Authors: Gwendoline Butler

Coffin Knows the Answer (19 page)

BOOK: Coffin Knows the Answer

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âHe let you go â¦ he wanted to prolong the game, that's what the Chief Commander thinks,' Les was talking fast, anxious to get where he was needed. âIf you follow me, you will be playing his game, and he will kill you. In front of your husband. Stay with Phoebe.' Phoebe nodded as if she understood. She probably did. He wished to hell he did.

Stella stared at him without speaking.

âThere is no death penalty now, remember,' said Les. âYou will be dead and he will be alive, you will have given him victory.'

From a double door on their left there came the sound of raised voices.

Stella knew the voice of her husband while Les Henderson knew the grindingly angry voice that was answering him.

If it was an answer, it sounded more like an attack.

Ignoring Stella, he nodded to his two companions, specially chosen officers, and pushed open the door.

All the same, it could have been a bit quicker, Coffin thought - why the hell had Les and Co. been such a while coming. He must remember to find out, he decided as he pressed the wound on his arm where the blood was dripping, and kept his other arm tightly round Joe's neck while Mercy gripped the woman, arms behind her.

At least it had given him time to ask what he had needed to know.

âWhy the hell did you involve the lad Charlie, cut his fingers off?'

âTo keep him from sticking his fingers into my life. He was a nosey little bugger.'

No answer really Coffin thought. Joe was mad so he kept his own fingers tight round his neck.

Although it could have been a speedier rescue, it had been a comfort to see Les and his cohorts rush in.

When it came down to it, neither Joe nor his wife struggled that much. Perhaps they had wanted to be caught, you never knew.

Later that evening Stella gave a her husband a loving look. âYou were lucky to get away with a slashed arm.'

Then she asked the question on her mind: âWhat will happen to Joe and his wife?

âA more comfortable fate than that of their victims,' replied Coffin. âThe wife might get off if she has a good lawyer although to my mind she was as much if not more guilty than her husband. No, she won't get off, forget I said that, she was the one who stole the uterus and made use of it, although why or what good it did we may never know. Might find out if she talks. But he will go down as her mad mentor, I expect. As a former police man he won't have an altogether easy time. To rape and kill all those women with her encouragement he doesn't deserve it anyway.'

âGood,' said Stella with some satisfaction.

They were back in the comfortable sitting room of their home in the tower. They knew now why the three bodies, so close to where they lived and underneath what would have been Stella's latest workplace, had been buried there.

To haunt Stella.

They were already doing so.

Gus the dog sat at Coffin's feet. He could smell blood, and having undergone a serious operation himself he was prepared to be sympathetic.

The cat also smelt blood which was of interest, there might be something to hunt or to eat. Coffin, fortunately, did not know he was being assessed as eatable, so he reached out to pat the cat's head.

âIf you have to get knifed, I suppose a hospital is as good a place as any,' said Coffin. He added indignantly: âDo you know, they wanted to keep me in. I wouldn't allow it.'

Stella said:âIt's ruined that tweed jacket â¦ Still, I never liked it, it wasn't worthy of you.' She tidied the jacket away. âWhat about the paedophile cases? You haven't mentioned them.'

âNot much progress there, but we'll get there.'

Stella thought she had heard that before. She smiled and shook her head.

âEnd of story, my love.'

Except that, as Coffin knew all too well, there were always questions at the end of each case. Probably it had been Joe
who had planted the mannequin. But Coffin knew it was Josephine who had dressed it to look like Stella. She had boasted of it. The store of props had been uncovered.

Something would have to be done, also, about the letters Joe Jones had sent to confuse the paedophile investigation. It had set them back considerably. He must have been ill for longer than anyone realised. Corruption had run deep in him.

No case ever really ended with a full stop, he thought. You always went on wondering.

COFFIN KNOWS THE ANSWER. Copyright Â© 2002 by Gwendoline Butler. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information, address St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

First published in Great Britain by Allison & Busby Limited

THOMAS DUNNE BOOKS.

An imprint of St. Martin's Press.

www.minotaurbooks.com

eISBN 9781466811980

First eBook Edition : February 2012

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Butler, Gwendoline.
Coffin knows the answer / Gwendoline Butter.â1st U.S. ed.
p. cm.

1. Coffin, John (Fictitious character)âFiction. 2. PoliceâEnglandâLondonâFiction. 3. London (England)âFiction, I. Title.

PR6052.U813C597 2003b
823'.914âdc21

2002041568

First U.S. Edition: April 2003