Free The Fabric of Murder (Mysteries of Georgian Norfolk Book 2) by William Savage Page B

business, stock and premises have already ended up in the hands of someone else. They’re to work on as if nothing had happened, it seems.’
    ‘There wouldn’t be time to obtain probate, surely.’
    ‘I wouldn’t know about that. All I could find out is that some person is already running the business just as before. I imagine the executors agreed. A going concern is worth a hell of a lot more than one that’s already closed down. Or one so beset with uncertainty no one will place orders.’
    ‘True enough, I suppose. I don’t imagine you found out who this new owner is going to be?’
    ‘Not for certain. But I did ‘ear a certain Mr. Callum Burford mentioned. He’s a master weaver, but in a much smaller scale of doing business than Bonneviot was. If ‘e’s going to be the owner, I’d like to know where he’s getting the money from.’ Brock paused. ‘There’s something else strange. I got good contacts amongst the bargees and wherrymen, as you well know, seein’ as ‘ow I owns a good few of their boats. Most of the cloth from around here goes to London, a good deal of it along the roads. The rest goes by boat to Yarmouth, then by ship into London.’
    Foxe interrupted. ’Is there no local trade?’
    ‘Nothing enough to keep all Norwich’s folk busy. Now, our trade has been in the hands of the London merchants for a good time. Not that some ‘aven’t tried to break free, but only a few seem to have managed it and then not for long.’
    ‘So lots of wagons, packhorse trains and the like along the London road and the rest to Yarmouth.’
    ‘Right. But Bonneviot, it seems, was one of those who ‘ated the London merchants most. He had to deal with them, but it stuck in ‘is throat. Well, for the past few months, ‘e’s sent almost nothing for London or anywhere else by boat. Can’t say about the roads, mind. But it seems peculiar. If it was all going by road, ‘e sold so much ‘e’d take a good many of the wagons and pack-horses just for ‘is own goods, with few left over for the other master weavers. It looks as if ’e was lettin’ finished goods pile up in ‘is warehouse. Now, what merchant does that unless ‘e ‘as no other choice?’
    ‘Good work, Brock. Now sit quiet and let me think a while.’ Foxe drank some more coffee, then leant back in his chair and closed his eyes. He remained like that, not moving, for a full five minutes at least. All at once he sat up, opened his eyes and turned to Brock in excitement.
    ‘Thanks to you, Brock, I can see I’ve been on the wrong track. I even suspect I’m wasting my time this morning with Mrs. Swan too. Still, I can’t disappoint my friend, so I’ll still need to go. I just hope it doesn’t cost me as much as I fear it may.’
    ‘Hope you know what you’re going on about,’ Brock growled. ‘Hell’s Teeth if I know.’
    ‘Brock. Forget the weavers and the foreman. The answer isn’t there. You can forget about the new buyer or owner or whatever as well. I’ll find his name from elsewhere. What I want you to do next is vital.’
    ‘What is it then?’
    ‘I need you to find a man who has been willing to kill someone for payment, Brock.’
    ‘Got someone you dislike, have you? Look, Foxe. You could find twenty or more men willing to do that if you paid them enough. Can’t you help me narrow it down a bit.’
    ‘Not someone who would kill, Brock, someone who has – and recently. Someone who seems to have more cash about him than he should. If I’m right, it won’t be the kind of person you or I would choose – assuming either of us would stoop so low. It has to be someone a stranger could find. Someone desperate and not too expensive. Someone others would give as a name if they didn’t want to get involved.’
    Brock thought a moment, then smiled. ‘McSwiggan. That’s your man I reckon.’
    ‘Why him, who ever he is.’
    ‘A nasty, verminous, mean, vicious, loud-mouthed shit is who ‘e is. Scotsman, so he says, but I