Till Sudden Death Do Us Part

by Simon R. Green

  Finally, I heard Godwin coming back down the corridor. He unlocked the door and stood there for a moment, looking at me. Finally, he sat down on the opposite side of the table. His face gave nothing away, but at least he didn’t have a file in his hands; which suggested his initial enquiries hadn’t turned up anything useful about me.

  ‘Don’t I get a cup of tea?’ I said.

  ‘No. Do I look like your social worker?’

  I looked at him carefully. ‘Not really, no.’

  Godwin finally noticed the empty handcuffs lying on the table. He looked at them blankly, and then at me. He started to say, ‘How …?’ and then stopped himself with an effort, refusing to be sidetracked.

  ‘It doesn’t matter. You’re not going anywhere. Now, who are you, really? And I want your real name, not that Ishmael Jones nonsense.’

  ‘This conversation isn’t going to go anywhere you want,’ I said.

  ‘I’ll be the judge of that.’

  ‘While we’re wasting time with this, the real killer is still out there,’ I said sharply. ‘And the Bergin family is still in danger.’

  ‘I have nothing to lead me to the killer, nothing out of the usual in this town, except you,’ said Godwin. ‘You know something. I can tell. And you’re not going anywhere until you tell me.’

  ‘There’s nothing useful I can tell you.’

  ‘You’ll talk to me, or …’

  I raised an eyebrow. ‘Or what, Inspector Godwin?’

  And there must have been something in my voice, that made Godwin look at me differently. Not a threat, just a complete confidence that I didn’t feel in any way threatened by him. Godwin seemed to realize for the first time that he was alone in a room with someone who wasn’t in handcuffs any longer, and might be just a little more dangerous than he looked. To his credit, Godwin didn’t give an inch. He just sat there, meeting my gaze steadily.

  ‘I can keep you here till the real interrogators get back,’ he said. ‘And sooner or later, we will identify you. Find out who you are and where you’re from, and what you’re doing here.’

  ‘No you won’t,’ I said.

  And again, something in my voice stopped him. He could hear the truth in my words, and it threw him.

  ‘Are you about to tell me you’ve got connections?’ he said harshly. ‘Like Mr Bergin?’

  ‘No,’ I said. ‘Not like him.’

  And that was when Godwin’s mobile phone rang. He snatched it out, angry at being interrupted, and turned it off without even looking at the caller ID. Before he could put it back in his pocket, the phone rang again. Godwin turned it off again, more carefully this time. But even as he looked at it, the phone turned itself back on and rang a third time. Godwin looked at me. I shrugged. Godwin looked at the caller ID, but it was blank.

  ‘Well?’ I said. ‘Aren’t you going to answer that?’

  He scowled at me. ‘Is this something to do with you?’

  ‘I really don’t see how,’ I said.

  He put the phone to his ear. ‘Who is this?’

  And I heard the Colonel’s dry clipped tones on the other end of the phone.

  ‘I’m the man in charge. Now let Ishmael Jones go, Detective Inspector Godwin, there’s a good chap. He’s not your man. And please don’t bother him again.’

  ‘I have good reason to detain him,’ Godwin said stubbornly. ‘Why should I listen to you?’

  ‘Albion Blue Seven,’ said the Colonel.

  All the colour drained out of Godwin’s face. He almost dropped the phone. That particular security code was one no working copper ever wanted to hear. It meant: Hands off, back away, you do not want to be involved in this if you like having a career. Because the needs of National Security will always trump those of law enforcement.

  ‘All right,’ said Godwin. ‘I know when I’m beaten.’

  ‘I should hope so,’ said the Colonel. ‘Now please pass your phone over to Mr Jones.’

  Godwin did so numbly. I took the phone.

  ‘How did you know I was in trouble, Colonel?’

  ‘All part of the job.’

  ‘I thought I was on my own here,’ I said carefully.

  ‘Officially, you are,’ said the Colonel. ‘But I owed you a favour and this is me paying it off. So please, solve your mystery and get the hell out of that dreary little backwater town. Because I won’t be allowed to interfere again.’

