The Song of the Musophage by Bing Turkby

Author:Bing Turkby
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bing Turkby
Published: 2020-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Rose and Benton were back at the Police station, in Benton’s office-slash-broom cupboard. The hand-written sign on the door saying “Occult Phenomena Containment and Defence” had been attacked by humid air and departmental pranksters, so now it appeared to say “Old Philomena’s Container of Dentures”.

They were enjoying a cup of the station’s finest instant coffee. Which is to say, not very fine at all. Like many other comestibles at the station, the coffee was purchased in bulk from an online shop called “Expiry Date Emporium”. It had all the caffeine of a normal cup of coffee, and all the tarry taste and texture of a highway in the hot sun. Luckily, Benton had stowed a nice packet of chocolate digestives in the ceiling cavity earlier, and neither the mice nor his colleagues had sniffed them out. It just goes to show, with a bit of forethought and planning, and a healthy distrust of everybody you share office space with, you can make your working day an almost pleasant experience.

To be fair, having Rose visit was enough of a treat to put a spring in his step and a smile on his dial anyway. He was as happy as batch of scones that had just won first prize at a village fete.

The now-senior constable gave Rose his chair (thank goodness nobody had nicked off with it while he was out), and attempted to lean casually on some case files while they digested their bikkies and their latest intel.

‘So, we have the name of a company to look into,’ said Rose. ‘Or rather, one and half names.’

‘General rule of thumb,’ said Benton. ‘If a company name is made up of people’s surnames, it’s either a lawyers office or a craft brewery. I think it’s something they insist on at the company registry.’

‘You reckon the Mayor is in talks with a brewery? He does like his rugby, racing and beer.’

‘True enough, but he’s hardly a craft beer guy, is he? He’ll have whatever’s on special at the supermarket, providing it’s not low-carb.’ Benton tapped his chin with a digestive as he cogitated. ‘Hmmm. No, I think the brewery market is pretty well saturated in town anyway.’

Rose raised her mug to him. ‘Congratulations on the pun, constable. You delivered it with a certain specific gravity.’

‘Hoho!’ Benton rejoined. ‘Spoken like a true home brew fanatic.’

‘I’ve been known to wield a hydrometer every now and then. But yeah, I agree, I can’t imagine there’s room for another brewery in Palmy. Or at least, not one that would need to be on some very expensive land in the middle of town.’ Rose helped herself to another chocolate digestive.

‘Then we agree, you and me. It’s easy to see,’ said Benton. ’It’ll be a lawyers, mark my words out of a hundred and assess me for university entrance.’

‘And all this business with Barry the parking attendant - do you really think a lawyer would come into town and start making citizens disappear?’

‘It’s not the usual kind of thing they do, for sure.

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