The Cold Light of Mourning - By Elizabeth J. Duncan Page 0,49

usual depth, so his brain explained the nameplate by suggesting the typeface was larger.”

He sighed.

“Start the paperwork, Morgan,” Davies ordered. “You won’t see this very often, maybe once or twice in your career, but we need to get on to the Home Office with a request for an exhumation. Normally, when you call for an exhumation it’s because you need to examine what’s inside the coffin. We’re not going to open the coffin, but because we’ll be disturbing human remains, to be on the safe side, we’re going to do the paperwork and put in a formal request. That way, it’s all aboveboard. No complaints later.

“I’ll double back and let the rector know and then drop around before I go and talk to Miss Brannigan myself.

“Oh, and one more thing, Morgan. The next time she calls, put her straight through to me. I’m starting to really like the way that woman thinks.”

Sixteen

Oh, dear God!”

The rector’s face was a study in heart-wrenching distress underwritten by amazement. “I cannot believe that such a thing could be possible. Oh, who would do such a wicked thing?”

As the implications for his church began to dawn on him, his face hardened slightly, his shoulders squared imperceptibly, and he readied himself for the challenge that lay ahead.

“Well, you’d better tell me what to expect so I can be prepared for whatever you plan to do,” he said, placing his hands on the desk in front of him. “And whatever you need me to do,” he added.

“We’re putting the paperwork in place now,” Davies told him, “and we expect the Home Office will give it priority and treat it as urgent. We should get the approval later tonight, and we’re mobilizing equipment now. My sergeant has your number, but just to be on the safe side, you’d better let me have it, too, and one of us will ring you as soon as we hear anything.”

The two men stood, and Davies offered his hand, which the rector accepted and shook. With a businesslike nod, which he hoped would be seen as reassuring, Davies left. As the door closed behind him, the rector sank back into his chair with a worried, puzzled look on his face.

And now back to our manicure lady, thought Davies as he made his way through the centre of town to the small side street where her shop and flat were located.

Penny met him at the door.

“You seem a bit better, now,” he said to her on the way upstairs. “Feeling a little more settled?”

“I am, thanks. I’m glad Victoria was able to be here, but I wish I could tell her what’s the matter.”

“We can fill her in now,” Davies said. “I’ve come to let you know what’s happening.”

He entered the small living room where Victoria was sitting at one end of the sofa. She looked startled and started to rise when he entered, but he gestured to her to stay seated.

“Victoria, this is Detective Chief Inspector Davies. He’s come to tell us something,” Penny said.

“Hello,” Davies said to her and then, turning to Penny, added, “I wanted to bring you up to date. Do you think we could sit down?” Without waiting for a reply, he moved a plaid cushion out of the way and lowered himself into the wing chair as Penny sat down beside Victoria. The two of them leaned forward and looked at him expectantly.

Davies cleared his throat and then looked at Penny.

“We are going ahead with an exhumation order, and if we get the approval later this evening, as I think we will, we intend to move quickly.

“I’ll leave you now. You can tell Mrs. Hopkirk what you know but I ask that the two of you keep it to yourselves for the time being. Word will be out soon enough, I imagine.”

“How soon?” asked Penny. “When will you do this?”

“We’ll go at first light tomorrow.”

“That soon?”

“That soon. It’s always better to get this sort of thing over and done with as quickly as possible before the rumour machine can really take hold. As it is, too many people will probably know about it.”

Leaving a stunned Penny to sort out a mystified Victoria, Davies made his way back down the stairs and out into the street. He reached for his mobile to call Morgan to come and get him. If Penny Brannigan was right, and he was now starting to think that she was, they would need to have a quick dinner and prepare themselves for a long,