Read Online The Thieves' Labyrinth (Albert Newsome 3) by James McCreet - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: James McCreet
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has been in the river some time, it might be the hull of a boat, a ferry platform, something on the riverbed . . .’
‘Or the weapon that killed him?’
‘I think not. The cheekbone is not broken so the force was not colossal.’
‘And this ragged area about his left shoulder? That does not look like a blow.’
‘I will come to that in just a moment. If you are seeking the cause of death, however, I rather suspect it was the blow to the back of his head here.’ The doctor indicated a shaved
area of discoloured scalp. ‘The scull is quite shattered beneath the skin.’
‘I see. What of those minor abrasions about the wound? He has them also on his elbows and knees.’
‘My guess would be that they are the result of the body churning along the gravel of the riverbed for some time, abrading through his clothes in those bony places. I pulled a good many
fragments out of the wounds.’
‘How long do you think he was in the water?’
‘Based on the numerous suicides I see, I would guess no more than two or three days. The cold water has preserved the body if anything.’
‘Is there any way to tell whether that blow to his head occurred before or after he went into the water?’
‘I am afraid not, Inspector Newsome – only that he did not inhale river water.’
‘Well, the chain tells us he probably did not slip and fall, hitting his head as he toppled into the river. Somebody wanted him not to be found.’
‘It seems the most likely conclusion. I did, however, find something exceptionally curious in that wound on the shoulder. It is rather inconsistent with the other injuries.’
‘Yes?’
The surgeon went over to a stone basin and returned with a small metal bowl, which he held out for examination.
‘What do you make of that, Mr Newsome?’
‘My G—! Did you find that in the body?’
‘In the shoulder, as I say. I had to dig it out of the flesh.’
‘Is it really what it appears to be?’
‘Indeed – it is an exceptionally large mammalian tooth. An incisor, most probably, though I could not say from what animal.’
‘A very big one, it would seem.’
‘Certainly. And not one indigenous to the river or its environs either. It is like no fish tooth I have ever seen.’
‘Could this have happened prior to the body going into the water?’
‘That is even more curious. There was some sand inside the wound beneath the tooth. It may have worked its way in there, of course, but it suggests the tooth went into the body after the body had been submerged and washed about the river. I might even venture that the body was washed up on a bank during low tide and attacked there as carrion.’
‘This is most interesting, doctor. What manner of beast could do that?’
‘I cannot say. Certainly none that seems native to the city. Of course, there are stories among the mudlarks of “beasts”, but they are simple people and prone to
idiocy.’
‘Is that right – the mudlarks? I may look into it further. In the meantime, I wonder if you can tell me anything of the man’s profession?’
‘From his naked body alone? I am a doctor, not a necromancer. I would expect his clothes to tell more about that story. Have you not examined them?’
‘I have, but a man may wear any clothes he likes – or be dressed in them by another. You raise your eyebrows, doctor, but such things are part of my experience. Let us look at his
hands, for example: no calluses upon the palms and no oakum or tar beneath the nails. That tells us he was not a common seaman. Likewise, there are no fresh cuts or abrasions on the fingers, which
reinforces the assumption he was no mere river labourer. As for the feet, they are also relatively free of calluses or misshapen toes, meaning . . .’
‘He wore good boots.’
‘Precisely. He was wearing them when found, but the body tells us they were his own.’
‘What else did his garments tell you, Inspector?’
‘The pea coat is indicative of a mariner, it is true
‘Or the weapon that killed him?’
‘I think not. The cheekbone is not broken so the force was not colossal.’
‘And this ragged area about his left shoulder? That does not look like a blow.’
‘I will come to that in just a moment. If you are seeking the cause of death, however, I rather suspect it was the blow to the back of his head here.’ The doctor indicated a shaved
area of discoloured scalp. ‘The scull is quite shattered beneath the skin.’
‘I see. What of those minor abrasions about the wound? He has them also on his elbows and knees.’
‘My guess would be that they are the result of the body churning along the gravel of the riverbed for some time, abrading through his clothes in those bony places. I pulled a good many
fragments out of the wounds.’
‘How long do you think he was in the water?’
‘Based on the numerous suicides I see, I would guess no more than two or three days. The cold water has preserved the body if anything.’
‘Is there any way to tell whether that blow to his head occurred before or after he went into the water?’
‘I am afraid not, Inspector Newsome – only that he did not inhale river water.’
‘Well, the chain tells us he probably did not slip and fall, hitting his head as he toppled into the river. Somebody wanted him not to be found.’
‘It seems the most likely conclusion. I did, however, find something exceptionally curious in that wound on the shoulder. It is rather inconsistent with the other injuries.’
‘Yes?’
The surgeon went over to a stone basin and returned with a small metal bowl, which he held out for examination.
‘What do you make of that, Mr Newsome?’
‘My G—! Did you find that in the body?’
‘In the shoulder, as I say. I had to dig it out of the flesh.’
‘Is it really what it appears to be?’
‘Indeed – it is an exceptionally large mammalian tooth. An incisor, most probably, though I could not say from what animal.’
‘A very big one, it would seem.’
‘Certainly. And not one indigenous to the river or its environs either. It is like no fish tooth I have ever seen.’
‘Could this have happened prior to the body going into the water?’
‘That is even more curious. There was some sand inside the wound beneath the tooth. It may have worked its way in there, of course, but it suggests the tooth went into the body after the body had been submerged and washed about the river. I might even venture that the body was washed up on a bank during low tide and attacked there as carrion.’
‘This is most interesting, doctor. What manner of beast could do that?’
‘I cannot say. Certainly none that seems native to the city. Of course, there are stories among the mudlarks of “beasts”, but they are simple people and prone to
idiocy.’
‘Is that right – the mudlarks? I may look into it further. In the meantime, I wonder if you can tell me anything of the man’s profession?’
‘From his naked body alone? I am a doctor, not a necromancer. I would expect his clothes to tell more about that story. Have you not examined them?’
‘I have, but a man may wear any clothes he likes – or be dressed in them by another. You raise your eyebrows, doctor, but such things are part of my experience. Let us look at his
hands, for example: no calluses upon the palms and no oakum or tar beneath the nails. That tells us he was not a common seaman. Likewise, there are no fresh cuts or abrasions on the fingers, which
reinforces the assumption he was no mere river labourer. As for the feet, they are also relatively free of calluses or misshapen toes, meaning . . .’
‘He wore good boots.’
‘Precisely. He was wearing them when found, but the body tells us they were his own.’
‘What else did his garments tell you, Inspector?’
‘The pea coat is indicative of a mariner, it is true
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