ISLAND OF DREAMS

RONNIE CARLETON.

2017.

..............
 Dan Coll opened his eyes. It was dark and noisy and there was a smell

of spent farts, sweat and urine. It was also bone breaking cold. He could hear

snoring somewhere in the train and the rattling of the train going over points. He

could also hear the wind, a whining winds that came and went then he knew it was

no dream or nightmare. He was moving northwards towards the west coast of

Scotland, bullied into it by the university.

He let that sink in. It had a chilling ring to it like a chunk hammer on steel with force.

He was too cold to sleep now and ran his hands down his legs till they touched the

old leg wound.

Christ! How did this happen?,he thought and shuddered. I came to make a project

film on the archeology with Zara. She had the maps, the permits to move around,

spoke Gaelic and English and was an archeology researcher in her own right.

The only answer was someone snoring like a chainsaw in a dark corner and the

sighing of a chill wind in any gaps in the carriage. And Zara?

Zara McDonald was a pain in the ass when she heard of the island project. Field

work she loved, he thought, but on a bloody rock, well out at sea with a lighthouse,

no pub, place to shower or good food was not funny.

No not funny at all because she also roped in student green horns first year and to

his knowledge, little or no field work experience as well as the needed survival

skills.
Well once this was over he was off to Portugal for a wine, women and song break

which he needed. There had been a few complaints from students at the University

that when he had a class he got a bit 'wooly' in his input and also more than a bit

abrupt with some of them. He also threw one of the students, who had arrived late

for the class three times in one week and when she protested he told her to 'fuck' off

and come in on time. This of course got back to the Dean who took a dim view of it

and had called him into his office. He sat and listened then the Dean waited.

That it?

You need to take a break Dr Coll and as soon as possible at half term and when

you come back refreshed we can talk again. In the meantime you will apologist to

the class and most of all to Miss Suzy Blackwell-Kirk who's father is an MP and a

friend of mine.

Dan Coll had stared at a single staple on the desk in front of him before answering

the Dean. He looked up slowly and his eyes were like ice. I will say sorry to the

class and she will be included in that but I will be damned if I will tell her sorry in

any form of a personal way. She is late, not producing the work needed on this

course, she is also bad mannered and has already had one course before she gets

to me each morning and on Monday I caught her in the gym taking a 'selfie' of

herself and that scab of a student from Arts, Duncan McGroaty. He was the one you

chucked out last year for drugs.

So you tell Daddy, from me all this, and get his facts right. Suggest you move to

another class, soon as. Zara McDonald is down in numbers and may be planning a

field trip somewhere.

The Dean frowned. And if I don't?

Bye bye blackbird!. stood up and walked out leaving the door open.
 CHAPTER ONE.

The hotel was close to the sea and he was soaked through as he made his way to

the hotel and where Zara and her own team had gathered. They came up by car and

had all the gear.

He went to reception and looked at the young woman behind the desk.

Im Dr Dan Coll. My assistant, Zara McDonald booked me in with her party?

She smiled. Oh aye. There is a room for you at the top of the stairs but there is a

problem Dr Coll. It seems we took the booking in good faith but we double booked a

wedding party who arrived this morning for the wedding tomorrow. A local man.

Im very happy for them so what is this problem?

She rolled her eyes. Well Miss McDonalds party has to double up, share rooms

like. So do you but she said you would be ok about it.

His face dropped. Tell me this is a joke.

She shook her head. Sorry. No joke and the other two hotels in the village are also

booked out. I checked.

Dan sighed deeply. I am sharing with who?

Miss McDonald.

The hell I am! Where is she right now.? , he demanded with some anger.

She nodded to a side door. In the lounge bar with her people.

He stormed into the bar and could see her with five other people, all young and

laughing.

He walked up to the table and looked at Zara. We need to talk Zara and now,

outside!
Zara pouted. Ah! Children. This is my boss and your project leader so be nice to

him. Dr Dan Coll will be with us on site and will be wanting photographs and video

of all we find and do. Dan I would like you to meet your team. To my right is Suzy

Kirk, artifacts sorting, next to her is Rob Walker the mapper of the site and camera

man, across from me is a fine gentleman called Joe Duggan who studied Celtic

history and a field man of sorts, then Helen Watts who keeps the project laptop data

up to date and is also a field worker, and your bone person is Frankie McVoy and

she is good and also a field worker. As you know, I oversee all the work on site and

also a field worker. So what do you want to talk about Dan?

To Dan Coll it was a challenge. He glared at Suzy Kirk who was smiling at him

He made a face. The sleeping arrangements?

Oh!, said Zara with mock surprise. Would not do Dan if I shared a room with a

student would it?

Dan did not like that response and his face showed it. What?

You and I share a double room. Single beds of course and no hassle from me.

His mouth fell open in surprise and shock. For one night only and then we go to

the islands!

She smiled at him and someone in the group giggled and he looked at each face in

turn then muttered, Christ on a crutch. Im going to eat. Ill see you later and in the

morning you all better be ready to rock and roll or whatever you do these days.

What time do we get the chopper?

Ten. Straight out over the sea and left. Sorry.

He glared at her and walked away out of the bar. No one laughed and he went to the

reception and got his key. He was too angry to even say thank you to the young

woman behind the desk.

Dan dumped his bag on the bed that he thought was his and took out his mobile

and punched in a number his face like stone.

