Winter Graves by Gwyn Bennett

Author:Gwyn Bennett [Bennett, Gwyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781805080053
Published: 2023-05-02T16:00:00+00:00

21

DECEMBER 19TH

Harrison and DS Howard returned to the incident room, where it was immediately obvious the atmosphere had shifted.

‘We’ve taken George Reid in for questioning. Found red diesel in his shed and a large quantity of nails,’ a uniformed officer informed DS Howard as they walked in.

‘The sexton?’ Harrison asked him.

‘Yep. Had keys for All Saints, and was there at all three crime scenes, so had plenty of opportunity.’

‘It’s his job,’ Harrison replied, as much to DS Howard as to the other officer, who simply shrugged and moved on. ‘Who will be interviewing him?’

‘Possibly me. I’ve no doubt we’ll find out soon enough.’ DS Howard scanned the room. ‘She’s not here.’ He looked at his phone to see if there were any messages. ‘Let’s grab a coffee quickly and see if there’s been any other progress before she dishes out her orders.’

The refreshment area was an empty desk with a kettle and a stack of paper cups, along with a nearly empty box of tea bags, a jar of instant coffee and some milk. The surface was littered with little white plastic stirrers and countless sloshed beverage stains.

‘You want one?’ DS Howard asked Harrison.

‘No, you’re alright. I’ll go and fill my water bottle.’

Harrison left the DS to his caffeine fix and went out to the reception area of the little police station, where he knew there was a water station.

He heard her before he saw her. She was laughing. The DCI was standing in the reception talking to a distinguished-looking man in a suit. He had the air of a person who knew his place in life and was confident in filling it. Harrison recognised him as one of the men the DCI had been talking to outside St Mary’s. He looked to be in his mid to late fifties and was fortunate enough to have a full head of hair still, which was highlighted around the temples with grey. It didn’t detract from his healthy good looks. Harrison could see from the DCI’s body language that this was a man she was attracted to and comfortable around.

When Harrison walked into the reception, the DCI threw him a dirty glance and urged her companion forward and into the main building, smiling and thanking the officer on reception as she went through. Intrigued, Harrison quickly topped up his bottle and followed them. He was keen to find out who could make the DCI behave so charmingly.

When Harrison reached the incident room, they were nowhere to be seen. He retraced his steps, looking for them, but they’d gone.

‘Who was that with the DCI?’ he asked the officer at reception.

‘That’s the mayor, Lucas Fry. Came to offer extra resources or something.’

It wasn’t unheard of, especially in a community like this, but Harrison took out his phone and scrolled through the images he’d taken at the St Luke’s scene when he’d arrived. There in the crowd of people was Lucas Fry, standing talking to an elderly couple. He had on a black woollen coat.

It wasn’t evidence – there were others in the crowd in black coats.

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