Spinning into the Dark: DCI GREG GELDARD NORFOLK MYSTERY BOOK 8 by Heather Peck

Author:Heather Peck [Peck, Heather]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ormesby Publishing
Published: 2025-06-25T00:00:00+00:00

20

13 September 2020

As the starting pistol for phone calls to the doctors’ surgery didn’t fire until 8am, Greg rang from his mobile at the start of his journey to Filby Bridge. He was waiting in a telephonic queue when he arrived in the car park by Filby Broad. No one else had yet arrived – apart from the uniformed officers keeping the general public away with crime scene tape and stern instructions to any inclined to ignore it – so he carried on holding. As luck would have it, the phone was answered just as the dog team arrived.

‘Hello, it’s DCI Geldard,’ he shouted down the phone, and out of the window, ‘I’ll be with you in a minute.’

‘I can’t hold, I’m sorry, sir. You’ll need to ring back later,’ said the phone.

‘No,’ said Geldard. ‘No, please don’t ring off. I wasn’t talking to you. I’ve been waiting for ages. I need an appointment for my…’ He hesitated. ‘…wife, Chris Mathews, to have her prenatal appointment. She’s sorry she missed the last.’

There was a heavy sigh from the receptionist, a pause and then she replied, ‘I have a cancellation this afternoon. At 17.00. Can you do it?’

‘Yes,’ said Greg, mentally crossing his fingers. ‘We’ll be there. Thank you.’ He took a few seconds to text Chris with the appointment details. I’ll pick you up at 16.40 he promised, then turned his attention to the two officers unloading a couple of springer spaniels from their van.

‘Constable Philips,’ the first introduced himself. ‘And Constable Scouller,’ introducing the short, fair-haired woman with the second spaniel. ‘This is Meg, and Scouller’s got Pat,’ went on the burly man with faded brown hair and a greying beard that didn’t match the hair very well. ‘Shall we get started?’

‘Thank you,’ said Greg. ‘I was expecting … oh here she is. This is DS Jill Hayes. We’re all here now.’

‘In that case,’ said Philips, ‘please stand over there, sir, and keep out of the dogs’ way. Ready Fi?’ he asked his colleague.

‘Ready,’ she said. Turning to her dog, Pat, she released him from his lead and gave a quiet instruction. Philips stood back, Meg still on her lead and whining slightly, clearly keen to join in. Both officers watched Pat closely.

‘Missed a bit over there,’ said Philips to Scouller, pointing. She turned to see where he was indicating, nodded and redirected Pat to the area of undergrowth so far unchecked. A couple of pink-footed geese emerged and set sail across the Broad with an indignant wag of their tails. Pat stayed steady to his task, impressing Greg more than a little.

After what seemed a short time, Scouller called Pat to heel, and Philips released Meg.

The search procedure was repeated. Correctly interpreting Greg’s look, Scouller explained, ‘It keeps the dogs fresh and interested if we don’t work them for too long.’

As Meg completed her stint, also without success, they all moved forwards some yards, followed by Greg and Jill. It didn’t take them long to complete a search

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