Retribution - A Dish served Cold

Chapter Fifteen

John and David walked along the town's back streets in silence.

David said nothing for a time, but his eyes never left John's back as he walked at a fast pace. "You can at least tell me where we're going."

John shook his head. "Why?"

"It'll give me some idea of how far I have to walk in these shoes."

John stopped and grinned as he gave David's shoes the once over. "How much did they cost?"

"One-hundred and ninety pounds. Made to measure."

John fixed David with a stare. "My leather shoes cost ten, which is a lot of money. You have two choices, take your shoes off or keep moving."

"You lead, and I'll follow."

John increased the length of his stride.

Thirty minutes later, the church and its graveyard were half a mile ahead. Eventually, John crossed the road, entered the site, and made a beeline for the mausoleum.

"I know this place," said David gasping for breath. He made a show of checking the time. "The church owns it.

"Great observation, considering there's a church less than fifty yards away."

David shook his head. "I intended to buy and develop the site, but when I discovered that before you can start building, you have to pay for an archaeological survey, a bat study and some weird thing to do with newts, I changed my mind. It wasn't worth the aggravation."

"Lucky for us, you didn't. Watch your step. There are rabbit holes everywhere. Step in one, and you'll snap your ankle." John deliberately led David through the long wet grass.

David trailed behind, complaining the grass was ruining his shoes. "How much further?"

John laughed as he pointed. "The mausoleum."

"Care to tell me why?"

"You'll find out soon enough.

John took a deep breath at the entrance to the mausoleum and unlocked the two padlocks. "Welcome to my secret. I've overalls for you in my bag. Whether you wear them is up to you, but you'll ruin your suit if you don't. Get your arse in here. I need to close the door."

John opened his bag and tossed a pair of blue overalls at David. He pointed. "Stand over there while I lift the metal cover on the floor."

David's eyes scanned the walls. "I don't see any coat hooks?"

"Give me your coat." John laughed as he shoved it like a used rag into his bag. "Those who usually stay here lie on their backs in coffins with their arms crossed. I doubt if they ever needed a coat hook." From his holdall, he removed two hand and head torches.

"Okay, follow me." John dropped into the undercroft and moved out of the way. "Come on. We are here to work; it's not a guided tour."

David sat on the edge of the entrance hole and warily lowered his body until his feet touched the ground. He ducked under the rim and sidled towards where John stood upright.

"You might be able to see better if you turned your torch on."

"I'm not used to crawling around underground."

John shrugged. "Get used to it because if you agree to my proposition, your team will be working in this drain for hours."

John watched David inch his way through the undercroft, and their progress was slow. He was breathing hard, and the torch shook in his hand.