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Chapter

Thirty-Two

W hen I pushed open the door to the Mathers Street mortuary on Monday morning, Cindy was already at her desk. Perched next to her, licking his paws, was He Who Roams Wide. I gave my cat a long look. In return, he purred.

‘You again?’ Cindy asked. ‘What now? I thought you were done with us and this whole palaver was over.’

I offered her a bright smile. ‘Almost done,’ I said cheerfully. ‘There’s one small matter to clear up.’

She sighed. ‘I’ll fetch Dr Singh,’ she said reluctantly. ‘He’s through the back.’

‘I don’t need to talk to him, Cindy,’ I told her. ‘It’s you I’d like a wee word with.’

She eyed me warily. ‘What? If you’re here to complain that I’ve stolen your cat, I can tell you that he’s chosen to be here. He can leave at any time.’

‘I know. I’m not worried about him – and thank you for looking after him.

I’m sure he’s enjoyed more of your excellent chicken.

’ As I glanced at him, He Who Roams Wide rolled onto his back and presented me with his belly.

From his sleek fur and content expression, he’d been enjoying far more delicacies than chicken. Lucky boy.

‘What then?’

‘Have you had a pay rise in the last few days?’ I enquired.

She started. ‘How do you know about that?’

I wasn’t going to diminish her pleasure by telling her that I’d suggested she deserved more money, so I simply nodded and put my hands into pockets. I wanted to look unthreatening; I wasn’t here for a fight. ‘Is it enough?’ I asked.

‘Enough for what?’

When I didn’t respond, Cindy narrowed her eyes. ‘It’s very generous,’ she said when it became clear that I wouldn’t answer her question.

‘Good,’ I said. ‘Because if you’re earning enough money, you won’t need to steal from the dead any longer.’

‘What?’ she exclaimed indignantly. ‘What are you talking about?’

I pointed to the scarf around her neck, the same expensive silk scarf she’d been wearing the first time I’d come here. ‘That’s not yours,’ I said.

She touched it. ‘Of course it is!’

I shook my head. ‘It doesn’t match any of your other clothes. If you had the money to spend on things like silk scarves, you’d be wearing other expensive items.’ I gestured to the delicate bracelet around her wrist. ‘Like that piece of jewellery.’

‘It was a present,’ she said defensively. ‘So was the scarf.’

Uh-huh. ‘Who from?’

‘None of your fucking business.’ Her eyes darted from side to side. He Who Roams Wide stopped rolling around on his back and got to his feet. He butted his head against her hand and sat down, curling his tail around his body and watching me .

I kept my voice gentle. ‘I don’t particularly care. I know you’ve only taken items from bodies that don’t have next of kin or remain unidentified. Dr Singh told me himself that’s up to fifty people a year. I’m not judging your actions.’

‘I’m not a thief!’

‘After all,’ I continued, ‘it’s not as if they need those things any more.

They’re dead so they don’t need silk scarves or pretty bracelets.

’ I paused. ‘Or belts with brass buckles to hold up their trousers. I bet nobody ever misses any of those items. In fact, I reckon nobody’s even noticed they’re missing. ’

Cindy stared at me. I stared back. ‘I’m not a bad person,’ she whispered.

‘You have to live with your conscience, Cindy,’ I said. ‘I have to live with mine. It’s not for me to pass judgement.’ I meant it and I liked to think she realised that.

‘What will you do?’ she asked.

‘Nothing.’ I smiled again. ‘But I do need the clothes and the belt that came from Simon Campbell’s body.’

Her eyes were wide and worried. ‘I was planning to return them when he was formally identified. Then that Fetch came, and Dr Singh found out that they were missing…’

‘And you thought that returning them might cause more problems than it would solve. I understand. Are they here?’

She bit her lip then she nodded. ‘In my bag. I laundered the clothes,’ she said, as if that might take the sting out of what she’d done.

‘They were very wet and muddy.’ She disappeared beneath her desk and rummaged around.

