The de Vere Deception (David Thorne Mysteries Book 1) (35 page)

            “This door is locked—what’s in here?” he asked the manager.

            “It’s a pantry. It’s accessible from another conference room on the other side.”

            Hammersmith directed his men to stay in the room and guard the documents. He and Thorne followed the manager out into the hall. They approached the door of the other conference room and the manager withdrew.

            Hammersmith took out his gun, and he and Thorne cautiously entered the room. They stood looking at the pantry door. Thorne jerked the door open quickly and stepped back, dropping out of the probable line of fire of Hammersmith’s gun. The small pantry was empty except for the black coat that had been dropped on the floor.

            Hammersmith put his gun in his holster and motioned for Thorne to follow him back into the hallway. “Nothing. Let’s see what the others may have found.” He went through the door, and Thorne followed.

            As Thorne closed the door behind him, he gave the room one last glance, noticing the ladder at the other end of the room that had fallen on a flat paint pan and roller, and spilled fresh paint on the floor. He stopped, went back into the room, and silently closed the door behind him.

            Something wasn’t right. Why would a painter drop a stepladder on a pan of wet paint and leave it to dry on the floor?

            He stood perfectly still, listening. He heard a slight sound, as if cloth was brushing against something. The sound seemed to becoming from the ceiling at the other end of the room directly over the fallen ladder. Thorne said with finality, “We know you’re up there. It’s over. You’re going to have to come down.”

            There was more movement, then a sound of the ceiling tile fracturing. Suddenly, the ceiling collapsed and a body came crashing down into a pile of paint-stained drop cloths on the table below. Thorne rushed the fallen figure and cocked his fist to throw a blow.

            A terrified, wide-eyed Kirk-Halstrom, retrieved the briefcase, threw his hands and the briefcase up to protect himself,. “No! No! Don’t hit me.”

            Hammersmith rushed into the room with his gun drawn and yelled at Thorne, “Back away! Give me room!” His attention was fixed on the small figure cowering on the other side of the room. “Drop the briefcase and let me see your hands!

            Kirk-Halstrom dropped the briefcase and exposed the gun he was gripping in his small hand. He whimpered, “No, no! This can’t be happening! No!”

            The shots from his gun rang throughout the small room. The first shot went into the wall high above Hammersmith’s head. The second caught Hammersmith in the thigh and he went down. With Hammersmith down, the wild-eyed Kirk-Halstrom pointed his gun at Thorne and was getting ready to fire again when Hammersmith’s .357 exploded twice, catching him in the forearm and grazing his side, throwing him against the wall.

            He rebounded off the wall, and Thorne kicked his legs from under him, as he collapsed into the pile of drop cloths. He began to groan as he lay motionless, face down, his hand draped across the half-opened briefcase and scattered documents.

Chapter 88

The large conference room was filled. Reporters, police officials, and governmental-types stood or sat in chairs against the walls. Thorne, Bada, Raskin, Blackstone, Helena, and Rainier sat on either side of the large conference table. Gweneth, in her wheel chair, sat near Thorne, Bada and Charles and Mairead hovered close by.

            Chief Constable Ronald Barclay was presiding and sat at one end of the table with two stacks of documents before him. Hammersmith sat to his right, rummaging through files, and placing them in order.

            Barclay folded his hands on a note pad. “We appreciate all of you taking the time to come by today. I’ve asked Inspector Hammersmith to provide me with a summation of his report regarding the case. Should you wish to ask questions or add anything to these proceedings, please feel free to make inquiries in writing later.

            He turned to Hammersmith. “Inspector.”

            Hammersmith grimaced in pain as he moved his leg in the process of straightening in his chair. “Thank you , Sir. We’ve all read the recent news stories about the unusual importance the Home Office has placed on this case, as well as yourself, and your office, Sir. Therefore, I think an explanation is in order, so if you’ll bear with me. A more comprehensive report with names, dates, and places has been furnished you for your review, and you can dispense it to the public as you feel appropriate.”

            He paused briefly before continuing. “I think it’s important that we face first things first.

