Novel Chapter 28

 

                                            Chapter 28

                                    New Street Station

Mr. Murdoch drove his sports car to New Street Station, and waited as Mr. York went to find the time of the next train arriving from Holyhead. The station was at the bottom of a steep hill and as he waited there, Murdoch could see the platforms to his right and another to his left. In front of him was the other side of the steep hill; this time going up.

York had explained to Murdoch about calling the trip off and Finbar going off with a senior scout from Saint Agatha's troop.

'And you didn't check that he'd reached home?'

'To be honest, Doug, it went completely out of my mind.'

'Not good enough' said Murdoch 'we really ought to be calling the police – I mean who is this senior scout?'

'He was from the Saint Agatha troop – lives in Sherbourne Road.'

'Do you know him?'

'Slightly – Finbar didn't want to go with him. it sounded like some kind of fear of convertibles.'

'He was okay in my motor except for the rain.'

The fact that Finbar's bag was found at the Lickey Hills gave Mr. Murdoch – Mr. Douglas Murdoch; JP, by the way – ideas. He had noticed Finbar's fascination with the big tree, he seemed to see, which Murdoch couldn't, some kind of picture or etching on the inside, and was very comfortable leaning against what Finbar called a divine place to sit.

York returned.

'It's on time, Doug – be another five minutes they said.'

'How are we going to handle this?'

'How do you mean?'

'How do I mean?' said Murdoch 'What are we going to say to Paddy and Carmel about Finbar?'

Murdoch took out a packet of Senior Service cigarettes, and offered one to York.

'Senior Service' he said 'Must be doing well?'

'I've always smoked them – even when I was on my uppers.'

'Were you in the service?'

'Yes: Royal Navy – I was a Lieutenant.'

Eventually, Carmel and Patrick emerged from the station.

'Paddy' shouted Murdoch.

'Hello' said Patrick 'is this a royal welcome.'

'Afraid not;' said Murdoch 'I don't want to distress you but we're having a bit of difficulty locating young Finbar.'

'What do you mean?' said Carmel.

'If you get in, I'll try to explain.'

The Callaghans did no such thing 'What do you mean?' said Patrick.

'Where is he?' said Carmel.

“We're not sure.' said York.

'You're not sure?' said Patrick.

'We're not sure – we've just found his bag.' said Murdoch.

'We had to call the trip off on Tuesday, and . . ' said York.

Murdoch exited from the car and went around the back.

'You haven't seen him since . . you better tell me what's going on, fella – he went off with you and your scouts, and you've lost him.' said Patrick.

'Calm down, Paddy' said Murdoch.

'Don't be telling me to calm down – where is he?'

'We had to call the . ' said York.

'where is he?'

'We, we . ' stuttered York.

'Tell me now where he is.'

'I think I know where he is' said Murdoch 'the Lickey Hills.'

'The Lickey Hills!!!! And what's he doing there?'

'His bag was found there, and . '

'Have you been to the police?'

'No, Paddy – we've only just found out.' said Murdoch

'What?' said Carmel.

'If you'd both let me tell you . .'

'All right. I'm all ears.' said Patrick.

'What?'

'Go ahead – go on.'

Murdoch went around his car to Patrick 'the camp site was flooded so they had to call the trip off on Tuesday . . '

'And where's he been since then?' said Carmel.

'We had to organise a way . .' said York.

'You're making no sense' said Carmel ' if he's been missing since then somebody should have gone to the police.'

'I'm trying to tell you' said York 'we had to take the boys from our troop and the Saint Agatha troop back in private cars. Dennis Reynolds took the Saint Agatha troop, young Daniel went back on the train and me and Tommy took our troops between us and as Tommy lives in Sherbourne Road he took Finbar.'

'Tommy?'

'Yes' said York 'a senior scout at Saint Agatha's.'

'Let's get round to this Tommy, in Sherbourne Road?'

'We've been' said Murdoch 'there's no one in.'

Patrick recognized the name.

'Tommy? – the one who liked little boys?'

'What do you mean' said York.

'He hung around young kids – Finbar told me about him. Used to put his hand up their shorts, so Finbar said . .'

'Didn't you report him?' said York.

'No.'

