The Mammoth Book of Historical Whodunnits Volume 3 (The Mammoth Book Series) by Mike Ashley

Author:Mike Ashley [Ashley, Mike]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781472114815
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Published: 2015-02-27T06:00:00+00:00

Tonneman waited until Bridge was no longer in sight. The man was an irritation, his nose up Nicholls’s arse. More interested in feathering his own nest than anything else. “As for you, my lad,” Tonneman told Lundt, whose colour, though decidedly green, was no match for his peculiar eye. “We’re going to pay a visit to your dear late auntie’s lawyer.”

Lubbertus van Dincklagen, one-time Vice-Director-General under Stuyvesant, was an old comrade of Tonneman’s. They’d been schoolmates at the university in Leiden in ’37.

As usual, the corpulent lawyer was dining. “Tonneman, my friend. How good to see you. Come out of the weather. Bring your friend, too. Would you care for some roasted lamb?”

Without waiting for an answer the lawyer called, “Helga.” Immediately a plump, young maidservant appeared. Tonneman wondered if the old reprobate was tupping the girl. Old and gross as he was, he was also rich. Who could blame a poor maid for ambition? On the other hand, in spite of his girth women had always been attracted to Lubbertus.

“Two more plates and two goblets for my friend Tonneman and his friend. I didn’t get your name, sir.”

“Lundt, he claims,” Tonneman said, before Lundt could respond.

Lundt looked wounded. “That is my name, sirs. For truth.”

The girl served the Sheriff and Lundt sizeable portions of meat and potatoes. Lundt attacked the food and drink with gusto.

“Young Lundt has an appetite,” was van Dincklagen’s only comment.

“For more than food, I reckon.”

“Lundt, you say?” van Dincklagen said, as he filled his pipe. “Now there’s a familiar name.”

“This young fellow claims that his dead father was the Widow van Lundt’s brother-in-law.”

“Very interesting,” Lubbertus said. “With Gretchen Goderis so soon demised, how serendipitous your arrival, young man.”

“I most certainly do not know any Gretchen Goderis,” Lundt said.

“When I drew up Margarieta van Lundt’s last will and testament, she informed me that she had no living blood heirs and instructed me to designate her loyal maidservant Gretchen Goderis as sole heiress of the entire van Lundt estate. There was no mention of a nephew.”

“I am betrayed,” Lundt said. He broke into a sweat and swayed in his chair. “It will not go well for me.”

“What do you mean, ‘it will not go well for you’?” Tonneman demanded. What was Lundt afraid of?

The young man rose in his chair, then fell back, his head in his hands.

“There, there, young man,” Lubbertus said. “All is not lost. We will need some verification of your story.”

“I have sent Pos to New Haven for that very thing,” Tonneman said.

“I am a lawful citizen of New Haven,” Lundt said, sitting up. “I’m sure there’s been some dreadful mistake.”

“Well, let us suppose there has been,” Lubbertus said mildly. “While we wait to hear from New Haven, you shall be a guest in my house.”

“One can only hope you will not regret your hospitality,” Tonneman told Lubbertus as he took his leave.

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