At the Dying of the Year Read Online Free

dark.’
    â€˜People are going to know about this, John,’ Nottingham said thoughtfully. ‘Those workers at the pits won’t keep quiet.’
    â€˜The mayor won’t, either.’ Sedgwick noted wryly. ‘Happen he’ll trust you more than me, boss.’
    â€˜No, he won’t.’ He paused. ‘All he’ll want is someone on the gallows for this. We’d better find whoever did it quickly.’
    â€˜How, boss?’
    â€˜We need to talk to the children who are out there.’ He waved beyond the window. ‘They’re the ones who might know.’ He paused. ‘Jesus.’ He slammed his fist down on the desk.
    â€˜It’s a market day tomorrow, there’ll be children all over looking for scraps.’
    The Constable was silent for a long time. ‘I’ll go and talk to them,’ he said finally. ‘I’ve been away for months, half of them won’t even know my face.’ He gave a sour grin. ‘And like this, walking with a stick, I’m not going to scare them.’
    The deputy nodded. He knew how Nottingham had lived when he was young. The boss understood, he’d be able to talk to the children who hovered like spectres around Leeds, the ones who kept their own counsel and their own company. Perhaps he’d be able to gain their trust, to draw out the words from them and learn what they needed.
    â€˜We’ll find him, boss.’
    â€˜I hope so,’ he replied with a sigh. ‘It’s too late for those in there, though.’ He let the words hang for a moment. ‘And any before them. Have they looked in the other bell pits?’
    â€˜I don’t know.’
    â€˜Find the workmen who were at the Cloth Hall and ask them,’ Nottingham ordered briskly. ‘I want to know why they were working on this pit. Anything you can find out. And have them check the other pits. If there are more children we need to find them.’
    â€˜I will.’
    â€˜I’m going back to tell the mayor before he hears it from anyone else.’
    After an hour Lister gave up on sleep. From the start he’d known it would be pointless, a fight against fate. Every single one of the faces burned fiercely in his mind. As soon as he closed his eyes he was back in the bell pit, seeing the legs and the darkness, the smell pressing against his face as if it would suffocate him.
    He pushed off the blanket. There were still hours before he could meet Emily at the dame school where she taught. If he couldn’t rest he might as well do something worthwhile.
    The Constable had just returned to the jail, easing himself down into the chair behind the desk as Rob arrived.
    â€˜I thought you’d be back, lad,’ he said. ‘Couldn’t sleep?’
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜Keep seeing them, don’t you?’
    â€˜Yes,’ Rob answered simply, and poured some of the ale. ‘What can I do, boss?’
    Nottingham sat back and thought. ‘Mr Sedgwick’s gone to the Cloth Hall to see if there’s anyone in the other pits. Go and join him, then I want the pair of you out asking questions. Talk to all your sources,’ he said, his voice dark and weary. ‘I daresay the whole city knows about this by now. We find the killer quickly.’ He raised an eyebrow. ‘The mayor’s orders, as if we bloody needed them.’
    The workmen were lowering ladders into two more of the pits. The deputy stood with his hands on his hips, waiting as the first of the labourers climbed down, candles in their hands.
    â€˜Nothing yet?’ Lister asked.
    â€˜No,’ he answered without turning his head. ‘Better hope there isn’t, either.’ They stood in silence until the first man emerged. Rob felt his body tense until the man shook his head, then realized he’d been holding his breath.
    The other pit was empty, too. Sedgwick worked his jaw slowly and started to walk away.
    â€˜What are you