The Reckoning

The Reckoning Read Online Free PDF Page A

Book: The Reckoning Read Online Free PDF
Author: Rennie Airth
thought of that. Although it’s true people like that generally utter threats in advance and act in irrational ways, it’s not always the case. They don’t necessarily seem disturbed, at least not to the casual eye.’
    Billy paused deliberately.
    â€˜By the way, sir, I’d be grateful if you didn’t mention any of this to the press; or what I said about Scotland. We don’t want to stir them up.’
    His words brought a tired smile to Edward Gibson’s lips.
    â€˜They won’t hear it from me, rest assured. But I should warn you, some of the newspapers have been on to me already, asking questions. It’s not every day a man gets shot in broad daylight. It won’t take much to get them going. I’m surprised they haven’t picked up on that Scottish report yet.’
    â€˜They’re bound to – and soon. But I’d rather not do their work for them.’
    â€˜Quite so.’ Gibson made as if to get up. ‘But fair’s fair. Can I count on you to keep me informed about the investigation? I don’t want to be left in the dark.’
    â€˜We’ll stay in touch, I promise.’
    â€˜Then I’d better get back to those papers.’ He heaved himself up. ‘You wanted a word with Mrs Gannet, is that right? She’s in the kitchen. I’ll send her through.’
    â€˜What did I tell you, Billy? This is one of those cases. It’s going to give us both grey hairs, you mark my words.’
    Tilting his chair back, Vic hoisted his feet up on his desk. They had returned from Kingston a short while before and he had sent out to the nearest pub for a couple of sandwiches, which they were washing down with cups of tea before Billy caught his train back to London. The CID offices were situated on the first floor of Lewes police station, and on their way in Vic had introduced him to a detective-sergeant and two constables, who were busy sorting through statements collected from parties of hikers and ramblers who had been out on the Downs on the day Gibson had been murdered.
    â€˜We know the shooter didn’t escape this way, via Lewes,’ Vic said. ‘I’ve been hoping he might have been spotted walking cross-country towards Brighton. But no luck so far, I’m afraid.’
    â€˜If Gibson was his target – if it wasn’t a random killing – then he must have known he’d be fishing there.’ Billy had been turning the problem over in his mind. ‘He must have had some idea of his habits; that suggests he made some earlier visits to Lewes.’
    He had been looking over the file compiled by the pathologist while he chewed on a cheese sandwich. The police photographs of Gibson’s body lying face-down on the bank had added little to what his colleague had already told him. Other pictures taken at the mortuary later showed the effects of the bullet, which struck him at the base of the skull and exited through his jaw, leaving an ugly wound.
    â€˜The sawbones made an interesting point,’ Chivers had told him. ‘If you want to make a clean job of topping someone, that’s the best spot to shoot them: it breaks the spinal cord, severs the brainstem. Death’s instantaneous.’
    â€˜So he knew what he was about?’
    â€˜It looks that way.’
    Billy put down the file. He took a sip from his tea.
    â€˜What I’d like to know is who that visitor was who got Oswald so upset. And did the letter he was writing have anything to do with this business?’
    These facts, both new, had emerged in the course of the interview they had had with Gibson’s daily, a spry old party named Edna Gannet, who had not only proved to be more observant than most, but could also put two and two together. As she’d been quick to point out.
    â€˜As soon as I saw the chair, I knew. He didn’t have to say nothing. And I could tell he was put out. I’d heard him in the study going on about
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