by Jem I Kelley
“But I didn’t do it! I thought you were taking me home?”
“Munter died hours ago. I don’t think you did do it. ”
“So why are you taking me to the cells?”
“It’s for your own protection. You’ve been in the wrong place at the wrong time too many times lately, and by your own account you fought this boy yesterday. There's plenty of scope for Wall gossip there. You know what Haverlanders are like if the Wall decides to whip them up.”
“Oh,” said Aden,
“Don’t worry, it’ll just be for a few days.”
They passed into Corn Street. Merchants in tall hats struck bargains upon polished plinths. Carriages whistled by. Aden’s thoughts turned to the two bodies he’d found; there were been similarities between them.
“Plumbert?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve seen corpses once or twice at Gaves the Undertakers. None of them were as pale as that.”
“As pale as what?”
“Both corpses were white.”
“Both?”
“Spuds too.”
Plumbert gave Aden a long stare. “So you noticed Spud, eh? Him being like that is why we were sure you and Bliss weren’t the murderers. We haven’t made his condition common knowledge yet. Don’t want to start a panic. So make sure you keep quiet on the matter when you speak to your friends.”
Aden was puzzled. “Why would it start a panic?”
They turned down Broad Street and passed the dark windowed tea houses where merchants discussed their business in depth; fragrance from the sacks of different blends swirled with the aroma of blue smoke from long stemmed clay pipes.
Plumbert said: “Think about it. The sort of people that is as white as a lily when they’m dead is vampire victims. Blood sucked clean from them, in the same way as the kids suck the juice from the flavoured ice blocks in summer. Course, there ain’t been a vampire in Haverland for donkey’s years. Since way before I was born, at least. Been hunted to extinction, I thought.”
Aden peered into shadows of the alleyway they passed. In the darkness and amongst boxes of rubbish, what might lurk?
“Wouldn’t it be better to warn people something is out there?”
“I think people already know something is out there. Gossip travels fast. If we knew a vampire was our killer for sure, then we’d call a night time curfew too. Except, vampires leave teeth marks. Whatever did it for Spud and Munter didn’t leave no teeth marks. I checked. No, our murderer isn’t yer regular fanged beastie. Better the public thinks a common garden murderer is on the prowl for now. No good we call a night curfew and somebody gets it during the day.”
A breeze carried down the street and touched chill fingers to Aden’s exposed flesh. He shivered, unsure whether from this growing breeze, or from fear of what stalked Haverland streets. Perhaps the danger to Haverland had never been anything to do with drugs.
“This must be the threat I learned about, back in the Dazarian prison.”
“Maybe it is, maybe it’s not. We shouldn’t leap to conclusions. The mix up with Saib's yellow powder should tell us that much.”
“Plumbert?”
“Yes.”
“When we found Spud, before he died, he mentioned the threat to Haverland and said the name Azabar.”
Plumbert stopped walking and turned to face Aden. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
“Well ... we thought Spud was just rambling,” Lied Aden weakly.
Plumber folded his arms and continued to drill Aden with his gaze.
“Really?”
Aden felt uncomfortable under the stare. “Yes.”
“Mmmm,” said Plumbert. Azabar. Any idea what the word means?”
Aden nodded. “We went to the Cathedral library records; Azabar was a great sorcerer who lived about a thousand years ago.”
Plumbert frowned. “A thousand years ago? I think we can rule him out as the murderer, then, don’t you? Sorcerers are as human as anyone else. He couldn’t be a threat now. Spud was either rambling like you said, or else said the name so as to give some other sort of clue to the murderer.”
“Azabar made magic wands and rods.”
Plumbert looked oddly at Aden. “He made Magic wands? You have done your research. Who helped you find the information?”
“A priest called Duncan.”
“Good work, you might have found a useful new line of inquiry.”
“There is another thing.”
Plumbert raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”
“I overheard Alicia say something is in Sardohan’s Cellar.”
