Till Sudden Death Do Us Part

by Simon R. Green

  ‘The curse is cruel,’ said Robert.

  I didn’t have an answer to that, so I concentrated on the body. ‘An attack like this had to have taken strength, and determination. Karen would have struggled.’

  ‘Unless the killer was invisible, and sneaked up on her,’ said Penny. She looked quickly round the room, as though to assure herself no one invisible was there with us.

  ‘Why kill Karen?’ I said. ‘Of all the people involved with the wedding.’

  ‘She was the most frightened,’ said Robert. ‘Maybe that attracted the killer.’

  ‘And why do it here?’ I said.

  ‘The first body was found in the church,’ said Penny. ‘Now it’s the church hall. It all comes back to the wedding. The killer is making a statement.’

  ‘Like what?’ said Godwin.

  Penny shrugged. ‘Getting married can be dangerous to your health? Or that of someone close to you.’

  ‘But the killer still hasn’t gone after the bride or groom,’ I said. ‘Which would be the quickest way to stop the wedding. And the curse has always been all about the bride and groom.’

  ‘What do you think that means?’ said Robert.

  We all stopped and looked round, as Gillian and Tom burst in. Gillian saw Karen’s body and let out a sick moan. Her knees started to buckle. Tom grabbed her, to hold her up. He didn’t look away from the body. Gillian clung tightly to Tom as they came slowly forward.

  ‘Get her out of that!’ Gillian said suddenly. ‘You can’t just leave her like that! Get her out!’

  ‘We really need to leave her there, for the time being,’ Godwin said quickly. ‘Let the crime scene specialists do their job. Every bit of trace evidence they can find is ammunition we can use to catch whoever did this.’

  ‘Are you expecting anyone soon?’ I said.

  ‘I’ve put in a call,’ said Godwin. ‘Tagged it as urgent. Someone will be here as soon as they can.’

  ‘This is all my fault,’ said Gillian. ‘I got Karen killed, by insisting on going ahead with the wedding. If I’d called it off she’d still be alive.’

  ‘You can’t know that,’ said Tom.

  ‘She was so frightened,’ said Gillian. ‘And I promised her she had nothing to be worried about.’

  Tom tried to turn her away, so she wouldn’t have to look at the body of her best friend, but she fought him till he stopped.

  ‘She hated that cake,’ said Gillian. ‘She never said; but I could tell.’

  ‘I need to ask you a few questions,’ said Godwin.

  ‘Not now!’ said Tom. ‘She’s in shock. It can wait.’

  Godwin started to argue, took in the look on Tom’s face, and nodded reluctantly.

  ‘It can wait.’

  ‘We were both at The Swan,’ said Tom. ‘Surrounded by people. You can check.’

  ‘I thought Karen was there with you?’ I said.

  ‘There wasn’t anything useful for her to do,’ said Gillian. ‘So she went up to her room. To lie down for a while.’

  ‘Then how did she end up here?’ said Penny.

  ‘I don’t know,’ said Gillian. ‘She didn’t have any reason to come back.’

  ‘Someone must have told her she was needed here,’ I said. ‘Someone she trusted.’

  Tom looked at me sharply. ‘You think she knew her murderer?’

  ‘That’s usually the way,’ I said.

  ‘Dead because of me,’ said Gillian. ‘That’s it. I’m calling off the wedding. I can’t go through with it. Not after this.’

  ‘No,’ Tom said firmly. ‘If we give in, whoever did this wins.’

  ‘You think I care about that?’ Gillian said fiercely. ‘What if they kill someone else? What if they kill you?’

  ‘We’ll be perfectly safe as long as we stick together,’ said Tom, keeping his voice carefully calm and reasonable. ‘Once the marriage has taken place the killer won’t have any reason to strike again. If we postpone the wedding for another day, what’s to stop him coming after us again? Unless; you don’t want to marry me.’

  ‘I do,’ said Gillian. ‘You know I do.’

  She stood a little straighter as her strength came back to her.

  ‘All right; we go ahead,’ she said. ‘Because it’s the only way to spit in the killer’s face.’

