Read The Evil That Men Do.(Inspector Faro Mystery No.11) for Free Online

am sure this will put your mind at rest when Wiseman gives you details of the magnitude of my brother’s illness.’ Then, to Vince: ‘Although we can heartily commend Dr Laurie’s integrity and need for absolute truth and scrupulous accuracy, the result was unfortunately a little ill timed without being in full possession of the true facts leading to my brother’s death.’
    His thin-lipped smile and slight bow in Vince’s direction contained, Faro thought, not a little barely concealed resentment.
    ‘Since Mr Cedric was consulting Dr Wiseman, why was he not called upon to sign the death certificate?’ Vince demanded sharply.
    Theodore sighed. ‘He was. But unfortunately for us, as he was at a family wedding in Ireland and neither available nor immediately accessible, it seemed the most natural thing in the world that Dr Laurie, as our family physician, should perform this merely routine task—’
    ‘If you had thought to inform me, sir—’ Vince began desperately, and turning to his partner, ‘Or you, Adrian,’ he added accusingly.
    Theodore spread his hands wide. ‘Gentlemen, gentlemen. What’s done is done. No one is to blame.’
    Pausing he glanced at the clock significantly and then addressed Vince and Faro. ‘There is much to do. I am sure you will both appreciate that this is a difficult time for us.’
    As they rose to leave, accompanied by Adrian, Theodore added: ‘I’m sure we can rely on your discretion not to make the unhappy circumstances of my brother’s death more painful for us than is absolutely necessary. And now we have important family business matters to discuss. Our lawyer Mr Moulton will be arriving shortly. Perhaps you will excuse us?’
    In the hall an elderly man, white haired, bearded, his slightly built frame exuding an air of authority, was handing his cape and tall hat to Gimmond. Faro’s first thought was that he was an undertaker by the solemnity of his attire.
    ‘Good day to you, Dr Langweil,’ he addressed Adrian. ‘Permit me to take this opportunity to express the sincere condolences of our establishment on the sad loss of your brother, and indeed to all the family. Such empty places—’
    Adrian cut short the threatened eulogy, which promised to be lengthy, with a bow. ‘Thank you, Mr Moulton. I believe Theodore is awaiting you in the drawing room.’
    The lawyer’s manner seemed to crumple. ‘Oh, indeed,’ he said nervously. ‘If you will excuse me, gentlemen,’ he added and walked quickly upstairs.
    ‘What a bore the man is,’ whispered Adrian, catching up with Faro and Vince who had reached the front door. ‘We used to call him Old Mouldy when we were children. His documents are even wordier than he is.’ Then taking Vince’s arm, he said: ‘If only you’d mentioned your suspicions to me, I could have cleared up all this unfortunate business at once.’
    ‘I doubt that,’ was Vince’s sharp reply.
    ‘For heaven’s sake, I had no idea that was what was in your mind when you wouldn’t sign the death certificate. I thought, fool that I was, that it was because you regarded it as not right and proper - since you were - almost - one of the family—’
     
    And so Cedric Langweil’s body was interred in the family vault at Greyfriars Kirk with all the pomp and splendour attributable to a high-ranking citizen. It was one of the largest funerals Edinburgh had ever witnessed and brought crowds of sightseers into the High Street. St Giles was tightly packed and the funeral oration, conducted by Reverend Stephen Aynsley, as cousin of the deceased, told of ‘a grave illness courageously borne and kept secret from all but the members of his own family’.
    While all this was happening in the public eye, Cedric Langweil’s main organs were being subjected to the Marsh Test for arsenic, carried out in the police laboratory at Surgeons’ Hall.
    Vince awaited the results with some apprehension, finding himself in a now totally unenviable position, made to