“What something?”
“She doesn’t know. Her father’s secretive about it.”
“Tell you what; we wouldn’t be able to get a warrant to search the cellar, not on hearsay. But, we can always keep a watch on the embassy. See who comes in and out. I’ll put a couple of me men near the place.”
They carried on in silence until the police station. Plumbert signed Aden in, brought him tea and biscuits, and told him not too worry.
The cell contained a mattress, wash basin and bucket of water. The walls were brick, painted white. There was a smell of disinfectant.
Aden forced down the biscuits and drank the tea.
Gloom enveloped him. He’d dreamed of returning to Haverland when he was back in the Dazarian prison. It kept him going when nothing else had; the thought of working on the market, seeing old friends, having fun.
But prison changes you and it seemed Haverland sensed this and treated him differently in return. The carefree life of a boy felt distant, replaced by rumours, threats, discs, alien worlds and now prison again.
“Oh, what am I going to say to your mum?” asked Martha Todd, as she led the family into the cell, after a policeman opened it for her. “Bliss came running in to tell us a few minutes ago,” she added.
Bliss pushed her way through to the front of the group.
“Saw you getting led off by Plumbert.”
Martha gripped Aden' chin and stared into his eyes; Aden felt himself go red.
“Are you all-right?”
Aden nodded and was relieved when she released him and began to inspect the cell.
“Plumbert’s put me in here for my own protection. He doesn’t think I killed Munter.”
Martha glanced at him; she was running a finger along the bed headrest and frowning at the dust. “Of course you didn’t, how anyone thought you did is beyond me.”
Arthur Todd, looking a bit lost, came and sat at the end of the bed.
“How long does Plumbert think you’ll have to stay here?”
Aden pictured the biscuits and tea, and felt his glumness returning.
“A few days. He wants time for it to get around that the body was stone cold dead, which means Munter was killed hours before everyone found me with him.”
“How did yer find him?” said Granddad Todd.
“I noticed his fingers sticking out from under a load of boxes in Candlemakers Lane.”
The elder Todd snorted. “That Munter never did amount to much and now he’s got Aden in trouble!”
Martha paused in her inspection of the cell to shoot a glance at her father-in-law. “Father! Don’t speak ill of the dead please!”
“Well, it’s true innit? Whole family are a bunch of bully boozers.”
“The poor boy has just been murdered, father. I don’t think he particularly wanted that to happen and so I don’t think we can blame him for Aden being in here.”
“Aww, well, sorry. Suppose yer right. But if he got killed in the night what was he doing out there?”
“I’ll ask around,” said Bliss.
Martha dug into her handbag. “I’ve brought you some apples and pears to eat. They never feed people properly in these places...”
Aden took the fruit. Martha seemed satisfied and closed her handbag. Then it appeared a thought came into her head. She looked towards the cell door.
“I don’t see any rea
son why you can’t stay at home for a few days until the fuss has blown over. It’ll be better than staying in this horrible place. As long as people don’t actually know you’re at home there won’t be a problem. I think I’ll find Plumbert and see what he’s got to say.”
Chapter 56: Danger in The Night
By teatime Aden was back at the Todd house, courtesy of a covered police carriage. The condition for release from the police station cell being to stay inside the house until Plumbert informed him otherwise, which would probably not be for a few days. Everyone in the household’d promised to keep secret that Aden was there.
At two the next morning, Aden and Bliss sneaked out of the house by climbing down the brickwork beside their bedroom. Beforehand, Aden’d filled Bliss in on the events which led to him finding Munter’s body. Bliss, in return, told Aden that a small article had appeared on the Wall about Alicia, some two hours after they’d whispered their messages in the two parks.
Quarter of an hour later, the friends were skulking along Candlemaker’s lane.
Bliss stumbled and almost fell.
“Grokkin Eck! I can’t see where I’m going, let’s open the lantern.”
“Keep your voice down.”