The documents found in the castle—and those retrieved when Kirk-Halstrom was captured—are presently under review, and the controversy about the Shakespeare and de Vere controversy is far from over. Who knows when it will be resolved. That is not my concern. I believe Mr. Bada will release his findings at the proper time.”

            He cleared his throat and paused. “For my part, I deeply regret the action I had to take in regard to the injuries to Mr. Kirk-Halstrom. Shooting another man in most circumstances seems extreme, but I think Mr. Thorne will bear me out that I had to take the action I did in defense of our lives. As you know, Mr. Kirk-Halstrom has completely broken down, and has been placed in an institution for the criminally insane.”

            Other parties involved in the affair, including, Mr. Linsdame, Mr. Brent, and a Mr. Steenberg in Copenhagen, have been apprehended and are now awaiting trial.

            He returned his attention to the file in front of him. After he was satisfied the papers were in order, Hammersmith said, “We have questioned the various parties involved in the affair and I believe the following to be accurate. I have tried my best to summarize it.

            “First, it should be disclosed, Lionel Kirk-Halstrom’s interest in the documents were centered on the family history of Edward de Vere and how they related to him personally. He feigned an interest in the Shakespeare-de Vere controversy and promoted the group’s search for the documents that would prove their case. He had a strong interest in heraldry and the genealogy of his family and had made it well-known he was related to de Vere. He was contacted by Freddie Hollister about letters that may have connected Richard Moldar with de Vere, and  he was deathly afraid any de Vere records—if found—may challenge his claims of being related to de Vere.

            “When Mr. Hollister originally heard about the letters that described the documents, he felt he needed assistance and counsel, and Kirk-Halstrom’s prominence and reputation prompted Hollister to seek him out for advice. Kirk-Halstrom told him to obtain the letters and he would advise him how to proceed. Upon reviewing the letters, both were intrigued that the letters not only suggested de Vere may have written the works attributed to Shakespeare, but of a priceless diamond necklace which was also hidden away in the castle.

            Kirk-Halstrom knew of Neville Forestal’s obsession with wealth and seduced him to join in the venture to find the documents and the necklace. Kirk-Halstrom was already wealthy and his obsession was solely in securing—and suppressing—the de Vere’s documents, specifically those relating to de Vere’s genealogy. He suggested Freddie convince you—Mr. Bada—to renovate the castle. This would afford Hollister a method to search for the documents—and the necklace.”

            Unfortunately for Mr. Kirk-Halstrom, the group decided to bring Mr. Thorne in to conduct the search. Kirk-Halstrom soon realized Mr. Thorne had the capability to find the documents. When Mr. Thorne eventually found the documents, Kirk-Halstrom conspired with Linsdame to have Brent and Kelly kidnap Miss Bada. They threatened her with death if Thorne did not give them the documents.

            Bada had remained silent and now spoke. “It’s true Freddie approached me with the proposal and I made contact with Mr. Kirk-Halstrom, Mr. Raskin, and Mr. Blackstone to join in the enterprise. Freddie said his desire was to have a more prominent venue for research into the matter, and I still believe that was a major part of his interest. The relocation of his bookstore would do this. My staff and I examined his proposal at length. We all agreed it made a lot of sense.”

Chapter 89

Bada continued to address the rest of the group in the room. “Freddie hoped to establish a Shakespeare and de Vere research center on the scale of the famous Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington. I believe that was his sincere desire. I must say I thought he was a little over the top, but I was impressed—and I admired his enthusiasm.”

            Hammersmith made a note on the papers in front of him and continued.

            “Hollister was confused as to how he should proceed. He and Kirk-Halstrom agreed to release only the first page of the two-page Richard Moldar letter to Mr. Bada, Mr. Raskin, and Mr. Blackstone. He also withheld the one page Thomas Moldar letter that described the origin of the diamonds that Richard Moldar had included in the necklace made for Queen Elizabeth.

            “So, to summarize, the three eventually got together for their own personal reasons.

            “Hollister was in it for his intense interest in de Vere, the potential of a more prestigious bookstore, and a possible windfall—and financial security for his wife—from the sale of the necklace.

