Chapter 5 A New Wife
Eric and Barbara embrace lasted a few moments. They had married about six months ago and Barbara had become a Stepmother to two strapping boys, a self – made family. She adored them and they felt the same way about her. Pat wished she had not pursued that line of enquiry, but then she thought it was necessary to do so.
‘We needed you to prove to us that these loopholes that presented themselves could be overcome, which they have!’ said Pat.
Eric was glad that this conversation had taken place, even though he felt at times he was being persecuted by his friends – but now should the police find out about the conference and the other things that had occurred during the conversation – at least he would have the answers readily to hand. After a brief moment of silence he was able to calm himself down by leaving the room where he drank the rest of his whisky in one go and was ready to resume his narration.
‘Anyway, to continue with what really happened that dreadful evening, as I said, Barbara was preparing the evening meal and I had finished my bath and was just getting dressed when I heard her scream, I rushed downstairs to find saucepans and lids scattered over the floor and found Barbara standing in the middle of the kitchen quivering with fright and in the back ground I heard our telephone hands free system announcing over and over again the same message I’m coming to get you!’ ‘At first Barbara thought it was me mucking about, because she said at the time it sounded like me The voice seemed to be a good mimic which leads me to believe that I may have met this person and spoken to him, without knowing who he really was – we both decided to cancel evening.’
Winona said ‘I can safely say we are all in agreement that that was the best thing to do in the circumstances in which you found yourselves in. It sounded like you then, Eric.’
‘Before you start accusing me.’ said Eric, ‘It wasn’t me – I was in the bedroom.’ Barbara said, ‘It sounded like an echo chamber when the voice spoke, just like our bathroom sounds.’ Eric continued, ‘Well, he could have gained entry into our house and recorded this message in our bathroom. I did not do it – I swear to God! I did not do it.’
Bill said, ‘We’re not accusing you, but you must admit this chap is clever and resourceful.’
‘Isn’t he just,’ said Eric ‘It makes me wonder what sort of equipment he has to do all these malicious deeds with.’
Pat and Peter didn’t say anything – just listened, although Pat looked like she was warming up to say something and sure enough.
She remarked ‘Well, we seem to be back where we started, Eric. You keep bringing up problems to solve!’
‘What do you mean?’.
‘It sounded like your voice from your bathroom with a recording device,’ Barbara said, ‘and you said.’
‘I know what I said, I was only repeating what Barbara said – ‘it sounded like me! So what! But it wasn’t me!’
Pat said ‘Yet again, we only have your word that it wasn’t you – don’t forget we were not present at the time of the incident and we need to prove beyond any shadow of doubt that it really wasn’t you!’
‘How am I going to do that, then – apart from my personal radio and my computerised hi-fi which is not a movable feast, I have no other recording equipment in the house, although I do have a dictating machine – I suppose that could have been used – although the last time I used it was to dictate a letter to my Father-in-Law about our two boys joining the Company on a trial period of three months!’
Pat said. ‘Let’s check your machine.’
They all went to Eric’s snug study and he played the machine and sure enough there boomed “I’m coming to get you!” – followed by the letter dictation to his Father-in-Law!’ The shocked look on Eric’s face proved beyond any doubt whatsoever that he was clearly innocent and that somebody had doctored the machine, because of the different clicking noises during transmission – like someone who painstakingly had to keep stopping the machine to place a single word at each point on the tape. Had it been a clear and precise run through, it would not have been easy to prove Eric innocent. However, Pat decided to unplug the machine and take it upstairs to try it in the bathroom, but as the nearest point to the bathroom was some distance away and an extension lead was not found, they brought it down again and placed it on Eric’s desk.
Pat said ‘Must be tricky vacuum cleaning that landing without a plug socket in sight!’
‘Don’t I know it!’ said Barbara. ‘I have to get the carpet sweeper out every time – we were supposed to have that done when the workmen were building the loft extension, but apparently they had to rush off to another job and promised to come back another day to do it!’
Bill said. ‘It’s saved your bacon and now you have an almost a watertight alibi!’ ‘Almost! – Why almost? – surely you can tell from that recording that that is not my voice!’
‘Not really, dictation machines have the habit of distorting words. Run the tape back and say “I’m coming to get you!” over and over again and let’s hear the difference.’
After several goes, Eric’s voice was not the original message voice as that one had a slight intonation in the last word – “You!” Eric’s sigh of relief could be heard in the next county. He said. ‘Does this mean my trial is over with you lot?’
‘Yes, it does!’ Pat said.
‘Well in that case I need to clear up something with Bill.’ ‘Bill’ said Eric ‘When you last visited us and checked the telephone wires in the new loft conversion did you by any chance leave a window unlocked and slightly open? Also I found sweet wrappings in a pile in a corner of the room. Since when have you started eating sweets?’
Bill looked puzzled and said ‘I don’t eat sweets and I certainly don’t leave windows undone, why?’
‘I was afraid that was going to be your answer. Barbara and I seem to have had an intruder who must be responsible for everything that happened to Barbara the other evening and to me this evening with the dictation machine and the other things that have come to light, and I haven’t the faintest idea who it is.’
Bill suggested that Eric and Peter explore the new conversion while they were still in the hunting mood to catch someone at it, so to speak.
Eric seemed to regain his composure and said ‘We all must look on the bright side. Let’s all have another drink and relax!’
Dinner was served and during the meal a convivial atmosphere was reached by all and eventually they all said they had a good time and left. Eric cleared the table and Barbara placed all the dishes into the dish washer and set the timer.
‘Everything should be done by tomorrow morning.’ said Barbara.