Badger's Moon (17 page)

‘I will not change my views.’

‘I do not ask that. I am simply going to work on the hypothesis that it was you that Brocc saw. You see, Brocc was not the only person abroad on this hillside that night who will be called to witness.’

Brother Dangila regarded her with a stony expression. ‘Let that witness also come forward and make identification. If so, we may drop this game of hypothesis for I was told that a Brehon only went by what was a proven fact.’

‘Let us say that I am speculating. I also speculate that your defence would be that you were merely looking at the stars out of your interest in such matters.’

‘As you please.’

Fidelma turned in seriousness towards him. ‘Then let me add this warning, Brother Dangila. If my speculation is found to be false in any point then I can become as a bolt of lightning striking a tall oak. No matter how tall the oak, lightning can be a powerful force. I think you understand me.’

‘You have made it clear, Fidelma of Cashel. You are a woman of firm belief and courage. I admire you for it.’

Fidelma was about ask why Brother Dangila had been in Accobrán’s wagon when there was a sudden cry from the edge of the woods. The next moment, a horse bearing Accobrán, sword in hand, came bounding out of the trees. A second horseman was following close behind. Eadulf was maintaining his seat with difficulty.

Brother Dangila sprang up. To Fidelma’s surprise, the tall Aksumite made to place himself before her in a protective attitude, ready to defend her from the attack.

‘Wait!’ cried Fidelma, grabbing hold of Brother Dangila’s hand in which a sharp throwing knife had appeared. Then she shouted to the oncoming tanist. ‘Put up your sword! Stop, I say!’

Accobrán drew rein, slid from his mount and stood, sword still in hand, ready to threaten Dangila. Eadulf came to a halt beside him and half tumbled, half dismounted from his own horse.

‘What does this mean, Accobrán?’

‘Are you all right, lady?’ demanded the tanist.

‘Of course I am,’ replied Fidelma in annoyance. ‘What are you doing threatening Brother Dangila with your sword? Sheathe it, I say. I am in no danger.’

Accobrán’s eyes were filled with suspicion.

‘How long have you been here with Brother Dangila?’ demanded the tanist, still not obeying.

Fidelma shook her head. ‘Long enough to have a talk.’ She glanced at Eadulf, who had recovered his composure and now came to her. ‘Eadulf, can you explain this behaviour, since Accobrán will not?’

Eadulf had relief etched into every feature of his face as he grasped her hand.

‘We were worried for your safety…’

‘Why? I do not understand. Did I not tell you that I would be safe?’

‘Lesren has been found…’ Eadulf hesitated as if trying to find the right words.

‘Been found? For God’s sake, explain!’

It was Accobrán who finally answered. ‘Lesren the tanner was found a short time ago. His throat has been cut.’

After Brother Dangila had been escorted back to the abbey, Fidelma accompanied Eadulf and Accobrán to the tannery of Lesren by the banks of the river. It was Eadulf who cynically pointed out that Fidelma might have come on Brother Dangila after he had killed Lesren. The hill overlooking the abbey was but a half-hour’s walk from the tannery where Lesren’s body had been discovered.

‘I do not discount any fact, Eadulf,’ Fidelma replied, ‘but why on earth would Brother Dangila want to kill Lesren?’

Eadulf opened his mouth and then, as he thought about the question, shut it.

‘The death of Lesren would be a significant development,’ Fidelma said, after a pause.

‘I do not understand, lady.’ Accobrán was frowning.

‘If the killing of Lesren is part of this pattern of killings, then we must reconsider our popular theory.’

Seeing their incomprehension, Fidelma motioned to the blue autumnal sky above them.

‘When was the body found?’ she asked.

‘A little after midday.’

‘And when was Lesren last seen?’

‘Just after the noon meal and…oh.’ Eadulf cut himself short and then sighed. He flushed in embarrassment. ‘His death could not be ascribed to any lunatic killing. It is out of sequence with the killings at the full moon.’

‘Exactly so.’

Eadulf suddenly hit his balled fist into the cupped palm of his other hand as a thought struck him. He forgot he was on horseback and the horse shied nervously as the movement tugged on the reins. He struggled to bring the animal under control.

Fidelma regarded him with amusement.

‘Gabrán! The boy had good reason for killing Lesren. There is the possibility that, after our visit this morning, Gabrán might have been so angry that he went to have it out with Lesren.’

The thought had already occurred to Fidelma. The boy had certainly been angry that Lesren was still accusing him of the death of Beccnat.

Accobrán seemed impressed. ‘I think Brother Eadulf’s suggestion is worthy of investigation.’

‘Certainly, nothing should be discounted,’ Fidelma said. ‘But we know that Lesren’s accusation was false, so Lesren’s death is not part of the pattern of killing.’

‘I suppose that motive can be ascribed to Fínmed as well,’ sighed Eadulf as he thought more about the matter. ‘All three, Goll, Fínmed and Gabrán, felt an anger and hatred towards Lesren which might be a motive for this crime.’

