Purple Death

Questions Without Answers

Questions Without AnswersThe death of Sam Gabriel had caused more than a stir within the hallowed portals of the old-established law firm. Senior partner Lawrence Betts, having so recently shaken the hand of his newly promoted junior partner had taken it upon himself to notify the authorities as soon as Sam's secretary had informed him of the tragedy that had taken place in Sam's office. Sixty-nine year old Betts, looking visibly shaken and every one of his years, now sat at his desk, his hands filled with a restless energy all of their own as Detective Inspector Sean Connor sat in the comfortable leather client chair that Betts provided for those who consulted him in his professional capacity. At that moment however, Connor saw only a sad old man with a head of white hair and wrinkled temples, hands pocked here and there with liver spots, a man with a look of defeat in his eyes.

“So, Mr Betts,” he began, “what can you tell me that might throw some light on what took place here today? I understand that Mr Gabriel had been with you in your office shortly before his death and that you'd just handed him a big promotion?”

Betts paused for a second before answering. Obviously Maggie or one of the other secretaries or para-legals had already given the inspector the news of Sam's promotion.

“Mm, yes, quite so Inspector,” he eventually responded. “Sam Gabriel was one of the brighter lights shining against an increasingly dull horizon. In modern legal terms he performed quite brilliantly and had a dazzling career ahead of him. I would have promoted him a year ago, but I wanted him to gain a little more trial experience before confirming what I already knew deep down inside. This is nothing short of a catastrophic tragedy Inspector, a catastrophic tragedy!”

“Yes sir, I'm sure you're quite right. Do you have any idea what might have happened to cause this, this…whatever it was to happen to him?”

“I can assure you Inspector that I have no idea whatsoever what could have happened to poor Samuel. Let me tell you right now though, that Sam had no time for drugs, so the thought that he might have overdosed on some illegal substance is positively out of the question.”

“Why on earth do you think that I might be thinking along those lines Mr Betts?” asked the inspector.

“I don't know Inspector. It's just that I know from years of experience that when someone dies in suspicious circumstances with no visible outward signs of bodily trauma, the police tend to think along those lines, don't they?”

“You do have a poor opinion of us don't you Mr Betts? For all I know Mr Gabriel could have had a heart attack, a stroke, a brain haemorrhage, any number of things that could be attributed to natural causes, and yet you automatically think of controlled substances. I know you're a lawyer, but I think that perhaps it's you who are jumping to conclusions. Is it that you think he really might have taken something that contributed to his death?”

“No Inspector, I don't think that at all, and you must forgive me for having brought the subject into our conversation. I'm shocked, that's all, shocked at losing a colleague with such a brilliant young mind and shocked at the effect his death is going to have on his wife and family.”

“Of course Mr Betts, of course. So, you have no idea what happened in Mr Gabriel's office after he left you following your conversation together?”

“That's right. Samuel left my office at around eleven a.m. and as far as I know from talking to my staff he returned to his office and after a few words with his secretary asking that she allow no-one to disturb him he was never seen alive again.”

“Wasn't that a little strange sir, you know, him just having received a big promotion and then not sharing it with everyone straight away?”

“Not at all Inspector. Samuel Gabriel was a modest and a respectful man. He would have wanted his wife to be the first to share in his good fortune. He told me that she was travelling north today, to Edinburgh I think to visit her family and he wouldn't have dreamed of disturbing her by telephoning her whilst she were driving. He'd have waited until she'd arrived north of the border, and then phoned her before telling anyone else.”

“But the office staff, the other members of your firm, they all knew I suppose?”

“Of course, but they would have kept that to themselves until such times as they left the building. Besides, apart from his family and friends it wasn't really of much importance to anyone outside of the office was it Inspector? It was just a work promotion after all and could have had no possible bearing on his death.”

“Perhaps Mr Betts, and perhaps not. We'll have to wait and see what the autopsy throws up won't we? Until that's carried out, anything else would be sheer speculation on our part, and hardly worthy of either of our professional statuses wouldn't you agree?”

Betts nodded in agreement as a knock sounded at the door. The diminutive figure of Detective Sergeant Lucy Clay followed her polite knock by pushing the door open and peering around it until she caught sight of Connor.

“Yes, Sergeant, what is it?”

“It's the crime scene people Sir, and the doctor. They want to know if they can move the body.”

“As soon as the doctor pronounces the man deceased and makes his initial examination of the body they can take him away,” Connor replied.

Betts could be of little further help to the police officers, his knowledge of Sam Gabriel extending little beyond the doors of the law firm's offices, so Connor and Clay spent the next two hours questioning the other partners and the staff of Betts, Cowan and Ford with the result that they ended up knowing almost nothing about the deceased apart from his record as a lawyer and the most basic details about his wife and home life. That he was happily married seemed to be a universally accepted fact, and everyone in the office professed the firm belief that Sam Gabriel had been the victim of some tragic accident, or that he'd been struck down by some hideous but as yet unknown disease, and a couple of the staff had even gone so far as to ask the police if they would be screening everyone for the disease that had killed their colleague.

It was with a sense of relief that Connor and Clay eventually left the building and headed back to police headquarters. It remained too early for any post-mortem results, and they decided to use the time at their disposal to check and cross reference the statements they'd received from the employees of the law firm and to contact the police in Edinburgh, where Sam Gabriel's unfortunate widow was expected to arrive at any time. It would fall on the shoulders of some poor unfortunate Scottish officer to break the sad news to the widow, but it would be Sean Connor who would have to deal with her grief and her questions upon her return.