Ah Dan my boy. You got there then, said Professor Henry Gibbons, the Dean of

the University, his voice honey coated. Another adventure by the great man!

Henry you cant do this to me. Students who are still kids and I am not built for

babysitting them. Zara has also booked me into a room that I have to share with her

it seems. This great adventure as you call it is already a train wreck and we haven't

even left the mainland. Can you call it it off?

He heard Harry chuckle and was about to shout when he heard his voice now low,

almost whispering. My dear boy it is not as simple as that and the University has

got the funding for your trip, a week to ten days at the most. There is also the

question of the PR which if your group pulls it off the press will love it and the

University will be highlighted. All you have to do is film the whole thing from start to

finish and make a few field notes. Zara is a big girl Dan and it will be only for one

night.

Henry why are you whispering?

There was a snort. Im , well I have someone here, a friend if you must know and

she and I are busy right now. Have a good trip and I will see you when you get back.

Bye.

There was a click and the line went dead. He glared at the phone and threw it on the

bed muttering to himself. He walked over to the other bed and looked at the

scattered clothes, a book, and a laptop. Then he seen the newspaper cutting

sticking out of a tan folder and extracted it with two fingers. A full page not a cutting

and sat down to read it.

Then he looked at the map. It showed that where they were going was well out in the

Atlantic and except for a lighthouse and a few ruins there was nothing but rocks,

wild grasses and rushes.

Oh my giddy Aunt. The end of the world!

He then read the islands report and it chilled him as he read all the details.

His head was spinning and he was on the floor, dust in his nose, almost nude. Then

a voice.

Are you hurt Dan?

Of course Im fucking hurt. Just dont stand there woman, call an ambulance!

She closed her mouth then opened it. Ill use my mobile because if I have to go

down

Christ on a crutch. Just do it!

Then he passed out and she almost went into panic mode. Stay with me Dan, Ill

get help.

No I will check your breathing and put you into recovery position. Yes, of course.

Why am I talking to myself?

She rang 999 and poured herself a whiskey and gulped it down fast.

Her eyes drifted back to Dan on the floor and the underpants on one leg and the rest

then she started to laugh and had to put he hand over her mouth to try and stop it.

The doorway cast a shadow and the girl from reception was there looking from Dan

to Zara and muttered,

Rough sex was it. Stand aside and ring for help. You could try 999 if you have a

brain!

I should inform you that I already have and I dont like...

Get a pillow off the bed and a blanket and hurry up, she demanded in a curt

voice.Zara came back and handed them to the woman who covered up Dan with the

blanket and placed a pillow under his head . Anything I should know?

He fell over.

And?

I think he broke something. His leg or something I heard it crack.

She looked up at her. Wow! No kidding!

Dan groaned, I am still here you know! Where am I?

Zara jumped in fast. In Scotland in a hotel. Don't you remember?

Get a pillow off the bed and a blanket and hurry up, she demanded in a curt

voice.Zara came back and handed them to the woman who covered up Dan with the

blanket and placed a pillow under his head . Anything I should know?

He fell over.

And?

I think he broke something. His leg or something I heard it crack.

She looked up at her. Wow! No kidding!

Dan groaned, I am still here you know! Where am I?

Zara jumped in fast. In Scotland in a hotel. Don't you remember?

He shook his head and it too hurt then he could see blood, his blood and went

blank.Dont worry. Help is on the way. She looked up at Zara. You still here?

Just going. Yes, will ring 999 of course. Sorry.

Bye.

The door closed over and Dan passed out. Wherever he went he did not know but it

was gloomy and fallen angels were watching him, no smile, no wings and both male

and females were bald. Then the colours came in, ribbons of colours and all bright

floating around him and when he opened his eyes he was in a hospital bed with a

nurse looking down at him. She smiled and he did not like that smile because she

had no eyes. Then he screamed.

The voice was very low almost a whisper, Just a little prick. There you go. You are

going down to down for an opp. Do you know your name?

No answer.

More whispered voices, more shuffling like rats in a cellar, the squeak of rubber on

the floor and above him bright lights flashing by. He could smell cigarette smoke,

perfume, sweat but the white lights were now fading and he passed out.

We got a name yet for this patient?

Female grunted. So far still John Doe. Here is his x-rays of pelvis and CT scan of

the skull, his blood's showed no drugs or anything out of the ordinary. Blood sugars

a bit low, pulse steady so far.

Let's get him slid over on the table. Where is Mr Robb demanded a male voice

then added, Someone ring ITU, any bed will do and I do not you to come back with'

no beds' because if our John makes it then he will be in an induced coma for a long

time.

Mr Robb is here now.

He looked across at the man in the dinner suit. Suggest you scrub up fast and get

in Deep breathing, rattle of instruments, whispers and still the smell of sweat of

burning filled the small room. Then silence.

here even faster. I will start down below, youre the head man so get going!Deep

breathing, rattle of instruments, whispers and still the smell of sweat of burning

filled the small room. Then silence.

DEAD DAMES AND DAMSELS

INTERVIEWS.

I sat and counted ten and then stood up and opened my office door glad this was

the last for the day, maybe for good as the last five could use a computer, take calls,

keep a diary and type up reports. Two were up the shoot and due to drop before

Christmas, one of them wanted more money and work part time from home. Number

three, a blond with a chatty mouth and a tired face. Worked in a chippy at night and

you could smell it on her hair as she passed me to the seat and four was a NO No

when I seen her, big, like big body but she had to use spell check almost for every

word she typed except for the and street. Nice enough but not what I needed.