  ‘Holding the wedding could be like waving a red rag at a bull,’ said Godwin. ‘It could infuriate the killer into coming after you directly.’

  ‘You’ll be there to protect us,’ said Gillian. ‘And Ishmael and Penny. If someone comes lunging at us with a butcher’s knife, I expect you to stop them.’

  I left them arguing, and went prowling round the church hall. Checking out the scene with my more than human senses. I couldn’t see or smell anything out of the ordinary. There were no footprints, no blood spots from a struggle, nothing left behind or obviously missing. I went back to look at the body. A thought occurred to me.

  ‘I need to lift the face out of the cake,’ I said. ‘Just for a moment. I want to check whether her neck might have been broken, like the vicar.’

  ‘You have no authority to interfere in this case!’ Godwin said immediately. ‘I won’t have you compromising any evidence. As far as I’m concerned, you’re just another suspect. So, as of now, I am ordering you to stay away from the wedding, and the Bergin family.’

  ‘That’s not going to happen,’ I said.

  ‘Then you’re under arrest,’ said Godwin. A pair of handcuffs suddenly appeared in his hand, as though he’d just been waiting for the opportunity.

  ‘You can’t arrest him!’ said Penny. ‘What’s the charge?’

  ‘Interfering with a police investigation,’ said Godwin. ‘Acting suspiciously, and not doing what he’s told.’

  Gillian and Tom objected, and Robert got into it too, but Godwin ignored them. His gaze was fixed on me, and his whole body was tense. He obviously wanted me to try something, so he could stop me. He was in good shape, but he didn’t know what I could do. Penny was looking at me, expecting me to do something … But I would have had to call on my more than human strength and I couldn’t risk that. It might have been what the beast within me was waiting for; an opportunity to break free, and break loose. Godwin might get on my nerves, but I didn’t want him dead. Or anyone else.

  So I put forward my wrists, and Godwin snapped the cuffs on them. I knew he would have preferred to turn me around and cuff me from behind, but he was sensible enough to take the opportunity when it was offered. Penny looked at me with something like shock.

  ‘Go ahead with the wedding,’ I said to Gillian and Tom. ‘Penny; stick with them. And don’t worry about me.’

  ‘Where are you taking him?’ Penny said to Godwin, and her voice was cold enough to convince him to answer her.

  ‘There’s a holding cell in the local police station,’ he said. ‘He can cool his heels there, while I look into his background and find out who he really is.’

  Penny started to say something about going with me, but I shook my head sharply, and she stopped.

  ‘I’ll get you bail, Ishmael,’ said Robert, glaring at Godwin.

  ‘Good luck finding anyone,’ said Godwin. ‘The town’s gone into hiding, remember?’

  He grabbed me by the arm and hustled me toward the door.

  EIGHT

  Invisible Demon

  The sun was shining fiercely, not leaving a single shadow for me to hide in, as Inspector Godwin marched me through the narrow streets of Bradenford. Hauling me along by one arm so the handcuffs on my wrists were clearly visible to one and all. He kept a careful eye on me, to make sure I couldn’t escape, while also being just a bit disappointed that I didn’t even try. He would have taken any attempt to escape as an admission of guilt on my part, and justification for the way he’d treated me. He didn’t know, couldn’t know, that I didn’t dare try anything for fear the beast inside me might break loose.

  We passed through streets packed with people, nearly all of whom stopped t
o stare openly at me. They thought Godwin had captured the killer. Some looked relieved, some were angry it had taken so long; and some looked disappointed that I wasn’t an invisible demon after all. But the general reaction still struck me as somehow … odd. No one shouted insults, or threats, and no one even tried to take a photo on their phone. They just stood where they were, staring silently, as Godwin and I passed by.

  At least he was hurrying us along, probably because he wanted to get me locked away as soon as possible, and resisting the urge to show off the dangerous man he’d arrested single-handed. Of such things are careers made. I kept my face calm and impassive, but inside I was fighting not to fall apart. Being paraded in public, so everyone could get a good look at me, was my worst nightmare come true at last. I’d spent most of my life hiding in the shadows, ready to disappear completely at a moment’s notice, shedding names and identities and even whole lives when necessary, just to make sure something like this could never happen. I took some comfort from the thought that Bradenford didn’t have any surveillance cameras. At least there wouldn’t be any record of this. And we were moving so quickly that most of the people who saw me would have a hard time describing me afterwards.

