YOU TOMORROW. DON’T BE LATE. I NEED YOU. PALKIN NEEDS YOU. YOU MUST NOT BETRAY HIM.
The second was dated a week later.
COME TO ME ON WEDNESDAY AT TWO WHEN THE LIGHT IS AT ITS BEST. PLEASE DON’T LET ME DOWN. IF YOU DO, I’LL COME AND FIND YOU.
Wesley held them at arm’s length, as though he feared they were contaminated.
‘Is that a threat, I wonder? We’d better get these bagged up and sent to Forensic. The mention of Palkin fits in with the clothes she was wearing.’
‘And the group… Palkin’s Musik.’
‘We need all the available CCTV in Tradmouth and Neston examined.’
‘It’s already being done for the area around the waterfront.’
‘I know, Gerry, but I think we should extend it. If by any chance this character’s been following her, he might show up on the footage.’ He looked at the letters. ‘What’s this about the light being at its best?’
Gerry didn’t have an answer for that one.
It was almost the end of the day and Neil hadn’t seen Chris Butcher since his spat with Astrid. The woman had marched off without glancing in the archaeologists’ direction and Neil would have dismissed it as just another domestic if it hadn’t been for Astrid’s accusation. ‘It’s all your fault… just like it was last time
.
’ The words rang in his head as he opened a new trench nearer to the house. ‘It’s her isn’t it? The one you’ve been
seeing.’ Sometimes he envied his friend Wesley’s ability to ask questions and use the force of law to get answers, like legalised snooping.
A couple of the diggers had had to leave early to go up to Exeter and Neil had decided to save the excavation of the disturbed area of earth until their return. On the other hand he couldn’t help asking himself whether something might be buried there. In the end his curiosity got the better of him and he began to dig. It would do no harm to carry out some preliminary investigation before they started in earnest tomorrow.
After a few minutes’ work he saw it, standing out pale against the dark earth. It was obviously bone. Possibly part of a butchered animal, or part of a human femur. He needed to dig further to find out.
Neil had imagined that after the row with Astrid Chris Butcher would have left the bungalow and made straight for his yacht, so he was surprised to see the man emerging from the back door. Butcher was in costume but instead of looking ridiculous, as many did, the clothes seemed to endow him with an air of authority. Perhaps it was because he wore them with the confidence of a Shakespearean actor. Confidence, Neil knew, could conquer most things.
He walked over to the edge of Neil’s new trench and stopped, staring down at the soil. Eventually he spoke. ‘What’s that?’
Neil looked up. ‘It’s bone. Could be human,’ he added, half joking.
Butcher froze for a few moments. Then he leaned forward confidentially and lowered his voice. ‘To tell you the truth, Neil, I’d prefer it if things weren’t delayed too much. The builders are waiting to start and… Any chance you can forget what you’ve just found and close the trench? I know something like that creates lots of bureaucracy so you’d be doing me a great favour.’
And before Neil could answer, he strode away.
Scarlett and Pixie had sworn that they hadn’t a clue who the letters were from or what they meant. But Wesley had them sent off to Forensic because he had a feeling they might be important.
When Wesley and Gerry returned to the police station, there was a message on Gerry’s desk. Mrs Bercival wanted to see him urgently because another letter had arrived in that day’s post. He called her back, saying they’d be round as soon as they could. Wesley thought he sounded excited as if he hoped they might be on the verge of a breakthrough.
While Gerry made some further calls Wesley strolled over to his own desk and placed photographs of Jenny and Kassia side by side. The two girls were certainly
The second was dated a week later.
COME TO ME ON WEDNESDAY AT TWO WHEN THE LIGHT IS AT ITS BEST. PLEASE DON’T LET ME DOWN. IF YOU DO, I’LL COME AND FIND YOU.
Wesley held them at arm’s length, as though he feared they were contaminated.
‘Is that a threat, I wonder? We’d better get these bagged up and sent to Forensic. The mention of Palkin fits in with the clothes she was wearing.’
‘And the group… Palkin’s Musik.’
‘We need all the available CCTV in Tradmouth and Neston examined.’
‘It’s already being done for the area around the waterfront.’
‘I know, Gerry, but I think we should extend it. If by any chance this character’s been following her, he might show up on the footage.’ He looked at the letters. ‘What’s this about the light being at its best?’
Gerry didn’t have an answer for that one.
It was almost the end of the day and Neil hadn’t seen Chris Butcher since his spat with Astrid. The woman had marched off without glancing in the archaeologists’ direction and Neil would have dismissed it as just another domestic if it hadn’t been for Astrid’s accusation. ‘It’s all your fault… just like it was last time
.
’ The words rang in his head as he opened a new trench nearer to the house. ‘It’s her isn’t it? The one you’ve been
seeing.’ Sometimes he envied his friend Wesley’s ability to ask questions and use the force of law to get answers, like legalised snooping.
A couple of the diggers had had to leave early to go up to Exeter and Neil had decided to save the excavation of the disturbed area of earth until their return. On the other hand he couldn’t help asking himself whether something might be buried there. In the end his curiosity got the better of him and he began to dig. It would do no harm to carry out some preliminary investigation before they started in earnest tomorrow.
After a few minutes’ work he saw it, standing out pale against the dark earth. It was obviously bone. Possibly part of a butchered animal, or part of a human femur. He needed to dig further to find out.
Neil had imagined that after the row with Astrid Chris Butcher would have left the bungalow and made straight for his yacht, so he was surprised to see the man emerging from the back door. Butcher was in costume but instead of looking ridiculous, as many did, the clothes seemed to endow him with an air of authority. Perhaps it was because he wore them with the confidence of a Shakespearean actor. Confidence, Neil knew, could conquer most things.
He walked over to the edge of Neil’s new trench and stopped, staring down at the soil. Eventually he spoke. ‘What’s that?’
Neil looked up. ‘It’s bone. Could be human,’ he added, half joking.
Butcher froze for a few moments. Then he leaned forward confidentially and lowered his voice. ‘To tell you the truth, Neil, I’d prefer it if things weren’t delayed too much. The builders are waiting to start and… Any chance you can forget what you’ve just found and close the trench? I know something like that creates lots of bureaucracy so you’d be doing me a great favour.’
And before Neil could answer, he strode away.
Scarlett and Pixie had sworn that they hadn’t a clue who the letters were from or what they meant. But Wesley had them sent off to Forensic because he had a feeling they might be important.
When Wesley and Gerry returned to the police station, there was a message on Gerry’s desk. Mrs Bercival wanted to see him urgently because another letter had arrived in that day’s post. He called her back, saying they’d be round as soon as they could. Wesley thought he sounded excited as if he hoped they might be on the verge of a breakthrough.
While Gerry made some further calls Wesley strolled over to his own desk and placed photographs of Jenny and Kassia side by side. The two girls were certainly
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