Grave Concerns by Rebecca Tope Page B

the question taking him slightly aback. ‘Someone wanting me to bury their dog,’ he told her, hoping she wouldn’t laugh. But she allowed herself only the smallest of smiles.
    Stephanie was obviously being well entertained.She crawled energetically after the train, as her new friend sent it running under a chair, crowing as she went.
    ‘Where were we?’ Drew asked, knowing only too well.
    ‘I’m not really sure,’ she puffed, heaving herself awkwardly to her feet. ‘I think the next move is down to you.’
    He folded his arms, trying to think of something constructive to say. He also needed to physically prevent himself from offering her a hand as she got up. He would not allow himself to touch her, not even to hold her hand or support her elbow. He was afraid of the electric charge if his flesh touched hers. Trust me, I’m an undertaker , he wanted to say. Like a doctor or a ferryman – they helped you with a handclasp without a second thought. But she’d already told him she trusted him, and he wasn’t sure that was a good thing. ‘The next thing will be the reburial, I imagine,’ he told her, striving to be businesslike.
    ‘Not the inquest?’
    ‘No,’ he shook his head. ‘It’ll be another month or more before they get around to that. They won’t hold up the burial for it. There isn’t any need, you see.’ He slipped with relief into didactic mode. ‘As long as they’ve taken the whole range of samples, with photos and reports, they don’t need the actual body any more. The verdictwill probably be Unlawful Killing by Person or Persons Unknown, and the police file will remain open indefinitely – pending further evidence,’ he added meaningfully.
    ‘And will she be buried here again?’
    ‘I hope so, yes,’ he nodded. ‘I’ve already suggested it, and there isn’t likely to be any objection. I’m cheaper you see – and the Council are probably going to be paying for it.’
    ‘There was an old tramp, I seem to remember, found dead in a ditch not far from here. What did they do then?’
    ‘They did a post-mortem, which showed he had pneumonia and a congested heart. He died of natural causes, and Plant’s did a Council funeral for him. Not quite the same thing.’
    ‘So they don’t know what my – what the woman found here – died of?’
    ‘Apparently not,’ he said carefully. ‘But they couldn’t find anything organically wrong with her. She seemed quite robust as far as they could tell.’
    ‘Hmmm,’ she said with a hint of frustration. ‘So all they know is how she didn’t die. And you can’t prove a negative.’
    ‘But you can prove identity,’ he reminded her. She did not look reassured.
    They sat in silence for a few minutes, Stephanie drowsing on Drew’s lap, the sun suddenlyappearing through the clouds and throwing a startling brightness through the back window. The room felt uncomfortably warm and stuffy.
    Genevieve put both hands on the desk and levered herself off the chair. ‘I must go. I’ve taken up far too much of your time. You’ve given me plenty to think about. It was nice to see you again.’
    Nice! he thought, not even bothering to stand up himself; chivalry was beyond him at that moment. Was she just going to walk away, after everything she’d told him?
    ‘There really isn’t anything I can do to help,’ he said, as much to himself as to her. ‘And you’re wrong about one thing, you know. You have told me enough to get me into trouble.’
    She frowned down at him, stately and matriarchal. ‘Surely not?’ she demurred. ‘Put it down to the ramblings of a confused pregnant woman. Who knows – maybe that’s all it is, anyway!’
    He let her go without any further comment. Something told him she’d be back, and that he hadn’t heard the last of Genevieve Slater and her missing mother.
       
    The appearance of Maggs a few minutes later brought him out of his reverie. She was dishevelled and breathless, not built for running. ‘I’ve