They went to Newbury, to the long, low building at the eastern end of town that had been built to serve as an armory during the dark days when the borders of the Shire had been threatened, and was now used as a central shirriffs' office. Frodo had not been here since Merry had been kept shut up in the back room, under arrest for the murder of their cousin Berilac.
As Chief Muggeredge showed them into the long front chamber of the guardhouse, where Merimas's body had been laid on a table beneath a sheet, Frodo saw that the shirriff who had been set to keep watch was Hob Hayward, who had guarded Merry as a prisoner three years ago. At the Brandybucks' entrance, Hob leapt up from his seat, his red-feathered cap in hand.
Celie and Melisaunte had insisted on coming, but at the sight of the sheet-draped figure, the girl stopped in the doorway and would go no further. She gripped her mother-in-law by the hand, and Melisaunte stayed with her while Frodo and Merry went with the Chief Shirriff to view their cousin's body.
Carefully shielding the sight from the ladies' view, Chief Muggeredge held up one corner of the sheet to show them: Merimas's face was muddy and discolored, but undamaged. His dark and curly hair, however, was clumped with thick, dried clots of blood, and trickles of blood had run down his right cheek and temple to dry in brown-red streaks, which suggested to Frodo that Merimas had died some time ago and had fallen to lie face-down after he'd been struck. Had he faced his murderer, Frodo wondered, or had the blow come from behind?
"Is it... very bad?" asked Celie.
Merry took out his handkerchief to cover the top of Merimas's head. "It's all right, Ceel, Auntie. You can look if you want to."
Celie ventured close enough to see her husband's face. "Oh, it is him!" she cried out, as if she hadn't believed it was true until now, and fled out of the hall.
"It is Merimas." Melisaunte reached out to touch the dirty smudges on her son's cheek, then moved the edge of the handkerchief to see the streaks of blood that ran down the side of his face. "My poor boy. He'd never let his face get so dirty if he could help himself." Her voice choked. "We'll have to wash him before we can lay him out properly. He would never want to be seen so untidy." Then she turned abruptly and went outside after her daughter-in-law.
Merry turned to the shirriffs and said, "My cousin's body must be conveyed to the Hall to be laid out, as my aunt wishes, for his funeral. Will you arrange it?" It was an order, and both Hob and Muggeredge nodded solemnly.
"Where was he found?" Frodo asked them.
"Mr. Merimas was lying under the Hedge not far from Newbury, his head broken in as you see," the Chief Shirriff replied. "By the look of him, he must've been killed last night and was lying there through the day. He was struck hard in the head, by a rock I'd say."
"Who found him?"
"It was a couple of farmers, Jebro Todbrush and his brother Tedro. They was coming down the lane by the Hedge into town after the day's work for their regular halves of ale at the High Hay across the green, and they came straight here to tell Hob."
"And I ran to fetch the Chief," Hob added.
"Where are the Todbrushes now?" Merry asked.
"They're at the High Hay," said Hob. "After they helped me bring Mr. Merimas in, they wanted their ales more'n usual."
"I expect you'll want to speak to them, Master Merry," Muggeredge said.
"Yes, we will--my cousin Frodo and I." Merry took Frodo by the wrist, as he had in the Brandy Hall drawing room. "You know that my cousin, Mr. Baggins, is quite famous as an investigator."
The Sherriff nodded. "Aye, we used to hear tales of Mr. Frodo Baggins and his investigations. I remember how he got you out of that trouble, Master Merry, when your cousin Mr. Berilac was knocked into the river, and how he found that Mrs. Stillwaters up Bridgefields-way who everybody said had run off." He looked at Frodo speculatively, as if wondering how much the 'famous investigator' intended to be involved in this murder. Frodo wasn't certain of the answer to that yet himself.
"We'll want to see where Merimas was found as well," he said. It was near sunset now and would soon be too dark to search the place tonight; Sherriff Muggeredge agreed that Hob would take them there in the morning.
While Merry spoke with the sherriffs to make further arrangements, Frodo left the guardhouse. Celie and Melisaunte were seated on a bench outside the door; the elder hobbit-lady sat upright with tears on her face, her arms around the young girl, who was sobbing into her handkerchief.
"I'm so sorry, Auntie, Celie," he said to them softly. It seemed an inadequate expression of sympathy in the face of their grief, but he couldn't think of anything else to say.
Celie looked up at him hopefully. "You will find out who did this, won't you, Frodo? You'll find who killed Merimas."
"Of course he will," Merry said reassuringly before Frodo could form his usual answer about doing his best.
"The sherriffs won't mind?" asked Frodo. He had not directly encountered the Chief Sherriff the last time he'd investigated a murder in Buckland, but he remembered how Hob had resented his interference and suggestions on where to search for clues.
"No, there'll be no objection," said Merry. "I've had a word with Chief Muggeredge and told him you're to be given every aid to find Merimas's murderer."
Frodo nodded, solemnly accepting the responsibility. After seven months of peaceful retirement, he was an investigator again.
Merry turned to address his aunt. "I've arranged for Merimas to be brought to the Hall tomorrow, Aunt Melisaunte. You and Celie may as well go home yourselves. There's little more to be done here tonight, and Frodo and I will do it."
Site Info
We are the home of 1292 authors from among our 2552 members. There have been 2904 reviews written about our 3820 stories consisting of 10734 chapters and 29400445 words. A special welcome to our newest member, Rosamundeb.Categories
Skin Change
Donate
Help us keep one of the oldest running LotR archives available to all. Even the smallest donation helps!
Many thanks to our previous donors!
Many thanks to our previous donors!