The hooded lantern was for the forthcoming nocturnal visit to Blissaden, now recruited for more pressing ends.
Aden lifted the brass hood a fraction to let light spill into the gloom of the lane. The flickering oil fed lamps in the road nearby had no effect upon this grimy thoroughfare and without the lantern the two would be scrabbling in the dark.
Outlines of previously unseen shapes made themselves known. Pale edges became visible and objects leapt into focus. Beyond the lantern’s short range darkness prevailed. If a creature watched them from twenty feet away, they wouldn’t know.
Aden placed the lantern on the floor so the light shone on the spot where Munter’s body lay earlier. Then he moved boxes so he could inspect the ground for evidence. The smell of tallow competed in the night air with fragrance used in the more expensive candles.
The lantern illuminated a floor strewn with rubbish. Iron nails and wood chips mingled with wax and twine. Aden inspected everything closely, in case he saw a clue. Bliss stayed beside the lantern, alternatively watching her friend and shooting her head in the direction of any noise which came from the darkness.
“You won’t find anything. The police have already searched here,” she said.
Aden stared at a piece of waxed string, frowned and put it down. “I’ve got to try. All it needs is one little clue the police didn’t notice. Then we can catch whatever killed Spud and Munter.”
Shadows danced and loomed as Aden moved against the light of the lantern.
“As long as it doesn’t get us first,” said Bliss.
Aden felt a flicker of fear and tried to ignore it.
“Munter and Spud were alone when they were attacked. I think we’ll be safe as long as we stick together.”
Bliss peered into the night. “That’s the only reason I agreed to come out here tonight and to be honest that argument sounds a lot better back home, than it does out here.”
She cocked his head. “Hear that?”
Aden listened hard. Footsteps from outside of the alley and they were getting closer. He felt an edge of panic. “Night watchman?”
Bliss swept the light of the lantern away from the footsteps and illuminated a mound of crates piled high to one side of the lane. “Dunno. Best we hide?”
Aden picked himself up off the floor, and raced after Bliss. Together, they squeezed into the gap between the crates and the back of the tallow houses. Bliss lowered the hood of the lantern and all Aden could see was the night.
The footsteps entered the alley.
Men were speaking. “For sure, I heard something.”
“Cats, they chase rats, and they make noise.”
“I do not know, maybe.”
Aden heard the voices grow close to where he hid and felt his heart hammer in his chest.
The voices passed by.
Light appeared. Aden moved his head and glimpsed past the leading crate to see two men examining the spot just vacated by Bliss and himself. Aden recognised one instantly. It was the man who lunged at Marti Bart near the library a few days back: the giant with the plaited hair and mass of beard. That man stood now with his own hooded lantern.
The leaner man beside him was possibly one of the others in the alley that day. Both were dressed in hoods and cloaks as they had been before; but, underneath such dour clothes Aden glimpsed the garments of gentlemen. As the giant’s cloak billowed with movement, there were patches of bright tunic. The lean man had fine trousers visible beneath the swirl of his cloak.
The giant bent down to scrutinise the floor.
“Well, Wulf?” said the other.
The one called Wulf stood and wiped his hands. “If there was evidence, for sure, it is not there now.”
“It was good we check though, yes?”
“Yes.”
The men strode away, back towards where they’d entered the lane. The place went dark once more. Aden whispered to Bliss what he’d seen. Bliss went quiet for a moment.
“Are you sure they were Marti’s secret friends?”
“Yes.”
Bliss’s tone dropped. “This isn’t good.”
“It doesn’t prove anything.”
“No, still isn’t good though.”
Aden paused. “I think we should follow them. See where they go.”
He couldn’t see Bliss’s face but he heard the intake of breath. “Okay.”
The two squeezed from their hiding place behind the crates and made there way along Candlemaker’s lane. Aden allowed a tad of lantern light to help their way. They walked with care so as to avoid the obstacles in the lane, tripping now wouldn’t be wise.
