Christopher Fowler - The Water Room

‘Sorry, Arthur, you’ve lost me.’

‘Climate change. The rivers dried out during the long hot summer, making them passable. Now all hell is breaking loose underground, because when it rains, the tunnels briefly turn into white-water rapids. None of the deaths occurred before the bad weather, did they? Perhaps that’s because the conduits were too dry to dispose of any incriminating evidence. The killer patiently waited until the rain came back, providing him with a way of dumping anything that would link him to the murders. This is what the rivers were always used for. History repeats itself.’

‘Really, Arthur, it all sounds very complicated.’ May watched in some unease while the butcher chopped away at a pair of bulbous kidneys, wiping his bloody hands on his apron.

‘I have to hang on to this, John; somehow it all comes back to the tributaries of the Fleet. Without the river there would be no houses. Without the houses there would be no murders. The first death is the key: a harmless old lady killed by water, because of water, as though the killer was closing a circle, choosing a suitable punishment for her crime. Of course, it’s possible we’ve completely misjudged what’s going on. We may have to look at everything in a fresh light.’

The butcher rang up Bryant’s purchases. The elderly detective looked at his change in disgust. ‘Is that all I get back from a tenner? Daylight robbery. Those pigs’ ears look past their best. You shouldn’t be selling things that look as if they’ve died of old age.’ He snatched the plastic bag of meat and dragged May with him to the door.

‘Another thing. That boyfriend of Kallie’s-he’s been away for weeks. Suppose he’s been conked on the head and dropped down there, the murderer or an accomplice posting his cards from all over Europe? And what about the next-door neighbour, Heather? No one’s seen her husband for ages. He’s meant to be in Paris-what if he’s actually floating about somewhere under King’s Cross? And Benjamin Singh, he’s supposed to be in Australia, but has anyone actually heard from him? Just how many men are missing from this damned street anyway? Wait, I forgot something.’ He turned on his heel and headed back to the surprised butcher. ‘Do you have any mutton? I may attempt a casserole.’

‘I wish you’d slow down for a moment,’ urged May. They were walking back to the unit because Bimsley and Banbury had taken the Rover to drop off evidence. ‘Let’s stop for refreshment, you can get your breath back.’ He steered his partner into a Greek coffee shop.

‘Two teas, one with lots of sugar.’ Bryant glared at the listless girl playing with her hair behind the counter.

‘We don’t do tea,’ mumbled the girl.

‘Don’t be ridiculous, it’s the national drink, how can you not do tea?’

‘Cappuccino, latte or espresso.’

‘Those are Italian beverages. You’re a Cypriot, surely,’ Bryant barked, reluctantly moving to allow a pushchair past. ‘You should have mint tea or little cups of Turkish coffee with half an inch of silt in the bottom. No tea! Good Lord, all you have to do is put some fresh leaves under boiled water.’

‘Come on, Arthur, ease up a little.’ May took his arm and led him to a table, then returned to order lattes.

‘You realize if we hadn’t started following Greenwood, we would never have made the connection?’ said Bryant as his friend returned. ‘Everyone knows about the London Tube map; why isn’t this other one public knowledge? Who else is in possession of it?’ He slapped the underground tunnel plan on the table between them. ‘The city functions in much the same way as its streets-every time you think you have something figured out it twists back on you. The answer has to be here in these numbered conduits. .’

‘No, it isn’t, Arthur. I’ve seen you like this before, and to be honest, I think you’ve got the wrong end of the stick, or possibly the wrong stick entirely. The only answer you’ll get is by talking to people. You don’t observe, you don’t think about human nature.’

‘I have you to do that for me.’

May sighed. ‘Look at the girl behind the counter, the one you just had a go at. What do you see?’

Bryant squinted over. ‘A fat Greek schoolgirl who needs a few lessons in civility.’

‘Try again. Her name’s Athena and she’s about nineteen; she’s married with two children, and she has a younger sister. Her father owns the place, and she’s working here against her will. Her husband got drunk last night and they had a fight. She’s trapped and miserable, and wondering how her life turned out like this.’

‘You worked that out from watching her?’ asked Bryant, genuinely interested.

‘It’s not difficult,’ said May. ‘She’s wearing a wedding ring. Look at the photos on the walls behind her: family pictures taken in Cyprus-mother and father, no sons featured. The owner has given his oldest daughter a job because she needs it. Why? Her children are twins. The man who went past with the double pushchair spoke to her by name. He’s ginger, from around here. You see his type everywhere. Got into fatherhood too early, and to his dismay finds himself taking care of not one but two small girls-very angry about it. You don’t have to be a genius to read the disappointment in his face. Wouldn’t work here because it’s not a man’s job, and besides, the place belongs to her family, which means he would fight with them all the time. She puts in long hours, he puts the kids to bed and goes to the pub. She plays with her hair to cover a bruise. Facial marks like that are rarely self-inflicted. She’s trapped between controlling parents and an embittered partner, so she’s not really too bothered about whether you get tea, coffee or rat poison.’

‘Hmm.’ Bryant stirred his cup thoughtfully. ‘Perhaps you’re right. I should pay more attention to people. Get my nose out of my books once in a while. I do like them, you know-people. It just seems as if I don’t.’

‘I know,’ said May gently. ‘You have a good heart, but you don’t reveal it very often. As a suspect, Aaron’s a non-starter; even you can see that. Tate is the closest we have. I think the first thing we need to do is put a watch on him. No one’s been dropped into the sewers, we’d have found drag marks in the gardens or the alleyway, but I agree that it may explain the lack of incriminating evidence. We have no weapons beyond a sheet of clingfilm. You have to admit that’s unusual. But you also have to admit that there’s another possibility.’

‘Which is?’

‘You’ve allowed this whole situation with Greenwood to affect your instincts about Balaklava Street. You love collecting arcane knowledge about underground rivers, so suddenly they have to feature in an entirely separate investigation.’

‘The thought had crossed my mind, but you have to admit it’s a damned coincidence that Balaklava Street is built over a tributary. Have you decided what you’re going to do about Sunday night?’

‘I thought you and Mangeshkar could keep an eye on Greenwood and Ubeda. Whatever they’re planning has to end then, because we start fresh the next morning, whatever happens. Even Raymond agrees that we have a legitimate reason for putting more resources into Balaklava Street now. Meanwhile, post Bimsley at the hostel to make sure Tate doesn’t go anywhere. I’ll go and see Monica.’

‘So I get posted somewhere cold, damp and possibly lethal to a man of my advanced years while you pitch woo to a married woman,’ Bryant harrumphed, clattering a sugar lump against his false teeth. ‘I suppose I can’t blame you. You need affection and reassurance more than I.’ Bryant had decided a long time ago that he was far too strange to find anyone who would love him. He had, of course, underestimated the bravery and tenacity of the British female, but now he was convinced that he had left it too late, and had resigned himself to the consolations of work and friendship. ‘Still, I think it would be better if we followed Greenwood together. He knows you.’