Returning to his surgery in Wimpole Street, Marylebone, Preston looks up Sangster in his registry, and finds that he has a practice in nearby Harley Street.
Inquiring with Sangster’s receptionist, he learns that the Doctor has appointments for the rest of the morning, but has time that afternoon after lunch if he will return then. She asks Preston what it is regarding.
Chapter 5a: Dr. Sangster (Preston)
Moderator: HoneyDog
Re: Chapter 5a: Dr. Sangster (Preston)
Dr. Francis Preston
Knowing that Sangster is said to shun his former army colleagues, Preston carefully replies that he is seeking to discuss a medical case about which he is informed by certain mutual acquaintances Sangster may have an insight into.
Knowing that Sangster is said to shun his former army colleagues, Preston carefully replies that he is seeking to discuss a medical case about which he is informed by certain mutual acquaintances Sangster may have an insight into.
Re: Chapter 5a: Dr. Sangster (Preston)
Preston is invited to return after lunch, and he duly does so. He is shown into Elliot Sangster’s consulting room, where the doctor comes to greet him, holding out his hand to shake.
He is tall and well-groomed, with an athletic build. He seems to be in his mid-30s, and has a definite no-nonsense air, reinforced by the hard set of his jaw.
“How can I help you, Dr. Preston?” he asks in a smooth voice.
He is tall and well-groomed, with an athletic build. He seems to be in his mid-30s, and has a definite no-nonsense air, reinforced by the hard set of his jaw.
“How can I help you, Dr. Preston?” he asks in a smooth voice.
Re: Chapter 5a: Dr. Sangster (Preston)
Dr. Francis Preston
Preston returns the handshake. "Thank you for meeting with me, Dr. Sangster. I'm afraid it's rather a serious matter which has already resulted in three fatalities. We're both busy with our patients so I'll get right down to it. Are you at all familiar with 'Abadan'?"
Preston returns the handshake. "Thank you for meeting with me, Dr. Sangster. I'm afraid it's rather a serious matter which has already resulted in three fatalities. We're both busy with our patients so I'll get right down to it. Are you at all familiar with 'Abadan'?"
Re: Chapter 5a: Dr. Sangster (Preston)
Sangster frowns in puzzlement. ”Can’t say that I have. Is it a tropical sickness? I specialize in the heart you know.”
Re: Chapter 5a: Dr. Sangster (Preston)
Dr. Francis Preston
"I fear not. Please allow me to explain the full reasons for my meeting with you." Preston briefly describes the circumstances of the three deaths. "With the Major's murder it cannot be doubted that there is a killer loose who is targeting victims with this connection of their army service. Hence I have come here to warn you that your life may be at risk and to ask if you have any notion as to who might be capable of doing such a thing."
"I fear not. Please allow me to explain the full reasons for my meeting with you." Preston briefly describes the circumstances of the three deaths. "With the Major's murder it cannot be doubted that there is a killer loose who is targeting victims with this connection of their army service. Hence I have come here to warn you that your life may be at risk and to ask if you have any notion as to who might be capable of doing such a thing."
Re: Chapter 5a: Dr. Sangster (Preston)
Sangster walks back to his desk and sits down. He indicates for Preston to have a seat opposite him. He appears to be calm.
“Yes, I read about Gower’s death this morning. I didn’t know about the other men though. Obviously you know of my connection to them. But what is your interest in all of this?”
“Yes, I read about Gower’s death this morning. I didn’t know about the other men though. Obviously you know of my connection to them. But what is your interest in all of this?”
Re: Chapter 5a: Dr. Sangster (Preston)
Dr. Francis Preston
"My interest is one of concern as a fellow army man and also that of the amateur detective for it was I and my companions who perceived a connection between these deaths before the police. And I fear the police will not act in time to prevent more tragedy hence we must use what resources we have to get to the bottom of things swiftly. Since you were unaware of the first two deaths I take it you have not been a regular acquaintance of the men since your service days? Paice, Norton, Hollingsworth?"
