‘I have said inspector, that some of the trustees wanted to remove me because of my reforming views. If they could have found some financial irregularities in the accounts, well that would have provided them with the excuse they were looking for to dismiss me.’
‘And did they find any such irregularities?’
‘Certainly not!’
‘Then you would not object if we studied the accounts?’
There was silence for a moment or so, before Armitage spoke. ‘I do not have the accounts here.’
‘Where are they then sir?’ asked Crabb.
‘The accounts are at my sister’s house. She resides in Ledbury.’
‘That is rather a strange state of affairs. Surely it would be more convenient to keep the account books here at the almshouses?’ asked Ravenscroft
‘I visit my sister usually once a week and it is an easy matter for me to bring the books up to date. I do not like leaving the account books here.’
‘And why is that sir?’
‘There have been one or two burglaries recently at the almshouses. I removed the books and one or two more valuable items to my sister’s house, where I considered they would be safer.’
‘You did not report these burglaries to the police station at Malvern sir,’ ventured Crabb, writing down something in his note book.
‘No, I did not consider they were important, although I may have mentioned it to the constable on duty at the Ledbury station. Look I really must go now.’
‘Very well Mr. Armitage. That will be all for now. I should warn you though that we may need to talk with you again, and that we might require access to the accounts of the almshouses.’
‘Of course,’ nodded Armitage turning away.
‘Good day to you, sir.’
Crabb and Ravenscroft made their way up the garden path, as Armitage opened the door of his cottage and went inside.
‘Good day to you gentlemen,’ said Crabb as they passed by the two old men.
‘What’s he say?’ asked one of the other.
‘Says he has to go home, lest his wife tell him off!’
The two men laughed.
‘Well that Armitage is a tight fellow and no mistake,’ said Crabb as they made their way back to their waiting cab. ‘All that nonsense he gave us, about the almshouses being burgled.’
‘He was certainly reluctant to let us view the accounts. I find it very difficult to accept that the books are lodged with his sister in Ledbury,’ said Ravenscroft climbing back into the cab, ‘We will certainly need to speak with him again. Our Mr. Armitage is holding something back, I’m sure.’
‘Perhaps Pitzer found that Armitage had been cheating the almshouses of money and called him to account, and rather than be discovered he decided to kill Pitzer so that it would all be kept secret,’ suggested Crabb.
‘That is a strong possibility, but your argument has only one flaw. If we accept what Touchmore told us, namely that the other trustees knew or suspected that Armitage had been appropriating some of the funds for himself, then Armitage would have to kill the other trustees as well to safeguard his secret. To remove all the trustees would cause a great deal of suspicion, I think you would agree.’
‘Pitzer might have discovered something that the other trustees did not know about, and decided to keep it secret.’
‘True. We must consider all possibilities. Where do you suggest we go next Constable Crabb?’
‘I thought we should call on Doctor Gladwyn sir.’
‘Then Doctor Gladwyn it is.’
Twenty minutes later the men found their cab had returned them to the town of Great Malvern.
‘Gladwyn lives just below Link Top,’ said Crabb, as the cab sped past the Tudor, along Belle Vue Terrace and out of the town. After passing a church on their left, and the beginnings of a large expansive common stretching away on their right, their journey took them past a number of attractively designed villas, until eventually lower down the road their driver swung the cab through a gateway which lead up to an old house built in the recent gothic style.
‘This is where the good doctor resides,’ said Crabb stepping down from the cab and instructing their driver to await their return.
Ravenscroft walked up to the front door, and pulled the bell under a brass plaque bearing the well-worn words — ‘Septimus Gladwyn. Physician’.
‘Let us hope that the doctor is in residence,’ said Crabb.
The door was opened by a maid.
‘Inspector Ravenscroft and Constable Crabb called to see Doctor Gladwyn if you please.’
The girl gave Crabb a disapproving stare, and said ‘Wait here’ before disappearing inside the building.
The two men stepped inside and found themselves in a drab, dark hallway. Ravenscroft looked at the old faded photographs on the walls, and across towards the cluttered hall stand full of battered hats and ancient walking sticks. A plant which had clearly seen better days, spread out from a large cracked pot in the corner.
‘Whatever is that smell sir?’ whispered Crabb
‘I think the maid has been somewhat overzealous in the cleaning of this tiled floor,’ replied Ravenscroft.
‘Smells more like the left over cabbage from yesterday’s dinner,’ sniffed Crabb.
‘Gentlemen, do come this way,’ said Gladwyn suddenly appearing in the hallway. ‘I think I can spare you a few minutes, before I commence my rounds.’
The two detectives followed the physician into what Ravenscroft supposed to be Gladwyn’s consulting rooms.
‘Do sit down gentlemen.’ Gladwyn indicated two chairs situated in front of his desk. ‘How can I help you?’
‘We are investigating the death of Mr. Pitzer, doctor Gladwyn,’ began Ravenscroft, accepting the seat.
‘There is nothing to investigate Inspector. Pitzer died from natural causes. I am sure the coroner’s inquest will agree with my diagnosis,’ interjected Gladwyn, taking his seat behind the desk.
‘Would it come as a surprise to you doctor, if I told you that Mr. Pitzer was poisoned.’
‘I would say that suggestion was somewhat fanciful. I examined Pitzer myself,’ replied Gladwyn removing his spectacles and polishing the lens on a large white handkerchief.
‘Nevertheless we did find traces of poison in the glass from which Mr. Pitzer had been drinking.’
‘I see,’ said the doctor looking down at his desk. ‘This changes everything. We will have to see what the inquest reveals.’
‘May I ask how long you had been Mr. Pitzer’s physician?’ asked Ravenscroft.
‘For over thirty years. He engaged me when he and his wife first moved to Malvern.’
‘And how was his health during these years?’
‘Really inspector, there is such a thing as confidentiality between doctor and patient,’ protested Gladwyn replacing his spectacles.
‘Surely that no longer applies now that your patient is deceased. This is a murder enquiry Doctor Gladwyn and we would appreciate it if you could answer all our questions,’ said Ravenscroft firmly.
The two men stared at one another, before Gladwyn broke the silence.
‘Mr Pitzer had generally enjoyed the best of health over the years. However he had been working quite hard recently. I thought he could do with a complete rest for a week or two. Unfortunately he did not take my advice.’
‘I am right in assuming that Mr. and Mrs Pitzer had no children?’ asked Ravenscroft, anxious to continue with his questioning now that the doctor was now more forthcoming.
‘That is correct. They were not fortunate in that direction.’
‘Mr. Pitzer never had cause to confide with you in regard to any matters of a sexual nature?’
‘I find that question rather offensive inspector. Mister Pitzer was not the kind of man to engage in extra marital affairs. He was utterly devoted to his wife,’ replied Gladwyn becoming annoyed and rearranging the pens and papers that lay on the top of his desk.
‘Can I turn to other matters now? We have heard that Mr. Pitzer played a prominent role in the affairs of the town.’