Foul play at Follyfoot

[pete.r.]

                                   Foul Play At Follyfoot

A story in 4 parts

PART 1

It was Sunday lunchtime. Callie had come over to Follyfoot to see Dora. The place was teeming with police.
"What's going on?" asked Callie.
"Come into the house," said Dora. "I'll explain. You know Uncles been very ill for a few weeks now."
"Yes, he's been bedridden for the last week" Callie replied.
"Well, I'm afraid when we went in to see him this morning he'd passed away", said Dora.
"Oh I'm so sorry," said Callie. "He was a lovely man." They hugged each other.
"But why all the police?" said Callie.
"Because they say there was suspicious circumstances surrounding his death" said Dora.


Just then a policeman came in."Could you please go into the Colonels office Dora", he said."Our detectives are
ready to interview all the staff". Dora went inside.
A few minutes later two detectives walked in.
"I'm Detective Inspector Charlie Barlow and this is Detective Sergeant John Watt. We've been sent from Merseyside
because it's a bit quiet there at the moment, so we'll be on the case .We're from Z cars squad. Do any of you
recognise this?" said Barlow, holding up an empty Aspirin pill bottle.
"No," they all replied.
"Well, you should Steve," he said" Because the label on it said it was bought at the chemists Sunday lunchtime.
We've been to the chemists and they gave us a description of the person who bought it. A youngish man, slim
with dark hair. Now we believe that's you Steve. And we believe that those tablets were given to the Colonel in a massive overdose and killed him. We're waiting for Forensics to confirm this" said Barlow.

"We know that the Colonel couldn't have got out of bed to help himself to the tablets, he was too weak" said Watt.

"Well it wasn't me," said Steve. "I didn't put them in the Colonels glass of water".
"Who mentioned anything about a glass of water", said Barlow.
"We only said he was overdosed. They could have been forced down his throat whole."
"Except that you knew they were mixed in a glass of water" said Watt, "Because you put them in it. You murdered
the Colonel. I think we've got our man Sir".

"Alright" said Steve, "I admit it. It was me."

To be continued .........

[pete.r.]

Part 2

"Yes " said Steve, "I admit I fetched the tablets from the chemist. But I didn't give any to the Colonel. I didn't
kill him."
"Then how did you know the Colonel took them with water?" said Barlow.
"Because the girl in the chemist said they were soluble tablets and had to be dissolved in water" replied Steve.
"So I just assumed that was how they were given to him."

Just then a police officer came in.
"You're wanted back at Liverpool Sir," he said, theres been a murder there. Two more detectives are on there way
now to take over from you here." Off they dashed.

A few minutes later in walked two more detectives.
"I'm Detective Constable Ray Doyle and this is Detective Constable William Bodie" he said. "We're known as the Professionals. I've been brought up to date with proceedings. Now Steve" he said, "If you didn't kill the Colonel, why
did you fetch the tablets from the chemists?"
"Because", Steve stuttered, "Because....."
"Because I asked him to" said Dora. "I had a headache, and asked Steve to go to the chemists in the Land Rover
for me because there wern't any in the First Aid cupboard in the kitchen."

"Well we've just had the results from Forensics. The Colonel was killed by a massive overdose of these tablets" said
Doyle.
"Between about 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday night" said Bodie.

Doyle went into the Colonels bedroom, then came out a few minutes later, deep in thought.
"Saturday night" he said," March 25th 1973. Know what was so special about that Bodie?"
"No Sir", he replied.
"The clocks went forward Bodie. One hour. Remember?"
"Oh yes, of course" said Bodie.
"I've just been into the Colonels bedroom" said Doyle. "And his clocks been put forward. The Colonel couldn't have done it.
Did anyone here alter his clock?"
"They all looked at each other. "No" they said.
"Well, whoever went into his room and killed him for some reason then put his clock forward the one hour."
"Why would they do that?" said Bodie.

Doyle looked at Ron. Ron looked down at the ground.
"Ron Stryker", Doyle said, "I've heard about you. You're very crafty aren't you."
"Me?" said Ron. "And you're also lazy", said Bodie. "Bone idle in fact."
"And you finish work at 6 p.m. Don't you Ron" said Doyle.
"Yes" replied Ron.

"I think what happened is this" Said Doyle.
"Ron worked out a clever scheme so that he could knock off work an hour early. At 5 o clock he went into the kitchen and
put the clock forward an hour to 6 o clock, and so then he could go home early. But then he remembered there was a
clock in the Colonels bedroom. So he went in, but disturbed the Colonel whilst altering it. The Colonel cottoned on
to what Ron was up to and was going to tell Dora, so Ron grabbed a handful of tablets, put them in the water
without the Colonel seeing, then gave him the glass to drink. Ron only meant to put the Colonel to sleep, he didn't
mean to kill him but inadvertently did. Is that what happened Ron?" said Doyle.
"Yes" Said Ron. "I did it."


