Watermarked (Lambert and Hook Detective series Book 7) by Gregson J M

Author:Gregson, J M [Gregson, J M]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Endeavour Press
Published: 2017-02-26T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

The funeral director found James Pritchard an ideal customer. Where so many of the distressed bereaved were vague, he was commendably precise. Where they dithered, he was calm and decisive, entirely clear-sighted about the arrangements for his wife’s last journey.

Laura, he explained, had outlined to him the arrangements she would like, even though she had not expected to die for many years yet. She wanted none of the maudlin business with a clergyman intoning solemnly at a graveside; no relatives casting earth upon a coffin lowered into its pit. A cremation, it would be, with a few brisk words from the vicar of the church the Pritchards had visited twice a year. There would be just three verses of ‘Abide with Me’, Laura Pritchard’s favourite hymn — her husband was so confident about this that the undertaker saw no reason on this occasion to point out that some of the older mourners might see an inappropriate association with the FA Cup Final. Then the small party would move briskly away to a short reception at the Feathers: there would be no need for anything elaborate, since no one would be travelling very far.

Moreover, there would be ample profit, without the tiresome exertions sometimes compelled upon funeral directors by the indecisions of less reliable mourners. There would be only one official car behind the hearse, but that was quite usual in these days of universal motoring. And Mr Pritchard had chosen the most expensive casket and fittings, without even pausing to compare prices. There would not be many visitors to the Chapel of Rest at the funeral parlour: when the body was eventually released by the police, it was not to be available for viewing. The funeral director was privately much relieved; it was what he would have advised, had his advice been sought. It would have challenged even his skilled embalmers to have made that shattered corpse fit for a dignified inspection by those who came to grieve. Much better to screw down the casket lid and leave any visitors who came to meditate among the lilies and the soft electronic music.

The undertaker recorded these arrangements in the hard-backed black book he brought with him on these occasions. Write everything down immediately: that was the first precept he impressed upon his staff. People who were upset often forgot what they had ordered, especially when the time came to present the bills. It was as well to have your own complete record of everything they had agreed with the benefit of expert advice.

He did not think there would be problems of that kind here — James Pritchard was so very definite. Shutting his book and returning his fountain pen to the inside pocket of his dark suit, the funeral director did not venture to wonder how deep was the grief of this man for his wife. That would have been quite unprofessional.

*

The presence of the funeral director meant that Lambert and Hook had to wait for a few minutes to see Jim Pritchard.

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