Lament For the Dead by Margaret M Ford

Author:Margaret M Ford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: eBookPartnership.com
Published: 2014-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

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Craig Gardener had suggested to Roy that it might be simpler just to make a formal statement, but the superintendent wouldn’t hear of it. He said it would be far better to repeat what Craig had told him to the entire team back at the station. It would save time, he insisted, in the event they had any questions. So Craig gave in. But not before Roy assured him that the family of the Abductor’s last intended victim would be immediately warned and placed under close surveillance.

It was coming up to 10:00 pm. Craig had managed to snatch a couple of minutes to change into some clean duds; short-sleeved, open-necked white shirt, a hand-knitted black cardigan – the last surviving relic of his mother’s effort with the knitting needles – and black trousers. He was all hyped up, barely able to contain his excitement. But at the back of his mind was the realisation that had he arrived at this point much sooner, then the body count might not have been so high.

As Craig followed Roy through the doorway the hub of voices gradually died to a hush. It was a big room with desks, computers, a few shared printers, mountainous stacks of paper everywhere, and several badly scuffed filing cabinets. Following Roy to the back of the room Craig noticed a long CS board. It was filled almost to capacity with bits of paper and before and after photographs of the victims, which Craig had more than a passing interest in. With a civilian in the room, it should have been covered up.

He recognised Nick Morley, Peter Beasely, Joe Selby and Trace right off, but there were also four new faces, and Craig’s eyes fastened on them as he made his way through the irregularly placed furniture.

Not looking where he was going, his foot caught the edge of a table leg and he almost fell arse over elbow, only just managing to miss a collision with the floor by running forward a few steps to catch up with his own momentum. Craig detected a few sniggers and felt the blood rushing through his ears as he came to a halt behind Roy, who had missed the entire thing. Trace Spalden was openly grinning and Craig felt that embarrassing onset of blood finally reach his face.

Roy started the ball rolling with a brief introduction: ‘This is Craig Gardener. He’s head of Creesemorton Library and something of a local historian. You’ll learn the reason for keeping this meeting absolutely secret and why so few of you have been invited, all in good time. What he’s about to tell you will knock your socks off. I think you’ll find he’s practically solved the case for us.’ He grabbed hold of Craig’s arm, bringing him closer.

Was he being downright sarcastic, or just trying out his sense of humour? Either way, it didn’t make Craig feel any less anxious. But at least the grin on Trace’s face dissolved.

‘Now then,’ Roy went on,

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