‘Wow.’
Everyone around the briefing table, including DSI Grayson, agreed with Moray Ruskin’s assessment of the story Warren had brought back from Vernon Coombs.
‘If you read that in a novel, you’d say it was too far-fetched,’ said Sutton.
‘I agree,’ said Warren. ‘It’ll have to be checked out obviously, but the whole thing seems a bit elaborate for someone that ill to have made up. I imagine a man in his position has more pressing things to do with his remaining time than string us along on a wild goose chase. Not to mention the fact that he drew parallels with information that shouldn’t be in the public domain.’
‘He could know the killer,’ suggested Ruskin. ‘Maybe it’s some elaborate ruse to throw us off the scent?’
‘Perhaps, but I think the point about the effort required to make it all up still stands. And how does it throw us off the scent? There’s still a killer out there.’
‘Rather more concerning is the fact that he said there were other monks involved,’ said Grayson. ‘It sounds rather like he’s suggesting that there could be more killings. Did he give any indication as to how many there were?’
‘No, he said that the original confession ended very abruptly, I don’t know if he found any more evidence in the other diaries. He’s not a well man to say the least, and I didn’t want to press him too hard. I’ll ask him when I next see him. We should also try and get a copy of his manuscript and the original research, to see if we can glean any more clues to the killer’s method ourselves.’
‘And perhaps even an idea of what he may do next,’ said Sutton.
‘Of course this also suggests a potential motive,’ said Warren.
‘The Catholic Church covering up sexual abuse is hardly unheard of,’ stated Sutton.
‘I agree, it’s a route that we definitely need to follow up,’ said Grayson, ‘but let’s not blind ourselves to other possibilities.’
‘Nothing came up on our PNC check about convictions for abuse, so we are going to need to dig a bit deeper,’ said Warren. ‘Rachel, liaise with the sexual exploitation unit in Welwyn, see if you can find out anything relevant. I think I also need another chat with Bishop Fisher, but I don’t want to tip him off. If something is being covered up, it’s likely to involve higher-ranking clergy. He could well be in on it.’
‘I agree. See what else we find, before you go speaking to Fisher,’ said Grayson.
‘How might this link to Rodney Shaw or Lucas Furber?’ asked Richardson.
‘Well, an obvious parallel, if we buy into the premise that the killer is following the pattern of the historic crimes, is that Rodney Shaw is the modern day counterpart of Matthias’ father, the groundsman,’ said Sutton.
‘Then shouldn’t Shaw have been burnt to death himself?’ asked Ruskin.
‘Perhaps, Shaw is doing what he thinks his predecessor should have done at the time?’ countered Sutton.
‘Like some sort of cosmic justice? Sounds a bit nuts,’ opined Rachel Pymm.
‘The whole thing is nuts,’ agreed Sutton.
‘Well, let’s keep an open mind, for the time being,’ cautioned Warren.
‘Of course, there’s another question we should be asking,’ said Grayson. ‘Who else knows the story of the abbey? If Coombs is to be believed, he’s the first to write about it for five hundred years. So I’d like to know who has been helping him in the archives.’