Chapter 14: A Ring and a Cold Case

"The séance seemed to be over and then she just came out with that statement about the ring and a sick man getting well and all," Louisa said to Martin over breakfast. "It's hard to dismiss it, even with all the vague things she said to me and everyone else."

Martin frowned. "Your mother must have told her about it, or Ruth did."

As if on cue, Ruth appeared at the kitchen door. "I must have told who about what?"

"Oh Ruth," Louisa said. "I've just been telling Martin about the séance and what Lamorna said to me afterwards."

Ruth joined them at the breakfast table. "Yes, something about a ring. I don't know anything about it."

"I never told anyone about my Dad giving me a ring from his stolen loot, except you just now Martin. I never talk to Mum about Dad any more, and they haven't spoken to each other in many years. Nobody even knows where he is now, I'm sure he's out of the country," Louisa said.

"Well, I saw that it touched a nerve for you when Lamorna said it," Ruth commented. "That's why I stopped by, to see what you thought about it."

"There's something so personal about a ring, so meaningful. If it had been an actual family heirloom it would have meant so much for him to give it to me," Louisa said, unconsciously touching her wedding ring.

"It's just a coincidence," Martin insisted. "Even a stopped clock is right twice a day. But, even if it was a spirit message, what's the meaning of it? Why would this one random incident be what the medium chose to say to you? She supposedly wasn't even channelling spirits at that point. If she's trying to prove she has some sort of sixth sense then why not say the name of your old dog or the street you lived on or a hazardous situation coming up that you could prepare for, something else more specific. Why not come up with a concrete useful prediction that could be verified?"

"I'm a bit disappointed there was no message for me," Ruth commented lightly. "After all, the spirits were being channelled in my family's old house."

"Psychological studies of mediums and people who regularly visit them," Ruth continued, "show there's a natural human tendency to want to please and cooperate with someone who is supposedly trying to get you a message from a deceased loved one. Mediums are also very skilled in observing visual cues from the subject, making general statements and then subtly pushing the subject for more information, that sort of thing. I could see that happening last night. Lamorna was floundering, trying to make some connection with you Louisa, and somehow she managed came up with something when it was least expected. It's all so fascinating."

"Indeed," Martin said. ""Anyway, I hope you're all finally done with this nonsense."

"Well, no," Louisa replied. "We're all going to give it one more go, tomorrow night. It seems Lamorna needs a night off to recharge her psychic batteries or something."

Ruth nodded. "I just came back to the village to water the plants, check the post, repack my bags, that sort of thing. Tomorrow night is the anniversary of Caroline's death in the fire. It's supposedly when her spirit is likely to be lingering at the place of her death. I don't want to miss that show. Louisa, I'll see you then."

Martin was really annoyed now. "I'll plan on being there then. It's time I had a chance to see what these so called ghost hunters are really up to."

Ruth left by the kitchen door, just as Janice was coming in and overhearing Martin's remark.

"Are the spooky people still at it at your big fancy house, Doc?" she said. "I'd love to go out there and get a psychic reading or whatever, it's got to be better than that fortune cookie I got at the Chinese restaurant in Wadebridge. But it sounds like you're casting asparagus on the whole thing."

"What? It's casting aspersions, not asparagus."

"I don't think so, that sounds made up. I think you're confusing it with that Asperger's thingie."

Martin scoffed. "Anyway, no, you're not invited to Tremethyk House, there's too many people making themselves at home there already."

At that moment, Penhale showed up at the kitchen door. "Actually, I want to talk to you about Tremethyk House, Doc." He sat at the table and helped himself to some toast, as Louisa and Janice went upstairs to gather baby Mary's things for the day.

"I was talking to those ghost hunting Morans at the pub the other day, about all the paranormal goings on supposedly, um, going on there. Some interesting stuff. So I started looking into the old police reports for the fire where Caroline Davies perished. I've developed this theory that there may have been a cover up. The records hint at some evidence that the fire was deliberately set. It was arson to conceal the fact that Caroline was actually… murdered!"

He paused for dramatic effect. Martin stared at him without expression.

"I, um, just thought you'd be interested, seeing as she was your ancestor," Penhale continued.

"She wasn't my ancestor, she was a relative who was visiting when the fire happened. What does reopening a 150 year old tragedy have to do with these supposed ghost hunters?"

"Well, I was thinking," Penhale said, eagerly, "maybe I should be there for the next séance night. Might be interesting to see what the medium comes up with. I can be your eyes and ears Doc, to see if there's anything dodgy going on with the Morans, and if they're on the level, well I can always enlist their help if solving any cold cases and other serious crimes in Portwenn."

Martin frowned. His first impulse, as always with the village constable, was to say no, but he reconsidered. It might be helpful to have someone else there who didn't seem to be buying into this supernatural nonsense too much, and he planned to be busy with investigating the chemistry lab while the séance was happening. "All right then, you can come to Tremethyk House."

At that moment, Louisa and Janice came back into the room. Janice started to protest, "why's it OK for Joe and not me…" but Martin shut her down. "I'll be needing you to stay with the children tomorrow evening while Louisa and I are at the house. Officer Penhale will be there in, er, a somewhat official capacity."

"Right you are, Doc," said a clearly pleased Penhale. "I'll be your eyes and ears in the room. And don't worry, I'll go over everything there with a fine tooth and a comb."

Martin just huffed in frustration and left the room.

To be continued…