Peter Tremayne - The Spider's Web

‘Perhaps that is because no one else treats him like a human being,’ she observed, fighting down her anger that a sentient being could be treated so badly.

At the door of the stables they encountered the young warrior, Critan.

The boastful youth with the dirty-coloured fair hair smirked at them.

‘You could present him at the palace of Cashel now, couldn’t you?’ he said, indicating Móen.

Fidelma eyed the young warrior disfavourably. She did not deign to reply.

As she left the stable the youth added derisively: ‘Well, at least the creature will look clean and nice when he is hanged.’

Fidelma wheeled round in fury.

‘Hanged? Who said, even if he were guilty, that he should be punished by hanging?’

‘Father Gormán, of course.’ The young man was unabashed. ‘He says we should take a life for a life.’

Fidelma looked grim.

‘Indeed, as Plautus told us, in his Asinaria — lupus est homo homini!’

Critan screwed up his face.

‘I have no Latin or Greek learning.’

‘Accepting your belief in the philosophy of mere vengeance, are you so sure that it is Móen’s life that should be forfeit?’

For a moment it appeared that Critan did not fully understand what she meant and then he smiled easily.

‘I know Móen was the killer, there is no doubt.’

‘No doubt? How can you be so sure?’

‘Because I saw him.’

Fidelma blinked, feeling as if someone had dealt her an unexpected blow. Eadulf leaned forward quickly.

‘Are you saying that you actually saw him kill Eber?’ he demanded.

Crítán grinned knowingly.

‘Not actually saw him,’ he confessed, tapping the side of his nose with a forefinger, ‘but as good as.’

‘What is that supposed to mean?’ snapped Fidelma. ‘You can only say something is certain if you witnessed it.’

Critan was boastful again now that he had her full attention.

‘I witnessed Móen enter Eber’s apartments.’

Fidelma allowed her eyes to widen fractionally in surprise. Neither Menma nor Dubán had referred to the fact that Critan had been in the vicinity of Eber’s apartments before the discovery of the body.

‘You will have to explain a little more,’ she said tersely. ‘When did you see Móen enter Eber’s apartments?’

‘It was the morning when Menma discovered them. About half an hour before I went to relieve Dubán on guard duty.’

Fidelma shot a quick glance of interrogation at Dubán. The senior warrior was clearly bewildered. He was apparently hearing this story for the first time.

‘What were you doing abroad so early?’ Fidelma asked softly. The young man seemed to hesitate and she continued: ‘You must explain if you are to be accepted as a credible witness.’

‘If you must know,’ Crítán’s face reddened and his tone was defensive, ‘I had spent the night at a certain place …’

‘A certain place?’

Dubán suddenly guffawed lewdly.

‘I’ll wager that he means Clídna’s brothel. It is a few miles along the river from here.’

Crítán’s mortified face confirmed the fact.

‘I was to return to the rath before sunrise and had just reached the entrance to the hall of assembly. I saw Dubán sprawled on a bench just inside. He was fast asleep.’ Dubán’s face reddened but he said nothing. ‘Then I saw that creature sneaking along in the shadows. He did not know that I was there, of course.’

‘Was Móen alone?’

Critan grimaced.

‘Yes. It is well known that he was able to move freely, blind, deaf and dumb as he was. He seemed to have an uncanny instinct at knowing how to move from one house to another.’

‘I see. So he was alone?’

‘He was,’ confirmed the youth.

‘And you saw him enter Eber’s house?’

‘I did.’

‘How?’

Critan blinked rapidly. ‘How?’ he echoed the question as if he did not understand it.

‘You said that you were at the entrance of the hall of assembly. To see Eber’s door you would have had to move some twenty to thirty feet even to see it in the light let alone the darkness.’

‘Oh. When I saw him sneaking along I wondered what he was up to. So I waited until he had gone by me and then I followed him.’

‘And you saw him enter Eber’s apartments? How did he enter?’

‘Through the door.’ The youth was ingenuous.

‘I meant, did he do so with stealth, or did he knock on the door or otherwise attempt to announce his presence? How?’

‘Oh, with stealth, naturally. It was still dark.’

‘And you saw Móen enter in the darkness. You have good eyesight. What did you do then?’

‘I was intent on returning to the warrior’s lodge to wash before relieving Dubán,’ grinned Critan. ‘I continued on my way. I did not wish to get involved so said nothing when Teafa …’

He suddenly paused. A look of uncertainty came into his eyes.

‘When Teafa …?’ prompted Fidelma. ‘When Teafa … what?’

‘I had returned by the hall of assembly, beyond the stables towards the warriors’ hostel, which lies just by the mill house. Teafa’s cabin is nearby. As I was passing, she came out with lamp in hand. She was searching for Móen. At first I thought that she was looking for firewood for she had bent down to pick up a stick by her door. Then she saw me and asked if I had seen Móen.’

Fidelma was looking thoughtful.

‘Did you tell her where he was to be found?’

‘Not I. I did not want to get involved in hunting for the creature. I told her that I had not seen him and passed on. I washed, changedmy clothes and then went in search of Dubán. When I found him, he told me what had happened.’ Critan smiled triumphantly at the end of his narrative. ‘So there you are. It is clear that Móen killed Eber and Teafa.’

Eadulf nodded reflectively.

‘It does seem conclusive,’ he acknowledged, glancing at Fidelma.

‘Just let me make sure that I have this clear,’ she said. ‘You saw Móen enter Eber’s apartments. They were in darkness. It was before sunrise. How were you able to see Móen enter?’

‘Easy to say. My eyes were accustomed to the dark. I had just ridden from Clidna’s place in the dark.’

‘Then you passed on and came on Teafa standing at her cabin door with a lamp looking for Móen? When you went to find Dubán, perhaps a half an hour later, you learnt that Menma had found Eber and Móen. Why didn’t you mention what you had seen?’

‘There was no need. There were other witnesses.’

‘When did you learn that Teafa had also been killed?’

Critan was confident.

‘After Dubán went to find her to deal with Móen.’

‘Thank you, Critan, you have been of great help.’

Fidelma began to walk at a leisurely pace towards the guests’ hostel with Eadulf hurrying at her side.

‘Do you need me again today, sister?’ called Dubán after them.

Fidelma turned absently. ‘I still want to see the hunting knife with which Móen is supposed to have carried out this deed.’

‘I’ll bring it directly,’ the warrior answered.

As they walked back to the guests’ hostel, Eadulf waited patiently for Fidelma to make some comment but, as she remained silent, he decided to prompt her.

‘I think the evidence is pretty clear. Eye-witnesses and the discovery of Móen with the knife. It seems there is little more to be inquired into. Móen, pitiable creature though he is, is guilty of this deed.’

Fidelma raised her smouldering green eyes to his dark brown ones.

‘Quite the contrary, Eadulf. I think that the evidence goes to support the argument that Móen did not commit the murders as charged.’