Free The Atlas Murders by John Molloy

department
would be the most suitable.”
    “How long do you think it
would take before I could join the Rangoon?”
    “My conservative estimation,”
she wrinkled up her nose and upper lip and looked up at the corniced ceiling as
if in calculated concentration, “I’d say really pushing it, two to three weeks.”
    “That’s pretty good.”
    Just then, the outside door
opened, and closed.
    “There is someone in the
outside office; just wait here.” She went to the outer office. Henry could hear
her telling someone about the arrangements to sign on the S.S.Kowloon. He
looked at the beautiful brass ship's clock on the wall. It showed five minutes
to five. They finish up here at five o’clock, he thought. He walked around the
dark timber paneled room admiring the paintings of the old company ships. He
began to realize he would be living with crew members who had sailed on these
ships for years and realized he was looking at one of his future homes. Vera
was now standing behind him; he hadn’t heard her come in.
    “There’s a lot of history on
those bulkheads.” she said.
    “Yes, I was just admiring the
old steamers.”
    She gave him a peck on the
cheek.
    “We’ll have to leave the
building now as our trusted night watchman comes round to lock up. Henry, will
you phone before coming to see me or Captain Leavy-Hobbs. I think we should
meet outside this office to be on the right side of caution. I cannot ask you
to my house because I have relatives staying overnight, but could you call
tomorrow evening to see if you have further news.”
    "Thanks again Vera, I'll
call you in a day or two."

 
     
    Chapter Ten
     
    Henry decided to go home for a
couple of days and see Katherine and Denis; he was anxious about Katherine.
    He went straight to their
house and sure enough, when he met them he found Katherine had slipped back
into her quiet and unresponsive state.
    She reminded him of his
mother as she slowly sank into a state of senile dementia. He told her of the progress
he had made in London. She seemed unimpressed and uninterested. She turned to
him and smiled.
    "I saw Shirley last
night she came to me in a dream."
    Katherine looked away,
turning her face up towards the ceiling; her eyes were glazed over in dreamlike
stare. “She was in a beautiful garden, the sun shone warm on her hair and she
laughed, calling out to me with outstretched arms, but I couldn't reach her.
She kept moving away and then she faded into a bright silvery mist in the
garden, but I know I'll see her again soon."
    Henry held her hands in his
and looked into her beautiful but disturbed, azure eyes. "Katherine, I see
Shirley all the time; her lovely happy face is part of my everyday existence. We
have to be strong and live with the memories and try to bear the pain of her
loss. She will always be with us looking down from her place in heaven."
    "Yes Henry, that's where
I saw her, it was heaven. It was so peaceful and beautiful."
    Denis shouted in from the
kitchen. "Tea’s ready."
    Henry gently pulled her up
from the armchair. "Come on, we'll have a cup of tea."
    He was shocked by her severe weight
loss as he pulled her up. She must have lost around 30 pounds since he last saw
her. I'll have to talk to Denis about her when I get him alone, he thought.
    In the kitchen, Henry tried
to engage her in conversation, searching for a bit of local gossip, but she
seemed remote and uninterested.
    Katherine decided to retire
to bed early making an excuse she had a headache.
    "But Katherine, I'll be
going away again in the morning. Could you not stay and keep us company for a
little longer?"
    "I'll see you in the
morning before you go."
    When she was out of earshot,
Denis turned to Henry, he had tears in his eyes and his lips trembled. "I
don't know how to say this, but she's fading away before our very eyes, and
there seems to be nothing we can do to help her."
    "What did the doctor
say, what medication is she on?"
    "He's been wonderful. He
calls at least