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through the window, but could see only dirty dishes and an
94 Ann Purser
empty room. Better check on Satan. He could at least open
him up and give him some daylight.
At first he could see only the bird, lying crookedly on the
floor by the wooden lavatory seat. Then he gasped. Protrud-
ing from one of the holes where generations of Fitches had sat
was a carpet slipper, and inside it a foot.
Douglas tore aside the netting frame and looked more
closely. He began to retch, and turned away, collapsing to
the ground and burying his head in his hands. After a few
seconds he pulled himself to his feet and took another look.
It was Clem, of course, cold as charity, and as dead as his
beloved Satan by his side.
After he d made the necessary calls, Douglas finally tele-
phoned his new boss to explain.
 Good heavens, said the departmental manager.  That
beats having to attend your grandmother s funeral. Her voice
softened, and she added,  Get here when you can, Douglas.
Anything we can do, let us know.
Josie was opening the shop when she saw the police car
coming slowly towards her. It stopped, and she drew a quick
breath of surprise. The tall, immaculate-looking young man
approaching was familiar.  Hi, Josie, he said,  remember me?
 Goodness, of course I do! Hello, Matthew. What brings
you here?
It was Matthew Vickers, plainclothes policeman, nephew
of Hunter Cowgill, and potential rival of Josie s Rob. He had
spent some weeks with the Tresham police in the past, and
had met and admired Josie during the last of Lois s involve-
ments with Cowgill. She had thought him very tasty then,
but now he was more so. That smile!
Warning at One 95
He followed her into the shop and suggested she sit down
on her stool behind the counter. The smile had gone now, and
he was looking serious.  What s happened? she said quickly.
 Has there been an accident? Mum, Dad . . . Gran?
He shook his head.  No, no. None of your family. Well,
that s not quite right. Douglas is involved in a pretty nasty
happening in Tresham.
She sat rigidly holding on to the counter as he gave her
a brief account of what they had found when summoned by
Douglas. The old man, dead and stuffed alongside the bird-
seed in his old two-hole lavatory, with the brilliant plumage
of his strangled cockerel fading by his side. Matthew rushed
towards her as she swayed on her stool. He caught her as she
fell, and with his arms tight around her and her head resting
on his chest, he said a polite  Good morning to Rob, who
had emerged from the flat above.
The news had been broken to Lois more or less immediately
after Cowgill had heard it. She d picked up the phone as she
made a cup of tea for Gran, who was having a rare lie-in.
 Lois, he d said urgently,  not good news, I m afraid. Old
man next door to your son has been found dead in an out-
house. Douglas found him. The lad is shaken up, but got
himself together. Determined to go to work after we ve fin-
ished with him. I was sure you d want to know, my dear.
Ignoring the affectionate words, Lois said sharply,  What
d you mean,  after we ve finished with him ?
 Just the usual questions. No worse than that, Lois. I m off
now to Gordon Street. D you want to meet me there? I expect
Douglas would like a little support.
 He s a fully grown man, and perfectly capable of supporting
96 Ann Purser
himself, Lois snapped. But after she d signed off, she yelled to
Derek that she was going straightaway, giving him the details
as he rushed downstairs in alarm.  Explain to Mum, she said,
as she got into her van.  I ll ring you from Gordon Street.
There were police cars outside Clem s house, and a small
crowd had gathered as close as they were allowed. Lois parked
at the supermarket and walked swiftly down the street. Cow-
gill saw her coming and cleared a way for her.
 Where s Douglas? she said, and without speaking or
delaying her in any way, he led her into Douglas s house and
shut the door behind them. The curtains had been drawn
to shield the little group inside from prying eyes of curious
neighbours and passersby.
 Hi, Mum, Douglas said.
A note-taking policeman stood up to give her his seat,
and Lois swallowed hard.  What s been going on here, then?
she said. Cowgill stood behind her and put his hand on her
shoulder. She shook it off at once.
Douglas looked at him, and he said,  You fill her in,
Douglas. Better coming from you.
 It s poor old Clem, Douglas began, and his voice shook.
 Somebody killed him and Satan, and I found them. In that old
bog that Satan lived in. Clem was shoved into where he used to
keep the bird s food. He s out now. Decently laid out. And his
cockerel . . . He choked, and Lois reached for his hand. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]