BURIED ON THE FENS a gripping crime thriller full of twists

by Joy Ellis

  ‘The others will be here in a few minutes. What can I get you to drink?’ Rosemary asked.

  Joseph opted for a soft drink so that Nikki could have a glass of wine with her friends. ‘I’ll drive you home tonight, and collect you in the morning, so go ahead and relax.’

  Nikki smiled. ‘I’m going to take you up on that, Joseph. I could murder a glass of wine, so to speak.’

  The doorbell rang and Spooky and Bliss arrived, along with a large tray of drinks.

  ‘I’ll just go and help Denise with the food. You guys make yourselves comfortable.’

  Nikki introduced Joseph and Bliss, and passed the glasses around.

  ‘Anything new on Maddie?’ Spooky lowered her voice. ‘Or shouldn’t I ask?’

  Nikki shook her head. ‘Nothing really, but we have only just had the go-ahead to start interviewing her Briar Patch friends.’

  Joseph sipped his juice. ‘We need to find someone that was close to her. It’s odd that she seems to have had no regular girlfriend.’

  ‘She didn’t,’ Spooky said. ‘If she had assignations, she must have kept them very quiet.’

  ‘Because of Daddy?’ asked Nikki.

  ‘Probably. I don’t think she wanted a steady relationship. Though at one time there was someone who really had the hots for her.’

  ‘Who?’

  Spooky frowned. ‘She never said, but it bothered her. You probably know that my brother is the local vet?’

  Nikki nodded. ‘Ronnie, isn’t it?’

  ‘That’s right. Well, he would go out to see her occasionally. The family had horses and various other pets. All her animals were on Ronnie’s books.’ She took a sip of her wine. ‘Around six months ago, I was with Ronnie when he got a call to go and check a pregnant mare that belonged to her father, so I went along too. Maddie was there and we chatted for a while. We were just leaving when this great bunch of flowers arrived, and you should have seen her face! She seemed really upset by it.’

  ‘Could it have been a male admirer?’

  Spooky shook her head. ‘No, she was too worried. There were always men after her and she was quite blasé about them. This was different altogether.’

  ‘Would Zena Paris know who it might have been?’ asked Nikki.

  ‘If anyone knew, it would be Zena. They were old friends.’

  ‘Do you know where from?’

  Spooky looked across to her partner and shrugged. ‘We have no idea. In fact we really don’t know much about any of the club members’ private lives, other than what they do for a living, and usually, but not always, who’s shagging who.’

  Joseph laughed.

  ‘We’re a small community, a minority group. There’s not so many potential partners available to us.’

  Nikki wondered if their killer might be promiscuous. ‘Anyone in the club strike you as being a bit loose?’

  Spooky shrugged. ‘About half of them, I’d say.’

  Nikki rolled her eyes. ‘Come on, I’m serious! Have any of them got a reputation for sleeping around?’

  Spooky frowned. ‘It’s hard to say. Plenty of people like to boast about their conquests. Let’s see. Professor Blunt is supposed to be a bit of a dark horse, and Dr Sylvia Caulfield likes to flirt. Carla Hunt? Possibly. Charlene Crawford always gives the impression that she has lots of notches on her belt. Oh, and Zena Paris is rather gorgeous. Plenty of us wouldn’t mind a chance!’

  ‘You brazen hussy!’ Bliss glowered at her.

  Joseph leaned forward. ‘What about Maria Lawson? She’s married to the historian, isn’t she? What’s their story?’

  ‘Marriage of convenience, on both sides. She and Christopher married to keep their families happy. It also put paid to some rather unsavoury rumours circulating regarding an inappropriate liaison that threatened to ruin Christopher’s academic career. And before you ask, Louise really was their child, one of two. Maria has always loved children. She has a woman partner, so Louise was brought up in a three-way family. She was a nice, well-balanced, well-loved kid, so it obviously worked for her.’

  Nikki shook her head. It was all very complicated. ‘Okay. I’m not sure how much to say in front of Rosemary so this is my last question. Is there anyone in the club that you feel slightly unsure of? Someone that maybe you don’t like, or don’t trust?’

  Spooky pulled a face. ‘That’s difficult. It’s like anywhere else, there are always people you either don’t like too much, or don’t know very well and sometimes make wrong assumptions about.’ She was silent for a while. ‘Charlene Crawford is a bit of an oddball, though I don’t know much about her, except that she works at Greenborough Hospital.’

