Lost Souls

51

During the days since the police removed the children’s remains, and cleared the barn, Mr. and Mrs. Rusk tried to ensure their children did normal everyday things.

    Alex had requested that his train set be assembled in his bedroom, and he and his father had spent several hours working out the best way to lay the track.  Now, most of the floor space was filled with a maze of twisting route that even disappeared under Alex’s bed, and reappeared from beneath his television stand. Alex had been delighted with the track, and had spent most of the time since locked away, playing happily with his trains.

    Amber had helped her mother pot a multitude of plants that would eventually grow sufficiently to be replanted in the garden, over the ground where the children had been found. Mrs. Rusk had wanted to do something to commemorate where they’d been buried for over thirty years.

    Amber had enjoyed getting herself dirty, and had been very keen to make the holes, ready for her mother to insert the flowers and plants. She didn’t know what they were called, but she marvelled at how brightly the colours of red, orange, violet and pink reflected off her pale skin.

    Katie and Christopher spent hours wandering around the countryside holding hands and walking in silence, allowing their thoughts to drift away to nothingness, and allow themselves to just enjoy the scenery surrounding them. Their walks were frequently interrupted, when they found somewhere to sit a while and kiss their worries away. It was clear that they were growing closer with each passing day, and Katie, for the first time in her young life knew she was falling in love.

    MacBlaine had left the Manor and returned to his own home. He had neglected his garden, his church, his parishioners, and most importantly his next batch of home made wine. He prayed relentlessly that the good Lord would save his latest attempt at producing something he could be proud of, and happily share with friends who came to visit him.

    Jimmy had remained. He spent most of his days sulking in his room, or following Mr. Rusk around the rest of the house like a shadow afraid the sun would stop shining, and he’d disappear forever. He hated the fact Katie was spending all her time with Christopher, and now that everything appeared to be sorted, he hated even more the fact he was at a loose end. All he wanted to do now was finish what he’d started out to do.

    It was the middle of the week when everyone heard the car driving up the gravel driveway, with a little more speed than was necessary.

    Chief Inspector Mullins, and Detective Sergeant Frazier climbed out of the vehicle, and it was apparent to everyone from the look on the two detective’s faces, that whatever they’d come to tell the family, wasn’t good news.

    Mr. and Mrs. Rusk ventured to meet them, while everyone else remained in the hallway, watching intently.

    Mr. Rusk shook hands with the two policemen, and Mrs. Rusk smiled warmly in greeting. She noticed that both men had dark shadows under their eyes, that they were unshaven, and a little dishevelled. She couldn’t help wonder when the men had last slept properly?

    “It’s not good news I’m afraid,” Mullins began. “Galbraith can’t be linked to either the bones found in the mass grave or even the man found in the barn, which astonishingly turned out to be his own father…”

    “What!” Mr. Rusk interrupted in shock.

    “His father,” Mrs. Rusk mumbled as the implication of the find hit home.

    “He murdered his own father? That’s despicable,” Mr. Rusk added, as he felt his wife take hold of his hand.

    “We believe that’s the case, but we can’t prove it. There’s nothing on the body to suggest Galbraith was anywhere near him, nor can we find any of his DNA on the children’s bones. “His story is he left the children in the care of his father, who then told him they’d all died from a terrible illness, and that he couldn’t live in the house anymore so he was moving to Australia. Galbraith told us under caution that he himself drove his father to the airport, and watched him board a plane.”

    “There must be written documentation to that fact?” Mr. Rusk pointed out.

    Frazier shook his head. “You’d believe so, but we couldn’t find any. The airport thinks someone borrowed the relevant files down the years, and it’s been misplaced.”

    “Lost, more likely,” Mrs. Rusk sighed.

    “I would think someone with Douglas Galbraith’s savvy had everything that linked him to the children, his father, his fathers emigration destroyed to cover his own back. Especially, if he did murder them all,” Mullins responded.

    “Did you speak to Mrs. MacDonald, or any of the staff that worked here during the time the children were alive?” Mr. Rusk asked hopefully.

    “Mrs. MacDonald played her part well. Told us her mother used to clean at the house, and filled her head with scary stories none of which she believed. She knows nothing about how the kids died other than the fact they were sick, and she thinks Douglas Galbraith is the most wonderful man she’s ever met. I doubt her feelings are reciprocated though.”

    Frazier opened his notebook. “The two remaining staff are both in their eighties, and can’t help at all. Both are suffering from dementia. All in all we’ve hit a dead end.”

    Mr. Rusk tutted. “What now then?”

    “Unless we can find something else to link Galbraith to anything, then we can’t do anything else for now. We’ll take all the evidence we’ve gathered back with us, and go through it again and again, just to make sure we haven’t missed anything. In the meantime, I’d advise you all to stay away from Galbraith.”

    “Did he make threats against my family…or any of the others?” Mrs. Rusk asked nervously.

    “On the contrary, he was most polite about you all. Said he was glad the Manor House was in such good hands.”

    “We’re going to find somewhere else to stay. I couldn’t live here now I know these poor children were murdered here, and then just chucked in a hole to rot,” Mrs. Rusk said softly. “It turns my stomach.”

    Frazier rubbed her forearm reassuringly. “I don’t think I could stay here after all you’ve been through either Mrs. Rusk. You’ve all suffered greatly in this case, but also you’ve all been very brave and helpful.”

    “Thank you, but it was more a case of hanging on until we found out what had happened. Now we all feel empty…cheated in some way.”

    Mullins nodded his head. He fully understood the feeling of being cheated out of a result you‘d set all your hopes on achieving. “Okay, we’ll head off now. Good luck with the house hunting, and let us know if you turn up anything else. I’d love to put that scumbag away,” he said, as he shook hands again, before turning to walk away.

    Frazier took hold of Mrs. Rusk’s hand and squeezed gently. “You and your family should feel very proud at what you’ve done here. I know we didn’t get a positive result, but the children’s bodies have been found, and now they can be buried properly beside their local church.”

    Mrs. Rusk smiled at Frazier’s kind words. The detective then nodded at the other’s and went to join his colleague.

    Mr. and Mrs. Rusk were joined by the others as they watched the police car disappearing from their views.

    “I heard most of that dad,” Katie said. “When can we leave here?”

    “As soon as I can arrange somewhere else to go honey. Not long, I promise.”

    Katie squeezed her father’s hand. “Thanks dad,” she whispered, as she let go, and jogged back inside, already keen to start packing.