Sleeping With the Dead by Pat Herbert

Author:Pat Herbert [Herbert, Pat]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-11-14T05:00:00+00:00

August 1920: Blackpool

“You don’t think I’ve done anything to Mary, do you, Johnny?”

Johnny Tapperstall was seated at reception while Ivy was having a tea break. He looked at him, a shocked expression on his face. The thought had never crossed his mind. Until now.

“N-no, of course not,” he said. Surely, this nice Elmer Smallpurse would never harm a lady? He was so fond of Mary, he was always saying so. Why would he want to hurt her? Except, possibly, if she had rejected his advances? No, of course not, not even then. But there was a scintilla of doubt in his mind all the same. There was a familiar phrase that people used, he remembered: ‘methinks he doth protest too much’. The fact that Elmer seemed so anxious for Johnny to believe in him, was slightly worrying.

“That was said with true conviction,” said Elmer morosely. “I swear to you I never saw Mary after I left her at her room last night. I haven’t harmed a hair of her head.”

“I never said any different,” said Johnny, more than a little nervous now. Elmer looked like he was about to punch something, and Johnny feared it was probably going to be his nose.

“No, I know, Johnny. Don’t mind me. But mud sticks. And that inspector guy, he thinks I’ve done away with her. He ain’t said so in so many words, but, well, I can tell he thinks I’ve done something to her. I mean, do I look like Jack the Ripper, for God’s sake?”

As Johnny, and everybody else for that matter, didn’t know who Jack the Ripper was, he couldn’t truthfully answer that question. For all he knew, Elmer could have been the spitting image of Jack. But he erred on the side of caution and strongly denied that such a likeness could be possible.

“I love that gal, Johnny. I really do.”

Johnny could see Elmer was sincere, and felt ashamed of himself for even thinking he could in any way be involved in her disappearance. He was sorry he had lost his Mary, and even sorrier that Aubrey Elphinstone was out to get him. Elmer had been hiding from him all day, checking with Johnny to make sure the man was well out of his way. There was no knowing what that angry, unhappy parent would do if he got hold of him.

“I know you do, Mr Smallpurse,” said Johnny, starting to polish the desk in preparation for Ivy’s return. “But the police don’t know you like I do. Nor does Mr Elphinstone.”

“That’s for sure,” agreed Elmer. “But I don’t think I want to give them time to get to know me, if you get my meaning.”

He gave him a slow wink. Johnny wasn’t at all sure of his meaning, but hoped it wasn’t what he had begun to suspect.

“Gee, I wish I knew what had happened to my little Mary,” sighed Elmer. “Somebody’s got hold of that sweet thing and it ain’t me, Johnny.” He raised his hands as if to say, ‘see –she ain’t here’.

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