The Fifth Tomb by Amy Cross

Author:Amy Cross [Cross, Amy]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Published: 2023-11-23T16:00:00+00:00

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As they made their way along the Limmatquai, Tomas and Barbara continued to talk about the meal they'd just enjoyed, while Tomas occasionally tried to bring up the subject of their future plans. And then, as they passed the end of a narrow alley, they both stopped as they heard a brief crashing sound coming from nearby.

“What was that?” Tomas asked cautiously.

“Probably nothing,” Barbara replied, pulling on his arm gently. “Come on, let's get to the tram stop. I want to get home.”

Tomas opened his mouth to reply, before hearing the sound of glass smashing.

“Someone might need help,” he pointed out.

“There's nothing down there,” Barbara told him. “Just some houses, and a glass shop, and an old bookshop.”

“I have to check,” Tomas replied, pulling away from her and starting to make his way along the alley. “Stay right there. I'm sure it's nothing but I want to make sure.”

“This is nothing to do with us!” Barbara called out. “Tomas, please, it might not be safe! You don't know what you're getting yourself into!”

Picking up the pace a little, Tomas saw that the lights were still on in the little bookshop to the left. He was fairly new in Zurich, having only arrived a few months earlier, and the last thing he wanted was to get involved in a robbery when he was supposed to be enjoying his first date with Barbara from the office. At the same time, he'd grown up in a family of police officers and he felt duty-bound – even as an ordinary member of the public – to see whether he could help. Finally, as he reached the shop and looked through the window, he was about to call back to Barbara and let her know that everything was alright when suddenly an elderly man stumbled into view.

Leaning against the window, August Stemmer placed his bloodied palms against the glass. His face had been scratched open, with something having ripped through one of his eyes and down into his cheek. For a few seconds the old man seemed to be about to call something out, until the life faded from his eyes and he slid down out of sight, leaving a bloody streak on the inside of the glass.

“Tomas, are you done?” Barbara called out from the end of the alley. “Tomas, say something! What's happening!”

For a few seconds, Tomas couldn't make sense of what he was seeing. After August had slithered down, a view of the bookshop's interior had been revealed. Tilting his head slightly, Tomas told himself that he had to be wrong, but after a few more second he realized that there was indeed a large bear sitting hunched over a desk, seemingly peering down at what appeared to be some kind of handwritten book or ledger. A moment after that the bear turned and looked at Thomas for a moment, before letting out an ear-splitting roar that shook the glass in the window.

“Run!” Tomas shouted, turning and racing back along the alley, almost colliding with Barbara as he grabbed her hand and forced her to follow him along the street.

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