Read Online Unti Lucy Black Novel #3 by Brian McGilloway - Free Book Online

cut’s wider at the upper edge than the lower. My bet would be a hatchet or axe. To the head,” he concluded.

 
    Chapter Fourteen
    U SING THE MAGNIFYING glass, Kerrigan managed to retrieve the logo and batch number of the plate. The logo was the letter U with two snakes, one wrapped around each of the main letter’s uprights.
    â€œThat’s the symbol for doctors, isn’t it?” Lucy asked. “The serpents wrapped around something.”
    â€œNearly,” Kerrigan said. “You’re thinking of the caduceus, the staff of Hermes, the messenger of the gods, in Greek myth. The two snakes were entwined to represent peace. It’s often used as a symbol of medicine. God knows why, because there’s absolutely no connection between the two. Maybe it’s their way of saying, ‘Don’t blame us, we’re only the messengers,’ when you’re imparting bad news.” He chuckled softly at his own comment. “What they should actually use, which this company seem to have realized, is the staff of Asclepius, which has a single snake entwined around a staff. Asclepius was a Greek doctor about whom Homer wrote. The Greeks eventually worshipped him as the god of healing.”
    Lucy glanced at Caroline, who raised both eyebrows. Welcome to my world, she mouthed.
    Lucy smiled sympathetically. She was beginning to appreciate being partnered with Tom Fleming. There were days he barely spoke, but better that than being lectured to all day.
    â€œUSS stands for United Surgical Ser­vices,” Kerrigan said, angling the plate against the light as he examined it through the magnifier. “The batch number is—­” He glanced around to see that both Lucy and Fleming were standing watching him.
    â€œAre you planning on remembering it, or are you going to write it down?” he asked, looking from one to the other.
    â€œSorry,” Lucy said, pulling out her notebook.
    â€œSerial 8756943–132,” Kerrigan said. “They should be able to trace that to a batch and tell you where it went and when. After that, it will be up to you to identify the recipient.”
    L UCY DROPPED F LEMING home, then cut across to Tesco to get some groceries. The house was empty of food, a fact she’d realized when, the previous night, Dermot had made tea for her, Jenny, and Fiona and been able to provide a variety of biscuits with it. Lucy doubted if she’d have been able to provide sugar if someone had called to visit her unexpectedly. Or indeed, even tea. Then again, generally ­people didn’t visit her, unexpectedly or otherwise.
    She was making her way to the car, still debating with herself whether she’d been wise to buy two family-­size tubs of ice cream, when her phone rang. Initially, she thought it was work but, when she pulled it out, she did not recognize the number on the screen.
    â€œLucy?” A female voice.
    â€œYes?”
    â€œThis is Jenny. From across the street.”
    â€œHey, Jenny.”
    â€œLook, I’m really sorry about this. I told Fiona last night that we were planning on going swimming this evening if she wanted to come along. I wanted to make it sound casual, like we were already planning on doing it anyway, so as not to put her under too much pressure. The thing is, she’s said yes. I know you’ve probably other things on, so don’t worry of it doesn’t suit. I can tell her you had to cancel at the last minute, but I thought I’d check if you wanted to come? I understand if it doesn’t suit, honestly. I really appreciated you calling over. I know it was a bit, you know . . .” she gabbled nervously.
    Lucy hefted the bag of frozen food to her free hand. The idea of going swimming with two strangers didn’t appeal to her, but she didn’t want to not help Jenny either. Plus, if she didn’t go, she’d end up sitting in the house, alone, eating ice cream. She could,