A Dreadful Past Read Free

case”. A cold case of multiple murder,’ Middleton emphasized. ‘Very cold but also very multiple. Now, I would not dream of presuming how to tell you your job …’
    â€˜Thank you.’ Ventnor smiled and inclined his head to one side. ‘We always appreciate that attitude from members of the public.’
    Middleton returned the smile at the gentle rebuke. ‘But I would have thought the ownership of the vase might be able to be traced back from owner to owner until the police identify the person who obtained it from the persons who burgled my parents’ house.’
    â€˜Yes,’ Ventnor nodded in agreement, ‘that would be a definite line of inquiry. It is exactly what we would do.’
    â€˜The antiques dealer seemed to me to be above reproach,’ Middleton added. ‘You see, I am aware that, like the motor trade, the antiques trade can be a conduit to crime, but I did not think the dealer from whom I bought the vase to be in any way suspect. I am sure he would have kept a record of the purchase.’
    â€˜Good.’ Ventnor nodded. ‘We’ll certainly interview the gentleman. Which shop was it?’
    Middleton told Ventnor, who wrote the address of the antiques shop in his notebook. Then Middleton added, ‘I should also inform you that it was and still is my impression, and was also the impression of the police at the time, that the incident was a burglary that had gone badly awry – what I mean is it was a burglary that escalated into multiple murder. I am certain that my parents and my sister were not the targets of premeditated murder which was then made to look like a burglary. That was not the case at all. I am quite sure of that.’
    â€˜I see.’ Ventnor pursed his lips. ‘That is indeed useful. It means that we do not have to look into your family’s private life for a motive for some person or persons unknown with a motive for murdering them.’
    â€˜No … no it’s not … it was not at all the case.’ Middleton spoke softly but with definite conviction. ‘My father could be a difficult, irascible man. Few liked him – indeed, many disliked him, but I can’t think of anyone who disliked him sufficiently enough to want to kill him, and also his wife and his daughter.’
    â€˜And you escaped?’ Ventnor observed. ‘I mean, clearly you escaped.’
    â€˜Yes, quite simply by not being there. I was at university at the time, at Durham. It was a Wednesday when I was informed. I played in the Durham second eleven … cricket … and that day we took a right drubbing from Liverpool University’s second eleven. I got the news that evening when I was not fully sober. You may know how sports afternoons run into massive evening drinking sessions, but the state I was in helped to soften the blow somewhat.’
    â€˜It would do,’ Ventnor agreed. ‘Alcohol can have its uses.’
    â€˜Oh, yes … oh, indeed, I have found that to be the case in respect of other events as the years have gone by.’ Middleton glanced up at the low ceiling and suddenly smelled the gentle and pleasing aroma of air freshener in the room. ‘I can also tell you that the items stolen were all of a low bulk, high value nature – you know, watches, jewellery, that sort of thing, which makes the theft of the Wedgwood vase a bit of an anomaly, it being relatively bulky and fragile. It was as though it was grabbed at the last moment and on the spur of the moment, or perhaps as a container for the other items. But nonetheless the profile of the stolen goods further indicates that it was a planned burglary with unplanned consequences.’
    â€˜Yes … good point,’ Ventnor agreed with a distinct nod of his head. ‘Good point.’
    â€˜And,’ Middleton continued, ‘it also, in my view, points to the quite frightening coldness and detachment of the killers. By that