Daisy and Bernard (The Blind Sleuth Mysteries 3)

Chapter 14

Stirring his coffee, Bernard said, "I have some momentous news for you, darling. Good news and bad news."

"All right. Start with the good news then; that's always what I want to hear first."

"Well, we've had an answer from the Crown Prosecution Service. They are not pressing any charges against you for the death of Robert Parker in 1967."

"Good. That's a relief. And what's the bad news?"

"I'm not supposed to tell you this, but it concerns you directly: Jonathan has killed a man again..."

Daisy took a sip of her coffee, apparently undisturbed. "Thank you for telling me, Bernard, but I'm already aware of that. Very distressing news, of course..."

"I beg your pardon? How do you know? It happened only a couple of days ago, and it hasn't been in the papers yet."

"I can't read the papers, Bernard. But the rumour on the street is that a panhandler named 'old Paul' has disappeared, and his friends believe that Jonathan has killed him. So they beat him up very badly, but he survived. Now he's making good money as a beggar because he looks awful."

"The rumour on the street? I'd be interested to know who exactly your informer is. The police would like to talk to him—or her—very much."

"Well, I can't tell you that, Bernard. It's just a friend of mine who happens to know a lot of people on the street, so I asked him to report to me about Jonathan, if he could get any news... But please tell me what happened. Did the police find the body?"

"Yes, crushed under a hydraulic lift, in a small neighbourhood garage... But now you please tell me: who is this 'old Paul'? The Metropolitan Police still have no idea of the victim's identity."

"Well, that I can disclose. The story on the street is that old Paul used to be a bookmaker. So I phoned Victor Hadley, who told me that this must be Paul McKenzie, indeed an old colleague of his, who lost an eye in a barroom brawl, and an arm in an accident on a building site. Does it ring a bell?"

"That's him exactly. And Jonathan has been badly beaten up, you say? Don't tell me you've been in touch with him yourself."

"No, Bernard. I don't know where he is. But on the other hand, he knows exactly where I am... He can find me anytime he wants to."

"True. Could he hurt you? Do you feel threatened?"

"No. Don't worry. I can handle my own son."

"Good. But I still think that you should let me talk to your informer. Jonathan has now become a serial killer: time is of the essence!"

Daisy's answer sounded a little tetchy. "Look, my friend only gave me some news of my son on the understanding that I wouldn't disclose his identity to the police. Otherwise he would not be giving me any information at all. So be grateful for what I'm telling you and use the intelligence well, Bernard."

"All right, all right! Now if you'll excuse me for a moment, I have to make an important phone call..."

Bernard propelled himself to the back of the café, whipped out a badge, and was immediately escorted into a backroom by a waiter.

Daisy shook her head slightly and thought, "On the phone with New Scotland Yard, no doubt. Once a cop, always a cop."

She was feeling uneasy, and she knew exactly why. When Bernard had called her to set the time and place where they would meet up, he'd also told her that her second deposition had been delivered by the transcriber. Her "confession" about Cedric's death. She would have to read it and sign it at his place that very same day. It was like having an appointment at the dentist's for a root-canal filling or something. It put a damper on your whole day; made you feel like you'd rather have stayed in bed that morning.