Now I was looking for number six as number five said she did not want the job and

just needed to prove she was seeking work with the Social.

I was now looking at a small person, dark eyes and hair that did not hide a scared

right face and walking on two sticks. My mind raced for her first name almost in

panic.

Please come in, take a seat and relax, I muttered forcing a smile that would fool

no one.
She nodded and pushed by me and grunted, I am relaxed Mr Coll. You seem

uptight if I may say so and my name is Francis St Clare, sometime 'La Clare', part

French and part Irish.

I sat down and picked up her application form and read it again, this time taking

notice to read it all.

I looked up and must have frowned because she spoke softly, If you hire me you

get what you see and I am good at what I do and that is a lot of things except

football. I am no budding beauty but I have a beautiful mind and I have no lower

legs from the knees down. The face was the result of the same accident.

You seem more than a bit over,well, how do I say this?

She smiled. Yes, Have degree in archeology with a add on of forensic

anthropology and want to work with Codex Forensics UK and someone who calls

himself Dan Coll,the Project Director under the local University. I take that it is

you?

I nodded. Yes. Sorry. I should have told you. I am in the process of getting a new

team together. As for the University they let me go.

She grunted. All because your students and their project manager went to an

island and vanished while you were ill in Scotland and in hospital. I call that lucky

Dan Coll.

I looked at my hands to see if they were shaking. They were. When I looked up she

was getting out of the chair.

Where are you going?

She shrugged. You dont need a PA or whatever Mr Coll but I would suggest you

get some help because right now you're a bit of a mess.

I snapped back at her. You like crossing the line at a job interview!
What interview. See you around maybe but thanks and no thanks. Bye.

I dont know why I said it. Wait. Please.

She stopped with her back to me. What?

I fumbled for words and took a deep breath. I need you.

She turned her two sticks tapping the floor as she walked back to the chair then

slumped down. There was no smile but her brown eyes were bright and watching

me closely. So?

You have the job if you want it even though I did not test you on the computer. I

also noted you took in this room and what was in it. A desk, two chairs, a laptop,

dirty windows and the smell of mice piss.

She nodded. Of course. This is not where you work from. Codex Forensics UK is

based in Birmingham, six months and one day old, is in a large house in its own

grounds in the village of Rushall. The gates open and close by a code, the two

cameras right and left take in the driveway and the gate, the right hand camera lens

has bird shit on the lens and you also live there. The post lady told me.

I glared at her. You research well I see and another string to your bow. Anything

else I should know about me?

I watched as she bit her bottom lip then she fixed her eyes on my face. You're still

feeling guilty about the students and this Zara McDonald who vanished and you

have nothing to feel guilty about because you were on your back in a hospital after

you broke your leg and head. The cops asked you buckets of questions some of

which you could not answer and the University had many more questions and

wanting answers to save the suits who work there.

The legal process is still in progress and they need someone to blame. Your broken

leg saved your skin. Your head even more. How did it happen?
I felt my face heat up. I was getting dressed and stood on one leg and fell over.

That was it. Bone snapped and Zara called the ambulance and off I went. She then,

it seems took on the job as project leader and off they went next morning by

chopper and vanished. No trace of bodies, fresh graves, clothing, pots and pans

and tents. Everything they took vanished with them including the large car.

She looked at the photograph I pushed across the desk to her and frowned back at

me.

Not even a bone?I shook my head and grunted. Not human bones. Sheep, birds

and rabbit bones. The odd unlucky crab shell found. That is what I was told.

She snorted and then tilted her head to one side. If I work for you I want a contract

and you call me Frankie. You have my references and they are good ones. Check

them out.

I had to smile. Already have. When do you start, Frankie?

As soon as I get my new legs. That is this afternoon. Can start in the morning if

you like?

I nodded and looked at sticks and feet. How did it?

Rock fall in Derbyshire. I was climbing and it came down on me. Broke both lower

legs, and took a bit of my face with it. They could not save my feet as there was no

feet anymore.

I thought fast of something to say and all that came out was Shit happens kid. Do

you drive?

Yes. I intend to get a real car now in the next month and move out of a box room of

a flat soon as.

There is a room at the house you can used with bathroom and a bedroom door that

has a lock on it. The doors also open out into the garden and as you and I will be

working from my home it would good. Only till you get time to get sorted.
She frowned. I need to bring my cat Buster.

A cat?

She nodded and put her little girl face on. Yes. Buster is ok. Blind in one eye and

has had the snip. Jet black and shits outside at night. He would like a garden of

course.

Thats nice. See you in the morning. Rushall is easy to find but you already know

that.

Thanks. See you around boss.

I watched her walk away but she did not look back and was lost in the sea of people

of all colours and races. Birmingham is like that. Much better than London I can tell

you.

I cursed under my breath. Fuck me pink, a one eyed cat and a dame with no feet!

She snorted and then tilted her head to one side. If I work for you I want a contract

and you call me Frankie. You have my references and they are good ones. Check

them out.

I had to smile. Already have. When do you start, Frankie?

As soon as I get my new legs. That is this afternoon. Can start in the morning if

you like?

