Nothing To Do With The Case (Pollard & Toye Investigations Book 12) by Elizabeth Lemarchand

Author:Elizabeth Lemarchand [Lemarchand, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Sapere Books
Published: 2019-04-11T05:00:00+00:00

Monday dawned cloudless and brilliantly sunny but brought no hint of a thaw: the countryside was uncompromisingly white to the horizon. The regular commuters to Minstow were homebound, and activity on the neighbouring farms was minimal, but people began to struggle back to their normal way of life. The school opened for children who could get to it. Housewives embarked on their Monday morning chores and made their way cautiously along the treacherous street to the Village Stores. A call came through from County Hall at Minstow announcing that a snowplough was on its way along the valley road to clear the lane up to the village from Marleigh Corner. Jim Winch, whose garage was at a standstill, remarked sardonically that there was nothing like having a disaster to get the high-ups off their backsides and something done. He offered to organise volunteers to shift snow, and departed on a reconnaissance of the lane. He got work started at the Marleigh end of the lane. Meanwhile progress was being made in opening up the Manor Lane as the police had requested. However, in spite of all this activity there was a feeling of tension in the air, and when the helicopter came in soon after ten it was eyed dubiously. It took off again within a few minutes. A rumour went round that it had picked up the two policemen who had spent the night at the Wheatsheaf, and landed some other men, apparently civilians. The general opinion was that they would be from the insurance.

Rumours flew backwards and forwards all day and filled the packed bar of the Wheatsheaf in the lunch hour. The reason for Pearl Luppitt’s being in the Manor at all was the main subject of speculation and there were quite open references to her past trouble with the police. She had been seen in the bar on Saturday afternoon when George Snell’s call had come through saying he and his missus were spending the night in Minstow, hadn’t she? It was reported that poor Mrs. Snell was in a state of collapse, and alternatively that she was bearing up wonderfully and raring to get back to Marleigh, even if she and George had to camp out in the stables. Someone whose sister lived near the Snells’ daughter in Minstow had heard that Mr. Richard Bellamy was coming over in the next plane…

The helicopter paid another brief visit during the afternoon. The lane had now been cleared as far as the Manor for single-line traffic of moderate size, and the volunteers who were just knocking off ran hastily to the main gate to watch any development of interest. The three men who had apparently spent the day inspecting the wreckage came out carrying various pieces of apparatus and a number of plastic bags, and were taken on board the helicopter which promptly took off again. This latest piece of news rapidly circulated in Marleigh and aroused more speculation. But no one was prepared for what was to follow.

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