‘No.’
‘Do you have any idea where she was going?’
The boy shook his head, before lowering his eyes to the floor.
‘That’s all very well, but he can’t stay here. I’ve got things to do. I’m not used to looking after children,’ muttered Mrs Glover.
‘Constable Crabb and I will do everything we can to find your mother, Arthur. I’m sure she will soon return. In the meantime, can you be strong for your mother?’ asked Ravenscroft speaking softly.
The boy nodded again.
‘Good boy. Has he eaten anything since breakfast?’ said Ravenscroft addressing the old woman.
‘Don’t know. How should I know?’ sniffed Mrs Glover.
‘Here. Take this shilling. Send out for something for the boy. If you could look after him for the rest of the day I’ll give you another shilling when we return this evening,’ said Ravenscroft giving the coin to the woman.
‘Suppose it might be all right for a few hours, but I can’t have the boy for too long. He’ll have to go to the workhouse if she don’t come back for him.’
‘I’m sure it won’t come to that, Mrs Glover. We quite understand your predicament. We’ll let ourselves out. Goodbye, Arthur.’
As the two men walked away from the lodging-house, Crabb remarked, ‘This is a turn up. First Evelyn goes missing, now it’s Miss Weston.’
‘I hate to say it, but I fear the worst. Miss Weston did not seem the kind of person to abandon her child. She seemed to me to be a most conscientious kind of parent. I wonder where she was going to at such a late hour? She must have gone out to meet someone.’
‘You don’t think she is mixed up in all this business at the cathedral?’
‘To tell you the truth, I don’t quite know what to think. It seems more than a coincidence, however, that both Evelyn and Ruth Weston lodged there. We will need to interview the others as soon as possible,’ said the inspector deep in thought.
‘The Bailey couple have gone to France.’
‘Then this Cranston fellow, but I suppose we can’t do anything there until he returns from London. Right, we must do everything we can to find Ruth Weston,’ said Ravenscroft with determination. ‘I will write you out a description of the woman, which I want you to take back to the station, and send out to as many local stations as you think fit. Best keep Henderson informed. We don’t want to be treading on his toes again. If he can spare any men, send them to walk along the river. I’ll go back to Ruth Weston’s place of work, and see if anyone there knows why she has gone missing.’
Ravenscroft rang the bell of the residence of Sir Arthur Griffiths, and waited for the maid to open the door for him. ‘Inspector Ravenscroft. It is imperative that I speak with your master.’
‘I’m sorry, Sir Arthur is in London,’ answered the maid.
‘When did he leave?’
‘Yesterday afternoon, sir, shortly after you called.’
‘And when do you expect him to return?’ asked Ravenscroft.
‘Not until tomorrow.’
‘Can I speak with Miss Griffiths?’
‘I’m sorry, but that will not be possible. She went away with Sir Arthur.’
‘I see. Then perhaps you can help me. I understand Ruth Weston works here as a parlour maid.’
‘That is correct, sir.’
‘Did she present herself for work yesterday?’
‘No. To tell you the truth, cook and I are rather concerned about her.’
‘It wasn’t her day off yesterday?’
‘No, sir.’
‘Did she give any indication that she might not be available for work?’
‘No, sir,’ replied the maid looking increasingly worried.
‘And I presume that she has not reported for work today?’
‘That is correct.’
‘Did you not think it rather strange that Miss Weston has not reported for duty for the past two days?’
‘Yes, but when I told Miss Griffiths, she said that we were not to worry; she was probably ill and would return in a day or so. Has something dreadful happened to her? Cook and I are awfully worried. Nothing like this has ever happened before.’
‘We are doing everything we can to find her. You have been most helpful. Should Miss Weston return, or if you hear anything regarding her whereabouts, I would be grateful if you would send a message to the police station,’ said Ravenscroft.
‘Of course, I do hope you find her. What’s happened to her young boy?’
‘Mrs Glover is looking after him for the time being.’
‘The poor mite, he must be missing his mother.’
‘I’m sure he is,’ said a worried Ravenscroft as he walked away from the house.
The church clock struck six as the policemen met together once more under the shadow of the cathedral.
‘Nothing, sir, no one has seen or heard anything regarding our missing lady,’ said Crabb wearily.
‘I’ve been about the town and cathedral making enquiries, but have met with no success. Sir Arthur Griffiths and his daughter both left for the capital yesterday, and will not be back until tomorrow,’ replied Ravenscroft.
‘I’ve sent out her description to all the local stations with instructions to report back to Worcester if they hear anything. Superintendent Henderson seems reluctant to let us have any men, but says he will see if he can release one or two officers to go out in a boat along the river, but not until the morning.’
‘Then it seems that we have done all that we can do for today. The longer this goes on, the more concerned I become for Miss Weston’s safety. Then there is the young lad to consider. I don’t think we can leave him to the mercies of Mrs Glover for another night, but I’m damned if I know what to do with him. The thought of the local workhouse seems an unkind consideration,’ said Ravenscroft.
‘I’ve an idea. Why don’t I take the lad home with me for the night? Better than leaving him with Mrs Glover. Jennie will give him a good meal. He will be all right with us.’
‘Tom, that seems a Christian act and no mistake, but I fear it is a frightful imposition on you and your wife.’
‘No imposition. Jennie will be more than pleased to take the lad under her wing. Anyway it’s only for a day or so. Happen his mother will return tomorrow, and there will be a proper explanation for all of this.’
‘You are a good man Tom Crabb. Let’s go and collect the lad and you can make your way back to Malvern.’
They searched for Ruth Weston for three days. Ravenscroft and Crabb had walked the river-bank from Worcester to Diglis and beyond, looking for anything which had been swept into the sides of the water. A boat had been hired and had continued the search down to Upton and onwards to Tewkesbury. Descriptions had been sent to nearby towns, posters had been displayed in prominent places, and even the canal was traversed from Worcester to Tardebigge, and from Hanbury across to Droitwich.
Then, on the fourth morning, the two men had suddenly been called up river to Holt Fleet, where a large sack had been pulled from the murky waters near the lock gates.
Ravencroft’s heart felt full of despair as they rode in the cab, through driving rain, and out of the city. A uniformed policeman conducted them down the path that led from the bridge at Holt, towards the lock gates, where the keeper waited anxiously for their arrival.
Ravenscroft untied the rope that had been used at the top of the sack, with trembling hands and, as he had done so, he hoped against hope that his journey might yet prove fruitless. But, as he looked down at the body of the dead woman, and recognized her as the woman he had spoken with in the cathedral grounds, he had turned away quickly and felt a despair beyond comprehension.
It did not take them long to establish the cause of death — the red cord that had been used to kill her was still tightly secured round her throat. A brief examination of her pockets revealed them to be empty. The keeper was interviewed, and declared that he had seen or heard nothing out of the ordinary.
They carried the body into the lock keeper’s cottage, where they laid her out on the kitchen table, awaiting the arrival of Crabb’s colleagues who would eventually take her to the mortuary. Before they left, Ravenscroft took one final look at the body and, fighting back tears, gently brushed the wet hair away from her face.