Read The Monk Who Vanished for Free Online Page B

roof where you are you might see his house. It is the sixth house along the main street there. I know the man and have traded with him.’ His hand went absently to the silver brooch at his shoulder. ‘I am sure he cannot be involved in this matter.’
    Fidelma glanced along the street to the house which the tanist had indicated.
    ‘Well, it does not need answers from him to see what happened,’ Gionga cut in. ‘The assassins saw that this flat roof offered a strategic point from which to shoot at Donennach. They realised it was a store house; found a ladder and climbed up to await the arrival of my Prince. They thought they could get away in the confusion.’
    He turned to look at the land at the back of the building.
    ‘They could easily have escaped into the copse behind. Why-’ his face lightened - ‘I will wager that is where we will find their horses tethered, waiting.’
    He made to leave as if to prove his suggestion.
    ‘One moment.’ Fidelma stayed him with a quiet command.
    She was examining the distance between the roof and the spot where Colgú and Donennach had been struck Her eyes narrowed.
    ‘Well, I will tell you one thing about our archer,’ she said grimly.
    Gionga frowned but did not say anything.
    ‘He was not a good archer.’
    ‘Why so?’ asked the Uí Fidgente warrior, reluctantly.
    ‘Because from this point and distance it would have been hard to
have missed his target twice in succession. He could well have missed the first time but certainly not the second time when the target was stationary.’
    She stood up and, taking the arrows with her, she went down the ladder with Gionga following. Her cousin was waiting for them at the bottom.
    ‘Did you hear Gionga’s suggestion about horses?’ she asked.
    ‘I did,’ Donndubhain affirmed non-committally. Fidelma received the impression that he did not think much of Gionga’s ideas.
    They moved towards the small copse of trees. There was no sign of any horses tethered.
    ‘Perhaps they had another accomplice?’ Gionga hazarded, trying to hide his disappointment. ‘He saw his companions struck down and fled, taking the horses with him.’
    ‘Perhaps,’ agreed Fidelma, her eyes examining the track on the far side of the copse. There were too many signs of horses and wagons there to draw any firm conclusions.
    Gionga stood scowling about him as if hoping to see the horses suddenly emerge from thin air.
    ‘What now?’ asked Donndubhain, hiding his satisfaction that the Uí Fidgente warrior had been proved wrong.
    ‘Now,’ sighed Fidelma, ‘we will go to Brother Conchobar’s apothecary and examine the bodies of these assassins.’
     
    The elderly Brother Conchobar was waiting for them at the door. He stood aside as Fidelma approached with Donndubhain and Gionga behind her.
    ‘I was expecting you, Fidelma.’ He grimaced wryly. ‘And didn’t I warn you that no good would come of this day?’
    Overhearing this, Gionga snapped: ‘What do you mean by that, you old goat? Are you saying that you had prior warning of this deed?’
    Donndubháin reached out and put a warning hand on Gionga’s arm, for the warrior had seized the old man roughly by his shoulder.
    ‘Leave him alone. He is an old man and a faithful servant of Cashel,’ he said sharply.
    ‘He does not deserve to be treated thus,’ added Fidelma. ‘He saw evil in the patterns of the stars, that is all.’
    Gionga dropped his hand in disgust. ‘An astrologer?’ He exploded a small breath against half-open lips in an expression matching the sneer in his voice.
    The old monk readjusted his crumpled clothing with grave dignity.
    ‘Have the two bodies been brought safely to you?’ asked Fidelma.
    ‘I have removed their clothing and laid them on the table but, as you instructed, I have not touched either of them.’
    ‘When we are finished, if we have not identified them, you may wash the bodies and wrap them in shrouds but where you will measure their graves I know