I nodded and looked at sticks and feet. How did it?

Rock fall in Derbyshire. I was climbing and it came down on me. Broke both lower

legs, and took a bit of my face with it. They could not save my feet as there was no

feet anymore.

I thought fast of something to say and all that came out was Shit happens kid. Do

you drive?

Yes. I intend to get a real car now in the next month and move out of a box room of

a flat soon as.

There is a room at the house you can used with bathroom and a bedroom door that

has a lock on it. The doors also open out into the garden and as you and I will be

working from my home it would good. Only till you get time to get sorted.

She frowned. I need to bring my cat Buster.

A cat?

She nodded and put her little girl face on. Yes. Buster is ok. Blind in one eye and

has had the snip. Jet black and shits outside at night. He would like a garden of

course.

Thats nice. See you in the morning. Rushall is easy to find but you already know

that.

Thanks. See you around boss.

I watched her walk away but she did not look back and was lost in the sea of people

of all colours and races. Birmingham is like that. Much better than London I can tell

you.

I cursed under my breath. Fuck me pink, a one eyed cat and a dame with no feet.

FRANKIE .

You're out of your flicking mind girl, thought Frankie as she packed her

stuff for the move to Rushall, a new job, new feet that at the moment hurt, a man

who she thought was ok but really did not know much about him. Sure dont cat.

You think he is ok or has he got you fooled as well Buster.?

The cat looked at her for a moment, seemed to wink at her and then carried on

licking its feet.

Great help that Buster. Thanks!

She picked up the half mug of cold coffee took a swing and made a face. Then a

thought stuck her. What if..?

She smiled at herself and muttered at the cat, Sure. They all get drunk, next

morning they all go out as a team to that island, he cant go because he ended up in

hospital and they vanished. But they vanished because he took a rowboat and

paddled out there, scaled a high cliff on his own, lay up in cover till darkness then

murdered them all by cutting their throats and dragging them one by one to the

edge of the clift and chucks them over the side into the sea to the sound of

screaming seabirds. Then Buster, he rowed back again and climbed into bed and

that was that.

He did all that with a broken leg in plaster. No chance she thought and picked up her

phone and rang his number.

Hi Frankie. You ok?,he said in a gruff voice that made him sound like Meatloaf,the

singer.

She made a face at the phone. Yes and no. I have too much stuff, bags packed and

will be with you in a few hours. Before you ask the new feet, legs whatever fit well

but a hurt a little.

She heard him snort. Take a taxi.

And my own car?

There was a long silence. Get someone to babysit it. Must be someone you know

that you could get there and pick it up for you and then you come by taxi?

And you have two cars of course and I can use one of them if I need to?

No. Let's stick with plan A and you drive here. Bye.

He was curt and sounded a little angry she thought. Tough. Shit happens Frankie so

get used to it.

The Asian taxi driver glanced once at her as she sat in the back then

asked, This address is in Rushall or near the church?

The church. Big iron gate and cameras every corner of it. You know the address?
He nodded. Sure. Been there a few times over the last year. Gentleman who lives

on his tod. Keeps to himself I have heard. And stories about the place.

She looked at the back of his head, Stories?

He nodded. About the house and I think they call it a Manor house and some of

my clients think it is haunted, ghosts, spirits and anything like that. Church

graveyard on the right of it and even the street rats stay clear of it. You know this

man?

She smiled to herself. Yes. He is my new boss. Came from somewhere like

Romania or somewhere like that way back. Landed by boat at a place called Whitley

Bay before the war I think. Sleeps most of the day he said and I will be his PA so I

work during the day typing and so on..

He glanced at her again in the rear mirror, You are not staying here as well?

She laughed. Of course. It's just an old house.

There was a grunt from the taxi driver. Better you than me woman. You know he is a

bit crazy as well?

The smile vanished from her face and eyes. In what way?

Those students that vanished on a school trip or maybe a college trip. Anyway it

has been said after that he went more than a bit funny. Walked around the woods in

the nature reserve at night, camped in his garden in summer also it seems and one

person who I shall not name has heard him talking to himself. She used to do a bit

of cleaning for him but after a month she left. Said the house got to her and him

mumbling to himself behind a closed door where he worked. Kept it locked and she

was not allowed in there. Anyway here we are. That will be ten fifty please..

My bags? Can you help me with them up to the door?

He shook his head. Sorry. I dont do bags. Bad back luv.

He at least helped her get her stuff out of the boot and set then on the path, nodded

and drove off.

Thanks a bunch asshole!She jumped when the gates creaked and slowly swung

open and one of the cameras was flickering a red light. It was now dusk and headed

off fast into darkness and she looked up at the house with one window well lit up

and the trees casting shadows.

Something moved in front of her and she waited, heart racing.

You need a hand with those bags?

Dont do that!, she snapped and glared at him.

He coughed lightly. Sorry. You said you were driving here?

Change of plan. Izzy a friend of mine is bringing my car and the cat down first thing

in the morning. I paid the taxi driver to get me here.

He picked up two bags and slung another on his shoulder. As he walked away he

muttered, You said you were coming this morning. I waited, watched and it

buggered up my plans for the day.

Oh! But you have a plan B?

He stopped and turned and looked at her his voice cold. Plan B could be ring for a

taxi and send you back home.