  The phone went dead. I handed it back to Godwin, and he put it away without even looking at it. He was staring at me as though he’d never seen me before; or at least wished he hadn’t.

  ‘Sorry about that,’ I said.

  ‘Who are you? Really?’ said Godwin.

  ‘Trust me,’ I said. ‘You don’t want to know.’

  I started to get to my feet, took in the look on Godwin’s face, and sat down again. I’d been helped out of my predicament, but he hadn’t. And I still thought I could use his help. He scowled at me sullenly.

  ‘What do you want? You’ve won. Proved I can’t touch you. You are free to go, Mr Jones; but if you’re waiting for an apology you’ve got a long wait coming. I just did my duty.’

  ‘Well, more or less,’ I said. ‘Look, we’re on the same side, Inspector.’

  ‘Doesn’t feel that way from where I’m sitting.’

  ‘I’m here to protect the Bergin family, and find out who the killer is,’ I said. ‘Just like you.’

  ‘If you’re about to suggest we work together, you can …’

  ‘Not side by side,’ I said. ‘We’d end up killing each other before the murderer could get to us. But we could still attack the problem from different directions. I’ll stick close to Gillian and Tom and keep them safe, while you use your official resources to dig into the backgrounds of everyone connected with the wedding. I can stay close, while you take the long view. I’m pretty sure I can keep Gillian and Tom alive until they’re properly married.’

  ‘They already are,’ said Godwin.

  ‘What?’ I said.

  He smiled, pleased he knew something I didn’t. ‘I already heard from Gillian. She and Tom decided it was too dangerous to wait till the afternoon, so they brought the ceremony forward. Gillian and Tom are now wife and husband, which means they’re safe from the killer. And your protection isn’t needed any longer.’

  I sat there for a moment, considering what had changed and what hadn’t.

  ‘If this is all about the curse,’ I said finally, ‘then they won’t be safe until they’re past the wedding night. They still need guarding. But … if someone has just been using the curse as a smokescreen, to disguise their true intentions, then Gillian and Tom and everyone else connected to this marriage are still in danger. Either way, I’d better get back to them.’ I looked at Godwin thoughtfully. ‘Gillian said the two of you used to be close.’

  ‘We were.’

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘What business is it of yours?’

  I thought, but didn’t say, Because as an ex-boyfriend of hers, you could be a suspect. Did you pull strings, to be allowed to stay behind when everyone else left? Did you drag me away from Gillian to leave her defenceless?

  ‘Because it might be relevant,’ I said. ‘How can I know, until you tell me?’

  And I sat and stared patiently at Godwin until he got the message that I wasn’t going anywhere until I got an answer.

  ‘We were both ambitious,’ he said finally. ‘But in different directions. One of us would have had to give up their plans to support the other; and it turned out both of us were too selfish to give up our dreams. So we went our separate ways. Probably for the best.’

  ‘Do you still have feelings for her?’ I said.

  He smiled briefly, seeing where this was going. ‘Not enough to kill people, to get her wedding called off. I just thought … this could be my last chance to do something for her. To impress her, and prove my ambitions had been worth pursuing. I called in every favour I was owed, to be allowed to stay behind. And perhaps �
� because despite all my years on the job, I’ve nothing to show for it. No big arrest, no career-making opportunities … If I could catch this murderer I could prove something to myself, as well as Gillian. Now go on, get the hell out of here. We both have things to do.’

  I got to my feet. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll look after Gillian and Tom.’

  ‘They’re married now. They’re safe.’

  ‘I don’t think so,’ I said.

  I left him sitting there, staring at nothing. With his own invisible demon.

  NINE

  Green Monkeys

  There’s something about walking out of a police station that can’t help but lift the spirits. When I’d been pushed through the door, with Godwin’s hand on my arm and his cuffs on my wrists, I hadn’t been sure I’d ever emerge from the station again as a free man. Though there was always the possibility I might have come back out with something else looking out from behind my eyes, and Godwin’s blood dripping from my hands. One of us had just dodged a bullet, and I wasn’t sure which of us had been luckiest. But I was out now, out and free, and for the moment at least my other self seemed to have retired to the back of my head. I couldn’t feel its presence any more, and my thoughts were my own. Leaving me free to concentrate on the case I came here to solve.

