A Quiet Death Read Online Free

days later, we read in the papers that Simms had been visiting the bridge and had been hit by a falling girder. He had died instantly.'
    He was silent for a moment before continuing, his eyes welling with tears as he spoke. 'We expected Charlie and Mary for supper that night and when they didn't appear, my wife was alarmed and sent me to the office next morning. I was informed that Charlie had failed to show up. I went to their home, but they weren't there. Everything put away neat and tidy, but no papers, nothing personal, not even their wedding photograph.'
    He shook his head. 'I didn't want to alarm the wife, she's in poor health as I told you. It was just as if they had gone off on holiday and hadn't told us. I wish to God that had been the way of it. Three days later, the police came and said my laddie's body had been washed up at the Ferry.'
    'What about his wife, Mary?'
    McGowan looked at him slowly, shook his head. 'She's never been seen again. We've been in touch with her folks, we've notified the police, but it's as if she's vanished from the face of the earth.' He paused. 'I fear the worst. She's been done away with too.'
    'Come now, Mr McGowan, let's not be too hasty in jumping to conclusions.'
    The policeman in Faro hinted that if murder was involved then it was more likely that young McGowan had done away with his wife and committed suicide, the familiar pattern of the crime passionel .
    As if he read Faro's thoughts, McGowan leaped to his feet. 'Hasty, is it? My son was a good Catholic, human life was sacred to him. His own and anyone else's. As for Simms, the way I look at it, his accident was arranged too, like my laddie's. They both died because of what Simms had found out. And Wilfred Deane murdered them.'
    It was a shocking story. Though exaggerated by McGowan's despair, Faro wondered if there might be some grain of truth in it.
    'You can easily find out if I'm speaking the truth, Inspector, the police at Dundee have all the details.'
    Faro nodded vigorously. 'I will certainly do that. You have my word, Mr McGowan.' And as a shrill whistle indicated the arrival of the Perth train. 'Not that I don't believe you,' he added hastily, 'rather that I do and I want to help you if I possibly can. Let me have your address.' Watching McGowan scribble it on a piece of paper. Faro said: 'I will do this on one condition only.'
    'And what is that, Inspector? I have very little money.'
    'I don't want your money. Only your solemn promise that you will refrain from molesting Wilfred Deane any further. For if you are arrested and charged, it will be a serious offence and I cannot guarantee to help you. Do you understand?'
    McGowan smiled and held out his hand. 'I give you my word, the solemn oath of a Highland gentleman. I swear to God that I will never again take the law into my own hands regarding Wilfred Deane. I leave it to the Almighty—and you, sir, to deliver him to justice.'
    As Faro emerged on to the platform, McGowan saluted him; 'I will take my leave by the side gate,' he whispered. 'I would rather not encounter the station-master alone.' And as the Perth train steamed in: 'I can never thank you enough, Inspector. You have given me new hope.'
    Searching the platform with one last despairing glance for Vince, Faro nodded briefly and boarded the train. Settling back in his seat, he realised that McGowan's fearful story had put him in the right state of mind to conjure up a whole volume of sinister reasons for his stepson's non-arrival.
    Vince was always so reliable. Why then had he failed to meet the train?
    The guard had already waved his flag when a young lad came panting along the platform yelling: 'Mr Faro? Mr Faro?' Faro leaned out of the carriage. 'Over here.' The train was gathering steam. 'I have a message for you. From Dundee,' he shouted breathlessly, thrusting a piece of paper into Faro's hand. 'There's been an accident.'

Chapter 3
     
    There was no possibility of leaving the train now.
    Faro sank back