When Murder Comes Home

Prologue

Prologue

The wind howled, its sound almost guttural. Dark grey clouds gathered over the inky sky, adding their sombre presence to the full-moon night.

Hadn’t they always talked about creatures who woke up during a full moon?

The wind had picked up speed, almost pushing him back a step or two.

He wasn’t sure if he’d ever make it. Maybe seeking shelter might be the right choice.

His life or the diamonds?

Remember, he warned himself, he’d taken an oath for the King. The diamonds…

He laid a hand over his heart. Was it to make sure it still palpitated?

He knew they’d be there. Those tiny shining crystals that neither he nor his ancestors could together afford. He’d tucked them against his heart when he’d vowed to his king, ‘Je les protégerai de ma vie.’ (I’ll protect them with my life.)

The skin over his heart felt the friction of the soft pouch the diamonds sat in. His hands though – when he looked down at them, he could feel not a thing.

His fingers were frozen from the cold. His teeth were on the cusp of chattering.

Oh Lord, how would he survive the night?

The wind pushed him a few steps to the right. It was angry.

The full moon shone its sinister white light on the lone figure of a short, slight man, too ill-equipped for the weather.

He walked up a steep hill, on a muddy road, hunched against the brutal wind, his hand on his still warm heart, and hope in his heart – a wish – that no highwayman would chance upon him.

How far was Calais? Another day’s journey perhaps – at least that’s what he’d been told.

Yes, he was to hand off the diamonds to a man at Calais the next night. Oh, how relieved he’d be then. Only now, he was exhausted – he had travelled so far!

He groaned, giving in to his spasming muscles. His legs quaked; he stood on sheer loyalty to his King and continued.

The wind still assaulted him, the strange howl of an unnatural beast surrounded him and the night turned heavy with thick mist.

Oh, how calm the night; no strong wind or the roar of a beast to shatter the earthly peace.

The coastal town was tranquil, fast asleep now.

A light, cold breeze danced through his hair. Anchored boats bobbed on the quay.

All the short, bone-thin man could do was wait.

His body jerked and halted, petrified, as a thick hand landed on his mouth; the other held a lethal knife to his throat.

‘Diamants!’ a gruff voice demanded.

The knife’s razor-sharp edge glinted under a steady moonbeam.

The man’s bony hands shook violently, but he somehow managed to remove a piece of paper from his pocket.

Another hard hand grasped the crumpled note. How many men had his captor brought along?

‘Ah,’ the accomplice grunted.

That must have been a cue, because everything immediately turned on its head.

It was quick. The mortal knife disappeared and in its place appeared a deadly hand. It clenched around the man’s neck.

He knew something had gone wrong – vitally wrong. The King’s diamonds would be lost and so would his life.

Another shudder; he felt the chill of fear run tremors through his body.

The soft brown bag that had been his companion for the last fortnight left the side of his heart.

Gone – the diamonds were gone.

A loud splash followed the weedy man as he crashed into the freezing water – silvery water, as cold as the dead.