‘No, it slipped my mind. When I fetch my paper in the morning, I’ll be sure to ask if she knows who that is. It must have been one of the women at the village meeting the other night. I have a feeling it may have been who Diane Bevan was talking to most of the evening.’
‘Would you recognise her if you saw her again?’
‘Yes, I believe I would.’
Chapter 42
STEPHEN
He trundles downstairs the next morning, wishing he felt better, but even a decent sleep hasn’t done him any favours. He’s surprised at how quickly he did fall asleep. Maybe it’s his body’s way of telling him he doesn’t have to fight against his grief anymore. He’s not sure if the symptoms will disperse now or whether they will continue to get worse.
Grief doesn’t disappear overnight after a good sleep and a wake up call. It stays with you, raising its ugly head at the most inappropriate and random times. Deep, pure grief is for life. Stephen knows this, so there’s a chance he may never feel normal again. But accepting it and understanding grief and its effects is the first step. That’s what therapists and doctors always say, isn’t it?
It’s later than Stephen usually gets up, but his body and mind must have needed the rest. Graham is awake and has coffee brewing. Stephen could smell it the moment he stepped outside the bedroom door earlier. Warm and inviting. Stephen takes a seat at the kitchen table and lets out a long sigh.
‘Well, Graham, what’s on the agenda today?’ It feels strange to call him Graham. Maybe he should go back to callinghim Detective just for old times’ sake. Stephen always feels better when he returns to the familiar.
‘Hmm, well …this investigation has taken somewhat of a detour off a cliff lately. I believe the journals and diaries from young John Hammel may hold more clues. What we need is solid evidence tying Frank Hammel, William Davies and Diane Bevan to the crime, or evidence of Sophia Hammel’s disappearance. It would also help to find out who Ceri Griffiths is, but things seem to have come to a slight …’ While he’s been talking, Graham opens the back door and stares into the early morning gloom, squinting his eyes, but then he stops. ‘Ah, bugger. It seems our hanging friend has returned.’
Stephen gets to his feet and joins Graham at the back door. It may still be relatively dark outside, the sunrise barely cresting the brow of the hill, but there is, indeed, another scarecrow hanging from the tree. This one is much further down, the feet of the scarecrow skimming the earth. There’s something different about it. Somehow more … life-like …
‘Um … I don’t think that’s our hanging friend …’ says Stephen.
‘Shit …’
Before Stephen can react, Graham takes off up the hill, moving at an alarming pace for an older gentleman. Stephen follows, attempting to catch him, but failing miserably. By the time he reaches the top of the hill, Graham is already there,standing next to the swinging body of a man who is very clearly dead.
‘Frank Hammel,’ says Graham with a long sigh. ‘Goddamn it!’
Stephen stares at the hanging body of the man he spoke to last night. A rope is pulled tight around his neck, dark bruising already forming. The man’s eyes are open, bulging and streaked with red veins. There’s a ladder propped against the tree trunk.
It seems Frank climbed it, tied the rope around one of the thicker branches, then slipped the loop over his head and stepped off.
‘I’d better call this in,’ says Graham. ‘I think this investigation just went from casual to severe. This is no longer about a missing teenager.’
Stephen nods, agreeing. He watches while Graham takes out his mobile and calls the local police. He paces back and forth while he speaks, using terminology and phrases that sound professional. Stephen leaves him in peace.
Stephen has a hunch and he’s hoping he’s right. While Graham’s back is turned he reaches up and checks the pockets of the jacket that Frank is wearing. It’s the same one from last night. Stephen even catches a whiff of whisky. His fingers find a piece of paper, tucked into his inner jacket pocket. Stephen quickly scans it.
I’m sorry. I tried. 568962-1925
Stephen looks up as Graham approaches. ‘What’s that?’ Graham asks.
‘A clue,’ replies Stephen.
‘Please tell me you did not just touch a dead body and remove a vital piece of evidence?’
Stephen shoves the piece of paper at Graham. ‘We don’t have time to hang about while the police arrive.’
Graham nods. ‘Okay, but what’s the clue? What are these numbers?’
‘I’ve seen numbers displayed like this before. I think the first six numbers are a grid reference.I need a map. Now.’
Chapter 43
GRAHAM
The officer on the phone tells Graham to move away from the body and a team will be there within fifteen minutes to cordon off the tree. What a mess this has turned out to be. When he woke up this morning, he was expecting to continue investigating Sophia Hammel’s disappearance. Now, her father has been found hanging from the tree outside his home.
