Terminus by Andrew Puckett

Author:Andrew Puckett [Puckett, Andrew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-06-11T06:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

Westerleigh, Pilning and Audrey Channing were already there. Sinclair poured us both some coffee, then went and sat with Audrey, who was a little apart from the others. I sat with Westerleigh and Pilning.

‘Good morning, Tom,’ said Westerleigh. ‘Did you sleep well?’

‘Like a log, thanks.’

‘I’m glad,’ he said, smiling. ’Some of our guests have found the comings and goings of the night staff a bit disturbing.’

‘I didn’t hear a thing.’

‘Good. I gather you’ve been with Dr Sinclair this morning.’

‘That’s right. I hope you don’t mind my going to him without seeing you first.’

‘Not at all. I hope you found it . . .’ He tailed off and looked across at the door.

I glanced round too, expecting to see Hester, but it was Peter Filton peering in myopically.

‘Mr Pilning . . .?’

‘What is it, Peter?’

‘Can I speak to you, please?’

‘By all means, come in and fire away.’

Filton hesitated, obviously wanting to see him alone, but Pilning just waited, so he came in.

‘I think we’ve had another break-in, Mr Pilning.’

‘Not again! Are you sure?’

Westerleigh shot me a glance.

‘Well, the lock on the cupboard where I keep my discs is broken, and Carlo says—’

‘I think we’d better go and have a look,’ said Westerleigh, standing up. He made for the door and the other two followed.

‘What was all that about?’ demanded Sinclair when they’d gone.

I told him and he grunted.

‘Filton letting his imagination run away with him again, I expect.’

The door opened and this time it was Hester. She smiled at me, helped herself to coffee and sat down next to me. ‘Did you sleep well?’ she asked.

I smiled back at her. ‘Why is everyone so concerned about my sleep?’

‘Are they?’

‘Well, the Director was. As I told him, like a log, thanks.’ ‘Good.’

‘And you, how did you sleep?’

‘I went out the moment my head touched the pillow. It must have been all that wine.’ She lowered her voice. ‘I hope I didn’t bore you last night with all my talk.’

‘Not at all. I enjoyed it.’

‘Hmm. I don’t usually talk that much.’

‘Then it must have made a pleasant change for you.’ ‘I’m not quite sure how to take that.’

‘Take it in a nice way.’ I paused. ‘Is there any chance you could spare me some time today? To carry on from where we left off yesterday.’

‘Possibly, we’re not quite so busy today. Make it this morning if you like.’

‘After we’ve had coffee?’

‘Why not? Talking of coffee—’ she looked around—‘it seems rather empty in here this morning.’

‘Pilning and the Director are down in the basement with Filton. He seems to think somebody broke in last night.’

‘Oh, not the chapel again!’ she said in disgust.

‘I don’t know.’ I paused. ‘Pilning said something about it having happened before. Was this recently?’

‘No, it was last year, September I think. We all hoped it was an isolated occasion.’

‘What happened, exactly?’

‘It wasn’t very nice.’ She hesitated. ‘It was a necrophiliac.’ ‘How revolting. I didn’t realize they actually existed.’ ‘Oh yes. Unbeknown to us, the main mortuary in the city had been having problems and had increased their security.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.