Doctor Who: Big Finish - Bernice Summerfield [002] - The Doomsday Manuscript (Novel) by Justin Richards

Author:Justin Richards
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science-Fiction - Doctor Who
ISBN: 1903654041
Publisher: Big Finish
Published: 2000-11-16T17:04:26+00:00

Interlude II

The call came through just as Braxiatel was leaving.

He returned to his desk, a trace of impatience in his voice as he keyed the console. ‘Yes?’

‘Call from the residence of Dr Josiah Vanderbilt,’ the Al whispered soothingly, well aware that it was the middle of the night and unwilling to disturb anyone.

Braxiatel settled himself back at his desk. ‘Put him on,’ he said, angling himself so he could see the screen set into the top of his desk.

It turned out to be a her not a him. The head and shoulders of a middle-aged woman appeared. There were dark rings under her eyes that almost matched the sombre material of the jacket she was wearing.

‘Irving Braxiatel?’ she asked, her voice efficient and clipped.

‘Yes.’

‘I understand you have been trying to contact Dr Vanderbilt.’

‘Indeed,’ he told her. ‘He hasn’t replied to an invitation I sent him. I didn’t really expect him to, of course, but it seemed courteous to call. And I wanted to ask him something.’

She attempted to smile. ‘That was kind.’

There was an awkward pause, and then Braxiatel asked:

‘I’ m sorry, but you are…?’

‘Mona Wyrd. I was Dr Vanderbilt’s secretary.’ Her eyes widened slightly as she spoke.

As if, Braxiatel thought, she was trying to tell him something, but didn’t want to say it outright. ‘I assume,’ he said slowly, ‘given that the doctor has not returned my calls himself, that your use of the past tense is significant?’

She blinked, then sniffed. ‘Yes.’ The word was a gasp. She wiped an eye with the back of her hand, murmuring: ‘I’m sorry.’

Braxiatel was not someone who found sympathy easy to offer. Especially over a remote link. But he was astute enough to know that, and didn’t try. ‘He was an old man,’ he said gently. ‘I’m saddened by the news, but I can’t say I’m surprised.’

She looked back at him, eyes still moist. When she spoke, her voice had regained a little of its earlier composure. ‘If he had died in his sleep, simply slipped away, I would agree with you. We all expected it, as you did. Sooner rather than later. But…’ Her voice tailed off and she bit her lip as her face crumpled.

‘But?’ With a feeling of deep apprehension, Braxiatel leaned forwards. ‘Tell me what happened.’

It took her a while, but eventually she was able to recount how she had found the body. How the tall, thin man had shown himself out. How she had taken lunch through to Dr Vanderbilt who had so much work to finish up. How she had found him slumped over his desk, a neat hole drilled through the centre of his left eye.

‘I’ m sorry we didn’t inform you when we sent out the funeral notices,’ she said through her dying tears. ‘It was difficult to contact all his colleagues, and I’m afraid the invitation you mentioned was not amongst Dr Vanderbilt’s belongings.’

‘No,’ said Braxiatel softly. ‘No, I don’t suppose it was.’

He sat at his desk in the muted light for a long time after she had broken the connection.

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