Cherringham--A Lesson in Murder by Neil Richards Page B

address. I’ve got it right here. He wanted to meet her when she came back. Asked what train she was on …”
    Jack sat back.
    “Wow.”
    For a moment, quiet.
    “So why did Ward bring us in?”
    “Why not?” said Sarah. “He wasn’t to know there was a connection between the fire — the rats — and Emily …”
    Jack nodded. It made sense.
    Then he looked at the clock. Well after four A.M.
    “You know what? I’ll take that cup of coffee now.”
    *
    It was after the second cup, with the remaining shortbread biscuits all devoured, that Sarah heard Jack say that he was stunned at what she’d discovered …
    She felt so glad to have found the missing pieces.
    But now — what were they going to do with it? How would they put it all together?
    For that she depended on Jack.
    “I’ve learned not to rush you …”
    Jack smiled. “Yes, me and my — what do you call it — ‘process’? But okay, the minutes fly by, and I think I have a plan.”
    “Just the words I was hoping to hear.”
    “Have to wake up Alan. Need him to check on something from Saturday night.” Jack laughed. “Won’t he be glad he gave me his private mobile number? And you and I will have to make some calls as well.”
    “Calls? To …?”
    “I think a bit of acting will be needed, so we best rehearse.”
    What was this about? she wondered.
    “Okay — I’m all ears.”
    “You … are going to have to pretend to be Fliss Groves.”
    “I’ll need to work on my ‘pompous’.”
    “That you will. And me, well, I already speak ‘American’ … I’ll just need to channel my inner billionaire, maybe fake a bit of a cold.”
    Then Jack’s secret plan, with those words, started to become clear.
    “You’re going to set up a meeting ?”
    “You got it. First thing in the morning. Before any more tracks can be covered, or DeLong runs back to his horses and his estate in Bedford.”
    “I never knew detective work could be so … theatrical.”
    Jack laughed at that. “Sometimes, it’s all that theater that makes a perp crack.”
    He smiled at her, looking just like a kid having the best adventure ever.
    “It’s what makes the job so much fun.”
    And Sarah filled the kettle again and grabbed some yellow pads so they could start taking notes, preparing for the calls and this important confrontation to come.

15. Monday Morning
    Jack had parked the Sprite down a lane off the main road that led to Cherringham Hall.
    Lights off, no one would notice it hugging close to the dry-stone wall.
    And then they waited.
    Sarah had easily tracked DeLong to the King’s Head hotel, really the only quality hotel in Cherringham … where she guessed he must be staying.
    And, a little after dawn — and using her best ‘Fliss Groves’ voice — she called the front desk and insisted to be ‘put through to Mr. DeLong’s room on a matter of utmost urgency’.
    ‘ It involves his daughter ,’ Sarah had said, guessing that the hotel people had seen doting dad and demanding daughter in full action.
    And then, though nervous, she was short and to the point with DeLong.
    ‘ Mr. Weiss and Mr. Ward will meet you at eight A.M. when everything will be resolved regarding your daughter.’
    DeLong for his part couldn’t have agreed faster to the meeting.
    Jack meanwhile barked out his words, interjected with coughs, first to Ward, then to Weiss … their numbers easily obtained, saying that he demanded to meet them ‘first thing’.
    Eight A.M. sharp.
    Or else.
    Considering how important DeLong’s American money was to the school, they too agreed instantly.
    And when Alan called back with the answer to the question Jack had asked … they were all set.
    Everything in motion.
    Now, they waited, watching the road.
    Looking for DeLong’s black Porsche 4WD to go racing by, heading to Cherringham Hall.
    The morning sky finally free of clouds. A buzzard lazily circling over the fields, hunting for its breakfast.
    The sun shooting golden rays over