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128 pages

English

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The first investigation by Inspector Mayfield, set in the 1800s in the English county town of Warwick.

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Thriller

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Publié par	eBook Versions
Date de parution	01 avril 2015
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781843963431
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0248€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

Published by Knowle Villa Books

Copyright © 2009 Graham Sutherland

Graham Sutherland has asserted his
right under the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988 to be identified as
the author of this work.

ISBN 978-1-84396-344-8

eBook production
www.ebookversions.com

A CIP catalogue record for this
work is available from the British Library

All rights reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced, stored in or
introduced into a retrieval system or
transmitted in any form or by any means
electronic, photomechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise
without the prior permission of the publisher.
Any person who does any unauthorized
act in relation to this publication may
be liable to criminal prosecution.
Other books
by Graham Sutherland

Dastardly Deeds in Victorian Warwickshire
Leamington Spa, a photographic history of your Town
Leamington Spa, Francis Frith`s Town Country Memories
Around Warwick, Francis Frith`s Photographic Memories
Knights of the Road
Warwick Chronicles 1806 - 1812
Warwick Chronicles 1813 - 1820
Felons, Phantoms and Fiends
North to Alaska
A Taste of Ale
Wicked Women
Fakes, Forgers and Frauds
Warwickshire Crimes and Criminals
Midland Murders
English Eccentrics
Edward`s Warwickshire January - March 1901
Curious Clerics
Dastardly Doctors

As Joint Author
Policing Warwickshire, a Pictorial History of the Warwickshire Constabulary

Fiction
Mayfield s Law (Part 2 of the Warwick Detective Trilogy)
Mayfield s Last Case (Part 3 of the Warwick Detective Trilogy)

Graham Sutherland can be contacted on:
graham.g.sutherland@btopenworld.com
www.talksandwalks.co.uk