He Who Roams Wide flicked his tail and I dipped my head in his direction to show that I understood.

After a moment Cindy re-emerged holding carefully ironed blue jeans, a shirt – and a belt. She dropped them onto the desk beside He Who Roams Wide. ‘What were you planning to do with them?’ I asked. ‘They’re not your size and they’re men’s clothes.’

Cindy hung her head. ‘I was going to sell them,’ she whispered. ‘They wouldn’t fetch much money but I thought the belt might be worth something.’

Poor Cindy had no idea. I picked it up and turned it over. Fitz Williams wasn’t the only person with clever ways of concealing useful items.

I found the small catch on the underside of the belt buckle and flicked it. A section of the buckle fell away, revealing the tiny bag inside. Opening it, I gazed at the seeds. Seven little brown specks. A king’s ransom.

‘Wh – what?’ Cindy goggled.

‘Don’t worry about it.’ I returned the belt to the pile of clothing. ‘You should put these in the back. Simon Campbell’s family might want them.’

‘But—’

‘The filing system here is terrible,’ I said kindly.

‘I doubt anyone would be surprised if the clothes turned up unexpectedly. And I also doubt that I’ll be back, so you don’t have to worry about any more visits from me.

’ Hanging around mortuaries wasn’t my idea of a good time.

I raised my eyebrows at He Who Roams Wide. ‘Are you coming?’

His whiskers twitched then he stood up, gave Cindy’s hand a tiny lick and jumped off the desk before padding over to me.

‘Thanks, buddy,’ I told him. ‘You did good.’ I raised my hand in farewell as Cindy stared at me and my cat, her mouth wide open. ‘Take care,’ I told her. I glanced down. ‘Your turn.’

He Who Roams Wide miaowed.

I didn’t need to say anything to Thane when I left the mortuary with He Who Roams Wide; he could already tell from the expression on my face. ‘You know the smart thing would be to throw them into the Tweed?’

‘And what if more silphium plants appear on Myrddin’s grave when spring rolls around in a few months’ time?’

He shrugged. ‘We cross that bridge when we come to it.’

I considered. ‘I’m not a fan of the passive approach. There are better ways to deal with this.’

‘If any one group has sole control of those seeds, Kit…’

I smiled. ‘They won’t. There are seven seeds and that gives us room to work with.’

Thane rubbed his chin. ‘One for the witches’ council? Another for the druid governors?’ I nodded. ‘One for Harriet, one for Simon Campbell’s family and one for the Ravenshearts?’ I nodded again. ‘Adrienne?’

‘I think she deserves it,’ I said. ‘Don’t you?’

‘That still leaves one seed,’ Thane mused. ‘For you?’

‘Nope.’

‘Trilby?’

‘I believe they have enough power at their fingertips already.’

‘Me?’

I gave him a long look. ‘You move around too much. Have you ever successfully grown a plant?’

‘I used to have a cactus that I took with me every time I moved.’

‘What happened to it?’

Guilt flashed across his face. ‘It died.’

‘You managed to kill a cactus ?’

‘I over-watered it. I guess I’m not green fingered,’ he said.

‘Uh-huh.’ I started walking away from the mortuary towards the south side of Mathers Street. He Who Roams Wide trotted beside me, his tail held high.

Thane caught up and fell into step beside us. ‘So what happens to the seventh seed, Kit?’

‘My next-door neighbour has a lot of space in his garden,’ I said.

‘Dave?’

‘He won’t pay attention to a small clump of weeds growing in the corner.’ I grinned. ‘It’ll be a good insurance policy if anyone decides to try and control the whole supply of silphium.’

‘Is that a wise idea?’ Thane asked doubtfully.

‘It’s the best,’ I said. I dropped back and allowed him to pull in front of me; it afforded me an excellent view of his very tight, very well-rounded arse. I tilted my head. ‘The very best, in fact.’

‘Kit, are you ogling my bottom?’ he enquired.

‘Yep.’

There was a beat of silence. Then Thane spoke again. ‘Good.’