She swallowed twice and shrugged. Ok. You will have to feed me first and by that

time we will both have chilled out and maybe go back to plan A boss.

He grunted and walked on and she trudged behind him smiling in the darkness and

by the time they reached the front door she was puffing hard. He opened the door

and walked on and she followed and closed the door with her foot and the sound

echoed in the large hallway.

He walked into a room on the right and she could see there was a single bed in it

and a bathroom off to the left, the door bright red.

He dumped the bags on the bed and stopped beside her, Your room, your place

and the shower is in there if you need it. Keys in all your doors. I will be in the

kitchen sorting out your supper. Half an hour. Ok?

She nodded and walked away from him and heard the door close behind him. She

flopped on the bed and muttered, Gee thanks boss for the welcome to the house

of horrors.

Dan went to the kitchen and stuck the lost meal into the microwave and switched

on, poured two glasses of wine and set them on the table and did not bother heating

the plates.

I dont think this is going to work Danny Boy. Me with a pending breakdown and

her with steel feet and I do not have a plan B anyway.

PLAN A

Supper was almost silent as they ate the food, Frankie gulping hers down

and not looking at Dan unless he spoke and that was twice, once when he asked her

did she drink wine and the other when he asked was the bedroom ok. She nodded

twice and said yes and thank you and when she held out her glass again he poured

the wine into it and carried on eating.

Finished, they say back and looked down the long table at one another. It was Dan

who spoke softly first. This Izzy who is driving here tomorrow with the fur ball,

cat, what does she do for a living?

Frankie blinked twice in surprise. Eh! Well when she is working she works with

computers, does all sorts of things with them and is good at it. Hacks a little as well

when she needs free software for something but not working at the moment.

Twenty six, purple hair, black, brown eyes and a figure I would kill for. We share the

flat though I dont know how she is going to pay the bills now.

She into drugs or has mental illness?

No drugs clean as a bell. Mental illness we dont talk about.

He sipped his wine looking at Frankie over the glass then, You trust her?

Trust her?

That is what I said, Frankie. Do you know and trust her?

Frankie nodded. Yes. I trust her.

Dan smiled. Better ring her now then and tell her to bring her gear.

You are giving her a job, a real job!

He nodded. Unless you are better with computers that she is and if you are, I dont

need her.

She is much better.

Good. Ring her. I am going to my study then bed. Goodnight.

Frankie lay on her bed, still damp from her shower and phoned Izzy

listening to rain batter the bedroom window and a dark wind sighing around the

gables of the house.

The voice that answered her call was deep and rumbling but warm, Hi Frankie. How

are they hanging in that old house with the mad Baron?

He is not mad and he is nice and he wants you to come here with my cat and you

all packed up as he is going to offer you a job.

There was a long silence. Izzy you still there?

Yo.

He wants you to work here with us?

Yo. Doing what?

Frankie rolled her eyes. As a sex worker you dope, What else!

I dont do sex worker anymore, cleaning or shoplifting. What is on offer that

smells like real money and does not jingle?

His Goddess of all computers, the project programmer if you like, food and your

own bedroom as well as the dough. You like?

I like. Before you ask, Buster is ok but he dropped a load in the bath. Too much

food I think.

See you tomorrow. I will tell Dan you except shall I?Of course. Dan; is it now.

You two getting?

Frankie hung up and laughed, then got dressed in her night clothes and slipped into

bed. She fell asleep with the light on.

 I heard her go to bed, her laugh before sleep, then gentle snoring and

finished my drink pondering on the facts as I knew then about Zara and the missing

students on that island. Same as the missing lighthouse keepers that Christmas a

way back in 1900. Three men vanished, food on the table in the lighthouse, one

chair knocked over and before that one man praying and another crying. Whatever

took them outside was fear, a fear like they never felt before and it had went on for a

while because the keepers had neglected their duties and the lamp was out. Was

their fear inside the lighthouse up where the lamp was or was it something more?

There had been mention of a storm yet it was later reported the sea was not rough,

in fact except for the normal swell it was considered calm. No bodies found, none

washed up on a beach somewhere and when I considered that one man killed the

other two and threw them into the sea then jumped in himself it did not add up. The

search back then was made at sea and on the island. Nothing. Gone. The same

could be said of Zara McDonald and the students and they would have had phones

with them if something went wrong if they could get a signal. Nothing again was

found, and even friends ringing them a few days later could not make contact. The

searches on the island were more intense with helicopters and navy ships as well

as the search parties walking in line. People do not vanish off an island for no good

reason if there was in fact was one.I was going to pour myself another drink before

bed when a text came in on my phone. I looked at the date and time.

02.45.24TH DEC 1900 FROM ZARA.

My heart started thumping hard in my chest and I read on.

DONT COME HERE EVER!

Ever?

I sat shocked,mouth open and re-read it again. No this is crazy. Zara was missing or

dead or both and I started to feel a white anger rise up inside of me.
A cruel joke.

I snapped the phone shut and filled the glass then as fast as I could gulped it down

then sat down,the room spinning,faster and faster then,darkness.

Sunlight burned through the window and by the time it had moved across

the room it was well after nine am. A voice seeped into his brain, a muddled brain at

that and a headache.

I brought you coffee O master of all and fine you still sleeping!

Dan grunted. Bad night. You?

Sleep of the dead, looking at the half empty bottle. Seems it was party time.

