Arrowood and the Meeting House Murders

by Mick Finlay

  ‘Of course not. I didn’t know how long yours would take until you explained it.’

  ‘But can’t you do anything?’

  The guvnor thought for a moment, his fingers tapping away at the table. Through the open window we could hear the hens in the yard next door.

  ‘We can go and have a talk with this Polgreen,’ he said at last. ‘Mr Barnett’s rather good at persuading people to stop doing things, as you might guess from his appearance.’

  ‘Well, he’s big enough,’ said Moon, looking at me.

  ‘He’s more than that, Captain. He’s an expert negotiator.’ The guvnor winced as the wailing started again upstairs.

  ‘We’ll warn him off,’ I said. ‘You’re sure it’s him though, are you?’

  ‘We told you,’ said Suzie. ‘It’s him.’

  The guvnor gave me the nod and rose from the chair. ‘I must attend to my sister, Captain,’ he said. ‘Mr Barnett will deal with the arrangements. We’ll visit Polgreen and call on you later this evening.’

  He waddled over to the stairs and took himself up to face the fallen curtain.

  ‘Ten shillings for half a day’s work,’ I said. ‘In advance.’

  The captain flitched when he heard the price, but he fished in his pocket and pulled out a purse. When the money was handed over, I took down his address and the mooring of Polgreen’s boat. It all seemed pretty straightforward. Little did I know that I’d soon come to wish I’d never met Captain Moon, nor ever heard of the Gravesend Queen.

  Gripped by Arrowood’s adventures? Don’t miss Arrowood and The Thames Corpses, another unputdownable tale from Mick Finlay. Click HERE to order now!

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