Read Online Hail and Farewell (The Lakeland Murders) by J. J. Salkeld - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: J. J. Salkeld
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was to have very long takes, for some sort of artistic purpose.’
‘It’s like watching paint dry’ said Mann. ‘Nothing’s happening at all, is it? There’s just a group of blokes in a huge scrum, with the odd one entering and leaving. It’s much more exciting to play than to watch, I can tell you.’
After five more minutes the ball suddenly appeared, and many hands reached skywards, trying to grab it. Then it disappeared again, but the scrum did start to move, across the kerb at the side of the car park, through the remains of a low hedge, and down the bank into the beck.
‘The cameraman didn’t want to get his feet wet, so he stays on the bank’ said Jenny. ‘And it’s really dark when they’re off the car park there, so it’s hard to see much from here on. But one thing is clear, a couple of the casualties were left behind before the scrum went into the water, you can just see them on the ground.’
And then, quite suddenly, the ball appeared again, thrown high and hard back towards the car park.
‘That’s someone trying to pass it off to a mate outside the scrum’ said Mann. ‘The idea is that they run off with the ball. Sometimes it works, especially when it’s dark, and one player gets clean away and hails the ball.’
‘Well that didn’t happen this time’ said Jenny. ‘Look, the scrum quickly re-forms back on the car park. The person who got the ball was caught straight away, and the scrum just gathers round him again.’
‘It often happens like that’ said Mann. ‘So when is Chris Brown spotted? Do we see that?’
‘Just another twenty seconds.’ For the first time the camera wavered, as the person filming tried to decide what to shoot. And then he started moving, back towards the bank of the beck. Then, quite suddenly, the screen went dark.
‘Why did he stop filming?’ asked Jane.
‘He went to try to help. He said he guessed that someone was in trouble.’
‘Shit.’
‘Very public spirited though’ said Mann. ‘So what can we get from this, do you reckon?’
‘Could we get a second-by-second picture of who was in the scrum, do you think?’ Jane asked Jenny, before she could reply to Mann.
‘Possibly. It would mean going through the footage more or less frame by frame. But if I had someone who recognised the players, then it might be possible.’
‘Right. I’ve got a candidate for that job.’ Jane looked round. DC Iredale had just walked in. He was wearing a bright yellow cycling jacket.
‘Keith’ Jane called out, ‘can you put that jacket out and come over here for a second?’
‘Sorry, boss. I thought I’d better put my head round the door before I got changed.’
‘Don’t worry about it. I want you to work with Jenny today, and go through this footage she’s got hold of. I want to know who is in the scrum from 10.30pm until the time the camera goes off. So log everyone who you know to be in there at any time, and especially the time that they joined or left the scrum.’
‘OK, boss. Will do.’
‘And then I want to know, as a matter of urgency, if anyone was in that scrum who we don’t already know about.
‘Got you.’
‘Now, will you recognise everyone?’
‘Probably not. Is it all right if I ask the DI or the DS if not? They’ll probably know.’
Jane hesitated, and glanced across at Mann. He nodded.
‘Yes, OK. And I need this done before the game starts tonight. They haven’t cancelled it, have they?’
‘No. Mr. and Mrs. Brown asked for it to go ahead. They’ll be presented with the ball from Friday, and Mr. Brown will throw the ball up at half six. That’s how it starts, like.’
‘Good. That’s nice, I suppose. And Jenny, would you send DCI Hall a link to the footage on the shared drive? I think he’ll want to review it today.’
‘Better than watching re-runs of Trisha ’ said Mann, smiling. ‘Probably less violent, too.’
It was almost noon before Jane had finished going through the background
‘It’s like watching paint dry’ said Mann. ‘Nothing’s happening at all, is it? There’s just a group of blokes in a huge scrum, with the odd one entering and leaving. It’s much more exciting to play than to watch, I can tell you.’
After five more minutes the ball suddenly appeared, and many hands reached skywards, trying to grab it. Then it disappeared again, but the scrum did start to move, across the kerb at the side of the car park, through the remains of a low hedge, and down the bank into the beck.
‘The cameraman didn’t want to get his feet wet, so he stays on the bank’ said Jenny. ‘And it’s really dark when they’re off the car park there, so it’s hard to see much from here on. But one thing is clear, a couple of the casualties were left behind before the scrum went into the water, you can just see them on the ground.’
And then, quite suddenly, the ball appeared again, thrown high and hard back towards the car park.
‘That’s someone trying to pass it off to a mate outside the scrum’ said Mann. ‘The idea is that they run off with the ball. Sometimes it works, especially when it’s dark, and one player gets clean away and hails the ball.’
‘Well that didn’t happen this time’ said Jenny. ‘Look, the scrum quickly re-forms back on the car park. The person who got the ball was caught straight away, and the scrum just gathers round him again.’
‘It often happens like that’ said Mann. ‘So when is Chris Brown spotted? Do we see that?’
‘Just another twenty seconds.’ For the first time the camera wavered, as the person filming tried to decide what to shoot. And then he started moving, back towards the bank of the beck. Then, quite suddenly, the screen went dark.
‘Why did he stop filming?’ asked Jane.
‘He went to try to help. He said he guessed that someone was in trouble.’
‘Shit.’
‘Very public spirited though’ said Mann. ‘So what can we get from this, do you reckon?’
‘Could we get a second-by-second picture of who was in the scrum, do you think?’ Jane asked Jenny, before she could reply to Mann.
‘Possibly. It would mean going through the footage more or less frame by frame. But if I had someone who recognised the players, then it might be possible.’
‘Right. I’ve got a candidate for that job.’ Jane looked round. DC Iredale had just walked in. He was wearing a bright yellow cycling jacket.
‘Keith’ Jane called out, ‘can you put that jacket out and come over here for a second?’
‘Sorry, boss. I thought I’d better put my head round the door before I got changed.’
‘Don’t worry about it. I want you to work with Jenny today, and go through this footage she’s got hold of. I want to know who is in the scrum from 10.30pm until the time the camera goes off. So log everyone who you know to be in there at any time, and especially the time that they joined or left the scrum.’
‘OK, boss. Will do.’
‘And then I want to know, as a matter of urgency, if anyone was in that scrum who we don’t already know about.
‘Got you.’
‘Now, will you recognise everyone?’
‘Probably not. Is it all right if I ask the DI or the DS if not? They’ll probably know.’
Jane hesitated, and glanced across at Mann. He nodded.
‘Yes, OK. And I need this done before the game starts tonight. They haven’t cancelled it, have they?’
‘No. Mr. and Mrs. Brown asked for it to go ahead. They’ll be presented with the ball from Friday, and Mr. Brown will throw the ball up at half six. That’s how it starts, like.’
‘Good. That’s nice, I suppose. And Jenny, would you send DCI Hall a link to the footage on the shared drive? I think he’ll want to review it today.’
‘Better than watching re-runs of Trisha ’ said Mann, smiling. ‘Probably less violent, too.’
It was almost noon before Jane had finished going through the background
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