deep gully vanishing into the mountain when Tweed called out to stop. He was sounding more cheerful all the time. Paula wondered why. She followed him out and he walked back and entered the dark gully, waving his torch about. He stopped suddenly.
'What on earth have we here?'
The beam of his torch was illuminating a strange contraption. Paula had her .32 Browning in her right hand. She found the atmosphere claustrophobic, had a vision of their being buried for ever inside the gully. Tweed was examining what he'd found.
It was like a long gangway, the floor built of sturdy planks. Wooden railings lined either side and it was mounted on thick rubber wheels. Several pairs were attached at different sections of the gangway, if that was what it was. Tweed bent over it, shining his torch closely. He grunted.
'And of recent construction. I didn't see a jetty. Did you?'
'No.' She thrust her automatic back into the special pocket in her shoulder bag. Then she took out her camera and took photos of the contraption from different angles quickly. 'Now, if it's all the same to you, I think we ought to get back to the car.'
'Let's do that. Nothing more here I can see.'
'No point in looking, then.'
They got back into the car and Warden drove off again. He speeded up, but not recklessly. They drove through a sector where the sea had recently covered the road. Warden made one of his rare remarks.
'Good job the road climbs again. The sea swamped that area of road while you were away.'
During the journey to the coast Paula had felt all round her side of the car for her map without success. Dropping her torch, she reached down and her hand located the map. She began studying it with the aid of her torch.
'Harmer's Head is marked,' she said. 'To get back we take the first right pointing to Bideford, then keep all the way on the A386, which eventually gets us almost home.'
'Spoke just in time, miss,' Warden replied. 'There's the signpost. So sorry I made such a pig of it. Buchanan will give me stick. I'll be lucky to stay sergeant.'
'Then,' Tweed said amiably, 'you tell him you followed a route into the wilds on my specific instructions. Don't mention any details of our getting out of the car.'
'Thank you, sir. I do appreciate that.'
They parked alongside the high wall at the back of Abbey Grange. Paula showed Warden on her map how to circumnavigate Dartmoor until he arrived back in Post Lacey. He smiled - the first time she'd ever known he could do that. Tweed guided Paula to the entrance in the wall, saw the gate was open and took her by the arm so they both walked along the side of the mansion on the grass verge. He pointed at the slab path he was avoiding.
'Knowing the place is well protected, they've probably laid pressure pads under those slabs. We'll enter by climbing up the steps on to the terrace. Officially we've just returned up the track over the moor.'
When they reached the foot of the steps they saw that the whole ground floor was a blaze of lights. Paula checked her watch: 6 a.m. As they approached the heavy door it opened and Larry stood in a thick colourful dressing gown, smiling.
'Dirty stop-outs,' he greeted them with a grin. 'There's some hot coffee in the pot. In my study.'
'I could do with a cup.' Paula agreed.
They stood up to drink it, despite Larry's urging them to sit and be comfortable. When he spoke his expression was serious.
'They've dealt with the skeleton?' he enquired.
'With the first one,' replied Tweed.
'The first !' Larry jumped up from his chair. 'What does that mean?'
'They found another one. Tell you about it later.'
'I'm off to the works early.'
'When we next meet, then.'
'You can stay here as long as you wish. Eat here. Up to you.'
'We'll see.' Tweed waved a hand. 'Maybe the whole of Dartmoor'has become one vast burial ground.'
'Don't!' said Paula. 'I'm off to bed now before I fall over.'
9
Ken
Lee
Christine
John
Seated at the breakfast table in Abbey Grange, Paula
'What on earth have we here?'
The beam of his torch was illuminating a strange contraption. Paula had her .32 Browning in her right hand. She found the atmosphere claustrophobic, had a vision of their being buried for ever inside the gully. Tweed was examining what he'd found.
It was like a long gangway, the floor built of sturdy planks. Wooden railings lined either side and it was mounted on thick rubber wheels. Several pairs were attached at different sections of the gangway, if that was what it was. Tweed bent over it, shining his torch closely. He grunted.
'And of recent construction. I didn't see a jetty. Did you?'
'No.' She thrust her automatic back into the special pocket in her shoulder bag. Then she took out her camera and took photos of the contraption from different angles quickly. 'Now, if it's all the same to you, I think we ought to get back to the car.'
'Let's do that. Nothing more here I can see.'
'No point in looking, then.'
They got back into the car and Warden drove off again. He speeded up, but not recklessly. They drove through a sector where the sea had recently covered the road. Warden made one of his rare remarks.
'Good job the road climbs again. The sea swamped that area of road while you were away.'
During the journey to the coast Paula had felt all round her side of the car for her map without success. Dropping her torch, she reached down and her hand located the map. She began studying it with the aid of her torch.
'Harmer's Head is marked,' she said. 'To get back we take the first right pointing to Bideford, then keep all the way on the A386, which eventually gets us almost home.'
'Spoke just in time, miss,' Warden replied. 'There's the signpost. So sorry I made such a pig of it. Buchanan will give me stick. I'll be lucky to stay sergeant.'
'Then,' Tweed said amiably, 'you tell him you followed a route into the wilds on my specific instructions. Don't mention any details of our getting out of the car.'
'Thank you, sir. I do appreciate that.'
They parked alongside the high wall at the back of Abbey Grange. Paula showed Warden on her map how to circumnavigate Dartmoor until he arrived back in Post Lacey. He smiled - the first time she'd ever known he could do that. Tweed guided Paula to the entrance in the wall, saw the gate was open and took her by the arm so they both walked along the side of the mansion on the grass verge. He pointed at the slab path he was avoiding.
'Knowing the place is well protected, they've probably laid pressure pads under those slabs. We'll enter by climbing up the steps on to the terrace. Officially we've just returned up the track over the moor.'
When they reached the foot of the steps they saw that the whole ground floor was a blaze of lights. Paula checked her watch: 6 a.m. As they approached the heavy door it opened and Larry stood in a thick colourful dressing gown, smiling.
'Dirty stop-outs,' he greeted them with a grin. 'There's some hot coffee in the pot. In my study.'
'I could do with a cup.' Paula agreed.
They stood up to drink it, despite Larry's urging them to sit and be comfortable. When he spoke his expression was serious.
'They've dealt with the skeleton?' he enquired.
'With the first one,' replied Tweed.
'The first !' Larry jumped up from his chair. 'What does that mean?'
'They found another one. Tell you about it later.'
'I'm off to the works early.'
'When we next meet, then.'
'You can stay here as long as you wish. Eat here. Up to you.'
'We'll see.' Tweed waved a hand. 'Maybe the whole of Dartmoor'has become one vast burial ground.'
'Don't!' said Paula. 'I'm off to bed now before I fall over.'
9
Ken
Lee
Christine
John
Seated at the breakfast table in Abbey Grange, Paula
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