  ‘A nurse?’

  ‘No, nothing like that. She said her job classification is “shit shoveller.” She works in a laboratory, so I guess she’s in the Path lab. Julia Chapman is another one. She’s a partner in an alternative health centre. She always seems a bit aloof, so I’ve never really got to know her.’ She puffed out her cheeks. ‘And maybe Celia Kenington.’

  ‘The lawyer?’ asked Nikki.

  ‘Yes, I can’t take to her. She is very superior, and talks down to people. But apart from personal preferences, no one really stands out as being particularly unpleasant or troublesome. Sorry, Nikki. I’m not being much help, am I?’

  ‘Every little helps to build a picture of—’

  They were summoned to the dining room.

  * * *

  The meal was delicious. Nikki wondered why she seemed to be the only person in the world who lacked any culinary skills.

  ‘A brandy, anyone?’ Rosemary asked.

  Nikki looked hopefully at Joseph. ‘You sure about picking me up in the morning?’

  ‘Go for it. I’ll be there.’

  Rosemary poured the cognacs and sat back down. ‘So. We thought it was finally all systems go with the cafe extension, but there were still more problems with that damned well.’ She swirled the brandy around in her glass. ‘I think I have it all sorted, and I just hope that nothing else rears its ugly head.’

  Nikki sipped her drink. ‘Are these open wells listed? I didn’t think they’d be of historical value.’

  ‘Not especially. They were quite common. It’s simply that with so much development taking place, there are not many left.’

  ‘Most people just filled them in and that was that.’ Denise glared at her partner. ‘But of course Miss Legal Knickers here insisted we do everything properly, and it backfired on us.’

  ‘Den’s right unfortunately. The local museum and the Antiquarian Society decided it would be nice to preserve it for posterity. Bugger the fact that it was on private land, and right underneath our proposed restaurant.’

  ‘Can we see it?’ asked Joseph. ‘I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a dry brick well before.’

  ‘Do. It may be your last chance. The men start filling it in tomorrow.’ Rosemary went to get a torch.

  ‘I’ll put the outside lights on.’ Denise went into the kitchen, and the garden area at the back of the cafe lit up like a stage.

  They all trooped out into the chilly evening and picked their way through piles of sand and gravel and discarded workmen’s tools.

  Rosemary led them to a spot close to the rear wall of the cafe, and raised the temporary cover. The well was approximately a metre and a half in diameter, a perfect circle of dry, packed bricks.

  ‘That certainly is a credit to the old-time builders, isn’t it? No mortar at all, and look at the workmanship!’ Joseph peered down into it.

  ‘Oh no! Not you too! Please don’t tell me you think we are destroying our heritage!’

  ‘Actually I think it looks pretty dangerous. Is it very deep?’

  Rosemary picked up a stone and went to the rim. ‘Listen. There is still water at the bottom.’ She dropped the stone, and they waited for the splash.

  ‘That must be deep! I never heard it land at all,’ exclaimed Spooky.

  Denise looked at Rosemary and shook her head. ‘Do it ag
ain, Ros.’

  Rosemary cast a bigger stone into the gloomy depths. This time they heard a dull thump.

  Nikki saw an odd look pass between Rosemary and Denise. She asked for the torch and looked down. The beam was not powerful enough to illuminate the shadowy bottom. ‘Have you got anything bigger than this?’

  They shook their heads.

  ‘I have, in the boot of my car. Hold on.’

  Nikki went to find it, and returned with a large battery-powered halogen lantern. This lit up the whole shaft.

  ‘Those blasted workmen have been throwing rubbish down here again!’ Rosemary looked down angrily at pieces of plastic, lumps of hardcore and other waste materials.

  ‘You wait until they turn up tomorrow!’

  ‘Rosemary?’ Nikki’s voice was grave. ‘When did this happen?’

  The two women looked at each other. Denise said, ‘Well, the buildings inspectors were here the day before yesterday, and it was fine then, so yesterday or today, I suppose. Why?’

  ‘And it will be filled in tomorrow?’

  ‘Yes. First thing.’

  Nikki moved the beam to and fro along the bottom, and then did the same from the other side.

