Read Online A Bespoke Murder by Edward Marston - Free Book Online Page A

had obviously been Jacob Stein’s office. The man was scrupulously tidy. Everything on the desk was in neat piles and the books were arranged carefully on the bookshelves that covered two walls. A framed photograph of the Jermyn Street shop hung above the desk, flanked by photos of Stein’s son and daughter. Seeing the smiling innocence on Ruth’s face, Marmion felt a mingled sadness and anger when he thought of the ordeal she must have suffered. His own daughter came into his mind. Had Alice been thevictim of rape, he could imagine how enraged he would be.
    Stone eventually returned and introduced his sister-in-law. Though Miriam had clearly shed tears, she was bearing up well under the double tragedy. She sat on the little settee beside Stone. Marmion lowered himself onto the upright chair opposite them. He was not certain if Stone was there to offer moral support to his sister-in-law or simply to keep a watchful eye on him. Since the man was determined to stay, however, there was nothing that Marmion could do about it.
    ‘Allow me to offer my condolences, Mrs Stein,’ he began. ‘It’s very good of you to speak to me at such a trying time.’
    ‘What happened to Ruth was appalling,’ she said. ‘Somebody must be called to account for it.’
    ‘Both you and she have my sympathy. I have a daughter of my own. I can appreciate the anguish this must have brought you.’
    ‘We’re not talking about your daughter,’ said Stone.
    ‘Indeed not, sir.’ He took out a pad and pencil. ‘When you feel ready, Mrs Stein, perhaps you could give me the details.’
    ‘There are precious few to give,’ she said. ‘I had to tease them out of Ruth one by one. She was trying to block the whole thing out of her mind but I told her that she must face it. I also made sure that the doctor examined her this morning. Ruth feels somehow that she’s in disgrace but I keep telling her that she’s not. She was a victim.’
    ‘What exactly happened?’
    Miriam bit her lip then launched into her tale. It was necessarily short. She described why and when Ruth had left the shop and whom she’d encountered in the alley. Of the two young men, only one had actually committed the rape. They had told Ruth that they were going abroad with their regiment next day. Miriam explained how Ruth had behaved on her return and how the bloodstain on her stockings hadaroused suspicion. After her daughter’s protracted stay in the bath, her mother knew that something was seriously amiss. Marmion waited until she had finished. Having to recount such unsavoury details had put great strain on Miriam. Stone patted her arm to show his approval then he flicked his gaze to Marmion.
    ‘We want this kept out of the papers, Inspector.’
    ‘Oh, yes,’ said Miriam. ‘I promised Ruth that there’d be no publicity. She’d die if that happened. You know the sort of lurid headlines that they use.’
    ‘There’ll have to be a mention when the case comes to court,’ said Marmion, apologetically, ‘but the interest should have died down by then and your daughter, hopefully, will feel strong enough to identify the two men.’ He looked at his notes. ‘She gave only the sketchiest descriptions. Did she say anything else about them? Their height, weight, skin complexion, for instance? What were they wearing at the time?’
    ‘Ruth didn’t notice that. They were just … drunken young men.’
    ‘People with beer inside them tend to talk a lot. What sort of accents did they have? Were they from London or another part of the country?’
    ‘She didn’t say, Inspector.’
    ‘They must have called each other something.’
    ‘Oh, yes,’ said Miriam, ‘they did. Ruth remembered that. One was called Ol – short for Oliver, I presume. And he referred to the other as Gatty.’
    Marmion put his pad away. ‘That’s enough to go on.’
    ‘It doesn’t sound as if it is to me,’ argued Stone.
    ‘I can soon find out which regiments were shipped to France today,