Kevin Ashman - Mortuus Virgo

When they had finished, the high Priestess handed Rubria the cushion, this time laden with her old clothing and topped with her shorn golden locks. They left her alone in the cell for a few minutes, a beautiful vision in white, until once again the voice of the Pontifex Maximus boomed out.

‘Acolyte, you are summoned!’

This time, after taking a deep breath, Rubria stepped forward and left the cell, carrying the remnants of her old life before her and walked towards the roaring flames of the fires of Vesta.

London 2010

‘What do you mean, not working for the police?’ asked India, half trotting to keep up with Brandon as they walked through the morning light to the car, ‘You said you were a Detective Inspector.’

‘I lied.’

‘Why?’

He turned and spoke over the bonnet.

‘I bent the truth,’ he said, ‘I am working with the police, not for the police.’

‘Now you’re not making any sense,’ she said, opening her door, ‘You were with the police by the library, that constable brought me to you.’

‘Ah yes, Wendy. She’s the one who tipped me off about you and the necklace.’

‘Is that legal?’

‘Well it’s not very professional but in my game, it pays to have a lot of, shall we say, inside contacts.’

‘And what exactly is your game?’

‘I suppose you could call it private investigation,’ he said, ‘But a bit more complicated. You wouldn’t understand.’

‘Try me.’

‘Look,’ he said, ‘On occasion, shit happens! Usually our great police force can sort it out but occasionally, something happens that is beyond their means and they call in certain agencies that have the skills to delve deeper.’

‘Like MI5 you mean?’

‘No, not really, they are too engrossed in national security.’

‘MI6?’

‘Pen pushers!’

‘SAS then, they can do anything.’

‘Hairy arsed soldiers with no subtlety,’ he said dismissively, ‘That leaves people like me. Someone who can use the infrastructure of the government to find out things that certain people would rather keep out of the public eye, who by the way, are happy to pay handsomely for our services.

‘And these investigations, I suppose they are out of the ordinary?’

‘Usually, and quite often impossible to solve. Think of this assignment as mission impossible,’ he smiled,’ And I’m your Tom Cruise.’

‘Oh for God’s sake,’ she mumbled and climbed in to the car.

Two hours later India was back outside the library sat in the Land Rover. The fire brigade had long gone and a couple of council workers were putting up some temporary fencing. They had stopped off at her flat for he to pack a small case, and, after leaving a message on her mothers phone to look after the cat, had rejoined Brandon in his car. Within half an hour, she found herself outside the library once more.

‘So what now?’ she asked.

‘Right!’ he said, ‘First of all we need that necklace; you said it’s in the safe right?’

‘Yes, I put it there myself.’

‘Do you keep much money in the safe?’

‘No, why?’

‘If you did then the chances are the council would have had it removed. If it’s used for small change then it’s probably still in there.’

‘And you want me to get it.’

‘That’s the plan.’

‘What about him?’ she asked pointing at the lone police officer standing guard on the steps, waiting for a locksmith to arrive.

‘Leave him to me!’

‘You’re not going to kill him are you?’

‘Nothing quite so dramatic, I’m afraid, I was thinking more of using this.’ He flashed his warrant card.

‘Oh!’ She said. A few minutes later they stood in the foyer of the library, having been allowed through the broken front door by the police officer.

‘The office is over here,’ she said, wading through the wet aftermath of the blaze. ‘Looks like the fire brigade caused more damage than the actual fire.’

‘Where’s the safe?’ he asked.

‘Under Jenny’s desk, this one over here,’ she said crouching down, ‘Shit!’

‘What’s the matter?’

‘She looked up from her position on the floor.

‘Someone’s beaten us to it.’

He stooped down and saw the door wrenched open, the guilty crowbar still lying on the floor.

‘What sort of stupid safe is that?’ he asked angrily.

‘The sort needed for a petty cash tin and a purchase card,’ she said, ‘It’s a library not a bloody bank.’

‘Point taken!’ he said, standing up, ‘This necklace, you had a close look at it right?’

‘Briefly, but I don’t know what all the fuss is about, it was worthless, and certainly not worth dying for.’

‘You sure?’

‘Yes.’

‘How?’

‘Look,’ she answered. ‘This is all very exciting, but can we do this somewhere else? We have conned our way into a crime scene that stinks like a bonfire, close to where someone was murdered. I am not exactly comfortable here.’

‘Okay,’ he said, ‘We’ll go to my place.’

‘I’m not sure that’s a good idea,’ she said.

‘Why not?’

‘Well for one I only just met you,’ she said, ‘For all I know you could be a mad axe murderer and luring me back to your lair.’

‘It’s hardly a lair,’ he laughed, ‘Why don’t you reserve judgement? It’s about ten minutes away.’

‘Probably a slick bachelor pad full of Ikea furniture and Barry White albums,’ she mumbled.

It was nearer twenty minutes when they stood outside Brandon’s home. The car had been parked in the double garage next to the jet-ski and they had both crunched across the Cotswold gravel driveway to stand in front of the cottage.

‘You have got to be fucking joking!’ she said, staring in awe at the chocolate box scene before her. The cottage was made of white painted stone, with deep set leaded windows framed by swathes of climbing ivy. The sweeping roof was thatched and a heavy oak door sat snugly inside a porch covered with the obligatory roses.

‘I’m in the wrong job,’ she mumbled.

‘Yes, it’s a bit of a cliche really,’ he said, ‘Not really my scene but Mrs Walker loves it!’

She span around.

‘Mrs Walker?’

‘Yes, come on I can hear her out the back, let me introduce you.’ He strode off around the side of the beautiful house, passing rows of carefully manicured flower pots. After a second, India ran after him and grabbed his arm.

‘Wait a minute,’ she hissed, ‘You never said you were married, What’s your wife going to think about you bringing another woman home first thing in the morning?’

‘Ask her yourself,’ he said, ‘But do me a favour, could you curb the language a bit?’

‘ Language’ she said in astonishment, ‘I’ll show you fuc….’

‘Ahem!’ interrupted a voice and she spun around to face the person obviously standing behind her. The woman stood before her in a heavy duffel coat and green Wellington boots, holding a bucket half full of chicken feed.

‘Hello dear,’ she said sweetly, ‘Nice to meet you, my name is Agnes, Brandon’s mother!’

India and Agnes sat in the farmhouse kitchen drinking coffee as if they had known each other for years. Brandon had disappeared into the depths of the cottage.

So!’ said Agnes, ‘It’s not often he brings a lady home, what’s the occasion, I don’t suppose there is any good news on the horizon is there?’

India paused for a moment before realising what she meant.

‘Oh no,’ she gasped, ‘Nothing like that, Mrs Walker, we are not….. I mean…… Brandon and I are work colleagues.’

‘Oh I see,’ said the woman, ‘Never mind, early days yet.’