Blood on the Bones by Geraldine Evans Read Free Book Online

set.’
    ‘That's correct.’
    ‘Where is it kept?’
    ‘In the key cupboard in the back lobby.’
    ‘This key cupboard – I take it it's kept locked?’
    Mother Catherine looked surprised at his question. ‘No. Of course it's not kept locked. We only keep them all together in the cupboard so we know where to find them and where to replace them. We are all devout people here, inspector. We see no need to lock things away.’
    She paused and gave a faint smile as if she appreciated the irony of what she had just said and corrected herself. ‘Or perhaps, I should say, that the only things we lock away are ourselves and files containing information of a confidential nature. Why would anyone want to take the spare keys?’
    So they could gain access to the convent, he could have said. Such as when they needed a convenient time, when the sisters were otherwise occupied in the chapel, in order to bury a body. But the Mother Superior was an intelligent woman. She could work out the answer to her question herself once she had got past the difficulty of realising that not everyone with legitimate, regular and knowledgeable access to the convent was necessarily as trustworthy as they might appear.
    ‘I'd like to see this key cupboard, Mother,’ he said. It must be kept in an unobtrusive place, he thought. He hadn't noticed it in the back lobby as they had returned from the rear grounds and the scene of the crime.
    ‘Very well.’ She rose from her seat. ‘If you will follow me. Though I'm sure your implication is groundless. The spare key will still be where it is meant to be.’
    It wasn't. They all peered into the dark key cabinet in the little cubby-hole round the corner from the main part of the back lobby. The hook with the label above it saying 'spare keys', was empty.
    ‘But–’ Mother Catherine frowned as she stared at the empty key hook. ‘But how can this be? Where can the spare set have gone?’
    Where indeed? Rafferty was surprised that the key was missing. Or rather, he supposed, he was surprised that it was still missing. Given that the victim had certainly died some weeks earlier, whoever had taken it – presuming they were also the murderer – had had ample time to get a copy and replace the spare. So why hadn't the murderer done so as soon as he'd accomplished the interment of his victim?
    Rafferty noticed he was using the masculine pronoun. For the first time, he began to believe he might be right to do so. Before, he had believed that Father Kelly and Dr Peterson, although being regularly admitted to the convent because of their callings, had lacked easy access and had still to gain permission for entry, the same as any other would-be visitor. But if one of these two gentlemen had taken the spare keys, which both had had ample opportunity to do, they could now be said to have made a significant rise up the suspect list.
    Rafferty, Llewellyn and Mother Catherine all trooped silently back to her office, each appearing deep in thought.
    Shortly after their return, Mother Catherine rose. ‘Perhaps now you would prefer that I left you to look through the sisters’ files before you speak to each of them?’
    Rafferty nodded and thanked her. ‘And about an office for us?’
    She nodded and slipped a key off her ring. ‘You can use the office next to mine. It's seldom used.’ She handed him the key. ‘Should you need me for any reason, I will be in the chapel, with my sisters, communing with our Heavenly Father and praying that, in his Divine mercy, he will forgive the sins of His children.’
    Only the swish of her habit and the tiny click of the door closing behind him, told Rafferty that she had gone. He breathed out on a sigh of relief. He couldn't help it. In spite of Mother Catherine's ready explanation of their calling, nuns still spooked him. The whole place did.
    ‘Right, he said. ‘Let's shift ourselves next door and make a start.’ He handed half of the files to Llewellyn. Once they had