‘On the other hand, there may be no connection with any of these matters at all,’ Fidelma reminded him. ‘We must consider this development very carefully. But, as yet, I have heard no details at all. You have still to tell me how you came by the knowledge of Lesren’s death.’

It was Accobrán who explained. ‘After we left you, we had just returned to the fortress when one of Lesren’s workers came to find me. It was he who reported the matter. So we rode to check whether it was true. Lesren’s body was at the edge of the woods just behind the tannery. Seeing that we could do nothing further for the man. thinking that you might be in danger, we came straight away to find you.’

‘And the man who found the body?’

‘We left him looking after it and rendering what comfort he could to Bébháil, Lesren’s wife.’

They had joined the road which stretched along the riverbank and came once again to the collection of wooden buildings that constituted the tannery of Lesren. The drying hides were still stretched on the frames about the buildings but there was no sign now of anyone working at the framing or the dyeing.

‘Where is the body?’ Fidelma demanded, as they halted outside Lesren’s
bothán
, and dismounted.

Accobrán indicated the edge of the wood. Even before he spoke, a man appeared from the cover of the trees and waved to them.

‘That is Tómma. Lesren’s assistant. It is he who reported the death and he whom we left looking after it,’ the tanist explained, waving back to the man.

‘Am I to presume that Tómma left the body unattended when he came to tell you at the fortress?’

‘He told us that he and Creoda had discovered it and then he called Bébháil. She said she would stay with the body while Tómma came to the fortress to find me.’

They left the horses hitched to the rail outside the main building and Accobrán led the way towards the waiting man.

‘Where is Bébháil?’ asked Fidelma, glancing quickly around. There was no sign of the woman. Accobrán shrugged by way of reply.

As they neared Tómma, Fidelma saw that Lesren’s body was lying on its back by the edge of the trees. It was stretched out in repose as if waiting for burial. In fact, it was clear that someone had carefully laid Lesren’s body out on the grass, straightening the limbs and folding the arms across the chest. Indeed, as Fidelma peered closer she realised that the corpse had already been washed.

Fidelma suppressed a hiss of irritation. She knew that clues could have been destroyed in the process. She glanced angrily at the man who stood there.

‘Did you do this?’ She indicated the body and then, realising that her question was open to misinterpretation, she added: ‘Did you lay the body out and wash the limbs?’

Tómma was a man of about the same age as Lesren but with curly black hair. He looked surprised at her question and shook his head rapidly.

‘Not I, Sister. It was Bébháil who did this.’

‘You should have stopped her,’ admonished Eadulf, who realised what was passing through Fidelma’s mind. ‘Where is she now?’

‘Resting in the
bothán
,’ Tómma replied. ‘The woman was in shock and it would be pointless to rebuke her for ministering to her dead husband.’

‘You were right to treat her gently, Tómma, but this makes my task the more difficult,’ Fidelma said with a tightness in her voice which showed that she was still annoyed. She bent down and began to examine the corpse. There was little she could tell at first glance.

‘Do you recall how the body was lying when you first came upon it, Tómma?’ she asked. ‘And how did he die? In fact, what were the circumstances of your finding his body?’

The man shuffled his feet uneasily. ‘It was just after midday. There was only drying to be done and Lesren had sent most of the other workers back to their homes. That was the last time I saw him alive, Sister. I went home but I was to return this afternoon to help Lesren and Creoda take the bigger skins down from the frames—’

‘Creoda? What is his position?’

‘He is one of the young workers at the tannery. I called at his cabin on my return here, so we came together. Lesren was nowhere to be found and so I went to his
bothán
. Bébháil was there but said she had not seen her man since the midday meal. Creoda and I went looking around to see if we could find him.’

‘And you did?’

‘We found him.’

‘And he was dead?’

Tómma hesitated and looked unhappy. ‘Not quite.’

Fidelma raised her head to look squarely at him. ‘You mean that he was alive?’

‘He was dying and delirious.’

‘Did he say anything?’

The man hesitated again. ‘He was muttering something. All I heard was the name Biobhal.’

Fidelma frowned. ‘Biobhal? Not Bébháil? Was he asking for his wife?’

‘He was not. The name was clearly Biobhal. I remarked on that to Creoda, for Lesren died while uttering it. I know of no one by that strange name.’

‘Where is this Creoda, by the way?’

‘He returned to his
bothán
.’ Tómma paused and gestured apologetically. ‘Creoda is barely eighteen years old and lives nearby. I suppose with what has happened he was naturally fearful, and…’

‘No matter. We will see Creoda later. Where may we find him?’

Tómma indicated with his hand. ‘Westward, along the river track. His
bothán
lies back in the trees about twenty-five yards from the river. If you head in that direction, you can’t miss it.’

‘Very well. Now, where was Lesren lying when you found him?’

‘He was just here by these trees. He was lying there but in a more untidy fashion. The legs spread out, one under his body. The arms stretched out – so.’ He demonstrated with his own arms.

‘And, when he had muttered this name that you say you do not recognise, you knew that he had then died?’

The man considered for a moment. ‘I was fairly sure. Blood was everywhere. Creoda had run off. So I went to fetch Bébháil. She told me to run to the fortress.’

