Person or Persons Unknown Read Online Free PDF Page B

ain’t.”
    Then, throwing a wary look at the two miscreants, he returned his attention to the body. He pulled down her blouse and bodice. Her breasts, freed, flopped of their own weight. Titters and giggles arose from the watching crowd. He threw a look of disgust at those straining to sec, then planted his hand over her heart. His palm came up bloody.
    “There’s your wound,” he said, “a small one, just under the breastbone, up and into the heart. Not much blood. Death came just so.” He snapped his fingers.
    He grabbed up his club and jumped to his feet. Then did he address the crowd: “Now, any of you thinks you may know this poor woman, you may view her face.” To me he said: “Tidy up her bubs, Jeremy. Make her decent.”
    I managed that as well as I might and noticed, touching her skin, that it had grown just a bit colder.
    “The rest of you,” continued Constable Perkins to those still crowding the passage, “I advise to leave. Sir John Fielding will be here soon, and there will be many more Runners with him. They will not take kindly to gawkers. All but those who remain for purposes of identification or to give evidence, / order to disperse.”
    Though they seemed reluctant, most began to turn away and start back down the passage.
    “You’ve frightened them off,” said I.
    “And now,” said Mr. Perkins, “I must send you away as well. Go fetch Sir John, Jeremy. Tell him what has happened, and when you return with him, bring some lanterns. We soon may not be able to see hereabouts without them.”
    I set off then, pushing through the passage, chanting something about the importance of my mission, just as Mr. Perkins had but a few minutes earlier. I squirmed past the last of them and set off down Broad Court at a run. It seemed to me that at some point along the way I caught a glimpse of Mariah, but I had neither time nor desire to make certain of that. I must to Bow Street!

TWO
In Which an Old Friend
Returns and Offers
His Help

    Leaving in haste and in some confusion, Sir John Fielding delegated Constable Baker as messenger to inform Lady Fielding that the magistrate had been called away on urgent matters of his office.
    Mr. Baker, starting away, hesitated. “Shall I give out that the matter is murder?” he asked.
    “No,” said his chief, “that would only upset her. Ah, but do tell her also that Jeremy is with me and will return with me. She should not, in any case, wait supper upon us.” He punctuated that with a nod, and Mr. Baker hastened toward the stairs. Then, addressing the rest of us: “Now then, let us be on our way.”
    We were four in number. Besides Sir John and myself. Mr. Benjamin Bailey, captain of the Bow Street Runners, and young Constable Cowley accompanied us as we set off in the direction of Broad Court Street. Mr. Bailey took the lead, clearing a path for us through the pedestrians as we went; Mr. Cowley followed, and we. Sir John and I, went last of all.
    Mr. Cowley turned and pointed ahead. “Here’s a bit of luck, sir. There’s the Raker just ahead with his wagon.” I looked ahead, and there indeed he was. The Raker, a man of ill omen and ugly countenance, was the appointed collector of the indigent dead this side the river. How the citizenry did avoid him! Nor could I blame them, for with the crudely painted skull and crossbones on his wagon which was pulled by two nags quite moribund in appearance, he must have seemed the very embodiment of the death that awaits us all. Frightening tales were told of him. Even to view him was considered by some to be bad luck of the worst sort. Which explained why our side of Bow Street was so crowded and his so empty.
    ”Shall I tell him to wait. Sir John?” asked Mr. Cowley. “Save him a trip, it would.”
    “You may as well.”
    The young constable hied off to intercept him. By the time that he rejoined us we had started down New Broad Court and were in sight of the passage where Mr. Perkins awaited us.
    “The Raker