It's not smoking it's vaping. It's an e-cig. Harmless, innit."

"It is not harmless. It may be somewhat safer than an actual cigarette but unless you are using it to quit smoking you are still exposing yourself to carcinogens."

"I'm just doing it to myself, no second hand smoke or anything. You can't even smell it, can you." She sauntered outside, still puffing away.

"I can smell it!" Martin yelled after her.

In fact, it smelt sickly sweet and curiously familiar… like artificial butterscotch. He darted outside to confront her but she was already gone. He went back inside to find Penhale back in the room, about to empty the trash bin.

"Just a moment," Martin said.

He took a latex glove from his pocket, put it on, and carefully pulled the fizzy drink can out of the trash, holding it with top and bottom delicately poised between index finger and thumb.

"Get one of those evidence bags," he told the constable. "I need you to dust this for fingerprints."

To be continued…

Note: To reader ke0212 who wondered how many pairs of latex gloves the Doc carries around in his pockets – I picture him always well stocked with them, because it's better to have them when you need them than need them and not have them!