Read Online The Unpleasantness at Baskerville Hall (Reeves & Worcester Steampunk Mysteries Book 4) by Chris Dolley - Free Book Online

incident with Pasco, he’d have even more reason to clear off sharpish.”
    “What do you think, Roderick?” asked Sir Robert.
    “I think there may be more to this than meets the eyeball,” I said. “The escaped convict is the obvious suspect, but has anyone actually seen him?”
    “Pasco must have,” said Henry. “That’s why he was killed.”
    “But why lop off his head and hands?” I said. “Seems rummy to me. Why would a convict try to hide Pasco’s identity?”
    “Dartmoor’s a notorious prison, Roderick,” said Sir Robert. “All the worst kinds of murderers are sent there. Chopping heads and hands off his victims is probably second nature to this villain.”
    Sir Robert had a point.
    “That’s true,” I said. “Consulting detectives call it modus operandi . Every murderer has one, don’t they Reeves.”
    “So it is widely held, sir. Murderers are creatures of habit. Once they find a method that suits, they are loathe to try another.”
    “There you are then,” said Henry. “This convict is an assassin used to tidying up after himself. All the more reason for him to be long gone from here.”
    “Do you think the ghost was prophesying Pasco’s death?” asked Lily.
    “I don’t think there was a ghost, Emmeline,” said Sir Robert. “I’ve talked with Henry about this, and we’re certain it was a servant’s prank. One of the younger ones. I imagine they are feeling much chastened by subsequent events, and I’m sure we will not see a reoccurrence. Best to put the matter behind us.”
    “Well,” said Henry, rubbing his hands. “Tempus fugit. Let’s get changed and meet back here in ... thirty minutes? It’s a sunny day, and we have an important scene to shoot. Don’t want to waste the light.”
    “Are you sure we’ll be safe?” asked Lily.
    “Positive,” he said. “But I’ll take a shotgun along with us just in case.”
    ~
    Sir Robert and all the houseguests, with the exception of Emmeline and myself, left for the quarry.
    “Are you sure you won’t join us, Roderick? Lily? I can find parts for both of you,” said Henry before leaving.
    “Maybe later,” I said. “I’d like to do a little sleuthing first. See if I can find Pasco’s head.”
    “And I’m going to do a little sketching,” lied Emmeline extremely convincingly. “The Hall looks quite magnificent with the early morning sun upon it.”
    Now all we had to do was steer clear of Lady Julia and we’d have the entire crime scene to ourselves!
    “Time, I think, to learn more about this Pasco,” I said. “Where was he last night, and who saw him last?”

Eight
    set off across the lawn in search of Trelawny, the gardener. Emmeline and I were better attired this time — in tweeds and walking shoes. I’d favoured a bold red tartan sock myself, but Reeves was adamant that an understated pastel was more suitable sleuthing attire.
    We found Trelawny in the walled garden. He was a short, wiry individual with a weather-beaten face and a worrying shortage of teeth. I rather thought he had the look of a man who’d been aged for twelve years in an oak cask. He told us he was in the middle of forcing rhubarb. To do what, he didn’t say, and I thought it best not to enquire.
    “Did you see or hear anything unusual last night?” I asked, getting right down to it.
    “Only the storm, Mister Roderick. ’Twas a howlin’ an’ a thunderin’ all night.”
    On to the next question. “What about Pasco? When was the last time you saw him?”
    “That’d be sunset. We always stop work at sunset. I goes to me cottage, and Pasco ’e goes to the ol’ stable block for ’is steam. ’E’s a machine, you know? Sir Robert put a boiler in the ol’ stable block last year when ’e bought Pasco ’an Silas.”
    “Silas?” I asked.
    “’E’s another one of they machines. A right fancy one ’an all. ’E’s over the back now, mowing the lawn ... with his feet.”
    Trelawny laughed to himself, a cackling wheezy kind of