Last Act: DCI GREG GELDARD NORFOLK MYSTERY BOOK 9 by Heather Peck

Author:Heather Peck [Peck, Heather]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ormesby Publishing
Published: 2025-10-24T00:00:00+00:00

26

2 August: in court

Monday morning saw two of Norfolk Police’s finest pacing nervously. Greg was marching up and down outside the combined courts in Norwich, repeatedly consulting his watch and wondering where the hell Frank was. DC Graham Clarke, newest recruit to the Major Crimes team, was performing similar manoeuvres outside HQ in Wymondham. Both were relieved almost simultaneously. Graham, by his watch telling him that, at last, it was time for him to report to DCI Trent. Greg, by the emergence of Frank’s head from the entrance behind him.

‘You must have got here early,’ was Greg’s greeting. ‘I thought you hadn’t arrived.’

‘Sir Frederick likes an early start,’ said Frank. ‘I’ve been here for an hour at least. He wants to call you as first witness, so you shouldn’t have too long to wait.’

‘When is the case scheduled to begin?’

‘Ten. Then, what with swearing in the jury and so on, it’ll be a bit later before we call you. So if you want to get a coffee and go to the witness room…’

‘Will do,’ said Greg. ‘Is Thorne here?’

‘Arrived about ten minutes ago. I’m surprised you didn’t see the Serco truck.’

‘I’ve seen a couple,’ admitted Greg, ‘and didn’t think about it, to be honest. I’m glad they took his security seriously, on the run from the hospital I mean. Where’s he staying during the trial?’

‘As far as I know, back at Bure prison,’ replied Frank. ‘Where he has additional supervision by doctors from the mental health trust, as necessary.’

Greg grunted, which Frank chose to interpret as qualified approval, and the two men parted: Greg to the police witness waiting room and Frank into court.

It was over an hour later before an usher came to fetch Greg.

‘All ready for you now,’ she said cheerily. ‘This way. Good luck!’ She opened the door and stood aside to let Greg enter the courtroom. Apart from the very few people in the public gallery, the social distancing of the jury members and the extra screens protecting against random virus transmission, it looked much the same as usual.

Greg glanced at the dock as he took his place on the witness stand. Thank God. This time the defendant is both seated quietly and not displaying his personal equipment to the court as he did during his allocation hearing at the magistrates’ court. Of all the elements of this case that Greg felt were indelibly imprinted on his memory, Warren Thorne’s loose trousers sliding down to his ankles during his attempted climb out of the dock was not the least!

‘Do you wish to swear or affirm?’ asked the clerk to the court, bringing Greg’s attention back to the present.

‘Swear,’ replied Greg, and placed his hand on the Bible before him. The oath administered, Greg looked over at Sir Frederick Seymour rising to his feet.

‘Detective Superintendent Geldard,’ he began, ‘could you please outline your role in the investigation into the deaths, between the eighteenth of August and tenth of September 2020, of Carol Hodds, Anne Cooper, Phil Saunders

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