The Light Beneath the Cauldron Read online

  “You’re not sure?” Edwards couldn’t see how this could be.

  “Part of a wood building collapsed on top of him,” Olocher said less angry now. “I couldn't see if he was alive or dead but I knew I had to get out of there as fast as I could.”

  Edwards was not satisfied with this answer; it added to his list of worries. Olocher should have known better than to leave Muc alive if he was coming after them. He wanted to say so but didn’t want to chastise him in his current frame of mind. It was best that he saw the error he made on his own.

  “I hope he is dead,” Edwards said, “It will be worse trouble if he is not.”

  “You don’t think I know that!” Olocher snapped. Edwards looked at him coldly but it did nothing to halt Olocher’s anger. “If you had listened to me right from the start, Muc would be long dead now and this wouldn’t be happening at all!”

  “You are getting above yourself, Steven,” Edwards said forcefully, “You would still be sweeping up after that imbecile blacksmith if it wasn’t for me.”

  “You didn’t do anything to help me,” Olocher retorted, “It was only for your gain that you took me in and had me trained for killing.”

  “I unleashed who you really are!” Edwards said, “I gave you a freedom you could never have enjoyed without me.”

  “I gained no freedom; I took orders from Mullins, then from Muc and now from you. An exchange of master’s is all I have to show for all this!”

  “Really?” Edwards asked in a mocking tone, “You don’t think knowing who you really are, doing the things you really want to and being shielded and not judged while you do it is nothing?”

  “The price for this freedom is too high,” Olocher said and in that moment, Edwards for the first time felt real fear for his own life. He knew he was going to have to kill Olocher at the end—there was no way he could avoid that, the boy was too dangerous—but he didn’t think he’d be in danger himself before the end.

  “You have always been free to leave at any time,” he said trying to maintain his confident tone. “The only thing holding you to me is your honour.” He hoped this would sting rather than provoke.

  “What would you do then?” Olocher asked and there was no mistaking the sarcasm in his voice. “Kill whoever else is left yourself?”

  “That wouldn’t be any concern of yours,” Edwards said. “You are not the only killer I have at my disposal.” This was true to a point but there was no one who could come close to matching Olocher for his skill and abilities in this field. There were a few lowlife gamblers and the odd sailor who would kill for a fee but they were as likely to be caught as not.

  “This is a mess, Edwards,” Olocher said, “It has been for some time now. I think it best we end our arrangement now.”

  Edwards had been expecting the lunge and had gripped the poker from the fireplace as he had spoken. Now he swung it up and caught Olocher hard under the chin, tearing a hole in the flesh there. Olocher cried out in pain and swung again for Edwards with one hand as the other went to his chin. Edwards was faster however, first ducking away and then levelling the poker hard against the side of Olocher’s face.

  The younger man stumbled forward but did not fall. He stood erect using the desk to balance himself and then looked meanly at Edwards. He took a blade from his pocket and Edwards decided it was best to live another day.

  “This isn’t over!” he shouted throwing the poker hard at Olocher and dashing out of the room as Olocher parried it away hurting his arm in the process.

  Edwards ran down the stairs and came out into the street. He crossed the road and dipped into an alley looking behind once to see that he was not being followed closely. He went through a painted door and inside the building and closed it behind him. If Olocher had not seen him come in here—which he was sure he hadn’t—he could never know where Edwards went. This was one of many properties in the city Edwards was owner of that Olocher knew nothing about. A family in financial difficulty lived here (and indeed in lots of Edwards’ houses) paying a very low rent and he only asked that he be allowed to come and go as he pleased and that they never mention to anyone this arrangement.

  How glad he was now of such a place so close to home. He would be safe here until morning, no one in the world knowing where he was for the next few hours. He imagined Olocher would look for him briefly and then by morning he could be gone. The next time they met one of them was going to be dead at the end of it.

  Chapter 44

  “This is a surprise,” Adams said. He’d opened his hotel room door and Madame Mel rushed in, shut the door, and now stood leaning with her back against it.

  “Did you hear?” she asked with tears ready to fall in her eyes.

  “Hear what?” he asked. She looked into his eyes and then she did begin to cry.

  “You have not heard then,” she said.

  “Are you going to tell me?” he asked.

  “Gaspard was arrested,” she said, “He will no doubt hang now!”

  “Arrested, in France?” he asked.

  “No, he is in Bristol,” she said.

  “I thought he was going to France,” Adams said.

  “No, that is just what I told you. I didn’t want anyone to know where he was going.”

  “You didn’t trust me,” he said with a smile. She looked sharply at him,

  “I didn’t trust anyone,” she said. He nodded. ‘And well you should not,’ he thought. Adams had not trusted her either and he’d found out where Gaspard was really going. It was always best to know as much as you could in any given situation he found.

  “You can’t get to him?” he asked knowing she could not.

  “No, not so far but I will keep trying.”

  “How was he arrested? Did he do something else over there?”

  “No, his innkeeper knew him from the news sheets and reported him.”

