Murder in the House of Commons

Leseprobe

Monday, 11 August, 8:30 a. m.

“Good morning, Alan!” Linda flung the office door open. “What’s new?”
“You haven’t missed much, Mrs. MP. How were your holidays?”
As a woman in her early thirties, Linda Perlinger was the youngest MP in the London House of Commons. She had just spent a week at the beach with her little daughter. “Lili was busy building sandcastles, and I found time to read a novel at long last.” She smoothed out her red two-piece suit and sat down at her desk. “Have you gone through my letters and emails?”
Her assistant nodded. “Last Tuesday, a strange message came in for you by someone named Veracity”, he said with a frown. “I saved it. Perhaps it makes sense to you. For me, it was rather creepy.”
“Veracity – love of truth?” Linda was surprised and checked her mailbox.
“I’d say, it was written by a man”, murmured Alan.
Linda double-clicked the message.

Hello, Sweetheart (now she knew why Alan assumed it was a man),
The sun has already risen, yet there is still darkness in my heart. I see seven golden candle-sticks, seven stars, but their message is unholy. Their light must die for the true Lord to shine. That is my calling, and thou art my mouthpiece.
I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.
Be my Joanna, and behold what John did: that apostle says he is poor, but he is rich. I shall try him ten days, and he shall have tribulation ten days. The water shall rock him graciously, but it shall not reach his mouth. And his second death shall be my conquering, whilst his light goes out.
Veracity

Linda suddenly felt uneasy. “He knows me”, she murmured. “Hardly anyone knows that my second name is Joanna.” She faltered. “And he sent me another message, today.” Going through her emails, she had come across the sender’s name before. She double-clicked it, nervously.
Hello, Sweetheart. The first deed has been done. I want to hear thy voice. Veracity
After a while, Linda broke the silence. “There is nothing we can do. The best thing is to delete the messages and forget about them.”
Alan shook his head. “Don’t delete them, yet. If he writes again, it would be better for us to have all the emails against him.”
“You’re right”, said Linda with determination. “But let’s forget about them now as fast as we can. We have more important things to do. What’s on the agenda for today?”