  This was why I normally had enough sense not to take on cases in public places. There’s a lot to be said for solving murders in isolated country mansions. The Organization knew that, which is why they saw to it that I always got assigned to such cases. I couldn’t afford to be identified, or pinned down, to have the official authorities take an interest in my background. Because that would only lead to questions I couldn’t answer, and perhaps a trip to Hazard Asylum. Or any of the other secret places that no one comes back from. I wondered if Robert would be the one to take me; for old times’ sake. It was his fault I was here. His fault this was happening. But even so, I wouldn’t wish something like that on him.

  As the inspector and I made our way down yet another street full of people, I raised my voice politely.

  ‘Don’t you have a car?’

  ‘No,’ said Godwin. ‘Keep walking.’

  ‘You could always call a taxi,’ I said. ‘I’m pretty sure they’d let you put it on expenses.’

  ‘Stop talking,’ said Godwin. ‘We’re almost there.’

  ‘Of course we are,’ I said. ‘Nothing’s ever far, in this town.’

  The local police station turned out to be a characterless modern building, with no frills to take the edge off, tucked away down a side alley in someone’s back yard. As though the town was ashamed of it, because it didn’t fit in with their oldeworldey tourist-friendly facade. They didn’t want to know what went on here. Godwin brought me to a halt before the front door, which bore a hastily handwritten note explaining that the station was closed temporarily. Godwin gave the door handle a good rattle, but it was locked. He glared at me like it was my fault.

  ‘Stand there. Don’t move.’

  ‘Wouldn’t dream of it,’ I said.

  He had to let go of my arm so he could search his pockets for the keys. I waited patiently, refraining from offering any helpful advice or comments. Godwin kept shooting glances at me as he moved from pocket to pocket, before finally producing a key ring with half a dozen keys on it. He looked at me suspiciously, clearly wondering why I was taking all of this so calmly. He studied the keys dubiously, chose one and tried it in the lock, and couldn’t hold back a sigh of relief when the lock turned. He pushed the door open and pushed me inside, crowding quickly in behind me. He then closed and locked the door. The sound of the lock turning was terribly cold and final. Like the end of a life.

  The reception area was small and functional and completely deserted. All the lights were still on, suggesting the previous occupants had left in something of a hurry. Posters thumb-tacked to the wall behind the desk advertised all the usual anti-crime initiatives and support groups. Along with details of an upcoming fun run for charity; costumes optional. Everything was painted in the standard institutional colours; grey and green. It was hard to tell which looked more grim. I often wonder what effect that has on the poor souls who have to work there every day. A thought struck me and I turned to Godwin, who was still frowning at the keys on his ring.

  ‘Why did everyone have to go, to fight the chemical fire?’ I said. ‘I mean; why take the receptionists and the typists and … everyone?’

  ‘When the boat is leaking that badly, it’s every hand to the pumps,’ said Godwin. ‘At least until they can get the professionals in.’

  He realized he was talking politely to me, scowled fiercely to re-set the balance, and hauled me down a narrow corridor to the single holding cell. There were helpful arrows on the wall to point the way. I was tempted to dig my heels in, just to show I couldn’t be moved unless I chose to be, but I didn’t. The door to the holding cell turned out to be locked as well, and Godwin had to go through his routine with the key ring again. He peered uncertainly at the lock, and then at the keys.

  ‘I should try that one,’ I said helpfully, after a while.

  ‘Shut up,’ said Godwin, and then tried the key I’d indicated.

  The door opened, and Godwin pushed me through. It was just a small featureless room with no window, a very basic table and two chairs. Godwin gestured harshly at the nearest chair.

  ‘Yes,’ I said. ‘It’s a chair. I have used one before.’

  ‘Shut up. But before you sit down, give me your phone and your wallet.’

  ‘Don’t have them,’ I said easily. ‘I passed them to Penny, just before we left.’

