The Emerald Casket Read Online Free PDF

in one hand.
    â€˜Intriguing,’ he said, holding the relic up to the light. ‘Sir Mason Green may well have a fascination with Celtic lore.’
    â€˜What makes you think that?’ the inspector said.
    â€˜The cult of the skull—the ancient Celts used to boil down their enemies’ heads to capture the strength of their souls. Wonderful stuff.’
    Gerald swallowed. He looked at the skull, then at the photograph stabbed to the wall. There was a hole in the picture, drilled into the brow like a third eye.
    He turned to the butler. ‘Mr Fry,’ he said through a dry throat. ‘I think I’d like to go home now.’

Chapter 3
    T he view over the Somerset countryside from the Archer corporate helicopter was breathtaking. The landscape spread out in a patchwork of fields, alive with summer colour. Inside the cabin of the luxury Sikorsky S-76 chopper, Gerald, Sam and Ruby sat in leather comfort, their noses pressed against the glass.
    â€˜This billionaire thing just keeps getting better,’ Sam said. He gazed out across the meadows and villages below. ‘This beats driving.’
    Ruby flopped back into her seat opposite Gerald, barely able to contain her excitement. ‘This is awesome, Gerald. I’ve always wanted to fly in a helicopter.’
    Gerald was no less excited. It was his first time in a helicopter as well. The fact that he also owned it only added to the bizarreness.
    After leaving the Rattigan Club they had arrived at the London heliport on the Thames to find a selection of Archer Corporation helicopters on hand. All were decked out in the dark blue livery of the company, each with a golden archer painted across its belly. It was fortunate Gerald was momentarily struck dumb by the realisation that he owned an air wing, because there were no words to describe his thoughts when Mr Fry appeared wearing a brown leather bomber jacket and aviation sunglasses.
    â€˜You?’ Gerald had finally said. ‘You’re the pilot?’
    Fry had flipped up the collar of his jacket and pulled an Archer Corporation cap onto his head. ‘Roger that,’ he said.
    Less than an hour later they were sweeping across the countryside towards Gerald’s house at Avonleigh.
    â€˜You know the best thing about taking a helicopter instead of the Rolls?’ Gerald called to his friends over the whirring rotor blades.
    â€˜What’s that?’
    â€˜You don’t have to look at the back of Fry’s head for three hours.’
    Ruby laughed and flicked off her belt to take a seat between Sam and Gerald. ‘What do you make of all that in the Green Room?’ she said.
    Gerald stared out the window at the fields below. ‘In the cavern under Beaconsfield, Green said he was surprised I didn’t know about some great family secret,’ he said.
    â€˜There’s obviously something in your family history that’s got him excited,’ Ruby said.
    â€˜And the hole in the head?’ Sam said. ‘That’s just sick.’
    â€˜Well, Green’s gone now, off looking for whatever,’ Ruby said, ‘so we don’t need to worry about that.’ Gerald saw Ruby give Sam a look that said stick a sock in it . ‘Anyway, what were you and Constable Lethbridge chatting about?’ She was clearly trying to change the subject.
    â€˜He’s funny,’ Sam said. ‘There was a break-in at his house and someone stole his notebook. He made it sound like he was jumped by a gang of ninjas.’
    â€˜His notebook?’ Gerald said.
    â€˜It had stuff about the diamond theft and everything that happened at Beaconsfield. Parrott’s not happy.’
    Ruby chuckled. ‘He’s a walking disaster area, that Lethbridge.’
    The helicopter swooped in over Avonleigh, made a low arc over the tennis court and pavilion, hovered a second over the orchard then sent a flock of sheep scattering as it landed on a helipad in a field