To be continued...........

[pete.r.]

Part 3


"I altered the clock just as you said in the kitchen, to get off work an hour early. Then I remembered the one in the
Colonel's bedroom, so I crept in and altered that one as well."
"And you disturbed the Colonel" said Bodie.
"Yes", said Ron, "But he wasn't bothered about the time, he was in too much pain, he asked me to get him a couple of tablets to help him sleep. I went to the First Aid box but they wern't there. I didn't kill him. He was alive when I left
but in pain."

Suddenly a police officer came in. "You're wanted back at Uxbridge Doyle", he said, "A  double murder. A new pair
of detectives are on the way."
Off they went.

Soon after two more detectives arrived.
"Detective Inspector Jack Regan" he announced, "And Detective Sergeant George Carter. We're known as The Sweeney
in London. Now, what have we here. The other detectives havn't sorted anything out" he said.
"You'll be telling me next the butler did it" said Carter.
"Wait a minute" said Regan. The butler. Thats it. He looked at Slugger.
"You were the Colonels Batman" he said, "He would have trusted you, he could confide in you. You would have done
anything to help him. He was in pain. If he asked you to give him an overdose to put him out of his misery you
would have done. What were you doing about 6 o clock?"

"He was asleep", said Dora." I came in expecting Slugger to be getting the tea ready. He was in his chair fast asleep."
"So", said Regan, "You were in the house alone with the Colonel Dora. Slugger was asleep."
"Yes" said Dora.
"You sent Steve for the tablets because you didn't want to be recognised. You didn't have a headache. You pretended
to take them. Then you put the bottle in your pocket and waited for your chance. Then when Slugger came in to make
the supper you put some tablets in his cup of tea to put him to sleep for a bit. Then you went into the Colonels
bedroom and put the rest of the tablets into his glass of water."
"No" said Dora, "Thats not what happened. I didn't do it."
"I don't think the jury will see it that way" said Carter.

                                  4 Weeks Later

"How do you find the defendant, Guilty or Not Guilty of the manslaughter of Colonel Geoffrey Maddocks?" said
the judge to the Jury's spokesperson.

"Guilty, Your Honour."

"You've been found guilty of the most appalling crime", said the Judge. "I sentence you to 7 years in prison.
Take her down."

Everyone else had left the courtroom.
"I can't believe it", said Slugger."Can't believe she admitted killing the Colonel."
"Me neither" said Ron, "And then walked into a Police station and confessed everything."
"Well at least", said Steve, "Pleading guilty in court to manslaughter she wasn't found guilty of murder.
"Trouble is, whats going to happen to Follyfoot now?"

To be continued.........

[pete.r.]

Part 4

"Follyfoot will be fine" said Dora." We'll miss the Colonel's experience but if we all pull together we can carry on. But  I just don't
know how she could have done it" said Dora." How could anyone  have done that to the Colonel."

The four friends left the courtroom and went back to Follyfoot.
When they arrived Callie was waiting for them, having just finished school.
"What happened Steve?" she said. "What happened in court today?"
"Well, as you know", said Steve," It was the Colonels doctor who came back saturday night to see how he was.
He was in terrible pain, and suffering. He asked her to give him something to relieve the pain.She knew he was dying. Being a
doctor she knew there was only one way to relieve him of the agonizing pain he was in. She went to the First Aid cupboard,
took the pills that had been put back by Dora after taking two for her headache, and gave them all to the Colonel in a glass
of water. It didn't take long for them to work. Then she left. But her conscience got the better of her, and she walked into the Police
Station and admitted whad she'd done. She pleaded guilty in court today of manslaughter and got 7 years in prison."

"How could she do that to someone?" asked Callie.
"Well, said Steve, if it was a horse suffering it would have been shot".
"Or if it was an animal suffering it would have been put down" said Slugger.

"Doesn't make it right" said Dora, "That was my uncle and I loved him so. I miss him."

Just then a car pulled up outside the door.
"It's your parents Dora" said Ron.
"They've come to sort out the funeral arrangements" said Slugger.
"Dora, how are you darling?" said Prudence.
"I'm alright mummy" said Dora.
"Slugger" she said," How are you."
"Hello Dora", said her father ," Are you O.K."
"Come along Arthur" said Prudence,"Dora's all right".

Dora walked away from them all and went towards the window.
She looked out and could see the lightning tree.
It's branches seemed to bow down as if in a gesture of respect.

A tear slipped from Dora's eyelid and ran down and onto her lips.

The others were all chattering in the distance, but Dora couldn't hear them.
She could only hear her Uncle.

She remembered his words.

"Here you are  Dora.  Mistress of Follyfoot.  I'm giving it to you."

And the tears welled up and streamed down her face.

And no-one could see them.

Only the lightning tree.

And although there'd been no rain for weeks, drops of moisture fell from it's branches and onto the ground below.

As if it were crying too.


                                                       THE END