  ‘Joseph? Come here.’

  He went to her side.

  ‘Tell me exactly what you see.’

  Joseph knelt down and leaned over the rim. ‘Some rough lumps of concrete, plastic sheeting, a twisted length of that thick nylon band that secures heavy packages, a splintered piece of wood, a leather strap, a length of pipe, a—’

  ‘Look again at the leather strap. What is it?’

  Joseph took the lamp from Nikki. ‘It looks like a handbag strap. I think I can just see a buckle sticking out of the water.’

  ‘That’s what I thought. Girls, did you leave out any rubbish? An old handbag, or maybe a belt?’

  They shook their heads.

  ‘Nikki?’

  Joseph was staring down into the pit.

  ‘Could you look here, please? To the left of that red and blue polythene bag.’

  Nikki followed the torch beam.

  Partly obscured by the filthy plastic, was a small, pale object. She moved to another vantage point and squinted.

  Joseph’s voice was low. ‘It’s fingers, isn’t it? A hand.’

  ‘Don’t assume anything.’ Nikki sounded calm, but her heart was thumping. ‘It could be anything, an old rubber glove maybe. But whatever it is, it has to be checked out.’ She looked up. ‘Spooky? It’s going to get a bit busy around here. Why don’t you and Bliss get home? And Rosemary? Denise? I’m really sorry, but I need to get some of my colleagues down here, now.’

  * * *

  The uniformed sergeant whistled through his teeth. ‘I’m not a hundred per cent sure either, ma’am, but I’d put money on them being fingers. Someone is bringing some night vision binoculars from the car. We should be able to get a better view then.’

  His colleague held them out to her. ‘Here, ma’am. Try these.’

  Nikki adjusted the focus and found the pale object protruding from the water. ‘I can identify fingernails and what could be a ring. It’s no glove, and a window-dresser’s dummy wouldn’t be wearing jewellery. Sergeant, get this place cordoned off and secured. I’ll let the DCI know what’s happened. Some poor sod is going to have to go down there.’

  ‘Why don’t we give that little job to the fire brigade?’ Joseph’s expression was positively wicked.

  ‘Excellent idea. I’m sure our fire-fighting brothers would relish the challenge.’

  ‘Beats getting cats out of trees, ma’am,’ added the sergeant.

  Nikki went back into the coffee shop to find her friends.

  By now Denise had finished venting her frustration and was busy making coffee for everyone. Nikki sat down with a visibly shaken Rosemary, and asked her if she could remember hearing or seeing anything unusual in the past two days.

  ‘The trouble is, the premises next door is a bakery. Vans and cars are in and out of their yard the whole night. We don’t even hear them now. And our bedroom is at the front of the flat, so you could probably drive a JCB through the back garden and we wouldn’t hear it.’

  ‘I suppose practically everyone in Greenborough knew about the well, didn’t they?’

  Denise put down their cups, and looked miserably at Rosemary. ‘Ros’s legal battle even made the newspapers.’

  ‘Yes,’ added Rosemary. ‘If the bloody thing had been filled in when we asked, this wouldn’t have happened.’ She looked at Nikki. ‘Oh my God! Do you think someone fell down there? We did cover it. You saw that, didn’t you?’

  Nikki covered Rosemary’s shaking hands with hers. ‘Ros, the lid was on. You lifted it off, remember? No one could have fallen down that shaft and put the lid back on after them, could they?’

  Rosemary smiled faintly. ‘Sorry. It’s the shock, I’m not thinking straight. I’m beginning to wonder if we should give up on the whole idea of an extension.’

  Nikki looked down at the table. ‘I’m afraid there will have to be another delay now. If it is a body, or body parts . . .’

  The sergeant returned. ‘Ma’am? Trumpton’s fire engine is just pulling up. I expect you’ll want to brief them on what’s going on?’

  ‘On my way.’ She and Joseph went to meet them. A young fireman was securing a heavy webbing belt around his waist, and attaching ropes and climbing equipment.

  Nikki watched him prepare. ‘Just don’t touch anything you don’t have to. I’ve no idea whether this is a crime scene or not yet.’

  ‘No worries. I’ll check it out and let you know.’ He tightened the strap on his helmet and gave a thumbs-up. ‘Ready, lads! Lower away.’