            “Forestal was motivated by the money he would reap from the sale of the necklace. He also harbored a painful resentment for the Bada family, because of his modest upbringing. The marriage to Gweneth Bada and his new-found riches would alleviate that pain.

            “Kirk-Halstrom did it for that which is most debilitating to the human spirit—personal pride. Pride in his ancestry, and his obsession with genealogy, heraldry and pomp. It became his reason for living.

            “As noted previously, Kirk-Halstrom suspected he may have been from peasant stock or a family of brigands and pirates and he wanted it kept secret at all costs. He believed the de Vere family records might confirm he was
not
of the same linage as de Vere.

            “It is ironic the records confirm he
was
descended from the de Vere line, so all his machinations were in vain. Kirk-Halstrom did not want the search to be successful, so he hired Victor Roberts and Michael Kelly to go to America with him and discourage anyone his group may decide to hire—in this case Mr. Thorne.

            “It became evident to Kirk-Halstrom that Hollister was becoming unreliable, especially when he developed a friendship with Thorne. Later, Kirk-Halstrom and Forestal lost confidence in Hollister altogether and had Roberts create an accident that eventually resulted in the death of  Hollister.

            “Roger Linsdame’s interest was simply to sabotage any find in the castle that he thought would discredit Stratford’s claim to Shakespeare. It’s well-known he felt this would impact his extensive business interests in a town where he enjoys tremendous prestige, and Shakespeare is
the
primary industry.”

            “Kirk-Halstrom played on Linsdame’s fears and conspired to have his man Kelly work with Linsdame’s man, Brent in the kidnapping.”

            The room was silent before Bada said, “It was tragic what happened to Freddie, and also Gwen. It doesn’t appear to have been worth all the effort. I feel I—”

            Barclay was sympathetic in his response to Bada’s self-doubt. “Mr. Bada, I don’t think you should blame yourself. You did what you did out of a sincere desire to do something worthwhile.”

            Bada said, “I’d like to take this opportunity to express our thanks for what David has done. I think the results would have been markedly different had he not been involved. He could have easily walked away after his initial unpleasant experiences with our group.”

            Thorne shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “Careful, Gil, I may want to renegotiate our contract,” he said as the room burst into laughter.

Chapter 90

Thorne sat in the airport waiting area reading a newspaper article about the discovery of the de Vere documents. He chuckled when he read the controversy had not been resolved by the discovery, and the Stratfordians and the anti-Stratfordians were still doing battle.

            He glanced up and broke into a smile when he saw Gwen’s wheelchair emerging from the crowd accompanied by Bada and Andrea. Charles’s wife, Mairead, walked along side as Charles pushed Gweneth’s chair over facing Thorne. Bada said, “We wouldn’t have missed seeing you off, David. It’s the least we could do.”

            Mairead moved away and said, “Charles and I will wait over there, Ma’am. Let me know when you wish to go.”

            Bada, Andrea, and Gweneth sat across from Thorne, and Bada said, “Again, we want to express our appreciation for all you’ve done. I know Freddie would have been pleased, too.”

            Andrea said, “We were all so saddened by Freddie’s death. He had always been such a dear friend.”

            Thorne added, “In spite of his faults, I considered him a good friend, too.”

            He changed the subject. “Well, it’s good to see you, Gweneth. You’re looking well. I hope you’ve recovered from your ordeal. I feel indirectly responsible.”

            “Oh, David. Don’t say that. It wasn’t your fault. They were just evil men doing evil things. If it hadn’t been for you, I don’t know what would have happened to me.”

            The three engaged for small talk before an announcement came over the loudspeaker:
BRITISH AIRWAYS FLIGHT 2538 TO NEW YORK IS NOW BOARDING AT GATE 15
.

Bada arose and said, “Well, have a great trip. I do hope you’ll come back and see us. You’ll always be welcome.”

            They spent another few minutes saying their goodbyes at the gate before Thorne shook Bada’s hand and bent over and kissed Gweneth and Andrea on their cheeks. Gweneth smiled and said, “I hope you have a wonderful flight, David. I do hope you come back and visit us soon.”