CUT-THROAT an absolutely addictive crime thriller with a huge twist (DI MIKE NASH SERIES Book 13) by BILL KITSON

Author:BILL KITSON [KITSON, BILL]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Joffe Books crime thriller and mystery
Published: 2021-11-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

At Thornscarr Forest, the foreman of the logging crew surveyed the flooded track through the windscreen of his pickup. His employer had issued clear instructions that work should recommence as soon as possible. ‘We’ve already lost over a week’s valuable time to the weather. I want us to restart ASAP. The quicker we get back on site, the sooner we’ll get paid. If we don’t start earning, before long I’ll have to lay men off.’

The foreman had driven to Thornscarr with that threat ringing in his ears. As he looked at the lake caused by the heavy rain, covering the trail to the logging site, he wondered whether he should phone the bad news through to his boss before, or after, visiting the Job Centre. The surface water was bad enough on the metalled main road, but at the start of the track the ground formed a natural hollow. With the depth of the water, even his 4x4 vehicle would have problems.

He thought it better to take precautions, so before phoning his boss, he photographed the scene from his vehicle. He would have got out of the pickup to take shots from a different angle, but was wary about getting his trousers wet.

He sent the photos via SMS and followed this with a short but acrimonious phone call. ‘We’re not going to be able to start work for a while,’ he announced.

‘Why not? The rain has stopped and the forecast is good.’

‘That’s as maybe, but we can’t access the site. The trail is flooded.’

‘Can’t you use four-wheel drive?’

‘Take a look at the photos I’ve sent you. The main road is bad enough. That we could cope with, but we can’t use the trail into the forest.’ The foreman grinned, and then added, ‘Unless you can hire a yacht or a submarine.’

‘You’re joking! What do I tell the Harland Estate manager? He’s already jumping up and down demanding to know when he’s going to get paid for the lumber.’

‘You could try telling him that if he’d spent a few quid getting the drainage ditches cleaned out, we wouldn’t be in this mess. They were choked up before the rain started. Now they look as if a colony of beavers has been working overtime creating dams. Hang on — I’m sure I spotted a couple of dolphins swimming past.’

By the time the foreman’s sarcastic tirade had ended, his boss had seen the photos. ‘OK, OK, I get your point, no need to rub it in. I suppose it might help if I ask the estate to clean out those ditches.’

The foreman couldn’t resist one final dig. ‘It might be useful here, but there would probably be a tsunami round Bishopton.’

Two days later, contractors working on behalf of Harland Estate had unblocked the drainage ditches, and the floods had begun to recede. The logging crew foreman made a second inspection visit and reported that he and his team would recommence activities. He had ended his call by adding a sarcastic rider, ‘That is, weather permitting, of course.

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