Page 167 of Storm of Bells
‘Stand back, please.’ I shooed the two ofthem away, and they moved back, watching intently, as if I were amiracle worker about to perform a miraculous healing any minutenow.
‘Karim? A knife!’
The Mohammedan reached into his coat andwithdrew an object that looked like a cross between a sabre and ameat cleaver.
‘Err…something smaller perhaps?’
Grunting, he shoved his hand into his coatagain. When it resurfaced, he was holding four different knives ofvarious sizes. The vicar gulped and took a step backwards.
‘Thank you.’ I plucked one of the morenormal-sized weapons from the bodyguard’s hand. ‘That should donicely.’
‘What do you plan to do with it?’ Karimdemanded.
‘Yes,’ came a cool voice from behind me. ‘I’dlike to know that, too.’
I was very careful not to turn around.Probably best, considering what I was about to do.
‘This,’ I said, grabbing Lord Dalgliesh’sleft trouser leg and slitting it open up to the knee.
The vicar gave squeaky little croak. ‘MissLinton!’
From Mr Ambrose came an even more interestingsound. Something between the crack of splitting stone and the growlof a jealous lion.
‘Oh, put a sock in it, will you?’ I leanedforward and was just about to go to work when Mr Ambrose unfrozeand his hand lashed out, closing around my wrist.
‘Over my dead body!’ a deliciouslythreatening voice hissed into my ear.
‘What did you say, Mr Ambrose?’ the vicarenquired.
‘I said this is going to be bloody,’ MrAmbrose lied without the least bit of hesitation. ‘And Miss Lintonis sensitive to blood.’
‘Oh, of course!’ The reverend shook his head.‘I should have thought of that! A delicate lady such asyourself…’
I was just about to explain how ‘delicate’ Iwas, exactly, when Jenny stepped forward. ‘Let me do it.’
‘Really, Miss Jenny?’ The vicar’s eyesshone.
‘Of course. I get to see plenty of blood atleast once a month.’
‘Oh! Do you volunteer in a charityhospital?’
Jenny smiled demurely. ‘Something of thekind.’
‘Amazing! Your heartfelt sympathy and pietyare truly touching!’
‘Why, thank you.’ A pretty blush rising toher cheeks, she approached the prone form of Dalgliesh.
‘Be gentle, now,’ I told her, and winked. ‘Wewouldn’t want him to get unnecessarily hurt, or, God forbid, feelany pain, now, would we?’
‘Oh…?’ One of her eyebrows rose. ‘So, that’show it is?’ A sweet smile spread across her face as she gazed downat Dalgliesh. ‘Don’t you worry. He’s in the best of hands withme.’
And with that, she grabbed Dalgliesh’smangled leg and turned it ninety degrees with a jerk.
Knack!
Blood splattered across the bed. Mrs Wrightscreeched and rushed out of the room. The vicar fainted dead away,keeling over backwards and hitting the floor with athud.
Karim and Mr Ambrose exchanged a look.