‘When did she start to clean the body?’

It was Eadulf who answered Fidelma. ‘When we left Tómma and Bébháil, she had not begun.’

The assistant tanner nodded. ‘Liag told her that she could do so after the tanist and this brother had ridden off to bring you here.’

Fidelma was genuinely startled. ‘Liag the apothecary? Was he here? How does he come into this drama?’

She glanced at Eadulf and Accobrán but their astonished looks gave the answer to her question. Liag’s arrival was news to them.

‘As soon as the Saxon brother and our tanist had left, Liag came out of the woods and examined Lesren,’ explained Tómma. ‘He instructed Bébháil to begin the funereal ministrations.’

Fidelma almost cursed the apothecary under her breath. ‘And she did so?’

‘As you can see.’

‘You do not know when Liag arrived here?’

Tómma shrugged. ‘All I know is that I was here alone with Bébháil when he appeared from that woodland path and that was after the tanist and the Saxon brother had left.’

Fidelma found herself having to undo the clothing of the corpse in order to make her examination. It became obvious that Lesren had been stabbed several times, judging from the wounds about the neck and chest. The jagged wounds spoke of a frenzied attack with a blunt knife. The wounds were not the clean cuts which one might expect from a hunting knife or – the thought came unbidden into her mind – a physician’s scalpel. Lesren had been stabbed twice in the back of the neck, once in the throat and once in the chest.

She stood up and shook her head slowly. It was useless trying to learn anything further from the corpse. Fidelma gave only a cursory glance around but it was obvious that there were no signs of the discarded weapon or any other significant item, and too much movement had taken place after Lesren’s death for there to be any meaningful clues.

‘Let us find Bébháil,’ she said. ‘You’d best stay here, Tómma. Make sure that no one does anything further with this corpse until I say so.’

When they were out of earshot of Tómma, Accobrán moved to her side and said with quiet vehemence: ‘Upon reflection, there are only a couple of real suspects in this case. I think I should go to apprehend them.’

Fidelma glanced at him, knowing what was in his mind but wishing him to make his thoughts clear. ‘Who may these suspects be?’

The tanist gestured in impatience. ‘As we have already discussed, lady. Who but Goll or his son Gabrán? Having heard how Lesren still accused Gabrán, and the hurtful contempt in which he held that family, I know what I would do if I was filled with youthful pride and anger.’

‘What you might do does not mean that someone else has done it.’

‘I believe the killer of Lesren will be found at the woodcutter’s homestead.’

‘You may well be right, Accobrán,’ agreed Fidelma. ‘However, I shall conduct my investigation in my own way, adhering to the priorities that I have set.’

They found Bébháil sitting in a chair before her hearth. She looked up, dry-eyed but with pinched, strained features, as they entered. Then she turned her gaze back to the embers of the fire.

‘It is sorrowful to me to be in life after Lesren has departed from this world,’ she muttered.

Her voice was wooden, without feeling. Fidelma glanced at her companions and motioned, them to withdraw, for she felt it best if she talked to the widow by herself. When they had done so, she seated herself opposite the woman.

‘Bébháil, I am sorry to ask these questions, but if we are to find the killer of Lesren, then they must be asked. When did you last see your husband?’

The woman stared at her for some time as if not recognising her. It took several times of asking before she formed a proper answer. Lesren had had his midday meal and gone outside to continue his work. Some time later, Bébháil did not know how long, Tómma had called to say he and Creoda were looking for Lesren. They had gone off to search. Then Tómma had returned with the news of their discovery. She had stayed with the body while Tómma had gone to find Becc or Accobrán at Rath Raithlen.

Fidelma listened intently as the woman confirmed Tómma’s account.

‘Where was Liag during this time?’ she asked quickly.

Bébháil blinked. ‘The apothecary?’

‘He was here, wasn’t he?’ pressed Fidelma.

‘He came after the tanist had ridden off with your Saxon companion.’

‘How was that?’

‘Tómma and I were with the body when Liag suddenly emerged from the woods nearby. There is a small footpath that comes through the woods near where Lesren was found.’

‘Where does the footpath lead?’

‘Up to Rath Raithlen, to the fortress.’

‘Did Liag seem surprised to see the body?’

‘Surprised?’ The woman frowned and gave a quick shake of her head. ‘Liag never expresses surprise.’

‘What did he do?’

‘He examined Lesren and said that he was dead. Then he told me that I ought to lay out the body before the limbs grew cold. That I should prepare the body for the funereal rites.’

Fidelma’s lips thinned. ‘So it was on the specific instructions of Liag that you washed and prepared the body?’

‘It was.’

Fidelma wondered what had motivated Liag. Had he purposely set out to destroy evidence or had he done so from ignorance? She tried to put the questions to the back of her mind because there would be no answers until she spoke to Liag.

‘During the time between Lesren’s leaving the
bothán
and the finding of the body, did you hear or see anything unusual?’

Bébháil shook her head. ‘I knew nothing until Tómma called me.’

‘You were not aware of anyone else here or around the tannery during this time?’

‘No one.’

‘Have you any idea who might have done this?’