Slow Train: The Slim Hardy Mysteries #4 by Jack Benton

Author:Jack Benton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: AMMFA Publishing

29

He called Kay the next morning but was told to wait a little longer. Kay had managed to find a friend who worked in the photographic industry to examine the copies Slim had passed him, but Kay was yet to hear back. After ending the call, Slim headed for the station and took a train to Manchester. There, as before, he assumed the guise of Mike Lewis and planted a few more seeds in the homeless community.

He was on the last train back, leaning wearily against the window when his phone rang. Toby’s name came up on the screen and Slim reluctantly answered, feigning enthusiasm as he said, ‘Hello?’

‘I was wondering whether to tell you,’ Toby said. ‘Actually, I’d planned to, but you never called.’

‘Sorry, I had business in Manchester. An interview.’

He’d been told to take a hike by more people than those who’d been prepared to listen, but Slim wasn’t about to tell Toby that. He was demoralised enough by being spat on, threatened with a broken arm, and told he’d better be watching his back at all times to want to relive it in a conversation.

‘Oh, anything interesting?’ Toby’s tone was furtive, bordering on insistent.

‘Had to see a man about a dog.’

‘But not a man about a ghost?’

‘What?’

‘I wanted to tell you, but it seemed stupid.’

Slim rolled his eyes. As though Toby had told him anything that wasn’t. ‘Tell me what?’

‘About the Holdergate ghost.’

‘Look, it’s been a long day.’

‘I just thought it might be something of interest.’

Slim suppressed a sigh. ‘Sure. Go ahead, I’m listening.’

‘I grew up in Chapel-en-le-Frith, a few miles from here. When we were in primary, you know how kids are and all that, a monster behind every hedge and everything … we used to tell stories to scare each other. Especially after school, you know, we’d always be trying to one-up each other.’

‘Yes, I remember.’

‘And by then I was into my books, scribbling down stories, hiding them in my locker at school because … well, it doesn’t matter now, but anyway … and word got around that Holdergate had a ghost. Some kid from my class said you’d hear him screaming late at night in the goods yard behind the station.’

‘Right. But you never heard him yourself?’

‘No, of course not. I’d never even been to Holdergate except that one time. But I always wondered if it wasn’t who I caught in that picture, you know, the Holdergate ghost. I mean, you remember what I said about visitors?’

Slim pulled his phone away from his ear and lifted his finger. He could easily cut Toby off, then blame a tunnel or the weather at a later time. It had been a long day.

Toby’s tinny voice still came from the speaker, though, and Slim flinched at what sounded like a familiar word.

‘Wait, say that again.’

‘I said, I mean, what if it was Tom I got on camera? If you could find a historical photo of him, if there was some way to enhance the image—’

‘Wait, wait—Tom?’

‘Yeah, that’s what this kid from school said the ghost’s name was.

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