  “Well that is rotten luck; I’ve known innkeepers who’d let people away with murder for a nights rent,” Adams said. He saw her look at him suspiciously then but it was fleeting. He was sure she suspected he had something to do with Gaspard’s discovery and subsequent arrest.

  “The move against the Mayor was unexpected for Edwards wasn’t it?” Mel said after a short silence. He looked at her and saw by her eyes she did not believe this.

  “It would have been if he did that,” Adams said.

  “You again?” she asked and he nodded,

  “Don’t worry, everyone else will think it was the same killer as the Alderman,” he said.

  “This is not part of our plan,” she said, “If you want to go back to your old ways that is fine, but I don’t want it to mess up my plans for that bastard Edwards.”

  “You need to take a broader view of this, Madame Mel,” Adams said in a placating voice. “Each time we do something like this; it makes him more and more nervous. Picture him sitting there wondering if we are second-guessing him or just provoking him. What can he do about it? Nothing!” Adams laughed. “He has no idea what is going on and I think the more we throw at him the more fun we will have getting our revenge.”

  Mel folded her arms in annoyance at this,

  “Can you at least tell me if you have any more plans to kill right now?”

  “Not right now,” he smiled.

  “I need to know what you are doing,” she said, “You can’t keep me in the dark about things!”

  “You should get better people to follow me then,” he said and this silenced her a moment. He’d very easily spotted her men when he was out at night. They were so bad at trailing someone. It only took a few glances around to see who they were, especially for someone who spent his time not being noticed.

  “I only have them follow you as you are not forthcoming with your plans yourself,” she said but it rang hollow.

  “You’re right Madame Mel,” he said, “Where are my manners, I will endeavour to keep you abreast of all my plans as soon as I have them. Will that suffice?”

  “That wo
uld be nice,” she said in a tone that matched his own.

  “We are nearing the end in any case, are we not?” he said after they had studied each other for a moment.

  “Yes, I think he is panicking. The move against the Alderman was too soon after the Sheriff. He wants to get his work done, to get it out of the way before we can stop him.”

  “So what do we do next?” Adams asked.

  “I think it may be time to take away his tool,” Mel said. Adams could not have been happier with this.

  “That sounds perfect,” he said, “Any ideas how?” He had plenty of his own but he wanted to give her something now that she was placated a little.

  “You are the expert in this field,” she said and he smiled at the compliment.

  “Thank you,” he said, “When should I do this?”

  “The sooner the better I think,” she said. “How soon can you do it?”

  “I’ve seen him about, seen him being trailed by Lord Muc and not noticing it. I think I could get him in a night or two once I find him.”

  “That will do fine. Let me know when it is done, I look forward to hearing all about it.”

  “I look forward to the telling,” he said.

  After she was gone, Adams sat and thought about killing Olocher. It would be good but it wouldn’t be the same as killing Edwards. That was the real prize in all of this for him. His mind then wandered to Madame Mel. She was a wily one all the same. He wondered if she knew he planned to kill her too? Probably she did. She most likely had plans to kill him too, he thought, even before he’d gotten Gaspard arrested. What a tangled web this all was. He laughed at the idea.

  Were Olocher and Edwards going through something similar, each working to a common goal until that goal was nearly attained and then each planning to do in the other at the last? He had no doubt it was exactly the same for them. If you are a killer, you know that you can’t leave anyone alive who knows your secrets. It’s only a matter of time before the end comes in those situations.

  Chapter 45

  Alderman James received a visit from Daniel Deek. He’d not seen the Prussian much since they shared a carriage to Dublin some time ago. James had heard about the storytelling in the taverns and cabins and had seen the giant man from a distance from time to time, but rarely had they actually met and spoken. This had suited James—he still did not fully understand what Deek was all about.

  “A pleasure to see you Mr Deek,” James motioning to a seat after they shook hands.

  “And you Mr James,” Deek replied.

  “How have you been?”

  “Very well,” Deek said smiling, “I have heard of some of your own troubles of late, however.”

  “Yes, it is a strange time,” James said sighing as he settled into his chair.

  “Strange is one word to describe the work of the Devil,” Deek said. James looked at him,

  “You think the Devil is taking a personal interest in my career?” he asked.

  “No, not the Devil, but someone doing his work.”

  “The killer?”

  “For one,” Deek said.

  “What do you mean by that?” Deek looked to be in thought for a moment and then by way of answer asked,

  “How well do you know Mr Edwards?” James didn’t expect the question.

  “I don’t think anyone knows him enough to say well,” he said. “Why do you ask?”

  “I think one person thought they knew him,” Deek said,

  “Who?”

  “There was an old woman in the staff village where we met at Wild Boar Hall,” Deek said, “She sat by a large cauldron all the time.”

  “I remember the woman, a fortune teller or something, wasn’t she?” Deek nodded,

  “Yes, she thought she knew who Mr Edwards was and it seemed to rattle him quite a bit.”

  “What did she say to him?”

  “He asked her one simple thing; ‘How does it end?’ and she answered ‘It doesn’t end.’ and that was all there was to it.”

