CRIME IN THE COLLEGE a fiercely addictive mystery (Detective Markham Mystery Book 11) by CATHERINE MOLONEY

Author:CATHERINE MOLONEY [MOLONEY, CATHERINE]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Joffe Books Crime thriller and mystery
Published: 2021-02-07T22:00:00+00:00

9. And Breathe

The morning of Saturday 19 December was crisp and bright, determining Markham to treat the team to breakfast at Browns on the Woodstock Road for their morning briefing.

In the sharp, clear air he felt stung to life after the fug of dinner the previous evening.

As they passed Blackfriars Priory on St Giles, its honey-coloured façade glowing softly in the sunshine, he wished he could make a detour into the cool vaulted interior of the church.

But he could tell Noakes was already keenly anticipating the delights of a full English as opposed to more spiritual nourishment. In the circumstances, it would be unfair to make him wait. Not least as the DS had acquiesced meekly, with only a token protest, to donning his lounge suit once again for the rigours of Catriona Rowlands’s memorial service followed by afternoon tea at the Randolph. The porcupine quills appeared to have been gelled into place and eau de mothballs overlaid with something more fragrant, leading Markham to conclude that Doyle had risen to the occasion and lent a hand with his mentor’s grooming.

Browns stirred memories of queueing on the pavement outside with a gaggle of friends on various special occasions. A wave of nostalgia hit him, surging up from somewhere deep inside, making him catch his breath like a runner suddenly winded.

Markham looked around at the students sauntering ahead of them along St Giles, their cheery voices ringing out.

Lucky, lucky youth just starting out . . . all the ‘highlights’ of life still to be relished and savoured. As though the grim reaper was a storybook phantom who could never breach the golden forcefield around them.

He could almost see the ghosts of Catriona Rowlands and Belinda Lycett on the fringes of that laughing group, muffled in college scarves, their faces upturned to bantering swains, aglow with hope and promise . . .

Breathe, Markham, breathe.

He beat down the nostalgia. You could never go back. The past was a foreign country, they did things differently there.

‘You alright, guv?’ Noakes nodded casually at Blackfriars. ‘If you fancy popping in for a quickie . . . er, a prayer or something,’ he added clocking Doyle’s grin, ‘it’s no bother. We can wait.’

The DS knew the boss was Catholic, with a thing for old churches. Moreover, he had the faraway look that meant his mind was likely running on all those murder victims they had been unable to save down the years. As if he was some frigging pied piper and they trailed round after him like the undead. If that meant the DI needed a word with the Almighty, fine by Noakes.

Markham was touched.

‘Far be it from me to keep you from the Browns special, Noakesy,’ he said lightly. ‘The Dominicans can wait.’

Noakes was hard pushed to hide his relief. He hadn’t realised the place was run by monks. Ever since the St Cecilia’s investigation, he hadn’t felt comfortable around anyone in a habit.

They passed under the distinctive awning and into the brasserie.

It hadn’t changed much, Markham thought.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.