  I wasn’t looking forward to walking back through the town. The last time the townspeople saw me it was as an arrested murderer. Once they saw me walking freely among them again, they might regard me as an escaped murderer. They might even raise the alarm, attack me, or run away screaming. All of which would be bound to attract even more attention I didn’t want. The mood this town was in, there was no telling what they might do. And even if they did take me at face value, a man freed because he was innocent; I’ve never liked being stared at. I strode down the side alley, doing my best to appear ordinary and harmless, while bracing myself for a long walk in the public eye.

  But when I emerged onto the main street, a very familiar-looking taxi was waiting for me. Cathy peered out of her side window and beamed at me cheerfully.

  ‘Need a ride?’

  I stopped and looked at her for a moment. ‘How did you know to find me here?’

  ‘Are you kidding?’ said Cathy. ‘News of your arrest is all the town’s been talking about! They’ve been doing everything but putting up flags and bunting and dancing in the street. All right, I exaggerate. It’s allowed; I’m a local character. But I knew it wouldn’t be long before you found a way to get yourself released. You’re no more a murderer than I am. So I just passed by this way on a regular basis, and waited for you to turn up. And here you are! Took a bit longer than I thought, but it’s not like my services are much in demand at the moment.’

  I wasn’t sure I believed any of that. Godwin had me locked up in that holding cell for hours. And I was starting to find it just a bit suspicious how often I kept bumping into Cathy. Even in a town this small. I’d been looking for an invisible killer, and who would be harder to spot than a taxi driver? Someone who was always out and about, never needing to explain why they were anywhere … that had to make for the perfect disguise. Of course, Cathy was a bit loud to go entirely unnoticed, but that could be part of the cover. Perhaps she only showed people the face she wanted them to see, so they wouldn’t guess what was hiding behind the mask.

  And now, here she was again. If I got into the taxi, would anyone ever see me again? But then, why would Cathy want to kill me? Why would she want to kill anyone? Questions, questions, and never an answer in sight. I realized I’d been standing there for some time, just staring at Cathy while she waited patiently. I had to make up my mind, before she started asking questions I didn’t want to answer. The taxi might be a trap or it might not, but it had to be better than walking back through the town, possibly pursued by an angry mob with flaring torches and assorted blunt instruments. I smiled easily at Cathy, and pulled open the front door.

  ‘You don’t mind if I ride up front?’

  ‘Of course not,’ said Cathy. ‘Is it OK if I squeeze your thigh occasionally?’

  ‘My girlfriend would rip your arm off and beat your head in with the wet end,’ I said calmly.

  ‘That would be a no, then,’ said Cathy.

  She slammed the taxi into gear and drove off, and we went plunging through streets that were surprisingly empty of traffic again.

  I kept a careful eye on the town as we drove through it. There was hardly anyone about, and the few people hurrying along the pavements looked as though something was chasing them. The light was going out of the day as night crept up on it, and the town had that under siege feeling again. How long had I spent in that cell, waiting for Godwin to get to me? I finally allowed myself to look at my watch, and swore silently.

  ‘Did you hear that Tom and Gillian are married?’ said Cathy.

  ‘The inspector told me,’ I said. ‘I suppose there must be a feeling of relief in the town now that’s over?’

  ‘Not really,’ said Cathy. ‘The happy couple still have to survive their wedding night. Let’s just hope Tom isn’t prone to first night nerves, and can perform under pressure.’

  ‘What was the wedding like?’ I said.

  ‘Oh, it was wonderful!’ said Cathy. ‘If a bit rushed. Everyone involved was so worried something might interrupt the ceremony, they stripped it back to the bare bones. Went straight from “Here comes the bride” to “I do, I do” without even pausing for the “just cause and impediment” bit. Which was probably just as well; that dishy best man was so on edge I think he would have hammered anyone into the ground if they so much as coughed in the wrong place. But, it’s all done now. Gillian got her big day, in front of a packed crowd of friends and family; and I got to be the bridesmaid after all! Since Karen couldn’t do it.’