'None of your business, was it?' said York.

He looked accusingly at Patrick.

'I never thought.'

'It's everybody's business – we're always careful with Scoutmasters . '

'But never the scouts themselves?' said Murdoch 'Tommy Bull.'

'You know him?' said Patrick.

'Yes. He came before you didn't he' said York 'Is it the same one who was caught dodging his fare on the buses.'

'What do you mean he came before you?' said Patrick.

'I'm a magistrate' said Murdoch 'the case was mentioned in the newspaper – Evening Despatch, so it's in the public domain.'

'In the what?' said Patrick.

'The public domain.' said Murdoch 'which is why I can confirm it. Listen, I'm sure I know where Finbar is, but how he is, I don't know.'

'What happened to the old bus you went off in?' said Carmel.

Nobody answered.

Patrick went to the front of the car and said to York 'Get up – I'm sitting there.'

York got up.

'In fact you may as well go home, if he's where Doug says he is we'll need your seat.'

York started to reply 'Don't you think . . .?

'You lost our son – so you are done here.'

York got out and stood there looking lost.

'Get the forty nine bus, down there or the fifty and you'll be home in no time.'

'And don't forget to pay your fare.' said Murdoch.

'Get hold of Tommy and tell him I want to see him.' called Patrick after York.

As they drove to the top of the hill, to exit New Street Station Carmel said 'I think we should still go to the police.'

'If it'll make you feel better' said Murdoch 'I'll drop you off at Steelhouse Lane – tell them Finbar is missing and we think he is somewhere near Rose Hill, Rednal.'

'Rose Hill, Rednal' repeated Carmel as she got out of the car.

Murdoch and Patrick proceeded along Bristol Road South to The Lickey Hills. Quietly as they both went into a land of thought, trying not to fear what might have happened to Finbar. Patrick trying to relax his rage about Tommy, and he didn't like York's insinuation that he should have reported Tommy when Finbar had told him about what he was doing to the younger boys.

Murdoch had other thoughts: hoping he was right about Finbar, that he would be all right because of his reaction to the tree, and the ambience of the trees, and how a boy who avoided all kinds of education from his school, would have the word divine in his vocabulary.

It might have been a twenty minute drive at that time on that Sunday, but not a word was spoken between them: no talk of how Carmel would be able to explain how her son had been missing for five days without any sign - how could that be explained?

As their thoughts were digested and flown into some kind of osmosis they became as one when they both exclaimed 'I hope he's all right.'

Almost at one just short of a harmony.

Murdoch stopped at a traffic light in Selly Oak and they looked at each other. Not another word out of them and not an expression on either of their faces but each of them knew what the other was thinking.

Beep – beep!

A blast of a horn from the number sixty one bus and off they went again – silence.

Murdoch pulled in to where he had parked on the day of the picnic. Tommy – he knew who he was, when he was mentioned as it seemed silly for someone who could easily afford it, to avoid paying his fare on the bus. Murdoch always noticed the mode of dress and the air of anybody brought up before him, on the bench, but it was a conundrum to have to be taken to court and to be reported in the newspaper for such a paltry sum of money; and now he was driving a sports car – a two seater at the age of just eighteen.

When they crossed over the road, Murdoch stopped just before ascending the hill – 'this is where I believe his bag was found. Away from the road, I should think.'

'Who by?'

'A rag and bone man.' said Murdoch.

'A rag and bone man' said Patrick 'up here up that bloody hill? When was this?'

'This morning' said Murdoch 'at the top of your lane.'

'He found it here and took it all the way to Balsall Heath?'

'I suppose so.'

'On a Sunday morning?' said Patrick 'doesn't smell right to me.'

Patrick looked around. Then they walked on and after about fifty or sixty yards he stopped. As the grass and bushes parted he saw something shining in the sunshine. He went to it and it was Finbar's harmonica. He picked it up and it was slightly battered as if it had been dropped.

Walking up Rose Hill, was new to Patrick, but Murdoch probably knew every step, and when he came to a slight gap, he went through it and Patrick followed him. They came to the tree, the tree where Finbar had seen the etching and they stopped.

The two men looked toward the tree and Murdoch beckoned forward.

'Finbar' he called.