INSPECTOR ADDISON - THE REMINGTON MURDER - Episode 5

Clearing his throat, the inspector asked, “How well did you know your sister’s husband Amelia and did the two of you get along?”

 “Strange, now that you mention it.  Although I’ve lived with Victoria and Rodney for quite some time now, I really didn’t know him that well.  We got along alright; everything was very polite if you know what I mean.  I'm not quite sure what my sister saw in him but I do know she was terribly in love with him; practically worshipped the ground he trod on.

“Did Sir Rodney ever make any advances towards you?” the inspector asked curiously.

“No!  Heavens no!” she exclaimed.  “But Victoria must have known something was going on.  Rodney often came home very late at night.  I'm sure he conducted a fair amount of business with his cronies at the men's club, but late at night seems highly unlikely to me.”

“What do you mean?” asked the inspector, his curiosity suddenly climbing to a higher level.  “Do you think he was having an affair with another woman?”

“Oh, he was having an affair alright, but not with another woman; gracious no; it was a man!  Poor Victoria; it would be a terrible disgrace if she knew what he was up to and if the news about her husband became public.  Is there any way possible that you can keep all this hush, hush inspector?”

Inspector Sandy Addison was visibly shaken after hearing what Sir Rodney had been up to.  “I can’t make any promises but I’ll certainly try to do my best to keep the information private.  However, it will be most difficult if this man Sir Rodney was seeing becomes an earnest suspect.

“But…how can you be so certain that he was having an affair with another man?”

“I often go walking and one afternoon, as I was stolling along one of the riding trails a short distance from the stables, I came across Rodney standing waist deep in a wheat field and I thought it odd that he didn’t have his shirt on; he was always so concerned about being properly dressed.  His back was turned to me and I was about to hale him when a man suddenly stood up in front of him.  They put their arms around one and another and it looked to me like they were kissing.”

“And did either of the men see you Alison, especially the one standing in front of Sir Charlesworth because if he’s the killer and I’m not saying he is, you could be in grave danger?”

“No, I don’t believe he saw me.  I was standing in the shade between some bushes under a big tree and as soon as the man stood up, I carefully backed up behind the tree.  I think they would have acted more than a little alarmed if they had noticed anyone was watching, especially after they both ducked down into the wheat field and I could hear them both moaning.  It wasn’t difficult to imagine what those two buggers were up to.”

Thinking he was finally getting somewhere and his hunch about the case being more than just a robbery gone wrong, inspector Addison inquired, “If the man didn’t see you; did you happen to see his face by any chance?”

“As you can imagine, I was rather intrigued about what they were up to and not wanting Rodney to come to any harm, I stayed hidden behind the tree for some time before discreetly moving on.”

The inspector could see her eyes were twinkling with delight as she continued, “I actually got to see more than I really wished, but yes, I did catch a glimpse of the man’s face.  It was the gardener; the really good looking one with all the muscles – such a shame – such a waste of a handsome man.”

Since Amelia’s face was somewhat flushed, noticing her bosoms were slightly heaving after her discourse, the inspector cleared his throat once again and said, “That would be Mr. Anthony Biaggio; would it not?  Is he from Italy?”

“He and his family emigrated from Italy when he was just a small boy; you may have heard a slight accent when you were questioning him,” she answered.

The inspector was about to say that she had been extremely helpful when the colour of her lipstick caught his attention once again.  He said, “I couldn’t help noticing the delightful aroma of your perfume and the shade of your lipstick.  If I could be so bold, could you please tell me the name of the establishment you acquired them?”

“Amelia blushed slightly and said, "Oh, thank you inspector, I didn't think men noticed such things.  My sister and I both wear the same shade of lipstick,” she exclaimed visibly curious, “Presents for your wife or do you have a girl inspector?”

“Neither.  It’s for my sister, he lied.  Her birthday is this coming weekend and I always have difficulty getting her something she would like.  However, I’m sure she would love the same lipstick and perfume that you're wearing.”

After Amelia told the Inspector where she procured her perfume and lipstick, he lifted his watch out of his vest pocket and exclaimed, after seeing how late it was, “I must be going.  You’ve been most helpful Amelia.”

“But aren’t you going to question Mr. Biaggio anymore,” Amelia asked, feeling slightly dejected after enjoying her time with the inspector. 

“No.  Not today.  And I’d really appreciate you’re not discussing anything we’ve talked about this afternoon, especially to Mr. Biaggio.  Thank you for your assistance and clarifying a few thoughts I was having difficulty with.  Could you please ask Lady Charlesworth to come and see me for a few minutes, while I put away my notes?”

Amelia stood and straightened her long black dress with her slender hands and said, “Of course.” 

The Inspector watched her cross the room and open the door and as she was about to shut it behind her, she turned and said somewhat flippantly, “This is all so exciting - except of course for poor Rodney – what a terrible end he came to.”

As he waited for Lady Charlesworth to arrive, the inspector thought, Sir Charlesworth, the gardener and the butler – quite the threesome.  And Amelia’s lipstick and Lady Charlesworth being the same shade of red; how curious.    I wonder who wears the other shade of lipstick and if there’s something Amelia isn’t telling me.  “Hmm, the other shade of lipstick?” he quietly queried.  “Perhaps Sir Rodney Broderick Charlesworth enjoyed the pleasures of other women as well – how cavalier.”  To be continued...

Lenny's Murder/Mystery CONTEST HAS BEGUN!   The last episode will expose the thief and dastardly murderer and of course there will be clues along the way as the story unravels for the reader to figure out, which person killed Sir Rodney Broderick Charlesworth.  

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