Yes. It began raining shortly after nine P.M. that evening, and the intruders footprints were preserved by the north gate and, to a certain extent, on the north lawn, which they crossed to reach the house.
Upon which sides of the north gate did you find the footprints?
On both sides. There were two sets of prints, which enabled me to establish that there were two intruders.
What about the north gate itself?
It is in fact a door in the wall. It was closed but unlocked. The footprints in the doorway showed quite clearly that the intruders came through the door rather than over the wall and left by the same route.
Did you inspect the lock, Officer?
I did. There were no signs that it had been forced. It is my opinion that it was unlocked using a key. The lock is modern and resistant to being picked from the outside. Picking would have left some scratches inside the lock itself, and there were none found.
I see, said Sparling. Now, you referred earlier to tire marks in the lane. Please would you tell us about them.
Yes, sir. They were distinctive. They were of a type usually fitted a Mercedes C-class vehicle, which had been turned at some speed in the roadway outside the north door before being driven away.
Were any of the other exterior entrances to the property open?
Only the main gates at the front of the property. They had been left open by Thomas Robinson when he went over to Christopher Marshs house.
To raise the alarm?
Yes, sir.
Good. Thank you, Detective Butler. If you wait there, my friend here may have some questions for you.
Just a few, Officer, said Miles Lambert, getting slowly to his feet. Just a few. We wouldnt want to keep you from your duties unnecessarily.
Butler did not respond. Hed sworn to tell the truth, and that was what he was going to do. However, that did not extend to exchanging unnecessary pleasantries with the other sides counsel. He kept his eyes fixed on a point just above Miles Lamberts head and waited.
Ransacking, Officer. A strong word.
Yes, sir.
Implying that those who did the ransacking did not know what they were looking for?
I cant say, sir. I wasnt there.
Yes, Detective Butler, thats right, interrupted the judge. Mr. Lambert, stick to questions please. Dont make points.
Im sorry, my Lord. Let me ask you about the bed, Officer. Had it been slept in?
The one in the master bedroom?
Yes, the one in the room that was ransacked, as you put it a minute ago.
Id say it had been slept in. Yes.
And what about the one in Thomas Robinsons room?
That had more the appearance of having been laid on rather than slept in.
I see. Now the north door of the grounds. You believe it was unlocked using a key.
Yes, sir. After close examination of the lock, I feel sure of it.
Did you find the key?
Yes. It was hanging inside the side door of the house. With various other keys, sir.
Thank you. Now, you told Mr. Sparling earlier that it began raining that evening shortly after nine P.M.
Yes, sir. There was a thunderstorm. It rained for about half an hour.
And the rain would have washed away any footprints that were there before?
Where, sir?
In the lane and by the north door and on the lawn.
Yes, sir.
And the weather before it started raining. Was it hot or cold? Can you assist us with that, Detective Butler?
It was a warm evening, sir. Quite warm, as I understand it.
Understand it from whom?
From the meteorological office. Theres a report in the case papers.
Yes, I have it. Now, youve told us about the smashed window in the study, but what about the windows elsewhere in the house? Were any of them open?
The one in the boys room. In Thomas Robinsons room. That was slightly open, but I dont recall any others.
Thank you. Now, thats all I want to ask you about the night of the thirty-first of May. I do, however, want to move you forward a little more than a year. To last Wednesday evening in fact. The fifth of July.
Yes, sir. Butler looked unperturbed. Hed expected this line of questioning.
Now, its right, isnt it, that you were called to the House of the Four Winds again last Wednesday? To act as a crime-scene officer.
Yes, sir. I was called by Detective Sergeant Hearns, and I attended the scene at just before eight P.M.
Who was there when you arrived?
Thomas Robinson and two officers from Carmouth Police Station. Sergeant Hearns was also present.
You spoke to Thomas Robinson about what he said had happened?
Yes, sir.
Tell us in outline what he told you, Officer. Just a thumbnail sketch.
He said that he had heard a car pull up in the lane and that he had seen two men enter the property through the north gate and cross the lawn to the front door. That he had hidden in a bench in the hallway while the two men searched the house, and that they had left when they heard a police siren in the road outside. Thomas had called the police earlier when he first saw the men.
So he said. Now, Officer, you naturally searched all the areas in the property where Thomas said the men had been?
Yes, sir.
Looking for clues. For forensic evidence. For fingerprints, DNA, things like that?
Thats right.
And did you find anything like that, Officer? Anything like that at all?
