A Viking's Shadow by H L Marsay

Author:H L Marsay
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Mystery
ISBN: 9781952560965
Publisher: Tule Publishing Group, LLC
Published: 2020-08-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

Down 4 (7 letters)

His fraudulent behaviour makes him a top cur, really

The next morning, Shadow was halfway through his breakfast and progressing well with his crossword when a familiar figure slipped into the chair opposite him.

“Good morning, Chief,” said Sophie brightly.

“Did Jimmy put you up to this?” demanded Shadow. She’d interrupted him just when he thought he’d got nine across. “This is twice in one week my breakfast’s been disturbed. It’s nothing short of a conspiracy!” he continued to grumble as Julie suddenly appeared.

“Is everything all right, John?” she asked, giving Sophie a sidelong glance.

“Fine, thank you,” replied Shadow, still frowning.

“Can I get your…” she paused very slightly “…friend anything?”

“No, she’s not staying,” said Shadow briskly.

“I only popped in to say hello,” added Sophie. Julie gave her a tight smile as she slowly made her way back to the kitchens, occasionally glancing back.

“Actually, Chief, I came to tell you about the inquest into Agnetha’s death, but I didn’t think you’d want that broadcasting.”

“Very considerate,” muttered Shadow, spearing a piece of sausage with his fork. “Couldn’t it have waited?”

“Nope, I’m afraid not. I’m attending a conference out at the uni all day. So, back to the inquest. Firstly, I had to sign a register at the city archive to look at it and I happened to notice, a few lines higher, the name Astrid Bennington. She must have wanted to look at the report about her mother too. That’s interesting, isn’t it?”

Shadow nodded begrudgingly.

“Anyway, I read the report. It was all a bit sketchy. Not as many witness statements or the medical records as I would have expected, but then it was twenty-five years ago.”

“Yes, things were different then. We’d only just stopped using candles and quill pens.”

“Very funny, Chief. Fortunately, the post-mortem was included, and it looks like natural causes. Agnetha was eight months pregnant. She had a fall that led to a rupture in the lining of her uterus and a massive haemorrhage…”

“Sophie, please!” objected Shadow, placing his knife and fork on the side of the plate and leaning back in his chair as a wave of nausea swept over him.

“Sorry, Chief.” Sophie smiled, not looking remotely apologetic. “Anyway, it was natural causes, but it also mentioned traces of whisky in her mouth and a fairly high blood alcohol count. It sounds like she was tipsy and took a fall. They managed to save the baby, but not Agnetha. The signature on the post-mortem was Prentice’s.” Shadow nodded. Prentice had been the head pathologist prior to Donaldson. “But,” continued Sophie, who looked like she was leading up to something, “the coroner’s signature was Martin Plunkett – the solicitor you went to see yesterday. Now that has got to be more than a coincidence, Chief.”

“Yes, that is interesting,” admitted Shadow. He didn’t know Plunkett had worked as the coroner. “Thanks, Sophie,” he finally added as an image of Plunkett standing next to his single malts popped into his head.

“That’s okay, I’d no idea police work was such fun,” she said, grinning at Shadow’s frowning face.

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