Sure it was. Check my phone and then you tell me,he snapped back and took the

coffee out of her hand.

She frowned and picked up his phone and then looked at him. The message?

Yep. Read it.

She tilted her head. Ok boss. This is a message to inform you that your mobile

account is now updated. That it?

He choked on his coffee and reached for the phone and snatched it out of her hand.

His glare was burning. It cant be that!

He looked and felt a wave of fear reach into him. It cant be! Oh God, Im sorry.

She licked her lips and said kindly. That is fine. Maybe what you read and what you

mind read when you had a few drinks were different. All I can say it is time for you to

meet the day, shower, shave and get out of those clothes. While you doing that Ill

sort breakfast.

He bit his lip and looked down at his wrinkled clothes. Then nodded. Ill be ten

minutes and dont forget your place. You work for me and not the other way

around.

She smiled at him and softly said, I know that and I just did.
Before he could answer she was gone and had closed the door over and he dropped

back on the pillows. Oh shit!

Frankie started to cook a small breakfast for her and Dan but was more than a little

puzzled by his behavior. She pondered for a moment if it was all a bad idea to take

the job now and then shrugged. At least Izzy will be here soon so it should make

things a bit safer. She flipped over the two eggs and bacon. Safer? Now what the

hell did I mean by that, she thought and she jumped when the front door was

banged hard. She turned off the gas and went to the door and unlocked it. Standing

there with a cat basket was Izzy and a great smile that lit up her face. Hi Frankie.

How are they hanging kid?

She thrust the cage at Frankie and pushed past her and into the kitchen, sniffing the

air.

Wow! I smell food. How did you know?

I could hear the babble of the two women in the kitchen as I went down stairs and

coughed as I reached the kitchen door. Both turned and Frankie said, Issy meet our

boss Dan Coll, Dan, this is Izzy Monroe, computer bod all grades and in the corner

in the cage is Buster who I need to let out and stay with him till he does his thing.

Breakfast is almost ready.

I grunted and looked at the young black woman with the colored hair. Her eyes.

Amber eyes shed amber tears I thought as I shook her hand. You want the job?,I

asked now avoiding her eyes.

Depends. What is on offer?

I looked hard at her. Sorry?

Her smile vanished. The deal Dan Coll, the dough, what the job is and anything

else I should know?

I was taken back by her bluntness for a moment.

Well, I have a project in mind that needs three people. Myself as the lead, Frankie

as the field worker and you, if you still want it is put it all together as reports and a

project database. 13K per year for both of you, food and board and of course I carry

the expenses tab. Before you ask, the project is about finding out what happen

students and their Tudor when they were on an island. No one seems to know what

happened them and they vanished with all their field gear. There may be risks.

Frankie jumped in. Like what sort of risk boss?

I shrugged. Dont know. People vanish, most are found dead or alive, some are

never found for one reason or another.

Izzys eyes went wide. Thats nice Dano but what if they were bumped off by some

crazy and buried in a pine wood or dumped in the sea as fish food.? Like all of them

went pop and were gone and the cops or you dont have a clue.

I felt rattled. True. That is why I need you both. I want to find them or their remains

or a trace of their gear. There has to be something out there!

Izzy rolled her eyes and looked hard at Frankie. Feels like something out of the X

files darling or worse. You going to do it?!

Frankie smiled but I noted her eyes did not. I say lets see what info we can dig up

first and then have another look at the possible risks if any.

Izzy turned back to me and shot out her hand. Fine. Show me what computers I

have got to work with and where I work after if push food into my gub. You have a

deal so far boss.

I pushed away the anger and shook her hand. Call me Dan not boss.

She nodded. Where do I kip so I can dump me gear?

Before I could answer. Down the Hall turn right, first door on the right the second

one is mine. The red door is mine and private.

She nodded. Ok. Lets rock and roll.

Frankie put a breakfast before me that looked like a dinner and poured more coffee

and put out her own then put Izzys in the frying pan. She sat down and looked

across the table at me, a frown on her face. Dont take this the wrong way Dan but

you do know this is a very long shot in the dark. We may find nothing.

I had to nod as I ate the bacon and felt like throwing up. I swallowed hard then

asked her,

What would you do if you were me and know what happened to them?

Her answer was blunt. Get out more, get a life and leave it to the cops,

Not the answer I wanted to hear of course. I sat eating in silence and Izzy joined us

and she got a look from Frankie I noted, to say nothing. Just eat it said.

An hour later I stood with Izzy and Frankie in the computer and forensic lab and

watched then take it all in both opened mouthed when the viewed it slowly and then

they both turned.Wow Dan! You are the real McCoy. This is some set up and three

computer screens, on a workbenchmuttered Issy and looked back at what would

be her work station. I had to smile as she reminded me of a child at Christmas

standing in a town toy shop. Glad you like it Izzy. All yours I left you a file and

folder detailing what I would like you to work on. You and Frankie also have a top of

the range laptop, one red on blue. You both can choose what one you would like. I

have my own in my study. They have all the apps and programs you will need as

well as Libre office and Lyx as well as Texmaker. The password for the PCs is Cobra

Red 1 and Cobra Red 2

You can chose your own passwords for your laptops and I should remind you that

the PCs are not for emails unless it is part of the project. If you do have to send

personal emails then use the laptops. They are all fully protected and run on linux

and not microsoft. Frankie you're a field worker, but your data will go on the laptop

of choice and then can be moved to a folder on the PC of choice, the one on the left

I suggest. No drinks in here and you take breaks when needed. Questions?

