George Mann - The Affinity Bridge

Newbury shook his head, his face serious. It was obvious he didn't care for Stokes's dismissive tone. "What of the ship itself? What was it, and where was it bound?"

"The ship was named The Lady Armitage, and according to my charter it was bound for Dublin. It was a passenger-class vessel, the smallest size in the fleet, and appears to have been carrying around fifty individuals when it crashed."

"Fifty…" Veronica was appalled.

Newbury continued. "And what of your employers, Mr. Stokes?"

Stokes offered Newbury a black look. "I'm a representative of Chapman and Villiers Air Transportation Services, of Battersea. Mr. Chapman himself has engaged me to assess the situation here today and to act as his mouthpiece during the ongoing investigation. Any questions pertaining to the company can be directed at me. I am also the firm's legal representative."

Newbury glanced at Veronica, a sardonic expression on his face, and then turned his attention to Inspector Foulkes. "Do you know if Sir Charles will be attending the scene?"

"Not initially, sir. He has ceded responsibility for the case to me for the time being. He's still caught up in this damnable Whitechapel situation. They found another body this morning."

"Indeed. Miss Hobbes and I were present at the scene." He glanced back at Stokes, who was attempting to clean the dirt from his shoes by rubbing them on the grass. "Do we know how long it's been since the vessel came down?"

The other man didn't look up from his ministrations. "Witnesses are reporting seeing the vessel come down between ten and ten-thirty this morning." He emitted a 'tutting' sound as he continued to rub the side of his shoe on the wet grass, to no avail.

Newbury flushed red. "Damn it, man! Fifty people are dead! Show some decency and pay attention to the issue at hand."

Stokes ceased wiping his shoes and looked immediately flustered. He stammered something incoherent, which Newbury decided to take as an apology. Foulkes tried to cover his laughter at the man's expression with a loud cough.

Newbury met Foulkes's eyes. "I think the next logical step is for me to examine the wreckage."

"I'm sure that will be acceptable to Mr. Stokes." The Inspector shot the lawyer a sideways glance. "But I will warn you, Sir Maurice, it is a disturbing experience. I toured the remains of the vessel as soon as it was cool enough to go aboard, and I assure you, it's no place for a lady." He made a point of stressing these last few words.

Newbury was unperturbed. "I appreciate your candour, Inspector Foulkes. Of course, it's up to the lady to decide for herself. Allow me to consult with Miss Hobbes in private for a short while." With that he turned his back on the two men and drew Veronica to one side, under the shadow of the bandstand.

"Miss Hobbes. Veronica. I would not presume to ask you to follow me into the horror of this wreck. I did, after all, hire you to assist me in my academic pursuits, and not to risk life and limb clambering after me into the still smouldering carcass of a downed airship." He paused, giving his words time to sink in. "I'd be very happy if you preferred to wait for me here instead."

Veronica crossed her arms. "That's all very well, Sir Maurice, but what if you miss something fundamental? Surely a second pair of eyes would prove useful, especially when one considers the sheer size of the wreckage?"

Newbury smiled, trying to conceal his pleasure at her response. "Very good. Well, better pucker up that resolve, my dear. It's going to be dangerous, dirty and pretty horrific in there." He was about to move off when another thought occurred to him. "Oh, and hang on to that handkerchief too. I suspect the smell will be unbearable as we get closer."

Newbury returned to stand beside Inspector Foulkes. "Miss Hobbes intends to attend the scene alongside me."

Foulkes looked ready to object, before Newbury caught his eye. "I assure you I'll look after the lady's well being. Now, what's the best way into the wreck from here?"

Stokes answered. "The ship came down nose first, so the rear of the ship retains the bulk of its shape whilst the sub-frame at the front of the vessel has compacted, making it difficult to enter. I'd suggest you find your way around the left hand side," he indicated with a wave of his hand, "and enter through the main cabin door on the side of the gondola. I'm not sure what it is you're hoping to find in there, though, Sir Maurice. In truth it's nothing but a burnt-out husk."

Newbury shrugged. "I'll know it when I see it, no doubt. Thank you for your assistance, gentlemen. We shall return presently, before the light begins to wane." He turned and offered Veronica his arm.

Foulkes watched as the two Crown investigators, entirely incongruous in their formal attire, began making their way towards the huge, shattered structure on the park green, cautiously stepping around the still-smouldering piles of debris as they walked.

The wreck of The Lady Armitage was like the carcass of some ancient, primordial beast; the skein of rubber-coated fabric that served as the outer skin of the vessel now burnt and torn like peeling flesh. The sub-structure of iron girders jutted into the sky like broken ribs, blackened by the soot and heat and buckled from the impact. The engine housing, at the rear of the wreckage, looked relatively intact, although in truth it was hard to tell, as much of it was buried in the earth where the impact had driven it into the ground. The passenger gondola, usually situated underneath the belly of the ship, had been forced upwards and backwards, puncturing the underside of the vessel and contorting awkwardly where it came into contact with the iron struts of the interior frame. The whole thing was a terrible mess, and Newbury had to use every ounce of his experience to maintain a level head as he walked towards it.

Steam and smoke still rose from deep inside the wreckage. As Newbury and Veronica approached the misshapen outer door of the gondola, Newbury felt the need to warn his assistant once again of the dangers they may face inside. "Make sure you don't touch anything. It may still be hot from the fires. And watch out overhead, too; the wreck hasn't settled yet, and as the metal cools, fragments of the vessel may still collapse inwards, trapping us inside, or worse."

He covered his nose and mouth with the crook of his arm to stave off the terrible smell of death and burnt rubber. Veronica followed suit, once again holding Newbury's borrowed handkerchief to her face. The hem of her skirt was already thick with mud and soot where it trailed on the ground, her boots filthy with grime. She tried not to notice.

The door into the gondola had buckled badly. There was nothing but a blackened frame there now, where once there had obviously been an elaborate door and mechanism. Veronica peered inside, seeing nothing but darkness and iron girders. "Are you sure this is the best way in?"

"It looks like the only way in, as far as I can tell." He looked around, confirming his suspicions. "I wouldn't trust that man Stokes for a minute, but I can't fault his directions in this instance. Here, let me go first." Newbury tentatively put a hand on the outer rim of the door. "Still warm." He gripped it more firmly with both hands and swung himself through the twisted metal opening. Veronica watched him disappear inside.

"Oh well. For Queen and Country, I suppose." She grabbed the door frame and swung herself in behind him.

Inside, Veronica found it difficult to get a sense of the scale of the ship. She was standing in what she assumed had been the lobby, although now, with fire and structural damage, it was difficult to tell. The Lady Armitage may have been small by airship standards, but on the ground it was still an immense vessel, and the passenger gondola was equally well-proportioned. Newbury was making his way towards the compartments at the front of the gondola, if she had her bearings right. She watched him climbing over blackened furniture and the still-warm cinders of other unidentifiable objects. He turned back. "I'm off to try to find the pilot's control room. You take a look around. We'll meet up again shortly." She looked the other way, trying to see a path through the scene of destruction. "Oh, and Miss Hobbes?"