Chapters 5 - 8 Summary

Chapter 5 opens with Inspector Lynley and Sergeant Havers on their way to Yorkshire by train. Sergeant Havers finds it difficult to believe that Roberta Teys would kill the family dog, Whiskers. Havers also wonders why, if Roberta killed her father, the young woman would go to the trouble of wiping her fingerprints off the axe. Also, Havers is especially curious about the lack of blood spatter evidence at the scene of the crime. Havers surmises that Whiskers died before William Teys was murdered. Chief Superintendent Nies of the Richmond Constabulary enters the narrative in this chapter. Richmond is located close to Keldale in Yorkshire. Chief Superintendent Nies hates Inspector Lynley passionately.

Back at Keldale Hall, home of Mrs. Burton-Thomas, Simon and Deborah St. James hear more about the baby ghost of Keldale Abbey. Simon and Deborah meet American tourists Hank Watson...