Izzy shook her head but Frankie was biting her lip.There is no windows and if we

had to get out of here in a hurry, fire or smoke we have to run back, up four stairs,

out through a door and into the garden. Risky or what?

I clapped. Well done Frankie and well noticed. If you look right you will see a large

red button on the wall and it lights up when you switch on the power and if

everything goes down if there was a power cut that stays lit up. You hit that and

right beside it two doors will slide back fast and you are looking at woods and green

stuff. Safe.

Izzy held up her hand. If we need the bog do we have to go all the way back into the

house?

I shook my head. No. It is behind you.

Oh! Right., looking at Frankie who smiled and shrugged. Mind if I excuse myself

for a moment?

I grunted. Go right ahead. Feel free.

I waited till she went through the toilet door and turned to Frankie. How was Buster

when you went out into the garden with him?

Bit jumpy at first then he did a bit of marking and followed me back in. No sweat.

So what do you think of her, Izzy.

I thought on it then, She will do. A bit flaky I think and is in love with computers.
Frankie laughed. If she was male you would call her a Nerd but she has a good

heart. What do you want me to do Dan?

Get me online all the maps you can including the Island maps and I need a lot of

them. I also left two external discs so put all your maps on that. One for you, one for

dizzy Izzy.

Izzy and I will work together then have lunch. That way we will get more done.

Fine. I am off to bed for a while. See you later.

When I left the lab and the doors swished behind me my head and heart were

thumping but my insides were like ice. Maybe a virus, maybe fear.

Upstairs I stood looking at the birds at the feeders which reminded me of the cat

and I reminded myself to ask Frankie to get a collar and small bell for Buster.

I found the cat curled up on the sofa snoring. God he was big with a lot of fur that

made him look even larger. He opened his one and only eye and glared at me then

closed it again and snuggled down.

Hate to say this Buster but mice are not allowed in the house so see it stays that

way.

BRAIN WORMS AND DREAMS

I dropped off into a deep sleep and went into a dark spinning void while the song of

a blackbird faded and whispers, low whispers took its place, then nothing.

Then they came, shadows and see through ones at that, around the bed and a few in

a dark part of the room. Dan Coll was struggled into his underpants his body slick

with sweat when he seen them and screamed. He fell over and found himself

looking up at Zara, nude and skin hanging of her body like plastic bags tangled in a

thorn hedge then he screamed louder in the darkness of his mind when he seen she

had no eyes.

Dan. What the hell is happening to you!

His eyes snapped open and looking down at him on the floor beside the bed

was Frankie with a tray of food.

Nothing. Bad dreams,and struggled to his feet and sat on the bed looking

around him.

Dan?

He looked at her and fought back the tears, cleared his throat and asked,

What time is it?

She set the tray of food on the bed and folded her arms across her chest.

Just gone four. PM. We carried on working till three and decided you need

sleep. Seems that was a good choice except for the dreams of course. So eat

then we can talk.

He shook his head and again looked around the room. Then he looked up at

Frankie. You and Izzy fine anything worth reporting?

Later.

Give me a hint at least.

Frankie frowned at him. The deal is if I give you a hint what we found on the

computers and phone calls you will eat, shower and then come into the

kitchen.

He nodded. Sure. A deal.

Zara and the students never got to the Islands. The helicopter pilot who was

to fly them out had a major heart attack the night before, the same night you

broke your leg. He died in A+E. They never went to the island Dan.

Oh shit! How come the cops did not know this before they went out there to

search?
She shrugged.All they are saying now is a mistake was made and they are

listed still as Missing. On the books of course but still nothing.Dan

thousands of people go missing in the UK, most are traced or turn up, some

are dead for one reason or another and one fifth of them have vanished. At

the moment we do not know if this Zara and her students are alive or dead

Dan.

His face was like stone. They are dead Frankie.

Dan you dont know that, the cops dont know that!

I know Frankie.

How?

Her heart started to beat faster,waiting for his answer. They were here in this

room.

Frankie thought fast.Dan ,I want to help you on this quest but I dont think

this is the right time for you to do it. Two weeks in the sun somewhere and

before that see your doctor. While you are doing that, we, Izzy and I will carry

on doing research and when you get back then and only then will we know

how to go about that.

You think I am crazy, a funny farm candidate, off my rocks!

She shook her head. No but you need help Dan and trust me on that.Is that

a medical opinion Frankie or just your own?She pouted and held up a hand.

You dont do it, Buster,Izzy and I are gone in the morning and you can sit in

this big house getting cabin fever and in your cups each and every day. The

choice is yours so eat up and think about it.

She turned to walk away. Oh...Its chicken not a cooked baby.

 I hated that last remark she made and when she was gone I dumped the

chicken out the window and ate the potatoes and veg. The gravy was good

also.

I pondered on what she said. She may have had a point. Two weeks break by

the sea, sunshine walking and maybe a woman. The doctor could wait till I

got back.

Then there was this new event. Zara and her group never arrived on the

island because they did not go. Then what, they vanished, gone but gone

where?

He grabbed his phone and rang her number. It was dead. Nothing.

