by John Dean
‘Was this area not searched first time around, Chris?’ he asked.
‘I believe so, yes. Twice, in fact. Including the well.’
‘So how come no one found her?’ asked Blizzard.
‘Presumably because she came back,’ said Ramsey. ‘That’s the thing with dementia sufferers when they go missing – they just keep walking and often double back on themselves.’
‘Natural causes?’ asked Blizzard.
‘Looks like it. We’ll have to wait for Reynolds to do his thing, of course, but there’s nothing obvious. I’d say it’s straightforward. She wanders into the garden, maybe when darkness had fallen, doesn’t see the well and…’
His voice tailed off and the officers stood and thought about the pensioner’s final moments, wondered if she had died instantly or had lain at the bottom of the well, calling for help that never came until her voice grew weaker and she finally slipped away. Blizzard closed his eyes for a second and thought of his recent nightmares. Thought of the walls closing in, recalled the sense of despair, felt once again the sheer terror, knew what the dream had meant.
‘Doesn’t bear thinking about,’ said Rowan, breaking into everyone’s thoughts.
Blizzard opened his eyes again.
‘No, it doesn’t,’ he said. ‘It really doesn’t but at least we found her. That’s something.’
He looked at Rowan and Leighton.
‘Thanks for your efforts, guys,’ he said.
‘Do you want me to tell her husband?’ asked Rowan.
‘No, it should be me that does it,’ said Blizzard. ‘I made Tom a promise. Besides, I need to tell him that we reckon that it was Matthew St Clair who pushed him over.’
It did not take the inspector long to drive to the general hospital but when he walked into the side room, the bed was empty and there was no sign of Tom Raine. A nurse entered the room.
‘Can I help you?’ she asked.
‘I’m looking for Tom.’
‘I am afraid he died this morning. I’m sorry, are you family?’
Blizzard shook his head.
‘No,’ he said. ‘Just a friend.’
Epilogue
Several months later, John Blizzard dropped Michael off at the childminder to allow Fee to get to work then headed for Hafton Crown Court for the start of sentencing proceedings. Just after 1.00pm, he, Arthur Ronald and David Colley were sitting at the corner table of the city centre pub opposite the court, nursing pints of beer and waiting for the barmaid to bring over their sandwiches.
‘Not a bad morning, all in all,’ said Ronald. He used his fingers to tick off the sentences imposed by the judge. ‘Bob Lennox sent away for life, Margaret Hatton gets a minimum of twenty-three years, Steve Holdsworth and Lennox’s son go down for kidnap and you two get commendations. Very satisfactory.’
‘And don’t forget the vicar last week,’ said Colley. ‘Four years for theft is not bad at all. You might get to appear on that Channel 5 documentary, after all, sir. I’m kinda glad that the CPS did not charge Phil Calvert in the end. He just got in over his head. He never meant any of it to happen.’
‘Maybe,’ said Blizzard. ‘I’d still have liked to get the developer who came to the agreement with St Clair, mind.’
‘You can’t have everything,’ said Ronald. ‘And the CPS are probably right – he may be a sharp operator but there was no way we can prove that he knew what St Clair was up to. No, it’s as good as we could have hoped for, John.’
‘I guess.’ Blizzard took a sip of beer. ‘It’s just a pity that the church had to close after all. Those people didn’t deserve that to happen.’
‘At least we’ve got rid of the hostel,’ said Ronald.
They drank in silence for a few moments then Blizzard noticed Rory Gill enter the bar.
‘That’s all I need,’ he said.
The councillor walked over to the table and looked down at the detectives.
‘Gentlemen,’ he said.
‘Councillor,’ said Ronald. He pulled out a chair. ‘Why don’t you get yourself a drink and join us?’
Rory Gill shot him a grateful look.
‘Thank you, Superintendent,’ he said. ‘I seem to be a bit short of friends, at the moment. I take it you heard that I lost the election for leader?’
‘I did,’ said Ronald. ‘Maybe next time, eh?’
Gill shook his head.
‘No, that’s me done with politics,’ he said. He looked at Blizzard. ‘You’ll probably not mourn my passing, Chief Inspector. I mean, you’ve got what you wanted, haven’t you?’
‘Not me,’ said Blizzard. He shook his head and drained his glass. ‘No, what I want is another pint.’
Gill looked at him uncertainly for a few moments, unsure what to say. Eventually, he gave a slight smile.
‘Then allow me to buy it,’ he said.
‘I thought you’d never ask,’ said Blizzard.
