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Eager to change the subject, Ben motioned to the gems on the floor. “What do we do with these?”
Marcus wrapped the jewels back up. “We are going to put everything back where we found it, and then check the rest of these books. Have you found any personal papers yet?”
Ben shook his head. “There is nothing personal in this room either; just several changes of clothing. But, there can be no doubt what he gets up to while he is in his room, can there?”
“You would think so, wouldn’t you?” Marcus murmured.
“You don’t think he has read any of them?” Ben persisted.
“There are numerous books in there, as you know. Piles and piles of them in fact. When Mr Ball moved in, did he carry numerous boxes to his room?”
Ben immediately shook his head. “No. So where have they come from?”
“It doesn’t matter where they came from. What matters is how the gang got the books into the house, and what they plan to do with them. There are far too many books in here for even the most avid reader to get through. Not only that, but those books cover all sorts of topics, including housekeeping. Either this man has an interest in ornithology, geology, philosophy, heraldry, etiquette, ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks, and history or these books have been specifically brought here for some reason, and it is not for reading.”
“What do you think they want them for?”
“I don’t know,” Marcus sighed. “Let’s move on.”
“Look, no books,” Ben cried as soon as they closed the door to Mr Gillespie’s room. “What do you bet that we find nothing but clothes in here as well?”
“Mr Gillespie is the bird-watcher, isn’t he?”
Ben nodded.
“What?” he asked when Marcus stared thoughtfully into space.
“I wouldn’t have been surprised if this was Mr Ball’s room and the other room was Mr Gillespie’s. I mean, at least in the other room there is a book about birds. Here, there is nothing. Where are all of his specimens? Where are the books detailing the different breeds? Where is his viewing equipment? Does the man go out and sit in bushes all day?”
As he spoke, Marcus began to search. Not only did he find several changes of clothing, but on closer inspection, it was evident that the clothes had been placed in the drawers strategically. They were all so neatly liked up that Mr Gillespie had either a precise mind or the room had been deliberately set up.
“Stop,” Marcus ordered sharply.
Ben froze. “What is it?” he whispered.
“This room has been set up.” Marcus’ voice was thoughtful.
The tension thickened.
“What do you mean?” Ben whispered.
“Everything is as neat as a pin. Look at the boots on the floor. They have been lined up meticulously with the line of the floor board. Anybody searching here wouldn’t be all that bothered to notice, especially if they were in a rush. Then here, the shirts are all spaced equally apart. Anyone searching would mess these up and leave them out of alignment. Gillespie would know immediately that someone had been through his things. Given what they do for a living, tipping them off that you are suspicious is a really, really stupid thing to do. Don’t touch anything, Ben. Just look with your eyes. If you slide anything out, look for pieces of cloth in the drawers or something that has been put there deliberately as a visual warning that things have been disturbed.”
“Good Lord,” Ben whispered. “Only someone who has something to hide goes to these lengths.”
Marcus nodded. “Exactly. Let’s go.”
“Have you found something?” Ben asked hopefully.
“No, but this is too carefully crafted to be searched right now. We need to leave.”
He didn’t say so to the lad, but he needed to come back to search this room when he was alone. If Ben didn’t put something back in the same position as he found it, then Gillespie would know they were on to him.
Heaven only knows what would happen then, he mused with a sigh.
They quickly moved on to Mr Brammall’s room.
“Good Lord, is that perfume?” Ben gasped as they entered.
