Witch Hunters and Other Stories (2018-2019) by Ecallaw Leachim

Author:Ecallaw Leachim [Leachim, Ecallaw]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ladder to the Moon
Published: 2019-10-11T06:00:00+00:00

The Hunt Begins

It had been three days since the first searches had gone out, and still no word. The men from the various plantations had just received the information as to where the Raj was headed, and none of them liked it. The deep jungle was where you caught malaria or any one of the many nasty diseases that lay in wait there. Or worse, snakebite.

But they went. Constance was well-liked, unlike her husband who the good detectives had just locked up for organizing vigilante groups. The man had gone overboard: tortured some locals, and was threatening to cause serious issues between natives and settlers. Winston Godfrey would probably now be shipped out to solve the tensions, losing the tenure on the plantation. In all, an ugly business - The resolve of the men was now that of a lynching party.

Trudging out in the wilds during the monsoon was madness. No one was doing this for Winston Godfrey, most could not stand the man. No one was doing this for his wife, she was almost certainly dead. In truth, it was for the O'Shea family. They were thought well of - hard-working, and trustworthy. The bastard who did this would die, then they could all go home, dry off, and get ready for the coming season.

The company men had the same instructions, but different intentions. They were ordered to keep the bondsman alive. Goodyear wanted a clear unambiguous testimony from the Doctors that it was Rabies. It was a disease that caused this, and nothing at all to do with the company practices. There would be a coroner's inquiry, many questions would be asked, and everything that appeared to contribute to the matter would be looked at. They wanted everything tidy, no loose ends.

Detective Sergeant Nickleson was no fool. He knew exactly what he was dealing with and, despite initial misgivings, he hoped the Raj found the fellow first. The Indian had more control over his troops than the Detective had over the rabble in his ranks. Notice from Goodyear had been received in London and telegraphed out from the local office to him that morning. The man was to be saved at all costs for a proper inquiry and trial.

So it was a quandary, send the ex-pats home? If he did, all they would do would be to go ahead and hunt the fellow down anyway. Bit of a Rubicon moment. Ah, a runner turns up just then with a notice from Smithers, they had found the possible location where the madman was hiding. Well, that makes it easier.

Nickleson called over his native runners and wrote a short note. "Possible location of bondsman found. All men are to meet up at the Dickens farm to organize beaters and search parties." There, they are in the area but kept to one location away from the actual spot they expected to find the bondman, a place where he can keep an eye on them. A dead Englishman murdered by his own meant no end of paperwork.

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