Three Little Maids(63)

Kent walked round the room slowly arms folded across his chest and studied the individual works. ‘One could say I suppose that he’s been hiding his talent under a tombstone.’ His chuckle was dry. ‘Sorry Turner. A poor joke. But does all this make him a killer? It certainly looks as if he takes his work home with him. It reminds me somewhat of Aubrey Beardsley. All these elaborate twirls and those faces. They’re unmistakable. They’re the murdered girls, all right.’

‘He‘s made them look like saints. Beautiful enough for stained glass windows. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen them for myself, guv.’

‘So he’s a talented boy, our dopey Raymond.’

‘I can make a guess that he persuaded Maureen to pose for him. She wouldn’t need much persuasion. But with the French girl and Jodie he’d hardly get their permission to draw them like that, would he? Not on such short acquaintance, guv.’

‘Unless he sketched them after he killed them, Turner.’





46




‘Did you know that Raymond Perkins had artistic talent, Viviane?’

She picked up their mugs of coffee and brought them over to the kitchen table. ‘I did hear something like that. I think Sara Welbeck mentioned it to me once. She teaches Art at his old school. She wanted to encourage him to take it up as a career and to go on to Art College. But I gather that his gran wasn’t that keen on it. She thought he ought to have a proper job. And a proper job was working at Carey’s.’

Kent chuckled. ‘Yes I can imagine she might say that.’

‘Raymond is quite in awe of his gran, you know. He most probably lets it all go in his room. At least she allows him freedom in there. Now come on, do tell. What did you actually see in his room?’

She handed over his coffee and he stirred in the sugar liberally.

‘I think you’d find the subject matter strange. But exciting and really brilliant. I wish you could see them. Mrs Perkins might let you take a peep if you ask her nicely. I don’t know whether Raymond likes people gawping at them. There are paintings of churchyards and tombstones. And the girls! He painted all three victims.’ He chuckled. ‘I’ve never seen Turner look so shaken. I must say it gave me quite a turn.’

‘Raymond’s always been a bit introverted. I think he should have been a bright pleasant lad in the normal run of things.’

‘I photographed some of the pictures. Take a look. See what you think.’

‘Heavens, Jon! You’re right. They’re breath taking. This nude drawing of Maureen especially. It’s so lifelike - but it doesn’t make him a murderer, does it?’

‘No. But it displays how his mind works. He has a macabre turn of thought I must say.’

‘Perhaps it’s his way of mourning her loss. He was crazy over her, I take it. But you’re not kidding,’ she said studying the elaborate drawings of tombstones and family vaults. ‘It’s Gothic Art. It reminds me of Edgar Alan Poe or the Dracula films. He’s just different. He’d make a damn good book illustrator. That young man’s got more than an empty space in his head. So what does June Perkins have to say about all this?’

‘Now that surprised me too. She said he’d always decorated his room like this. Although I gathered that the pictures of the girls were new to her too. They did startle her more than a bit. She’ll probably give him a good earful over it. You notice that Maureen’s nude body is tastefully draped over a coffin.

‘Maureen mentioning that she was being painted by Mrs Welbeck, could be the incentive for that? Quite tongue in cheek. I don’t think her father would appreciate that as his boss. If he’d been allowed to see it.’





47




Viviane decided to visit Sara Welbeck. She had a good excuse when the artist phoned up inquiring if she could reserve a new book on painting with acrylics. ‘It’s not that I want to use them myself but I would like to introduce my class to them.’

‘I think I can bring over a couple of books that might you might useful. And I would like to talk to you about Raymond Perkins, if I may? He was one of your pupils, wasn’t he?’

‘Yes he was. Can you pop in just after seven? If that suits you? Unless you`re working late this evening.’

‘That’ll suit me fine.’

Roger Welbeck opened the door to her. ‘Mrs Sherlborne, Sara is expecting you. I’m just fixing the evening meal. Can I offer you some? It’s rather al fresco. Pasta - tomatoes and cheese. Sara’s completing Maureen`s portrait for the Carey’s. Obviously it will mean a great deal to them now.’