No, sir, I didnt.
On your visit to the house on July fifth you found nothing to suggest that anyone had gotten in. Isnt that right?
Nothing to suggest they had and nothing to suggest they hadnt.
Well, lets examine that, shall we? Beginning on the outside and working in. Lets start with the lane. Did you find any tire marks there?
No, sir. But it didnt rain that night and it hadnt in fact for some time before, and so I would not have expected to find tread marks unless the car was driven or turned at speed.
As it was on the night of the murder. But on this occasion Thomas Robinson told you that the intruders left because they heard the police siren. They ran from the house.
That was my understanding, sir.
I see. And the lack of rain explains the absence of footprints.
Thats right, sir. I wouldnt have expected to find footprints if the intruders kept to the path.
Which they failed to do on the night of the murder.
It was dark then, sir. On this occasion it was still light when I arrived.
A strange time for breaking and entering.
Dont answer that, Detective Butler, interrupted Judge Granger. Stop making points, Mr. Lambert. Ive already told you once.
Im sorry, my Lord. Now, about the door in the wall, Officer. Was it open or closed?
It was shut.
Locked or unlocked?
Locked.
No sign of the lock having been picked?
No, sir.
And what about the front door of the house?
Thomas Robinson told us that the intruders left the front door open when they ran off, sir.
But he also told you that it had been locked earlier on and that the intruders had used a key to gain entry. Yes?
Yes, sir.
I see. Well, thank you, Detective Constable Butler. Youve been most helpful.
Miles Lambert sat down heavily and dabbed his cheeks with a crimson handkerchief. He felt pleased with his afternoons work. Just as he had hoped, Butler had had to give him exactly what he wanted. There wasnt a scrap of real evidence that Thomas had had any visitors on that Wednesday evening, other than Butler himself and his fellow police officers. All the prosecution had was Thomass word for it, and Miles felt confident that that wouldnt be worth much by the time hed finished with young Master Robinson. Miles rubbed his pudgy hands together. He had a feeling that he was going to enjoy this case.
Sparling, however, looked even more morose than usual as he got to his feet to reexamine his witness.
Just one more question before you go, Detective Butler. You agreed with Mr. Lambert that you searched all the areas in the property where Thomas Robinson said that the men had been last Wednesday.
Thats right.
Well, did you search upstairs?
Yes. I did.
And did you find anything?
The bookcase hiding place was open, sir. Like it was on the night of the murder.
Like it was on the night of the murder. Sparling repeated the words slowly and then smiled at the crime-scene officer.
Thank you, Detective Butler. Thats all. No more questions.
Sparling resumed his seat, and Detective Constable Butler was gone with the swing doors of the courtroom closing behind him.
Judge Grangers bright gray eyes did a circuit of the courtroom, taking in the jury, Greta, the barristers, and Miss Hooks, who was standing by the witness box waiting for orders.
I think thats enough for today, gentlemen, he said. Well meet again at half past ten tomorrow.
All rise, commanded Miss Hooks in her shrill voice, but Miles Lambert had not yet made it to his feet by the time Judge Granger had gathered his papers and walked out the door to the left of his chair.
Chapter 13
On Friday the court did not sit until half past eleven. The Indian juror with the turban had had an unspecified problem that prevented him from getting to court on time, but he seemed entirely unperturbed as he took his place beside the Margaret Thatcher look-alike in the front row. His expression remained just as inscrutable as the day before. Mrs. Thatchers, however, looked even fiercer.
A witness called Margaret Ball was the first to give evidence. Shed traveled up to London from Flyte on the train, and it looked as if it was the first time shed ever left home. It was certainly the first time shed ever been in a courtroom. She peered about herself shortsightedly and answered John Sparlings questions in an almost inaudible voice, which soon brought an intervention from the judge.
Speak up, Mrs. Ball. We all want to hear what you have to say. I know it isnt easy, but do speak up.
The judge spoke kindly, but his urgings made Mrs. Ball unable to go on at all and there had to be a short adjournment while Miss Hooks revived the witness with several glasses of water and a tissue.
Eventually, with much prompting from Sparling, she got her evidence out. She was the mother of Edward Ball, who used to go to the same school as Thomas Robinson: St. Georges, Carmouth. She was very happy that her Eddy had a nice boy like Thomas for a friend. On one or two occasions Eddy had been to stay at Four Winds House, as she called it, and yes, Thomas had also been to stay with them in Flyte.