Raven Black by Ann Cleeves Read Free Book Online Page A

expecting the police to come to his house all morning and now he didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to think.
    'Sit down! It was the raven. It stuck its beak through the bars of the cage and repeated the words, running them into each other. 'Sitdownsitdownsitdownsit.'

    Magnus took an old jersey and threw it over the cage. He was afraid the interruption would make the policeman angry. But Perez seemed only amused. 'Did you teach it to do that? I didn't know ravens could speak.'
    'They're clever birds! Magnus could feel the smile appearing, could do nothing about it. He turned his head, hoping it would go away of its own free will.

    'Did you see the ravens down the hill this morning?'
    'They're always there; Magnus said.
    'There's been a death. A young girl!

    'Catherine! He couldn't help it. Like the daft grin, the words had come out despite his efforts to stop them.
    Tell them nothing his mother had said. Her last words to him when the two policemen came to take him into Lerwick all that time ago. You've done nothing, so tell them nothing.

    'How did you know she was dead, Magnus?' Perez was speaking very clearly and very slowly. 'How did you know it was Catherine who was on the hill?'
    Magnus shook his head. Tell them nothing.
    'Did you see what happened to her down there?
    Did you see how she died?'

    Magnus looked wildly around him.
    'Perhaps you saw the ravens and wondered what had disturbed them!
    'Yes; he said gratefully.
    'And you went out to look?'
    'Yes! Magnus nodded violently.
    'Why didn't you tell the police, Magnus?'
    'She was already dead. I couldn't have saved her! 'But the police should have been told!

    'There's no phone in the house. How could I tell you?'

    'One of your neighbours would have a phone. You could have asked them to call for you.'

    'They don't speak to me.'

    There was a silence. Underneath the jersey the raven scratched and scuffled.

    'When did you see her?' Perez asked. 'What time was it when you went down the hill to look?'

    'After the bairns had gone into school. I heard the bell as I left the house.' Magnus thought that was a clever answer.
    His mother wouldn't have minded him telling that.
    There was another pause while Perez wrote some words in a notebook. At last he looked up. 'How long have you lived here on your own, Magnus?'
    'Since my mother died.'
    'When was that?'

    Magnus tried to find an answer. How many years would it have been? He couldn't guess.

    'Agnes died too,' he said, so he wouldn't have to
    work out the number of years in his head.

    'Who was Agnes?'

    'She was my sister. She caught the whooping cough. It was more bad than anyone realized. She was ten.'
    He shut his mouth tight. It was none of the policeman's business.

    'It must have been lonely here, after your mother died.'
    Magnus didn't answer.
    'You'd be glad of some company.'
    Still he said nothing.
    'Catherine was a friend of yours, wasn't she?'

    'Yes,' Magnus said. 'A friend.'
    'You met her yesterday on the bus from town.' 'She'd been to a party.'
    'A party?' Perez said. 'All night? Are you sure?' Had she? That was right, wasn't it? Magnus had to think about it. He couldn't remember. She hadn't said much at all.

    'She looked tired,' he said. 'She'd stayed out all night. I think she said it was a party.'

    'How was she dressed?'

    'Not in fancy clothes,' Magnus admitted, 'but then they don't dress up much for going out these days.'

    'When you went out to look at her on the hill you'd have seen what she was wearing. Had she changed since you saw her yesterday?'
    'I don't think so.' Then he wondered if he should have given a different answer, if the question had been a trick. 'I remember the red scarf.'

    'Did she tell you where the party was?'

    'She didn't say. She didn't notice me then. Only later when we both got off the bus together.'
    'How did she seem?' Perez asked.
    'Tired, I said.'
    'But sad tired or happy tired?'

    'She came into the house,' Magnus said suddenly.
    'For tea.'

    There was