A Missed Murder by Michael Jecks

Author:Michael Jecks [Michael Jecks]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Severn House Publishers
Published: 2018-07-17T16:00:00+00:00

‘Stiffing me? What do you mean, “stiffing me”?’

Mal’s eyes had narrowed into hard little chips of jet. Suddenly, the thunderstorm was back.

‘Thomas always kept a close eye on larger robberies. He didn’t want to lose the money when someone took a rich man’s purse, did he? Have you heard about the man who was robbed and murdered the other day over at the river’s side? Jack brought him there, but someone killed the man and took his money. And there was a lot in it, Jack reckoned.’

‘’Ow do I know Jack didn’t kill ’im and steal ’is purse?’

‘Me?’ I squeaked. I must have been convincing, because Mal gave me a really disdainful look.

Humfrie said, ‘Perhaps if you tell us who normally looks after the stretch of the river from the bridge up towards the Temple, we can ask him and maybe bring in some more money.’

Mal considered, and then the sun broke through once more. ‘A good idea. First, though,’ and he turned to me again. His hand lifted towards my throat, and I watched it approach without the faintest ability to do anything.

I don’t know if you have ever seen a man hunting a hare? They are not the brightest of creatures. If a huntsman comes across a hare in a field, he will crouch down, remove his cotte or cloak, prop it on a stick, and then creep around, giving the hare a wide berth. Nine times out of ten, he will be able to get behind the hare and simply knock it on the head, because the daft animal will keep watching the garment, rather than the moving man.

Well, in that room, I would have said that I was the gawping, terrified hare, and Mal was the hunter. As I stood there, watching his hand approaching me, I knew that my time was done. I had gambled my all, and it was not good enough. I was about to end my days with a dim henchman’s hands squeezing the life from my neck. I just hoped he wouldn’t want some fun before, like maybe seeing if he could snap off each of my fingers first, or cutting my nuptial tackle away to satisfy his bestial amusement.

And then, all of a sudden, I realized that I was not the hare. He was. Because all the time he stood there staring at me, a huntress was stalking him, and just as he was about to reach out and throttle me, Jen gave a shrill cry and launched herself at him.

I saw his eyes widen with horror, and then she was on him. She scratched and gouged at him with her rather blunt nails. ‘What do you mean, all the men of the city? ‘’Sblood! You think you can make an accusation like that of a lady and get away with it, you dull-witted shag-bag! You shit-for-brains! You think I’m just some slut you can insult?’

All the while her hands were clawing at him, and when he tried to reason with her, her dainty foot snapped out and flattened his codpiece.

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