Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths

Author:Elly Griffiths
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Mystery & Detective, Fiction, C429, Extratorrents, Kat, General
ISBN: 9781743287583
Publisher: Windsor
Published: 2013-02-01T22:32:54+00:00

CHAPTER 19

After a few minutes in the Pendle Forest, Nelson is thinking longingly of Blackpool. It’s another rainy day and the clouds are low over the fields. The grass is black, the streams grey and troubled. Nelson drives slowly through the twisting lanes, cursing when he has to stop for sheep or cattle grids. Next to him, Cathbad hums serenely, looking at the lowering landscape with every appearance of pleasure. When they stop at a crossroads, a raven, huge and jet-black, regards them from the top of the signpost.

‘That,’ says Cathbad, ‘is a very bad omen.’

‘Do me a favour,’ says Nelson. ‘Don’t tell me why.’ Cathbad had, earlier, offered to tell Nelson the story of the Pendle Witches and was rudely rebuffed. ‘I don’t want to hear any bloody silly fairy stories, thanks very much.’ Cathbad hadn’t been offended although now the bird’s appearance seems to have jolted him.

‘Ravens are meant to speak with the voices of the dead,’ he says.

‘Save it for my mum,’ says Nelson. He hasn’t forgiven Cathbad for the tea party, which lasted until nearly seven o’clock. Maureen had told Cathbad all her psychic experiences and he had suggested that she might be a reincarnation of an Egyptian prophetess.

‘Your mother’s a wonderful woman,’ says Cathbad.

‘I’ll take your word for it.’

Maureen keeps saying that they must have Cathbad and Ruth for dinner one night. She persists in thinking of them as a couple (‘the babby’s the image of her daddy’) and wonders why they haven’t got married. It’s driving Nelson mad. Today Ruth has gone to see Susan Chow, the county archaeologist. She’s taken Kate with her so it’ll be a short trip.

‘Which way now?’ Nelson asks.

‘Left. Towards Fence.’

‘Jesus. What sort of a person lives in a godforsaken place like this?’

‘The same sort of person who lives on the Saltmarsh,’ says Cathbad, with a sly sideways glance.

Nelson doesn’t reply. He might not approve of Ruth’s choice of location (it’s no place to bring up a child) but he doesn’t like anyone else to criticise her. Besides, Ruth’s nothing like this Pendragon nutcase.

They reach the steep valley with the white house in the middle, like the epiglottis in a giant throat. Nelson parks the car by the gate and they approach the cottage on foot. As they walk, the wind suddenly picks up and the stunted trees on the hill lash to and fro. A flock of birds flies overhead, low and sinister.

‘Why the hell hasn’t he got a proper drive?’ asks Nelson. He could walk all day on pavements but something about the countryside makes him uneasy.

‘He hasn’t got a car,’ says Cathbad.

‘Typical.’

This time Pendragon does not come out to meet them, gun in hand. Perhaps some sixth sense has told him that this isn’t a good idea with a policeman around. They reach the front door undisturbed.

‘Pen!’ shouts Cathbad. ‘It’s me. Cathbad.’

His voice echoes dramatically around the valley. Pen, pen, pen, pen. Bad, bad, bad, bad …

‘I knew he’d be out,’ says Nelson.’ That’s what you get for not being on the phone.

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.