Scorched Heart (The Firebrand Series Book 4), Helen Harper [free ereaders .txt] 📗

Barchapel felt interminable, although it was still early so at least the roads were quiet. We pulled up in front of the small crematorium shortly before dawn, just as the birds were stirring and streaks of light appeared over the distant hills on the horizon. It was a brand new day.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t imbued with sunny optimism. The only good thing was that DCI Boateng had come through. A dark-suited man was waiting for us inside the crematorium lobby. As soon as Lukas and I opened the door, he put down his mug of coffee and sprang to his feet.

‘I’m DC Emma Bellamy,’ I said. ‘And this is Lord Lukas Horvath.’

‘Alistair Finch.’ He shook my hand and smiled awkwardly at Lukas. ‘I’ve been expecting you. I have to say that this is the first time I’ve had an urgent cremation to perform.’

I was far from willing to explain why; the less Mr Finch knew, the better. For his sake. ‘Well,’ I said, ‘I appreciate the early start.’

He inclined his head. ‘Is it because he’s a vampire?’ he blurted out suddenly.

My eyes narrowed.

‘I’ve heard,’ Finch continued, ‘that vampires are usually cremated within twenty-four hours of their passing.’ He nodded at Lukas. ‘And he’s a vampire so…’

Lukas growled, ‘Let’s just get on with it, shall we?’

Finch blanched. ‘This way,’ he said. ‘I’ll get things set up. Do you have any words you want to say before the cremation? A prayer, perhaps?’

‘No,’ Lukas and I answered in unison.

Finch glanced from me to Lukas and back again. ‘Very well,’ he said stiffly.

Our motley trio of vampire Lord, phoenix detective and corpse on wheels trailed after Finch deeper inside the crematorium. I glanced towards the door. Boateng was supposed to be sending someone to witness the cremation. As yet, we were the only ones in the building.

‘I should call Boateng,’ I muttered to Lukas.

Finch turned his head. ‘Once you’re beyond the lobby, your phone won’t work. We block incoming signals – we’ve found it’s the best way to avoid funeral services from being interrupted by inappropriate ringtones.’

‘We should go ahead without the witness,’ Lukas said.

‘We’re burning the body of a murderer who was killed by a police officer less than twenty-four hours ago. We need an official witness in case questions are asked later.’

Lukas rolled his eyes. ‘Human bureaucracy is idiotic.’

‘It’s there for a reason.’ I slid out my phone. ‘I’ll nip outside and see what Boateng has to say. You need to stay here.’ I gestured towards Lazarus’s shrouded body. ‘You know, just in case…’

Lukas nodded.

‘Just in case what?’ Finch asked.

I decided to leave Lukas to answer that question. ‘I’ll meet you back here shortly,’ I said hastily. Then I skedaddled out of the building.

‘I was about to call you,’ Boateng said, answering on the first ring. ‘I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news.’

My muscles tensed in preparation. ‘What is it?’

‘I’ve finally managed to get some information from the hospital. They’ve confirmed that the photo we have of Lazarus matches a patient who they’ve been treating for lung cancer called Derek Bentley.’

Okay.

‘The thing is, Emma,’ Boateng said, hedging every word, ‘hospital admissions told me that on Friday night Derek Bentley was an in-patient. He checked in at three o’clock in the afternoon for routine overnight treatment and monitoring, and didn’t check himself out until the following morning. When he was supposedly murdering Patrick Lacey in Barchapel, he was also in a London hospital receiving chemotherapy.’

I blinked several times. ‘He was setting himself up with an alibi,’ I said. ‘He was admitted into hospital then he sneaked out and made his way to Barchapel to kill Patrick Lacey and…’

‘No,’ Boateng interrupted. ‘I spoke to one of the nurses who attended him through the night. He was never alone for more than thirty minutes. They checked on him repeatedly. There is no way that Lazarus murdered Patrick Lacey.’

‘That’s not possible.’

‘I’m afraid it’s true.’

Bile rose in my mouth. There was someone else; God in heaven, there was another one.

‘Deal with the cremation,’ Boateng advised, ‘then get here to the police station. Now we know about Lazarus, it can’t be that hard to find his companion. And where we find his companion, we’ll find that bugbear.’

‘We need an independent witness before the cremation can go ahead,’ I reminded him.

‘I’ve already dispatched two officers and a local solicitor. They should be arriving shortly.’

‘Good.’ I nodded. ‘I’ll meet you at the station as soon as I’m done here.’

I’d only just ended the call when a car appeared, its wheels crunching on the gravel as it pulled into the small car park. The door opened and PC Rothsay clambered out, blinking eagerly. ‘Hey! DCI Boateng told me to come and witness the cremation?’ He phrased it as a question so I nodded in agreement.

‘There’s a solicitor and another officer on their way too,’ I told him. ‘Thank you for coming at such an early hour.’

Rothsay smiled amiably. ‘It’s my job.’ He reached inside the car and took out a takeaway cup. ‘I thought you might want some coffee before we got started.’

I exhaled. ‘You’re a godsend.’

He grinned at me. ‘I do my best.’ He passed over the coffee. I gently laid my crossbow down by my feet and immediately took a sip. It was lukewarm, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t very welcome. I smacked my lips. ‘Amazing,’ I said. I took a larger gulp. ‘You can head inside, if you want. I’ll wait here for the others to arrive.’

Rothsay glanced towards the crematorium door. ‘Who else is in there?’

‘Lukas and the director of the crematorium.’

He licked his lips. ‘I’ll wait out here.’

‘He’s not dangerous,’ I said flatly.

‘Who?’

‘Lukas. Lord Horvath. I know he’s a vampire, and I know that’s intimidating, but he’s a good guy.’

‘Uh huh.’

I sighed. Apparently, it was going to take more than my word to sway PC Rothsay.

‘It is pretty incredible what you did together,’ he conceded. ‘Genuinely incredible. You saved Miranda James and her kid. Who would have thought that an old man like that could be