The Careless Word (#8 - The Craig Crime Series) Read Online Free Page B

but decided on a well-worn bluff. “Aye.” The word implied knowledge without the need to elaborate.
    “It means that either they were after more than one person who was in the shop, or there was something in the shop that they wanted to destroy as well. They were after both man and thing.”
    Craig’s assertion was greeted with a sceptical snort.
    “Who kills for a pile of old books? A mad librarian?”
    Craig gave a small smile. “I know it sounds unlikely, but books can be very valuable, Liam. There was one sold in the ’90s for thirty million dollars; a 15th Century Da Vinci Codex. Collectors will pay a lot.”
    Liam gave a low whistle. “More money than sense.”
    Craig continued his train of thought. “Maybe they would even pay to stop a book falling into someone else’s hands.” He considered for a moment and then shrugged. “This is all speculation until Davy and Des give us more.”
    Craig took the single step down from Papyrus’ doorway and began to move slowly around the room, stopping occasionally to peer at some small pile at his feet. Liam did the same without any idea what he was looking for, holding his nose to block out the smell of burnt wood and flesh.
    Suddenly a shape appeared from the gloom at the back of the shop. Liam stepped back quickly, his hand reaching instinctively for his gun. Craig waved him down. The shape was a light-green suited bomb disposal officer, searching for the final remnants of whatever had caused the blast.
    “Thanks for agreeing to meet us.” Craig noted the man’s rank and added. “Captain…?”
    “Smith. But it’s Kenneth, Ken, please.”
    Smith shook Craig’s hand then removed the mask obscuring his face. The face that appeared was in its early thirties; its grin said that the man found something amusing. He nodded towards Liam, making his blond fringe flop across his brow.
    “Your mate’s a bit jumpy, isn’t he?”
    Craig smiled and introduced Liam, adding. “He’s seen a few too many bombs in his time.”
    Smith grinned again and shook Liam’s hand. “Veteran of the Troubles, then. Brilliant experience for bomb disposal. I missed all that.”
    Liam gave a wry smile. “Your miss was your mercy, lad. They were grim times.” He nodded towards the back of the room. “Bomb planted back there, was it?”
    Smith nodded enthusiastically. “Yes. It packed quite a punch. Simple design; basic Semtex and a timer. For some reason they used an old pocket watch for that; it’s pretty bashed up but it did the trick. Anyone nearby was a goner.”
    Craig interjected. “One man wasn’t.”
    Smith nodded. “Yes, we’re not quite sure how Delaney escaped. “ He kicked some shards of wood at his feet. “The bookshelves might have saved him, we’re not sure yet. My boss is trying to get hold of the floor plan to work out the logistics.”
    “So are we.” Craig glanced around the shop. “Can you talk us through what you’ve got so far?”
    Smith nodded eagerly and walked towards the front door. “Give me a minute to get out of this clobber and I’ll be with you.”
    One minute later he re-appeared, clad in khaki trousers and T-shirt. He was lean and fit with the year round tan of the well-travelled; although in Smith’s case Craig was certain he’d holidayed in Iraq and Afghanistan, not Barbados and the South of France. Smith’s blond hair was as long as regulations would allow and Craig could just make-out a small hole in his earlobe, where an earring was worn on his days off. He smiled to himself, knowing the young officer was just his younger sister’s type, not that Lucia was ever likely to meet him.
    “Right then.”
    Smith’s crisp English tones focused them on their task and they walked slowly towards the back of the shop. He hunkered down, pointing at a pile of glass and dust beside the back wall, close to what was left of a small doorway. Craig joined him while Liam decided to take their word for it. Hunkering down with his bad back might