MAYFIELD

Part 1 of the
Warwick Detective Trilogy

Graham Sutherland

KNOWLE VILLA BOOKS
Contents

Cover
Copyright Credits
Other books by Graham Sutherland

Title Page
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five

Historical Note
Preview of Mayfield s Last Case
About the author
PROLOGUE

Near Aylesbury...June 1840

Once more, the watcher in the bushes eased his stiff limbs.
It had turned into a long wait tonight. He looked again at the upper part of the house, but it continued mocking him by remaining in darkness. The only visible lights werestill downstairs. Would the maid never go to bed? he asked himself.
The stillness of the short June night was broken by a nearby church clock striking half past two. He knew it would be getting light in little more than two hours, and that knowledge did not suit him. Darkness was essential for what he had in mind. Then, as if in answer to his silent question, all the lights except one were extinguished. The remaining one finally moved from what he knew to be thestudy. For a few seconds the house was in darkness, until the light reappeared,albeit briefly, on the mezzo landing, as its carrier continued on her way tobed.
At last the lightmoved into the maid s attic bedroom. The old man had gone to bed sometimeearlier, but the maid had no such luxury. She did not have an easy job. Beforegoing to bed, she first had to see to the final clearing up after her master s late dinner party, and laying the table for breakfast.
Several minuteslater the light went out. Unlike some he could name, the watcher knew the maidwas not allowed the privilege of sleeping in a lit room. The usual reason givenbeing the risk of a fire happening. In reality it was down to penny pinching. Once thehouse was in darkness, the watcher slowly counted to one thousand before hemoved.
Firstly, heopened his breeches and relieved himself against a tree. He knew it was partlynerves, but in his kind of work an empty bladder was essential. Havingfinished, he bent down and picked up a bag near his feet, and looked up at thesky. A large cloud had almost reached the waning moon, and it would be worthwaiting for a few more minutes, until it was completely covered.
Once a greaterdepth of darkness had stolen over the grounds and house, it was time to go.
Being naturallycautious, he kept to the darker shadows under the trees, for as long aspossible. Not that it really mattered as the waning moon cast very little lightthrough the clouds. But he did not believe in taking unnecessary chances. Heavoided the gravel drive and ran lightly across the lawns to the side of thehouse. Tiptoeing, he followed the outer wall and made his way to the kitchenwindow. Here he paused and listened.
The only sound he could hear came from a wild animal in a nearby field. Only when he was completely satisfied did he put down the bag. Stooping, he opened it and took out a longthin bladed knife and several pieces of raw meat, which he laid carefully onthe window sill. Picking up the knife again, he pushed it between the twocasement windows, and slid it as far as the catch.
Applying a steady, but gentle pressure, he felt the catch spring back with a slight click, as the window was unlocked. Holding the knife between his teeth, he pushed openthe lower window and waited.
Almost at once,he heard the expected menacing growl, as a large dog appeared and placed hisforepaws on the window sill. He saw the animal s muzzle was drawn back in asnarl, exposing his very strong white fangs.
Easy boy! theman whispered in a friendly tone, and held out one of the pieces of meat.
The dog ceasedsnarling and his nose quivered, picking up the scent of the meat, which the mandropped onto the kitchen floor and waited. Almost at once, the dog stood downand resumed his sniffing of the meat for a few seconds. Deep down he knew hisprimary duty was to see off the intruder, but the meat smelt most inviting. Thedog decided the intruder could wait whilst he swallowed the meat and looked upfor more. It came quickly as the man threw the other pieces into the room, wherethey soon eagerly swallowed by the dog.
By now, the dogwas shaking his head, feeling strangely muzzy, as the drug quickly took effect.He opened his jaw to bark a warning, but no soundcame. Slowly his legs buckled and he collapsed in an untidy heap on the floor.Only when the man heard the dog collapse, did he consider it safe to climbthrough the window and into the house, taking his bag with him.
Opening the bagagain, he removed a lantern and a candle. The lantern had been altered to showonly a small beam of light, just enough to guide him around the house. Lightingthe candle from his own tinder box, he set it into the lantern. Putting it downfor a moment, he returned to the unconscious dog and pulled him back to his rugin front of the dying fire. Having made the animal as comfortable as he could,he patted the dog s head and whispered, Good boy.
He moved throughthe kitchen and into the hall, picking up every item which appeared to be madeof silver or gold. Checking them for the appropriate assay mark to prove theirauthenticity, he rejected any that were not so stamped. He put the genuineitems into his bag, having first wrapped them in pieces of cloth, speciallykept for that purpose. This was not to protect them, but to lessen the risk oftheir making any noise, and possibly disturbing someone in the house. Next hemoved to the dining room, drawing room and study, putting items into his bag onthe way.
Having checkedout every room downstairs, he returned to the kitchen. The bag was almost fulland it had not been a bad night s work. He decided it was far too risky to goupstairs, and if his employer did not like it, then that was just too bad.
But, it was not his employer who was carrying out the burglary: he would not dream of doing such dirty work himself. Still, he mused, the pay was not bad, and there was only one golden rule. He must not help himself to any other goods in the house, except money. It made sense. Such items could always be traced. Whilst that was true of the gold and silver, there was far less risk as it was quickly melted down.
Acting on a sudden whim, he went back into the study and picked up a small jet and jewelled snuff box bearing the initials W T . He hesitated only for a moment before putting it into his pocket, knowing it was strictly against his employer s precise rules.
One for me, hechuckled. They ll never notice it s missing. And its got my initials on it.
Passing thedeeply unconscious dog, he knelt beside the animal and fondled his ears. You ll be all right, he whispered. Just a thick head in the morning. I hope they don t take it out on you too much.
Leaving the dog,he made his way back to the window and climbed through it. Reaching backinside, he picked up the bag and pulled it through. Putting it down for amoment, he reached up and closed the window. It might delay discovery of theburglary for a while longer.
He stood andlistened, and as he hoped, all was quiet. Picking up the bag, he went back intothe garden and moved quickly across the lawn to the boundary wall, relieved tosee the rope was still looped over a convenient branch. Already the sky in theeast was getting lighter, and he knew it was time to go.
Several secondslater, he had climbed the wall, hauling the rope up behind him. Dropping therope over the other side, he slid down it, with a practiced ease, and into thelane which ran by the house. He was relieved to see his horse was still there,contentedly grazing at the grass. It was risky, but he needed his horse nearbyin case he was discovered and chased.
Whilst he alwayschose the quietest parts possible to hobble the animal, there was always thechance someone else might find it. After all, he grinned, th