Hawke's Tor by E. V. Thompson Read Free Book Online

and owner of the Trelyn Estate. He and Tom were acquainted with each other by sight, the latter having given evidence against defendants in the magistrate’s courtroom.
    Colonel Trethewy had come to visit his steward, but it was Tom to whom he spoke. ‘What are you doing here, have you found Morgan’s missing child yet?’
    â€˜No, sir, but we have every available man out on the moor searching – as we had yesterday.’
    â€˜I trust you also have men searching vehicles leaving the county – especially the caravans of those damned gypsies who’ve been making such a nuisance of themselves in these parts lately. My head gamekeeper tells me they have been
setting so many snares around the estate it’s a wonder I have any game left.’
    â€˜There are constables on every bridge across the Tamar, sir, and we are searching all gypsy camps around the moor.’
    â€˜You are unlikely to find anything now, it’s probably far too late. They will have spirited the boy away long before the body of his mother was found, but what are you doing here?’
    Aware that Colonel Trethewy was one of the men of influence who had been bitterly opposed to the formation of a police force in Cornwall, and who stood with those who refused to allow a detective branch to be set up, Tom realized he needed to be careful how he replied.
    â€˜Superintendent Hawke is personally looking into the murder of Mrs Morgan, sir, he’s sent me here to ask Mr Morgan a few questions.’
    â€˜What sort of questions?’ Colonel Trethewy demanded.
    â€˜Whether there is anyone who might nurse a grudge against him, or who might hate him sufficiently to want to attack his wife. After all, he has an important post here with you, and important men make enemies.’
    â€˜So they might, but very few enemies resort to murder. Besides, I told Morgan when I took him on that I did not want him becoming too friendly with any of the local people, or taking on employees he might have worked with in the past. Morgan has orders to neither ask nor offer favours because of the post he holds at Trelyn. I am satisfied he has heeded my words by breaking all links with his past and taking a local wife with no family to come begging for favours. In other words, he has proven himself to be an ideal man for the post he holds at Trelyn. In view of this you need trouble him no more, Sergeant, he has more than enough to distract him from his duties right
now, although had he not been adamant that he needs something to take his mind off the tragic happenings of the last couple of days, I would have insisted he take time off. The last thing he wants right now is to have you here asking questions of no consequence to distress him. I suggest you return to Superintendent Hawke and tell him he is to concentrate on gypsies and vagabonds in his search for whoever killed Mrs Morgan and abducted the child.’
    Â 
    â€˜We were lucky to escape with only a “suggestion” from Colonel Trethewy,’ Amos commented to Tom, when the two men met later that morning at the police house home of Sergeant Dreadon. ‘Vagabonds and gypsies are his pet hates – although policemen are not far behind them. Anyway, we now know we can eliminate anyone in Morgan’s background from the inquiry.’
    â€˜I don’t think we can,’ Tom replied. ‘As a matter of fact I believe we should look into his background very thoroughly.’
    Surprised by Tom’s positive response, Amos asked, ‘Why? If he broke all links with his past when he came here it’s hardly likely anyone with a grudge will have found him. Trelyn is about as far as you can get from anywhere.’
    â€˜I might have agreed with you half an hour ago,’ Tom explained, ‘but I’ve just had a cup of tea with Sergeant Dreadon and he happened to mention that when he was speaking to the letter carrier the other day, the man was impressed to