The Editor: a compelling crime mystery by Simon Hall

Author:Simon Hall [Hall, Simon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloodhound Books
Published: 2019-09-02T16:00:00+00:00

23

Some say it’s long extinct. Gone the same way as the dodo, woolly mammoth, black rhinoceros and the quagga. But no, it’s alive and well, if endangered, often in hiding, and sometimes needing the right encouragement to emerge.

And now was the time, and this the place.

Within ten minutes of the police arriving, spreading word of Maddy’s disappearance, search parties were forming. Along the road, they gathered around officers, eyes bright with urgency, faces set with determination, listening hard. Men and women, old and young, newcomers to Millhouse Road alongside residents who could remember when life was different and this kind of thing didn’t happen.

Amidst the worry, the fear, and the intensity of the hunt, were quietly whispered words of pride. Talk of a community spirit that endured here in this modern but ancient city, even in these fast-changing times.

Everyone had a photo, those teenage eyes looking out, as though asking for help, silently pleading to be saved. And from the garden, in the early spring sunshine, Ed, Florence, Olivia, Mitch and Alan watched the acceleration of this tumultuous day, and made some equally fast decisions.

‘We need to find Maddy, and we need a story,’ Ed said. ‘So…’

But before he could continue, Olivia interrupted, ‘We can do both. Me and you, write this up and get it out, right now.’

It was what he was going to say, but reassuring to hear someone else say it. So Ed nodded, hopped up on the wall and took more photos of the search parties organising themselves. It was quite a sight.

‘What about us?’ Mitch asked.

‘You and Florence join a search party. We can use some of that as an inside the hunt for Maddy type follow-up story. But also…’

‘We tap into the police and local people to try to get more info,’ Florence said, apparently feeling it was her turn to take the lead. ‘About Chris’s arrest, and whatever else we can.’

In the intensity of the moment, they had almost forgotten the existence of the woe begotten Alan. He was still propped up like a pile of human refuse on the garden wall.

‘I can’t believe this is happening,’ he whispered, as they looked to him.

‘Do you want to come with us?’ Ed asked.

He might have challenged Alan to a duel to the death, such was the reaction. ‘No,’ he replied quickly. ‘I think I’m going to have a lie down.’

‘Do you mind if we sit in your house to write the story?’

And if Alan was alarmed before, now he looked as if Death himself had materialised at the gate and was pointing a bony finger his way. ‘No, no, I can’t let you do that, I’m sorry. I, um, I’ve got a particularly sensitive cat in there who desperately needs grooming. It’s a rush job. Some kind of show. Yes, that’s right. The owners are coming later, she’s already taken long enough to calm down, and she doesn’t like strangers. She’ll get all upset again if anyone else comes in. I’m sorry, really sorry.’

Before

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