  “What was he asking about?” James said; nothing Deek said made sense so far.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Why are you telling me this?”

  “I see the Devil in Mr Edwards, not the true Devil but a longing to be the Devil as it were.”

  “Mr Edwards has many flaws, Mr Deek, but I think comparing him to the Devil is going a little too far,” James laughed.

  “I am not so sure,” Deek said and this was the first time James had seen him look serious on any matter.

  “Do you know something I should hear?” James asked.

  “I haven’t seen anything or heard anything at all, Mr James, but I have a gut feeling for these things and it tells me he is up to something very bad indeed.”

  James thought on this a moment; he did not quite know what to say. He couldn't do any sort of investigation based on someone's ‘feelings’ could he. What did Deek want of him?

  “Do you have any idea what it might be?” he asked after a pause.

  “I think your life is in danger, Mr James, that is what I came to warn you.”

  “You think Edwards means to kill me?” This was completely incredulous.

  “I think so,” Deek nodded, “Look at how things have gone of late, how harrowed you are by all of these murders. Then you lose your job and a man is killed so you are back in your role and continuing to have to deal with more murders again.”

  “You think Edwards is playing some giant game with me, killing so many people and watching me suffer though it all?”

  “I think so yes, apart from one thing.”

  “Which is?”

  “I am not sure he is the one doing the killing, but I am sure he is the one who is orchestrating it all. I don’t know how he does it, whether through persuasion or with his riches but that is what I believe.”

  “This is preposterous,” James said waving a hand in the air.

  “Yet you can’t help but think it could be true,” Deek said, “I can see it in your eyes.”

  James could not dispute that there was some veracity to this. He didn’t know exactly what he was feeling but he knew it wasn’t right out rejection of the idea. Hadn’t he wondered about Edwards being a killer himself on multiple occasions during the course of the last few investigations? Was it possible it was always the same case, just with a different killer playing proxy for Edwards all along? It sounded impossible and yet deep down he didn’t believe it was.

  “It would be impossible for him to do what you are suggesting,” he said and he didn’t know if he was trying to convince himself or Deek.

  “I've seen many impossible things happen in my life, I’m sure you have too?” Was Deek’s reply.

  “Not like this,” James said, feeling a little surer about it now, “There were far too many people involved, no one would be able to run something like this.”

  “You’d be surprised by what people are capable of if they have the will to back it up,” Deek said, “But as I say, I have no proof but I thought it only fair that I come and warn you.”

  “I appreciate the concern; let’s hope you are wrong, for my sake more than your own.”

  “That is something I can drink to,” Deek smiled.

  They sat in silence a time, both looking deep into the fire. James was sure they were both thinking about Edwards in this period. How could they not. There was no doubting Edwards capacity for amoral behaviour and he cared little for the people of the lower classes—actually that was not fair, he cared little for everyone no matter what class—but could his boredom have led him to such a monstrous idea? It was impossible, wasn’t it? Again, his voice in his head sounded like he was the only person it was trying to convince. When Deek was gone this evening, James would be looking over the evidence with a new idea in mind, perhaps the pieces would all fit together now.

  Chapter 46

  Steven Olocher didn’t know how he’d done it, but Edwards had gotten away. He knew Edwards was wily but never expecte
d he had this skill. With only a few moments of a head start, his former benefactor had managed to elude him, leaving no trace at all.

  “Perhaps I underestimated you after all,” Olocher said standing in an alleyway when he realised Edwards had escaped. There was a grudging respect in this. He’d never actually thought dispatching Edwards when the time came was going to be difficult. Perhaps it would not have been had he not tried in anger to accomplish this task.

  Olocher walked back to the house he’d called home and sat in the study a time. It was hard to think what Edwards would do now. It was unlikely he would come back at Olocher on his own but he supposed agents of his could come soon. Perhaps it would be best to leave this place now, strike out on his own.

  Edwards wouldn’t show himself easily, that was something Olocher was sure of. He could spend a year looking and never get sight of hm. Yes, he was sure it was not safe for him here now. Though he doubted Edwards had anyone who could match Olocher’s skills in a fight, it was probable there would be more than one and that could be his undoing.

  Olocher went up to his room, took a long look at the portrait of the Devil that adorned the wall, thinking this may be the last time he gazed upon it. The image was etched in his mind, however, and he knew he would never forget so much as a brushstroke. Anytime he closed his eyes, he would be able to conjure up the painting in all its magnificent glory. He’d not seen any other work by Spencer but this was a true masterpiece. It was hard to leave it behind. Maybe when all of this is over, he might find a way to come back and claim it? This thought warmed him.

  Packing a bag, he ran through in his head what he might need. He had no idea where he was going but he knew he would find somewhere. He had plenty of money too, courtesy of Edwards’ leaving so much laying around the place when he was drunk.

  When he finished packing, he stood in the hallway, breathing heavily and listening to the house. The servants had gone to ground since the fight, thinking it best to stay out of the way of the feuding masters lest they be met with their misdirected fury.