The Secret Order of Doom: Part Ten

The Green Man and Ms. Madison slipped, unnoticed into the Chapel of St. Nicholas, King's Lynn. With its mighty West Window and stubby tower, it looks rather strange. But then, as the largest private chapel in England, it is rather strange, so we must not blame it. The spire is a Victorian addition, so it must have looked still stranger before. This is because the tower belonged to an older, smaller chapel and no-one bothered to rebuild it when they did the rest of the chapel.

The Green Man drew his revolver as he opened the door, and Ms. Madison did the same with her handbag automatic (and that's the most technical we get here). But this was unnecessary, for the great building was quite empty.

Light from the great Perpendicular (I meant technical when it comes to weapons) windows flooded the space. With great windows at East and West ends, unrestricted by the needs of a tower, and no division between nave and chancel, the awesomeness of the space was almost overwhelming. Leaving the aisles, Ms. Madison stood by the font, looking down to the East window. She sighed, amazed by the power and beauty of the view.


"This is really grand." She observed. "I mean, this chapel is bigger than lots of churches."

"Probably bigger than most churches, given the size of country churches," the Green Man added. "But we're not here to admire the view, I'm afraid, my dear Ms. Madison. "We need to find the tomb Inspector Bullock was so interested in."

"Of course," Ms. Madison nodded, smiling. "Do you think it's a false trail?"

"Perhaps," the Green Man chuckled. "But whatever these men were killed for, it could be discovered by looking for it. Besides, if we follow this false trail, it's sure to lead somewhere. Remember, in the Da Vinci Code, the false trail had a message in it."

"And we can track people from that." Ms. Madison laughed. "After all, we're not after their secret."

"Only justice." The Green Man began to look around the building.

Then he saw it, high on a wall. A man and his wife, in the dress of the seventeenth century, kneeling. And, beneath them, nine little children sat either side of a skull. He pointed it out to Ms. Madison.

"The most people in the church." The lovely blonde nodded, smiling. What do you think we do next."

"Next," a voice rang out from the rear of the church, "you die!"

The crime-fighters turned, and found themselves facing Inspector Bullock. He wore an unpleasant smile on his face, and was flanked by six armed men in robes. He, too, wore a robe, albeit with the hood down.

"Inspector Bullock," the Green Man laughed. "You seem to be getting into bad habits."

The Inspector raised his gun, finger tightening on the trigger.