Birder Murder Mysteries 3-Book Bundle by Steve Burrows

Author:Steve Burrows
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dundurn
Published: 2016-05-12T00:00:00+00:00

29

“I’m not sure this is a panini,” said Jejeune, dubiously regarding the sandwich on the plate in front of him. A placard outside the pub suggested that the building had been around since the time John Cabot set off on his first voyage of discovery to Jejeune’s homeland, but the pub’s menu reflected Britain’s embrace of all things modern and foreign.

“Of course it’s not a panini. Do you think the locals would stand for prices like these if the sandwiches didn’t have foreign names? Besides, I didn’t bring you here for the food. I thought you would like these.”

She nodded toward the water just beyond the patio on which they were sitting. A flotilla of Mute Swans were drifting sedately past, perhaps as many as thirty of them. Jejeune was aware that he shouldn’t approve of this; birds living off an artificial food supply of bread thrown to them by the pub’s customers. It couldn’t be good for the river’s natural ecosystem either. But almost despite himself, he found the beauty of the birds mesmerizing — their pure white plumage, the noble bearing of those sensuously curved necks. Watching them now, it was impossible not to admire the majesty of the effortless gliding over the surface of the dark water.

“What do they call a flock of swans anyway?” asked Shepherd, watching them as intently as Jejeune.

“A lamentation is one common term. Some people say a bevy.”

DCS held up her glass. “A bevy, then” she said, taking a drink. She leaned back slightly, as if to take in the view — the water, the cottages on the far bank, the people at the other tables basking in the weak spring sunshine.

“You might be interested to know that Constable Holland, too, is less than convinced that Nyce’s attempt to kill Waters is the revenge of an anguished lover. He came to see me a couple of days ago. God knows where you were. Busy, I suppose, or off birding somewhere. He wondered if perhaps you might have overplayed your hand a little when you questioned Nyce, and inadvertently identified Waters as our prime suspect.” She held up her hand. “Yes, I know, I’ve already spoken to Danny Maik. But even if you didn’t mention Waters by name, it’s possible that Nyce picked up on it. Don’t give me that look, Domenic. It happens. Nyce is a very bright chap. A university professor, for God’s sake. You can’t always be the cleverest person in the room, you know. If he was able to identify Waters as our suspect, well …”

“Well, what?” asked Jejeune defensively. “If Nyce could give us our suspect, albeit dead, then we could all just pack our bags and go home?”

“Holland does have a point. There are plenty of questions that wouldn’t ever be asked if we had our number one suspect on a slab in the mortuary. It might well be enough to justify closing the case. After all, who is going to keep digging if we already believe

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