  She glanced across at me. ‘Given that you are running around unfettered and free, I’m assuming you were able to persuade the redoubtable Peter that you are entirely innocent?’

  ‘It took a while,’ I said. ‘But he finally saw the light.’

  ‘He’s not usually that easy to persuade,’ said Cathy.

  ‘I was very convincing,’ I said. ‘Can I just ask, where are we going?’

  ‘To The Swan,’ said Cathy. ‘It didn’t seem right to hold the reception in the church hall; not after what happened there. I mean, yes, they had wheeled Karen and her cake into the side room, out of view, but everyone still knew she was there. Like the spectre at the feast. So Gillian and Tom decided to hold their little get together at The Swan. Though as it turned out they needn’t have bothered. All the guests hit the road the moment the ceremony was over. You can’t blame them. They didn’t know what they were getting into till they got here. Hell, most of the town wouldn’t be here if they had any choice in the matter.

  ‘So, the friends and family said all the right things, kissed the bride and groom as quickly as they could get away with, and then got the hell out of Dodge before anything nasty could happen to them. And of course I won’t be attending the reception. My boss wouldn’t allow me to take the time off. He wouldn’t have let me take time off to be bridesmaid, so I didn’t tell him. The other drivers covered for me. No doubt the boss will find out eventually and shout at me a lot; but I’m used to that. He’s my dad.’

  We pulled up outside The Swan. I emerged from the taxi and looked up and down the empty street, while Cathy checked her meter and told me the fare. I added a generous tip, and Cathy looked at me.

  ‘Not that I’m complaining, you understand, but what is that for?’

  ‘If you’re not on a call, don’t go far,’ I said. ‘Hang around. I might have a use for you.’

  ‘I’ll bet you say that to all the taxi drivers,’ said Cathy.

  She dropped me a wink, laughed raucously, and sent the taxi roaring off into the gathering night. I didn’t have any real reason to suspect her of anything, except having too much character for her own good, but I’ve always believed in keeping my suspects close, where I can keep an eye o
n them. I strode into The Swan, wondering exactly who would be there to greet me.

  Nettie was still sitting behind her reception desk, leafing through Vogue and scratching under her wig with the blunt end of a biro. She put on her professional smile as she heard someone come in, and then made a shocked sound when she saw who it was. She jumped to her feet, and then didn’t seem to know whether she should stand her ground and welcome me back or drop down and hide under the desk until I was gone. I gave her my best reassuring smile.

  ‘So!’ she said. ‘You’re here … I thought, I mean we all thought …’

  ‘It was just a silly misunderstanding,’ I said smoothly. ‘The inspector and I talked it through, and now we’re the best of chums.’

  ‘Well, that’s nice, dear,’ Nettie said hesitantly.

  ‘Where’s the wedding reception?’ I said.

  ‘In the bar, dear,’ said Nettie. ‘I did offer them the use of my function room, but since there were so few people the bar seemed more appropriate. Tom very kindly said he’d cover the cost of all the food I ordered, so that’s in the bar too. Though most of it will probably go to waste. Such a shame … You go on through to the bar, dear. Eat as much as you can. Someone should. And help yourself to a drink. I’m afraid my Albert is off with his friends, somewhere, but I’ll send him through to help out as soon as I see him.’

  ‘Something to look forward to,’ I said.

  I went into the bar. A Carpenters compilation was playing over the speakers, and the tables had been pushed back to allow Gillian and Tom to slow dance in the middle of the room. Penny, Robert and David were leaning on the bar with drinks in front of them, looking dubiously at the mountains of finger food piled up on the bar top. They’d all changed out of their wedding outfits and back into everyday clothes. Penny looked round and saw me standing in the doorway. She grinned broadly, yelled my name and ran to me.

  She hit me so hard she would have knocked me off my feet if I hadn’t braced myself, and then hugged me tightly like she’d never let me go. I held on to her like a drowning man going down for the third time. Over her shoulder I could see Gillian and Tom had stopped dancing to stare at us. They looked like they didn’t know what to say. David looked surprised; Robert didn’t. Penny and I finally broke apart. She punched me hard in the arm, and glared at me.