"My interest is one of concern as a fellow army man and also that of the amateur detective for it was I and my companions who perceived a connection between these deaths before the police. And I fear the police will not act in time to prevent more tragedy hence we must use what resources we have to get to the bottom of things swiftly. Since you were unaware of the first two deaths I take it you have not been a regular acquaintance of the men since your service days? Paice, Norton, Hollingsworth?"
Re: Chapter 5a: Dr. Sangster (Preston)
“I believe you’ve been somewhat misleading with your reasons for seeing me, Doctor” says Sangster heavily. He regards Preston for a moment, then motions with his hand dismissively.
“No, I don’t have any contact with the men I served with. I was compelled to sign up by my financial situation at the time; basically my only hope of completing my studies was to become endowed with the regular income that an officers commission would provide. I don’t remember the experience with any fondness.”
He picks up a pipe and begins to fill it.
“I remember Paice, a decent enough man. He was badly wounded in Sudan. I don’t remember anyone called Norton. Of course I remember Hollingsworth, he was my CO.”
He stops and lights his pipe. Clouds of tobacco smoke begin to fill the room.
“No, I don’t have any contact with the men I served with. I was compelled to sign up by my financial situation at the time; basically my only hope of completing my studies was to become endowed with the regular income that an officers commission would provide. I don’t remember the experience with any fondness.”
He picks up a pipe and begins to fill it.
“I remember Paice, a decent enough man. He was badly wounded in Sudan. I don’t remember anyone called Norton. Of course I remember Hollingsworth, he was my CO.”
He stops and lights his pipe. Clouds of tobacco smoke begin to fill the room.
Re: Chapter 5a: Dr. Sangster (Preston)
Dr. Francis Preston
Preston has his own pipe in hand. "I apologize for the deception, however I was unsure how receptive you were to such matters and given the urgent nature of my warning thought it necessary to gain admittance by any means for your own safety. I have already been turned away by Hollingsworth, for one. Speaking of the Colonel, he seems to be a mysterious man who provokes strong reactions. Can you tell me anything of him? You say you have no fondness for your time in the Sudan. Was the Colonel to blame for that?"
Preston has his own pipe in hand. "I apologize for the deception, however I was unsure how receptive you were to such matters and given the urgent nature of my warning thought it necessary to gain admittance by any means for your own safety. I have already been turned away by Hollingsworth, for one. Speaking of the Colonel, he seems to be a mysterious man who provokes strong reactions. Can you tell me anything of him? You say you have no fondness for your time in the Sudan. Was the Colonel to blame for that?"
Re: Chapter 5a: Dr. Sangster (Preston)
“No” replies Sangster heavily, “it wasn’t the Colonel. I already told you that I didn’t have a lot of choice about my enlistment. I hated the army life to be frank, especially the campaigning. Destroying men’s lives one moment, and patching them up the next. Utter futility.” He takes a heavy draw on his pipe. “Such senseless violence.”
“Hollingsworth was a good commander, in military terms. He got things done, I suppose. In some ways I admired him. But he’s brutal, and ruthless. Single-minded. The other officers…” he sneers. “Mostly just interested in sports and gambling. Fools mostly. Paice was an exception, a bit more enlightened than the rest. I pitied the enlisted men. Uneducated, few prospects, most destined to leave wounded or even crippled. I left all that behind me.”
“Hollingsworth was a good commander, in military terms. He got things done, I suppose. In some ways I admired him. But he’s brutal, and ruthless. Single-minded. The other officers…” he sneers. “Mostly just interested in sports and gambling. Fools mostly. Paice was an exception, a bit more enlightened than the rest. I pitied the enlisted men. Uneducated, few prospects, most destined to leave wounded or even crippled. I left all that behind me.”
Re: Chapter 5a: Dr. Sangster (Preston)
Dr. Francis Preston
Preston nods. "My own experience in the Army Medical Service was similar. This is why I chose to return to civilian practice after I was myself injured. Can you think of any reason why someone might hold a grudge against the Buffs in particular? Someone tall and inhumanly strong. Did the Colonel's brutality in the Sudan go too far, perhaps?"
