Cold Copper: The Age of Steam by Devon Monk

Author:Devon Monk
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781101613597
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2013-07-02T06:00:00+00:00

Cedar walked up the wide polished stairs to the city hall library. Marble pillars supported an arched entryway to a tall double door wide enough for a wagon to pass through.

He was suddenly aware he hadn’t had a decent hot bath in a couple weeks, and that his clothing was the sturdy sort made for the trail, not tailored wear appropriate for fine institutions such as this.

He removed his hat, smoothed his hair, and entered the building.

And a fine, grand building it was. The whole of it opened up to walls filled with books, only interrupted by six arched windows marching down both sides. Half a dozen tables took the center of the place, each with a padded chair, inkwell, and sheaves of paper at hand, and green-shaded lamps waiting for the user.

The wooden floor glowed softly in the evening light, a wide, rich red carpet taking up the centermost of the room. There were doors at the far end and, as he walked through the room, more to each side beyond the collection of books. The doors likely led to the trial room and smaller chambers, respectively.

He passed a small study area and noted Miss Dupuis inside.

She had removed her coat and rolled up her sleeves, not a state he usually found her in. She sat at the head of the table, head bent as she read over broadsheets and newsprint, several smaller record books opened and stacked on the table within her reach.

He knocked softly on the half-open door, old manners and habits from his days in universities falling upon him as easily as stepping into worn slippers.

She looked up, the frown fading as she recognized him. “Mr. Hunt. Please come in.”

“How is the case going?” he asked as he entered the room, which was also filled with walls of books. He dragged his finger along the tabletop to the end chair, where he finally settled.

By glim, he was tired. And just the short walk through the building had left him winded. He needed sleep. A lot of it. Soon.

“There are some inconsistencies in the reports of what happened to Roy Atkinson all those years ago. Still…” She sighed and sat back. “It does not look good, Mr. Hunt. Not just that there was a man murdered, but that Mayor Vosbrough is the witness who can best testify to what he saw that day.”

“Did he see the murder?” Cedar asked. “Was he there when the man was shot?”

“No. But he saw the Madders riding off to the mayor’s manor with guns at the ready. And he overheard them saying they were going to end a man’s life. The circumstantial evidence is a mile high. And since the judge was appointed by the mayor, who has a personal grudge against the Madders, I do not see how I can do much more than delay the hanging.”

“Then that’s what you’ll do. Delay it. How many days do you think you can hold it off?”

“Two, perhaps. No more than that. Maybe not even that.

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