The Puddle Dock Murders by Kevin McDonagh

Author:Kevin McDonagh
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
Published: 2022-06-09T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

‘Execution’

For the past five weeks, Brendan had been incarcerated in the baron’s cellar. Every day since he was taken from the baron’s office, he had been assaulted. The first weeks were the worst. His inquisitors wanted information.

“Why did you attack the baron?” The questioner was quietly spoken. He had a heavy accent.

“Sir, the baron had my wife, Mary-Jane, kidnapped. He also had her attacked.”

“Why would he do that?”

“Trying to control me.”

“I do not understand. Why would he want to control you? You are like a bug. He could squash you whenever he likes. Who paid you to attack the baron?”

“No one, I swear on Mary-Jane’s life.”

“Mary-Jane is tot, er, dead. She died under interrogation. She was braver than you, she did not say a word.”

Brendan began to sob quietly.

“Why are you working for Franz Mizel? We know you are spying for him. You must answer me, or you will end up next to Mary-Jane in the pig food.”

The interrogator nodded to his colleagues who rained blows over Brendan’s body. They followed up the punches with freezing cold water from the North Sea.

He told them everything he knew.

The questions went on and on. The questioners were particularly interested in what part Franz Mizel had played. They did not like it when he told them he had never met him. They described him. He had to admit meeting him once. They hit him again.

Over the weeks, the questions had dried up, but the assaults had continued. They then introduced psychological torture. Brendon was a strong man, but all the talk of Mary-Jane was getting to him. He was beginning to lose heart.

“You know, your wife was stronger than you, even when we hit her, she refused to talk. Not like you, coward.”

The image of Mary-Jane being tortured and knowing that she could not talk, nearly drove him mad. When the baron finally entered the cellar, he saw a broken man. No longer the straight-backed sergeant major, but a wreck of a man. Brendan had multiple bruises over his face and chest. The fingers on his left hand had been broken. The baron stared at Brendan. He smiled.

“So, Sergeant Major, you have survived this part of your interrogation. You will not survive the rest.”

Brendan looked at the baron. “It seems you have too, Herr Baron.”

At that moment, the leader of the interrogators, slapped Brendon hard across the face.

“You will be respectful to the Herr Baron.”

The baron smiled again.

“I have decided to have you shot. You will face the firing squad tomorrow at dawn. I do this out of respect for your service to your country.”

“Thank you, Herr Baron. Please, what has happened to my Mary-Jane? Please let her live.”

“I fear you have been misinformed. I, nor my men, did not abduct your wife. It’s true I know who did, and they will pay. I cannot guarantee her safety yet, for I do not know if she is alive or not.

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