by Mike Crowson
Chapter 24
Alicia eased herself out of the fourth house and walked over to where Frank and his team were carefully replacing the numbered roof stones of house number two.
"How's it going?" she asked.
Actually the question was largely rhetorical. She could see that it was obviously going well because they'd almost finished.
"What?" boomed a voice from the inside. "I can't hear you down here."
"It's okay," yelled one of the volunteers, "Alicia just asked how it was going."
Frank's head appeared in the chimney-hole. Looking his usual cheerful self he replied, "Well we've done what you can see, which is most of it, and what you can't see is the bit still to do."
Alicia laughed. "Ask a stupid question," she said.
"Seriously though," said Frank, "I think we're going to be finished by lunch time and once everybody is safely out you can begin to throw sand back on top and replace the turf. The weather's not looking too good and it would be nice to finish before it rains. Anyway, I'd like to see for real what it was like in bad weather."
"Knowing British weather, I should think you'll have plenty of chance!" said Alicia.
"How's number four going?"
"Iamie’s sieving every grain of sand."
"Early days yet."
"After all the finds in number three we don't want to miss a thing. It does seem as if the people walked out of the village with what they could carry and nothing more," Alicia commented.
"You heard Steve's story," said Frank, "The evidence backs it up."
"Yes," said Alicia soberly. "Talking of Steve and the story, I wonder how the adventurers are getting on in Spain."
"They're due back in Kirkwall tomorrow," said Frank. "We'll just have to be patient 'till then. Well, I must crack the whip and get them back to work," he added, and his head disappeared back into the hole.
Just at that moment Alicia saw Steve waving, Constable Breck beside him. She began to walk towards them, meeting the policeman in mid-field, while Steve went back into the cabin.
"Good day, ma'am," said the soft spoken constable.
"Hello," replied Alicia. "What can I do for you."
"I've had the report on Mr. Harrington. It seems the autopsy showed nothing but the heart attack, so they're arranging for the body to go straight back to Birmingham. I called to say that you can pick up the car any time you like. It's in Linksness."
"I'll get Steve, Mr. Benderman, to drive me over this afternoon and pick it up then. You'll send the Professor's personal belongings back with the body?"
"I should think so, though I haven't any information about a family."
"I'm afraid I can't be any help at all in that direction," said Alicia.
She wondered whether to ask about the ring or whether to say nothing and let well alone. She decided on the latter course, and asked, "Will you stay for some lunch?"
"Thank you. That's most hospitable of you, but I'm expected home for lunch today. I'll have to ride along just now, but I thought I'd let you know straight away."
The policeman mounted his bike and cycled towards the gate, leaving with a wave. Alicia breathed a sigh of relief - she had had no doubts that the death had been natural causes, but there had still been room for awkward questions. She glanced at her watch and decided there was just time enough to go back to the excavations for a few minutes.