Beggarly folk sought refuge there at night. But the dilapidated house held a secret, for beneath the floor lay the lifeless body of Molly McQuin.
In The Pitcher Inn, they were singing, laughing and gambling when suddenly the door crashed open. Sergeant Forester slammed his baton on a table and the bar fell silent. Constable Solomon stood a pace behind.
“Last night Molly McQuin was bludgeoned to death in the alley behind this very hostelry. Her shoe and blood were discovered there. For sure, somebody witnessed this dastardly crime. Did you sir?”
“Nay Sergeant”
“Or thee?”
“No”.
“Landlord, what of you?”
“I did not Sergeant”.
Constable Solomon stared menacingly at Patrick Postlethwaite who placed his flagon for fear his shaking hands might spill his ale, for ’twas he who’d witnessed the Copper battering poor Molly McQuin to death then dragging her away.
“Tell and you’ll be next” the Constable had forewarned him.
But rumours spread as rumours do and fearing he’d been found out, Constable Solomon fled.
One year later Patrick Postlethwaite saw a down-and-out begging for bread and beer. Despite his tattered clothes, grimy face and unkempt hair he looked vaguely familiar. The ragamuffin drew back his coat a touch to reveal a glinting steel blade.
Patrick Postlethwaite dropped a shilling at his side then scurried away.
.
Thanks to Donna for hosting. The photo is courtesy of David Meredith.
Love this take, very cleverly done 🙂
I had enormous fun writing it, I’m pleased you liked it Angie
intriguing!
Thanks Reena.
Horrors! I wasn’t sure who’d hissed, though. The Sargent hissed at Patrick, right?
It was the dastardly Constable Solomon Christine. I’ll pop back and clarify it!
Can a copper be both a constable and a sergeant over there? (Get mixed up with this word, spelled it wrong in my first comment.)
Copper is a slang term for a policeman of any rank here Christine.
Crooked coppers seem to be all too common. Unfortunate.
Sad but true. There’s certainly been a few!
Dastardly…love that word! Well done, Keith.
Me too! Thanks Donna.
They think they can get away with anything, and find out the hard way sometimes that they can’t. Well told!
Exactly! Thanks Mimi
Truly great tale. One of your best 😀
Wow, thank you, Graham!
Oy, yey, I don’t like that Copper (in any incarnation) very much at all!
Poor lady-under-the-floor!
Well done!
Na’ama
He’s a bad penny that’s for sure! Cherrs Na’ama
Yeah. Not my kind’a penny!
What a thing to witness. Now he has to watch for this copper for the rest of their lives.
Exactly so. Thanks Tessa.