Preston nods. "My own experience in the Army Medical Service was similar. This is why I chose to return to civilian practice after I was myself injured. Can you think of any reason why someone might hold a grudge against the Buffs in particular? Someone tall and inhumanly strong. Did the Colonel's brutality in the Sudan go too far, perhaps?"
Re: Chapter 5a: Dr. Sangster (Preston)
Sangster takes the pipe from his mouth and stares at Preston in amazement.
“Tall and inhumanly strong? Sounds outlandish. Is that the killer?” He taps his pipe.
“Well I don’t know anyone like that. And I never heard of anyone like that. Look” he says heavily, “the only strange thing I remember was just after we were withdrawn to Egypt. We had suffered a lot of casualties, particularly from sickness, and as you can imagine I had my hands full. We were near the Nile, just north of Aswan. We weren’t there long, but the Colonel took some of the fit men on a ‘secret mission’ he called it; a raid I think. They were very tight-lipped about it, the men who went out on it. I never heard anyone talk about it, but some of them seemed quite shook up later on. As I recall, Gower went on it too. And Crouch, come to think of it. Honestly, I don’t remember many of the enlisted men.”
“Tall and inhumanly strong? Sounds outlandish. Is that the killer?” He taps his pipe.
“Well I don’t know anyone like that. And I never heard of anyone like that. Look” he says heavily, “the only strange thing I remember was just after we were withdrawn to Egypt. We had suffered a lot of casualties, particularly from sickness, and as you can imagine I had my hands full. We were near the Nile, just north of Aswan. We weren’t there long, but the Colonel took some of the fit men on a ‘secret mission’ he called it; a raid I think. They were very tight-lipped about it, the men who went out on it. I never heard anyone talk about it, but some of them seemed quite shook up later on. As I recall, Gower went on it too. And Crouch, come to think of it. Honestly, I don’t remember many of the enlisted men.”
Re: Chapter 5a: Dr. Sangster (Preston)
Dr. Francis Preston
"I see. I wonder if something untoward occurred that day which may be a motivation for revenge against those involved. We would need to know if Reynolds, the first suspected victim, was there but if it is so then you might not be targeted by this brutal killer. Nevertheless I urge you to remain watchful and to contact either myself or one of my companions if you note anything amiss. You can leave a message at the Army and Navy Club or come to my practice in Wimpole Street."
"I see. I wonder if something untoward occurred that day which may be a motivation for revenge against those involved. We would need to know if Reynolds, the first suspected victim, was there but if it is so then you might not be targeted by this brutal killer. Nevertheless I urge you to remain watchful and to contact either myself or one of my companions if you note anything amiss. You can leave a message at the Army and Navy Club or come to my practice in Wimpole Street."
Re: Chapter 5a: Dr. Sangster (Preston)
Sangster stands up. “I appreciate your visit, Dr Preston, and I’ll take your warning under advisement. I see no reason why I would be targeted though. If indeed the killings are linked to that mission, I was nowhere near it.”
He raises a finger suddenly, remembering a detail. “I just recalled, I believe that they returned over the frontier on that raid, but I don’t know where they went.”
He shakes hands with Preston. “Good day to you sir”.
He raises a finger suddenly, remembering a detail. “I just recalled, I believe that they returned over the frontier on that raid, but I don’t know where they went.”
He shakes hands with Preston. “Good day to you sir”.
Re: Chapter 5a: Dr. Sangster (Preston)
Dr. Francis Preston
"And to you."
Preston departs to mull over what he has learned until the meeting with his companions that evening. If the opportunity arises he will consult an atlas to see if any features of the indicated area north of Aswan seem relevant.
"And to you."
Preston departs to mull over what he has learned until the meeting with his companions that evening. If the opportunity arises he will consult an atlas to see if any features of the indicated area north of Aswan seem relevant.
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