A drizzle appeared, falling as a haze in the light from the lantern.
As the friends approached the end of the lane, a figure strode into their path. The glow from an oil lamp in the main street made him appear as a silhouette.
Aden felt fear. The one called Wulf heard us follow him and has waited to catch us!
He gripped Bliss’s arm. “Run!”
Opening the hood on the lantern to allow him to see clearly, Aden turned and bolted back along Candlemaker’s Lane. He heard Bliss’s steps beside him. Shadows bounced and leapt off the lane as the lantern swung. Dark crates loomed and fell away. His breath sounded loud and his legs felt weak.
Some three quarters down the lane, he risked a glance back. The silhouette remained unmoving, and Aden felt his fear ebb. The man had just intended to scare them off. He slowed to a walk, puffing heavily. “How did they know we’d followed them,” he said, between pants.
Bliss’s voice was ragged. “Stuffed if I know.”
Aden’s mind swirled with thoughts of plots and conspiracies. “What do you think they were up to?”
“They were looking for evidence, like us. I think...”
“I hope we haven’t scared you too much,” said a voice, almost causing Aden to jump out of his skin.
He stared in the direction of the new sound, and a figured limped before him, stepping out from the shadows of a porch. With a sinking feeling, Aden realised he and Bliss were now blocked in, for a man stood at each end of the lane.
He shone the lantern at the man’s face and found only the shadow of a long hood.
The man was neither Wulf, nor his companion. He was like the lean man, but shorter in height. His voice held the accent of a Haverlander. Aden guessed this was the third man he’d spotted in the alley with Marti Bart that day; and this man had been used to spring a trap.
“Strong smell ‘O tallow around here. Not a pleasant smell.”
Aden had the impression the man watched him intently.
Water dripped from a pipe onto the cobbles, and the light from Aden’s lantern reflected from the rain soaked cobbles.
Aden licked his upper lip. “Who are
you?”
The man raised mittened hands through which fingers poked: “Stay calm, and answer the questions I ask you.”
The man pulled a knife from one pocket and a block of what looked like tobacco from the other. He cut a slice from the block and put this into the shadows of his hood. For a while he chewed.
“You found the bodies of Spud and Munter, boy. That strikes me as odd.”
“Coincidence,” spluttered Aden, taken aback by the question.
He heard the continued sound of tobacco being chewed and felt eyes probe him.
“Something about those two deaths doesn’t feel right. Bit of a police cover up I think. What do you know?”
“We know nothing,” said Bliss.
The man held the knife before the shadows of his hood as if inspecting its gleaming edge then cut another slice of tobacco. “We can do this the easy way, or the hard way.”
Aden felt hard fingers grip his arms, pinning him to the spot. He heard breathing, and glanced over his shoulder to see a hooded giant. Wulf must have crept back down the lane after the friends!
“Stick ‘im,” said a voice, from just behind his ear. “Stick ‘im good and he’ll squeal like a baby.”
“Let him go, Wulf, or whatever your name is!” shouted Bliss and tore at the large hand gripping Aden’s arms. The hand let go, long enough for it to push Bliss. Bliss staggered, only to leap forward again. Moving faster than one would think possible the first hooded man thrust the knife to the side of Aden’s throat.
“Enough of this! Speak now! Tell me what I wish to know and I will leave you alone.”
Bliss stared in horror at the knife. She had gripped the giant’s arms, in an effort to free Aden. Now she released her grip, and stepped back. Her voice sounded faint. “Tell him, Aden.”
Aden put a finger to the knife and a picture of a gashed neck entered his mind. “Just… just put that thing away.”
The first hooded man stepped back and dropped the knife into his cloak pocket. The giant’s grip remained as strong as ever. Aden waited for him to speak.
Aden swallowed nervously and gathered his thoughts. “We think some sort of sorcery is behind the murders, perhaps a summoned monster or something. The police have discovered both bodies had no blood in them.”