THE END
List of Characters
Hafton Police Officers:
DCI John Blizzard – head of Western Division CID
DI Chris Ramsey – Western CID Detective Inspector
DI Graham Ross – head of forensics, Western Division
Inspector Gerry Craven
DS David Colley
DC Sarah Allatt
PC Danny Rowan
PC Keith Leighton
County force:
Detective Superintendent Arthur Ronald – head of CID in the southern half of the force (which includes Western Division)
DC Angie Gaylard – Economic Crime Unit
Alice Greer – Press Officer
St John’s Church:
Jamie Holdsworth – member of the Scouts
Steve Holdsworth – his father
Marian Holdsworth – his mother
Agnes Proud – former congregation member
Tom Raine – former congregation member
Martha Raine – his wife
Jacob Reed – hostel worker
Edgar Rose-Harvey – chair of the church council
Glenda Rutherford – hostel assistant manager
The Rev Henry Sanders - vicar
Others:
Brian Brattan – oil rig worker
Phil Calvert – businessman
Fee Ellis – Blizzard’s partner
Rory Gill – city councillor
Chaz Gray – police informant
Margaret Hatton – safeguarding campaigner
Jay – Colley’s partner
Jenny – childminder
Miss Josephs – lawyer
Danny Lennox – murdered teenager
Bob Lennox – his father
Mr Ledbury – lawyer
Eric Liddle – lawyer
Albert Macklin – convicted child murderer
Darren Meadows – New Zealand resident
Michael – Blizzard’s son
Pat Molloy – criminal
Peter Reynolds – Home Office Pathologist
DC Ellie Tarrant – Thames Valley officer
Also featuring DCI John Blizzard
These books are available in paperback and are FREE with Kindle Unlimited.
THE LONG DEAD (Book 1)
When a routine archaeological dig turns up bodies on the site of a WWII prisoner of war camp, it should be an open and shut case for detective John Blizzard. But forensics discover one of the deaths is more recent and the force have a murder investigation on their hands.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B075WC7SBN
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B075WC7SBN
STRANGE LITTLE GIRL (Book 2)
Memories come flooding back to DCI John Blizzard when the grave of a murdered woman and her child is desecrated. He recalls the younger sister in the family who was never found, though presumed deceased. Having always suspected the father, now a wealthy businessman, Blizzard has the case reopened. But when he probes into this past crime, feathers are ruffled, a new murder is committed and what was dead and buried, comes very
much alive.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076TBXS9W/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B076TBXS9W/
THE RAILWAY MAN (Book 3)
Few tears are shed when an ex-boxer and local hard man turns up dead in the city of Hafton. Perhaps only Blizzard is unhappy about the news as the incident interrupts the celebration of the unveiling of the steam locomotive he has lovingly helped restore. There is no shortage of people who might have wanted the boxer dead. But with suspicion of the police and fear of recriminations high, getting any information at all will prove difficult.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077SMPNDP
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B077SMPNDP
THE SECRETS MAN (Book 4)
While detective John Blizzard looks into a spate of drug-related deaths, his nemesis, gangland thug Morrie Raynor, is released from prison. Blizzard becomes convinced Raynor is linked to a new crime spree, but with little evidence other than the ravings of a sick, delirious man, the detective’s colleagues suspect his personal feelings are clouding his judgement.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B079MHXRH3
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B079MHXRH3
A BREACH OF TRUST (Book 5)
A corrupt industrialist is found dead in his home. When his family shed crocodile tears, DCI John Blizzard turns the screw. But when their alibis check out, can his team track down the real killer among a long list of likely suspects?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07FVXBQ1F
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FVXBQ1F
DEATH LIST (Book 6)
An undercover detective is shot in his home. Later, police officers on a routine patrol are fired at. Someone has a big problem with law enforcement. DCI Blizzard starts a crackdown on his city’s most notorious gangsters. But is he in danger of rubbing the wrong people up the wrong way? Or is he already on the killer’s list?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07MHXS9JM/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MHXS9JM/
A FLICKER IN THE NIGHT (Book 7)
Someone is starting deadly fires, but the only clue to their identity is the obscure poetry that DCI John Blizzard receives on his desk. Taunting the police is one thing. Taunting Blizzard another. He’ll stop at nothing to crack the case and collar the arsonist.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07WSGYX1S/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WSGYX1S/
THE LATCH MAN (Book 8)
Old rivalries have come to the fore when the matriarch of a criminal family is found murdered. But is the killer the notorious burglar The Latch Man, as the community believes? DCI Blizzard investigates a strange case where no one is quite who they seem, and tries to stop a dangerous individual from getting away with murder.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B089KMBLLG/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B089KMBLLG/
Books 1-3 and books 4-6 are also available in box sets exclusively on Kindle. They are great value for a binge-reading session.
The DCI Jack Harris series
Eight murder mysteries to occupy the best crime-solving minds
Detective Chief Inspector Jack Harris is a former soldier who, as a youth, fled his life in a remote North Pennines valley when he began to get involved in crime. Having joined the Army and then worked as a police officer in Manchester, the northern hills drew him back, as he always knew they would. A man who would rather devote his time to walking the dogs, he finds instead that his job running CID requires him to deal with the effects of isolation on the community and the impact of criminals who travel in from outside the area to commit offences.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08NC2B8V7
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NC2B8V7
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