  Now lit by arc lamps, the garden looked as bright as day. Everyone stood in silence, watching the fireman make his way down the shaft. After a while he called up. ‘Send a collection bag down! I need to clear some of this rubbish away first.’

  The other firemen lowered what looked like a thick canvas hammock. He filled it with rubbish and sent it back up. ‘Okay. Let’s see what we’ve got here . . . Oh fuck! It is a body, Chief. A woman, I think. Oh shit! Why did I have to get this shout?’

  * * *

  It took nearly two hours to bring the body to the surface. In an attempt at concealment, builder’s rubble had been thrown down the shaft.

  Nikki thought about chance. What if? After the day they had had, they could very easily have turned down the supper invitation for tonight. Only Joseph had wanted to see the well, she herself was not particularly interested. And finally that tiny glint in the torchlight, the dull gleam of the buckle on the handbag strap. These things could so easily not have happened.

  The firemen carefully laid the woman’s body onto a large sheet of tarpaulin and stood back. One of the men came over.

  ‘We do have our own investigation team ready, Detective Inspector. Shall we take it from here?’

  Nikki chose her words carefully. ‘Thanks for the offer, but we have an ongoing murder investigation right now. Would you lads have any objection if I use police forensics? If she turns out to be another victim, it would save a lot of time.’

  ‘In that case I can’t see a problem.’

  ‘Thanks for all your help and expertise. I appreciate it.’ Before he could change his mind, she called the SOCOs. Soon the forensic photographer was in action and the crime scene process underway.

  Nikki was drinking her second coffee when Rory Wilkinson approached, yawning and bleary-eyed.

  ‘Thank you very much, DI Galena.’ He yawned again and rubbed his eyes. ‘Lack of sleep plays havoc with the complexion, you know. I shall look pasty for days, thanks to you. Now, what have you dug up this time?’

  They walked over to the tarpaulin. ‘Oh dear, “dug up” was horribly appropriate, by the look of this.’

  Nikki stared down at the drenched and mud-stained remains. ‘We know that she was only put down the well within the last twenty-four hours.’

 
; ‘Well, she’s been dead for a lot longer than that, let me tell you.’ He peered at her over the top of his glasses. ‘And because of the state of the body, I can’t make a guess. I’m going to need to do a lot of tests to be sure. Any identification on her?’

  Joseph answered. ‘We didn’t want to touch anything until you’d had a chance to see her. Now that you are here, I’d like to look in her bag.’

  Rory knelt and carefully opened the leather bag lying beside the body. ‘It looks fairly new, doesn’t it? I think they call them “organiser” bags or something. Lots of pockets and pouches for your wallet, your tablet, your mobile phone, your folding umbrella, the lot.’

  Rory removed the contents and laid them out on a sterile tray. ‘No credit cards or driving license. No addressed letters. No anything helpful at all.’ Nikki saw a linen handkerchief, a key ring with a fluffy teddy bear on it but no keys, an empty mobile phone case, a soggy packet of travel sickness pills, and two small plastic sleeves for photo cards.

  ‘I don’t hold out much hope for anything too exciting on her person, do you?’

  ‘Probably not, but we’d better check.’

  As Rory had suspected, her pockets were empty. He stood up and stretched. ‘Well, no ID, but there is the ring, and we may find some scars or other distinguishing features. Her clothes don’t look too ordinary either, and the labels seem to be intact. We can take fingerprints, blood and DNA. I don’t think it will take too long to find out who she is . . . Hello? Nikki? Penny for them!’

  Nikki was staring down at the handbag contents, with a sick feeling in her stomach.

  ‘Nikki?’

  His voice seemed to come from a distance. ‘I think I can tell you exactly who she is, Rory. Wouldn’t you say, judging from the contents of her handbag, that she’s a traveller? Camera cards? Travel sick pills? A new organiser bag just right for a trip abroad. Perfect for keeping all your documentation safe — your passport, airline tickets, money and so forth?’

  ‘Quite possibly, yes.’

  ‘And at a guess, could she be around forty, forty-three?’

  ‘More than likely.’

  Joseph nodded, evidently having reached the same conclusion.

  ‘Well, unless I’m way off track, this is Ellen McDonald, nee Millicent Cartwright, late of Quintin Eaudyke.’