  ‘I didn’t see you do that!’

  I smiled. ‘That’s sort of the point. I’m not cooperating in this charade, for very good reasons. Which are of course none of your business.’

  ‘Hold still,’ said Godwin. ‘I’m going to search you. Do you have anything about your person that might be dangerous? Blades, needles, that sort of thing?’

  ‘No,’ I said. ‘But you’d better be careful anyway.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘I’m ticklish.’

  He looked like he really wanted to say something, but wouldn’t lower himself. He had me raise my arms, and then frisked me quickly and thoroughly. He didn’t find anything. All my pockets were empty. First rule of the spy game; never carry anything the enemy can use against you. Godwin stepped back, gestured for me to lower my arms, and looked at me blankly.

  ‘What kind of man doesn’t even have a handkerchief?’

  ‘One who never catches colds,’ I said. Which was perfectly true.

  ‘Stay here,’ he said. ‘I’m going to make some phone calls about you.’

  ‘Aren’t you going to take the handcuffs off?’

  ‘No.’

  He backed out of the room, not taking his eyes off me, and then slammed the door and locked it. I sat down at the table, facing the door. I was so tired I could hardly keep my eyes open. As long as I had something to do, someone to fight, I could stay focused; but now it was just me and the empty room. I looked around. It didn’t take long. I’d spent my life using all kinds of tricks and strategies to avoid ending up in a room like this, and it had all been for nothing. Beaten in the end not by any enemy, but by my own insufficiently buried past.

  The room looked just like I’d always thought it would. Like a cage for a captured beast, or a box for an interesting new specimen. Somewhere secure to hold me, until the experts arrived. I was surprised I wasn’t as scared as I’d always thought I’d be, when the hammer finally fell. In fact, I felt strangely calm. As though this was the inevitable end to the road I’d been travelling. Perhaps I hadn’t been running from this room all my life, but toward it. There was a certain sense of relief to the thought that the long chase was over; that I could finally stop running and rest. It might actually feel good, to look my captors in the face and say, Here I am. You don’t know what I am and neither do I. What are you going to do about it? To be able to finally put down the mystery and burden of my life.

  Except I couldn’t do that; not while t
here were still people out there depending on me to save them from a killer.

  I flexed my wrists in just the right way and the handcuffs sprang open. You can’t work the spy game for as long as I have and not pick up a few useful tricks along the way. I arranged the handcuffs neatly on the tabletop, and looked at the door. I didn’t need to get up to examine the lock; it was just a standard make. Getting out of the room would be easy, but after that … The station was too small for me to sneak out. No matter how quietly I moved. All Godwin had to do was be in the wrong place at the wrong moment and he’d be bound to see me. And then he’d try to stop me.

  If we fought, and the beast got out … If I hurt him, or killed him … I couldn’t let that happen. Godwin might annoy the hell out of me, but in the end he was just a man doing his job.

  If I was going to get out of here, I had to find a way to bring Godwin onto my side. Which wasn’t going to be easy, after the way I’d treated him. And thinking it was his own fault for being such a dick didn’t help. But though I thought and thought, and concentrated till my forehead ached, no viable plan presented itself.

  There was nothing I could do that wouldn’t make things worse. So I just sat there, and waited for Godwin to come back.

  Time passed. I didn’t look at my watch; that would just have made it worse. I could feel the presence of my alien self growing stronger, as I grew weaker. As though there was someone else in the room with me. My very own invisible demon, waiting patiently. Like a voice I couldn’t quite hear, reminding me of how easy it would be to stop fighting and let it break me out. It could take care of Godwin, so I wouldn’t have to. Godwin was a danger to both of us. He was going to want to take my photo, my fingerprints, maybe even a DNA sample. All the things I couldn’t allow.

  Godwin would be the death of me.

  But I refused to be tempted. Go back to sleep, old demon. I’m never going to let you out. I was so tired … The need to sleep pressed down on me like a weight, and it was so much harder to fight back when there was nothing to do. I wanted to get to my feet and pace back and forth, like any other animal in a cage, but I couldn’t allow any cracks in my self-control. Nothing my other self might take advantage of.