The Brotherhood of Darkness

By Elizabeth Chater

On a dull grey morning in August, a boy climbing along the rocky shore near the resort town of Torbay in the south of England discovers a dead body in the surf. When he reports it to the police, he describes seeing a hooded figure atop the cliffs, beckoning him. With this testimony, paranormal police detective Jamie Jarvis knows exactly where to look for his first suspect: The Brotherhood of Darkness.

A short story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chater Publishing
• Release date: Jan 21, 2012
• ISBN: 9781466148505

Elizabeth Chater

Elizabeth Chater (1910-2004) was the author of more than twenty-four novels and countless short stories. She received a B.A. from the University of British Columbia and an M.A. from San Diego State University and joined the faculty of the latter in 1963 where she began a lifelong friendship with science fiction author Greg Bear. She was honored with The Distinguished Teacher award in 1969 and was awarded Outstanding Professor of the Year in 1977. After receiving her Professor Emeritus, she embarked on a new career as a novelist with Richard Curtis as her agent. In the 1950s and 60s she published short stories in Fantastic Universe Magazine and The Saint Mystery Magazine, and she won the Publisher’s Weekly short story contest in 1975. At the age of sixty-eight, she began writing in the romance genre and published twenty-two novels over an eight-year period. She also wrote under the pen names Lee Chater, Lee Chaytor, and Lisa Moore. For more information, please visit: www.elizabethchater.com.

Book preview

THE BROTHERHOOD OF DARKNESS

Elizabeth Chater

The Brotherhood of Darkness

Elizabeth Chater

Smashwords Edition

Published by Chater Publishing

The Brotherhood Of Darkness © 1962 Elizabeth Chater.

Originally published in The Saint Mystery Magazine under the name Lee Chaytor.

Cover photo by Arman Zhenikeyev.

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

Chater Publishing would like to thank Jerry Chater for transcribing the following document.

For more mystery stories by Elizabeth Chater, please visit: elizabethchater.com.

The Brotherhood of Darkness

On a dull grey morning in August, a boy was climbing along the rocky shore near the resort town of Torbay in the south of England. He was so busy staring up at a grim old stone building on the edge of the cliffs above him that he missed his footing and stumbled into the foaming surf. To save himself a ducking, he caught at something tumbling and sliding in the water near him. It was a body. . . .

†

You’d think that would be enough of a sensation to satisfy the kid, Chief Constable Mellin said bitterly, but oh, no! He has to make up a tall tale about a hooded figure peering over the stone wall that tops the cliff.

Just standing and peering, was it? asked Commissioner Bryce-Leddinghill.

Mellin snorted. No, sir. According to the kid, it was beckoning—waving, like—to get his attention. And pointing down to where the body was battering among the rocks.

The Commissioner elevated his eyebrows. I see. Waving and pointing. Rather active for a figment of the imagination, don’t you think?

Mellin looked uncomfortable. That bit’s beside the point, sir. Like I told you, this isn’t the first body we’ve had to fish out of the bay. It’s very bad for the tourist trade. One body, now,—that gives the trippers a bit of excitement; but when they come thick as a school of herring, it’s another kettle of fish. Mellin had the grace to exhibit embarrassment. No puns intended, Commissioner. But the women are afraid to go bathing.

I can appreciate their point of view, agreed Bryce-Ledinghill ponderously.

We tie the drowning in with The Brotherhood of Darkness, sir, Mellin continued. That lot’s a good deal too sharp for us. Out of our line entirely, you might say. That’s why I’ve come to New Scotland Yard for help. We’ve heard you’ve got a chap named Jarvis who’s handled some odd cases. . . . He paused inquiringly.

It was the Commissioner’s turn to look embarrassed.