ECHOES OF THEDEADA DCI Monika Paniatowski MysterySally Spencer
Recent Titles by Sally Spencer from Severn House
THE BUTCHER BEYOND
DANGEROUS GAMES
THE DARK LADY
DEAD ON CUE
DEATH OF A CAVE DWELLER
DEATH OF AN INNOCENT
A DEATH LEFT HANGING
DEATH WATCH
DYING IN THE DARK
A DYING FALL
THE ENEMY WITHIN
FATAL QUEST
GOLDEN MILE TO MURDER
A LONG TIME DEAD
MURDER AT SWANNS LAKE
THE PARADISE JOB
THE RED HERRING
THE SALTON KILLINGS
SINS OF THE FATHERS
STONE KILLER
THE WITCH MAKER
The Monika Paniatowski Mysteries
THE DEAD HAND OF HISTORY
THE RING OF DEATH
ECHOES OF THE DEAD
This first world edition published 2010
in Great Britain and in 2011 in the USA by
SEVERN HOUSE PUBLISHERS LTD of
915 High Street, Sutton, Surrey, England, SM1 1DF.
Trade paperback edition first published
in Great Britain and the USA 2011 by
SEVERN HOUSE PUBLISHERS LTD.
Copyright 2010 by Alan Rustage.
All rights reserved.
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Spencer, Sally.
Echoes of the dead.
1. Paniatowski, Monika (Fictitious character) Fiction.
2. Woodend, Charlie (Fictitious character) Fiction.
3. Police England Fiction. 4. Detective and mystery stories.
I. Title
823.914-dc22
ISBN-13: 978-0-7278-6980-7 (cased)
ISBN-13: 978-1-84751-307-6 (trade paper)
ISBN-13: 978-1-78010-0050 (e-book)
Except where actual historical events and characters are being
described for the storyline of this novel, all situations in this
publication are fictitious and any resemblance to living persons
is purely coincidental.
This ebook produced by
Palimpsest Book Production Limited,
Falkirk, Stirlingshire
ONE
M onika Paniatowski had only ever had one bad experience with a priest, but that had been more than enough to make her wary of them as a breed, and the moment she saw Father OBrien sitting in the cosy corner of George Baxters office, her stomach lurched.
Priests had no business visiting chief constables, she told herself, in an attempt to rationalize what was beyond rationalization.
Priests and chief constables inhabited different worlds worlds which rarely touched.
But they must be touching now, mustnt they, Monika? asked a mocking voice somewhere in the back of her mind. The very fact that this priest is here at all must mean theyre bloody near colliding!
Baxter stood up he was always a gentleman, even in the presence of his minions and said, Ah, Chief Inspector Paniatowski! Would you care to join us?
No, Paniatowski thought, I wouldnt.
But she crossed the room, and sat down in the armchair opposite her boss, anyway.
Baxter ran his hand through his shock of sandy hair something he always did when he was nervous.
This is Father OBrien, he said. He turned his attention back to the priest. Tell the chief inspector what you told me, Father.
May I smoke? OBrien asked.
Baxter glanced involuntarily down at the almost over-spilling ashtray in front of the priest, smiled, and said, Of course, Father.
As the priest lit up, Paniatowski took the opportunity to study him. He was around forty-five, she guessed. His black clerical shirt was stained grey with the ash of innumerable cigarettes, and though he had shaved that morning, he had done so either hurriedly or distractedly.
He was a man who would always try to do the right thing in every situation, she decided, but he was not a strong man a confident man and if other priests were available, she suspected his parishioners would much prefer to take their problems to them.
The priest cleared his throat. Yesterday, I administered the last rites to a man called Frederick Howerd, he said.
He paused, as if expecting Paniatowski to react in some way.
The case was before our time, Monika, George Baxter explained. Howerd served twenty-two years for the rape and murder of a young girl. He was only finally released because he was dying.
Paniatowski nodded, as if she understood though she didnt.
Just before he died, he told me that he was not guilty of the crime, OBrien said portentously.
Paniatowski shrugged uneasily. Thats not at all unusual, she said. Ive known men who killed their victims in front of half a dozen witnesses, but who still refused right to the end to admit that they did it.
When you say right to the end, you mean right to the end of their trials, dont you? the priest asked.
Yes, Paniatowski agreed.
But not to the end of their lives, the priest said, with emphasis. Are you a member of the Faith, Chief Inspector?
I dont see what that has to do with anything, Paniatowski replied, suddenly defensive.
Frederick Howerd knew he was dying, the priest said slowly. There can be absolutely no doubt about it.
Paniatowski shrugged again. Ill accept that, she conceded.
And he knew more, the priest continued. He knew that if he died in a state of mortal sin, he would burn in the everlasting pit forever. That is why you can be certain that what he told me was the truth.
Paniatowski felt a tingling which Charlie Woodend her mentor, the man she most admired in the whole world would have called a gut feeling. She was treading on dangerous ground, she warned herself, and though she had no idea why that ground should be dangerous, it would be best to get clear of it as soon as possible.
Surely, whatever he told you under the seal of confession should be absolutely confidential, she said.
So you are a believer, the priest countered.
Paniatowski shook her head.
But sometimes she was! Sometimes, despite herself, she was.
I have struggled long and hard with the knowledge I have been entrusted with, the priest told her. And I have finally decided that since what Fred Howerd confessed to me was that he had not committed a sin, I am not bound by the seal.
Paniatowskis already queasy stomach did another somersault. This was going to be bad she just knew it was.
Even if he was innocent, therell be no proof of that not after twenty-two years, she said, realizing how desperate she sounded and wondering why she sounded so desperate. And if mistakes were made, theres nothing you can do about it now.
No mistake was made, the priest said heavily. It was all very deliberate. Fred Howerd was fitted up.
The last two words fell uncomfortably from his lips.
As if they were not natural to him.
As if he had made a conscious effort to speak to the police in their own language.
Its twenty-two years, Paniatowski repeated. The officers responsible are probably dead by now. And the same will be true of the real murderer, for Gods sake! That is, if it really wasnt Howerd who did it.
Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, the priest said sternly.
Im sorry, I didnt mean to offend you, Paniatowski said contritely.
It is not I you have offended, OBrien told her.
Paniatowski turned to Baxter looking for support, waiting for him to tell the troublesome priest that he was on a hiding to nothing.
The chief constable gazed back at her, with eyes that were filled with pain.
And the pain was for
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