C. Sansom - Dark Fire

'Perhaps he was the master,' Barak said.

'What?'

'Perhaps he had been running the whole thing with Toky and Wright, told them things were getting hot and they decided to kill him and make off with the Greek Fire.'

'You could be right,' I said. 'In that case, they're the ones we need to find.'

'Toky knows how things work. An education from the monks and years soldiering. He could arrange to sell Greek Fire to the highest bidder. Perhaps a foreigner.'

'But where are they? Where have they taken Marchamount's body? Where are the apparatus and the formula? Come, let us see if Skelly has done that list.'

By the time we reached the courtyard young Gregory was back at the centre of a crowd, declaiming about what we had found.

'They're bound to connect this to Marchamount soon,' Barak said.

'They won't be able to prove it's him, not without the ring.' I saw Bealknap on the fringe of the crowd, his eyes wide, and wondered if he had guessed who it was that had been killed.

Back in chambers Skelly was waiting for us, a paper in his hand.

'It's all done, sir.'

'Thank you.' I laid it on the table and Barak and I looked over his untidy scrawl. Four pieces of litigation over land, one over a will, and the warehouse conveyancing. Pelican Warehouse, off Salt Wharf.

'What's a pelican?' Barak asked.

'A bird from the Indies. It has a huge pouch in its beak, to hold fish. Or secrets.' I looked out of the window. 'Ask Bealknap to step in here, would you? Tell him, quietly, that we believe the dead man is Marchamount.' A thought occurred to me. 'John, would you add a couple of cases to the bottom of this list. Any cases of mine, choose them at random. Then bring it to me.'

Skelly, who had been standing open-mouthed, nodded and went into my office. A minute later Barak returned, Bealknap beside him. The rogue's eyes were full of fear.

'Is this true? Serjeant Marchamount is murdered? I feared it when I heard-'

'It is, Bealknap, though you'll say nothing, I order you by Lord Cromwell's authority. But I think no one who has any association with Greek Fire is safe any more.'

He waved his hands in angry desperation. 'But I've told you a dozen times, Shardlake, I've had nothing to do with it! It's over the priory matter that Sir Richard's been putting pressure on your cases, it's not about Greek Fire! I had nothing to do with the pestilential stuff beyond being a messenger!' Between fear and anger he was almost dancing; I had him worried now.

'You told Rich nothing about Greek Fire, I hope?'

'And get on the wrong side of the earl? Of course not!'

I handed him the list. 'Here, these are the cases I've lost recently. Can you confirm these are the ones Rich took from me?'

Bealknap ran his eye down the paper, then shook his head. 'I don't know. Sir Richard only told me he was going to damage your trade as a warning, he didn't say which cases he'd take!' He paused, running a hand through his wiry blond hair. 'Listen, if I'm in danger I need protection,' he said fiercely. 'I won't be struck down like Marchamount!'

'Why not?' Barak asked. 'Who'd miss you?'

'Bealknap,' I said quietly, 'I need to see Sir Richard Rich with this list. I need to know which cases he took away. It has a bearing on the other matter. Do you know where he is?'

'He should be at St Paul's at noon to hear Archbishop Cranmer preach. The archbishop is giving the lunchtime sermons this week, as Bishop Sampson's in the Tower. Half the king's council will be there.'

'I'd forgotten. Barak, we'd better go there. I need to show him this list.' I turned to Bealknap. 'Thank you. As for protection, perhaps you should lock yourself in your chambers the next few days with your chest of gold.'

'But – but I've business.'

I shrugged. Bealknap set his jaw, then turned and went out, slamming the door behind him. Through the window we saw him scurrying back to his chambers, glancing nervously around as he went. 'I doubt anyone will be after him,' I said. 'He knows nothing. Like Lady Honor.'

'You're sure he's telling the truth? He really knows nothing about Greek Fire?'

'Oh, yes. He's so scared for his skin he'd have thrown himself on our mercy if he thought he might meet Marchamount's fate. Now come, Barak, we must see Rich and find out whether he put that warehouse on the list.'

'What if he didn't?'

'Then we investigate the place.'

Barak nodded. 'And meet Toky and Wright with surprise on our side for once.'

AS WE RODE DOWN Fleet Street and into the City I noticed the bank of cloud was spreading, filling the whole western sky.

'Probably the heavens will just tease us with a half-hour's rain like last time,' Barak said.

I remembered the night of the banquet. Returning home to fetch the horses, I had found a short note from Lady Honor – Thank you for your care for my safety. I am always watchful. I had smiled and folded it into my pocket. I sighed, wondering if my idea about the warehouse had anything in it. It had fired Barak up, and me too, but that was only for lack of any other leads.

We rode up Warwick Street, the great Norman cathedral looming above us. I could see little dots moving on the flat roof under the giant wooden spire. Londoners often went for a stroll up there to enjoy the views of the City, and it had been crowded in the hot weather: like the river, the roof was a place to catch a little breeze and escape the City smells.

'Let's hope we get somewhere with Rich,' Barak said. 'Only two days left, my master's enemies circling everywhere.'

'That warehouse was taken out of my hands at the end of May,' I said. 'Just after Cromwell instructed me. The conveyance was almost complete.'

'But who would have known then that you were acting in this?'

'Toky and Wright could have been watching us from the first day we went to the Gristwoods and told their master I had been set on to the matter. Yet-'

'What?'

'As I said yesterday, so many times they've been just ahead of us. As though someone close by was telling them our every move. But who?'

He laughed wryly. 'Joan Woode?'

'Hardly.'

'But who else has been near from the start?' He frowned. 'Only Joseph.'

'About as likely as Joan, I'd say. Even if Joseph wasn't a supporter of Cromwell.'

'And the earl has told nobody but Grey. He's been with the earl longer than Joan has with you. And he's as reformist as they come.'

I nodded. 'Then perhaps I am imagining it after all.' I wiped my brow; the air was distinctly clammy. I turned to Barak. 'I must visit the Wentworths' home today, confront the family with what we found. Will you come with me? I scent danger.'

He nodded. 'Ay. I'll come, if time allows.'

I felt a surge of relief. 'Thank you, Barak,' I said. He nodded gruffly, awkward as ever with praise. 'If we find Rich,' he said, 'you shouldn't let him know you're concerned particularly with the warehouse. He could have added it to his list to keep you clear of the place.'

'I know. That's why I got Skelly to add the names of a couple of cases that haven't been taken away. I'm going to ask Rich which ones he took away and observe how he reacts.'

'He may lie.'

'I know. He's good at dissembling, no lawyer does it better. And he's brutal enough to strike down anyone who gets in his way like a fly.' I bit my lip. It would take boldness to confront Richard Rich, privy councillor and, still, possible murderer.

'And if he satisfies you it wasn't him that took the warehouse out of your hands?'

'Then it was someone else. Either way, we go there today.' And if we found Greek Fire and Barak wanted to take it for Cromwell, I thought, what then? We were directly under the cathedral now, its great bulk shutting out the sky. 'Come,' I said, 'we can leave the horses at that inn.'