looked up to Redd, 'He's sensed the evil here - smelt death. A dog has a far deeper sense of good and evil than us.'
Ducking beneath heavy branches of the Yews, Redd said, ' Mind these now, they're quite thorny, I've cut myself badly in here. Every bit of the yew tree is poisonous except for the berry and cone, the red fleshy part.'
'The Druids see the yew tree as the passing from life to death. Maybe that's why they placed the bodies here.' She stooped over the indented graves, becoming aware of the somnolence of the branches dipping into the ground, seeming to sprout up again through the peat, a continuous serpentine like shape.
Plucking at a couple of damp oak leaves from the indented earth, Tess whispered, 'This is Druid. Seeing the surroundings and the photos of the wounds, now I'm quite sure you're dealing with people re-enacting the ancient rituals and sacrifices.' Her voice fell to almost a whisper, 'For them, the Gods live - the devil is an infant in their eyes. These aren't neo-druids out for love and peace - these are the "Cult of the Severed Heads."'
'Right - so now we can start searching some of the neo-druids, try and pick up, if any have any inkling of this grove.'
'Yes, and you're definitely looking at a group Inspector - err ... I mean Dan.'
'Did they name you after "Tess of the D'Urberville's?" I expect you get asked that often.'
'Yes, I do. Thomas Hardy added in his book, "A Pure Woman," my Irish grandmother loved the book. But I can't say that I'm a pure woman.'
Grinning Dan murmured, ' Now that sounds interesting. So what dark secrets do you harbour?'
Flushing she said, ' None that I'm telling you, that's for sure. Anyway, this group has stripped off centuries of civilization. Remember the wounds? They've used a kind of crosscut wound, pulling out the entrails to read them and to do the markings. You said yourself, there is a Triskelion marked on the livers and on the hearts. That is a prominent sign of the ancient Druid, the three bent legs swirling in a stick or lance. I just had to see everything together.'
Redd shook his head . "Fucking monsters - why would they do this?' He stopped, as he heard the whirring drone of helicopter blades above them. Peering up, he said, 'Bet that's the media still snooping around, a bit over the top sending a helicopter though.'
'The rain is tipping down now, once we clear the trees, we'll get drenched.'
'There's a pub up the road. It's not far.'
Chapter 21
Walking down the Station corridor to the Conference room, Dove heard the buzz of voices; the reporters were already there. She wished she could have got out of it, but didn't make too much of an argument with Redd; she had to prove worthy of being his partner, and this was a bridge she was going to have to cross many times in the future. Nevertheless, she felt as if sand churned to cement in her stomach, as she neared the door. Walking in, she saw Titmouse with a group of reporters in an animated conversation. What was he doing here? Pushing in as usual. He really ate up the limelight, his aim being to climb the ladder as quickly as possible. Seeing her enter, he waved the reporters away and strode towards her. 'Hah there you are; I see Redd couldn't make it.'
'He's gone to consult with a Profiler sir.'
'Well I'm here now. I told the Assistant CC he'd be here. Should have made a show. Profiler eh? Very convenient.' He smiled, showing pointed rats teeth.
Dove glowered, so much for preparing her statement, Tits would ride over everyone. In a way, she felt relieved, now she wouldn't have to speak, just sit there and nod.
He turned towards the table. 'Let's get this show on the road. We have to keep the decapitation under wraps; we don't need a panic at this time. We can leak the full information later. As far as TV and press are concerned, it's a double homicide with no details.'
Dove gritted her teeth, he didn't need to keep on repeating it; they already knew that . He was like a record player,
Ducking beneath heavy branches of the Yews, Redd said, ' Mind these now, they're quite thorny, I've cut myself badly in here. Every bit of the yew tree is poisonous except for the berry and cone, the red fleshy part.'
'The Druids see the yew tree as the passing from life to death. Maybe that's why they placed the bodies here.' She stooped over the indented graves, becoming aware of the somnolence of the branches dipping into the ground, seeming to sprout up again through the peat, a continuous serpentine like shape.
Plucking at a couple of damp oak leaves from the indented earth, Tess whispered, 'This is Druid. Seeing the surroundings and the photos of the wounds, now I'm quite sure you're dealing with people re-enacting the ancient rituals and sacrifices.' Her voice fell to almost a whisper, 'For them, the Gods live - the devil is an infant in their eyes. These aren't neo-druids out for love and peace - these are the "Cult of the Severed Heads."'
'Right - so now we can start searching some of the neo-druids, try and pick up, if any have any inkling of this grove.'
'Yes, and you're definitely looking at a group Inspector - err ... I mean Dan.'
'Did they name you after "Tess of the D'Urberville's?" I expect you get asked that often.'
'Yes, I do. Thomas Hardy added in his book, "A Pure Woman," my Irish grandmother loved the book. But I can't say that I'm a pure woman.'
Grinning Dan murmured, ' Now that sounds interesting. So what dark secrets do you harbour?'
Flushing she said, ' None that I'm telling you, that's for sure. Anyway, this group has stripped off centuries of civilization. Remember the wounds? They've used a kind of crosscut wound, pulling out the entrails to read them and to do the markings. You said yourself, there is a Triskelion marked on the livers and on the hearts. That is a prominent sign of the ancient Druid, the three bent legs swirling in a stick or lance. I just had to see everything together.'
Redd shook his head . "Fucking monsters - why would they do this?' He stopped, as he heard the whirring drone of helicopter blades above them. Peering up, he said, 'Bet that's the media still snooping around, a bit over the top sending a helicopter though.'
'The rain is tipping down now, once we clear the trees, we'll get drenched.'
'There's a pub up the road. It's not far.'
Chapter 21
Walking down the Station corridor to the Conference room, Dove heard the buzz of voices; the reporters were already there. She wished she could have got out of it, but didn't make too much of an argument with Redd; she had to prove worthy of being his partner, and this was a bridge she was going to have to cross many times in the future. Nevertheless, she felt as if sand churned to cement in her stomach, as she neared the door. Walking in, she saw Titmouse with a group of reporters in an animated conversation. What was he doing here? Pushing in as usual. He really ate up the limelight, his aim being to climb the ladder as quickly as possible. Seeing her enter, he waved the reporters away and strode towards her. 'Hah there you are; I see Redd couldn't make it.'
'He's gone to consult with a Profiler sir.'
'Well I'm here now. I told the Assistant CC he'd be here. Should have made a show. Profiler eh? Very convenient.' He smiled, showing pointed rats teeth.
Dove glowered, so much for preparing her statement, Tits would ride over everyone. In a way, she felt relieved, now she wouldn't have to speak, just sit there and nod.
He turned towards the table. 'Let's get this show on the road. We have to keep the decapitation under wraps; we don't need a panic at this time. We can leak the full information later. As far as TV and press are concerned, it's a double homicide with no details.'
Dove gritted her teeth, he didn't need to keep on repeating it; they already knew that . He was like a record player,
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