The Necropolis Railway

by Andrew Martin

  'Evidence,' said my landlady. 'That was the word in the letter from Stanley to Smith.'

  'Stanley had the evidence; Stanley was the evidence, but he's dead.'

  "Then you must get what you can from his papers,' said my landlady. 'They will be a start. And finding a no-name in Manchester will be a lot easier than finding one down here.'

  'The Necropolis Board will help,' I said. 'I'm sure they would love to see him brought to book.'

  'And you will have the police force to provide such little assistance to you as they are able,' said my landlady.

  I laughed. 'It is crazy to think I will do the job on my own,' I said.

  But my landlady looked quite grave as she said, 'Oh, I don't know, you seem to have got everything else you wanted.'

  We both looked up at the Great Wheel, with all its cabins lit up against the dark-blue sky, thinking our own thoughts for a moment before turning back to face each other, ready to kiss.