A Harvest of Sorrow: Two detectives. Decades of secrets. A race to save the innocent. (The West Yorkshire Crime Thrillers Book 18) by Lee Brook

Author:Lee Brook [Brook, Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Middleton Park Press
Published: 2024-09-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

Detective Isabella Wood stood at the edge of the excavation site, her eyes locked on the metallic glint peeking through the dirt. The early morning sun cast long shadows across Old River Farm, the air thick with anticipation and the earthy scent of freshly turned soil.

“Careful now,” she called to the forensics team. “Let’s not damage anything.”

The lead technician, a wiry man named Dave, shot her a thumbs up. “No worries, DI Wood. We’ve got steady hands.”

Isabella watched, her heart pounding, as they slowly unearthed what appeared to be a large metal box. Not a body, as they’d feared. But potentially something far more interesting.

“What do you reckon?” Dave asked, brushing dirt from the lid. “Buried treasure?”

Isabella shook her head. “In my experience, Dave, buried things are rarely good news. A harvest like this usually leads to sorrow.”

They carefully extracted the box, loading it into a sealed evidence container for transport back to Wakefield HQ. Isabella rode with it, unwilling to let it out of her sight. This could be the break they’d been waiting for.

At the station, the forensics team set up in a secure room. Isabella paced as they worked to open the box without compromising any potential evidence.

“Got it,” Dave announced, the lock finally giving way with a rusty groan.

Isabella leaned in, her breath catching as Dave lifted the lid. Inside, neatly stacked and surprisingly well-preserved, were police files. Dozens of them.

“Christ,” she muttered, pulling on a pair of gloves. “These are from the 90s.”

She gingerly lifted the top file, her eyes widening as she scanned its contents. “This is… this is about the White Rose League. A female detective, a Mary something was investigating them for child abductions.”

Dave whistled low. “Blimey. That’s heavy stuff, boss.”

Isabella nodded, her mind racing. “This could be huge. It could explain so much about—”

The door burst open, cutting her off mid-sentence. Chief Superintendent Morgan strode in, his face a thundercloud.

“DI Wood,” he barked. “A word. Now.”

Isabella followed him out, her stomach churning. In his office, Morgan rounded on her.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he demanded. “Those files are way above your pay grade.”

Isabella stood her ground. “Sir, with all due respect, this could be crucial to our investigation. If the White Rose League was operating back then—”

“Enough!” Morgan slammed his hand on the desk. “Those files are confiscated. Security concerns. You’re to focus on current cases. The Fawcett girl, remember her?”

Isabella bit back a retort. “Yes, sir. But surely—”

“No buts, Wood. That’s an order. Stick to your assigned cases.”

As Morgan ushered her out, Isabella’s mind whirled. Why was he so adamant about burying this? What was he afraid of?

* * *

The drive to the sandwich shop was short, but it gave George time to mull over the morning’s events. Dawn Hobson’s face kept flashing in his mind—her defensive posture, the flicker of recognition in her eyes when she saw the sketch. What was she hiding? And more importantly, why?

They pulled up at the curb. The smell of sizzling bacon and sausages wafted out as they entered, making George’s stomach growl.

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