I showered, and dressed in clean clothes and underwear right down to my

Angry Birds socks thinking what to do and if I did go on the suggested

holiday where to?

Spain or Italy? I took stock of where terrorist attacks had taken place in

Europe and thanks to Trump in the Whitehouse, things could only get much

worse because he had no idea that the terrorists were all home grown in the

USA and Canada already.

Izzy waved as Dan got the train in Walsall and he would stop

in New Street in Birmingham then take the airport train to the International

and fly out/

She frowned as the train pulled away and a bit puzzled. He just talked about

nothing, did not mention the Project, not a single word, talk about himself and

most of all was stone faced. As she headed back to the car she also

remembered all he had with him was a shoulder bag, big but not big enough

for a change of clothes. She grunted. Her new boss was plotting something

and being male he also was a dead give away.

She climbed into the 4x4 Defender, slammed the door and rang Frankie.

She picked up almost right away, Hi Izzy. You see him off?

Sure did but off where Frankie?

Meaning what?

Shoulder bag only. Yes enough for his laptop, passport, bank cards and a

change of knickers.

Frankie laughed. You need to get out more kid. Men dont wear knickers

and if he has his bank cards he can buy what he needs when he gets there to

Portugal.

Izzy snorted. You do not known the man mind like I do Frankie. When they

want, they say one thing and think another so what do we do now?Our

boss in on leave. He left us jobs to do back here in the lab, so we get paid and

fed for doing what we are asked to do. Get back here please.

THE HIGH ROAD.

 The blond woman smiled at Dan Coll, her teeth whiter than white,

looked almost pained on each tooth, he thought as he took his Rent a Car

documents from her and forced a smile back, nodded and made for the

Departure Lounge at the airport. The number of people were moving around

like ants on a gravel drive way each and everyone of the passengers going or

coming from somewhere,, most pulling a case by the handle as if they were

taking a dog for a walk.

He was ushered through, removed his shoes and coat, then his belt and took

his laptop from his bag and placed all into the gray tray. He watched his tray

join others in the convoy and vanish into the large mouth of the scanner. Two

men in uniform were waiting for him to pass through the human scanner then

the older one ran his hands over his body and nodded to him to go on. After

he dressed and had shoes on he sighed and walked on.

A coffee later his call to make his way came up on the screen and he followed

the rest of the people and started to relax. On board he sorted out his seat

belt, sat back and closed his eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep. He awoke

when the aircraft touched down, bumped and the noise of backward thrust

screamed. He looked to his left and found an old nun with rosary beads

clutched in her hands and her lips whispered hidden prayers that he knew

nothing about or wanted to. She caught his eye and smiled then whispered,

Man or woman was not meant to fly but at least we got here.

He smiled back and he whispered back, Your boss upstairs did a good job

sister.
It took him a good fifteen minutes to get the car sorted out and the man who

handed him the keys welcomed him to Scotland and Glasgow Airport. He

then added, You brought the sun with you too and that is nice. Good luck.

Two and a half hours later Dan stopped in the village of Nis, passing

scattered cottages and farms on the way. He parked the car and when he got

out he could smell the sea. His stomach rumbled with hunger and he found a

half decent place to eat. Outside he noted the wind was getting up and rain

spots were now on the glass window. The sunshine vanished under dark and

brooding clouds and he pulled out a map and traced the road to where he

would spend the night. Sixteen miles from Nis so not far to drive. He paid his

bill and on the way through the rain his phone rang.

Hi. Anything wrong?

Frankies said to give you a ring see if you got your flight. How is Portugal?

At the moment very wet. Anything else?

She also told me to tell you that things are going well here and we are

getting the files together, a list of students and their names, mobile numbers,

and of course this Zara person who was in charge when they went missing.

Oh, Yes someone rang for you but would not leave his name. Said it was

something about the roof, slates to be replaced next the gamble wall. Said he

would talk to you when you got back.

He grunted. Thanks I must go.

What is that noise?

Sea gulls. I am by the sea and you get seagulls there. Bye.
He hung up and climbed into the car and brooded. Why the hell are they

ringing me?

Frankie give Izzy the thumbs up from the lab desk and Izzy replaced the

hand set and walked over to her. You get a trace on him Frankie like I

showed you?

Just coming through now on the map. Shit that is not Portugal! It's bloody

Scotland!

With seagulls and sea. Our boss is being very naughty Frankie. Sneaky like.

She looked hard at Izzy.Hes hunting for them. On his fucking own!

Izzy held up a thin black finger. No. He thinks he is. So are we on the

computers and research. Both laptops are ready for field work and it looks

like we have to do some field work dont you think?

Frankie smiled but it was not a nice smile. And as he is in Portugal we dont

know he is up with the bagpipe people and big tan cows with longhorns so

we take the Defender, load up and hit the road northwest. Camping gear and

sleeping bags, the lot!

Izzy raised an eyebrow. She looked directly at Frankie. You forgot

something.

What?

The Top Cat, Buster with one eye?

She looked from Izzy to where Buster was on the chair. He was looking at her.

Oh shit. Sorry about that Buster. Just an oversight my friend. Sure you can

come. No sweat.
And we also need money and I am cleaned out so you will have to bank me

friend.

Maybe this is not a good idea Izzy and we both are having a knee jerk

reaction about a fully grown man on his own, not well, his head almost done

in and fully stressed going into the unknown wild places of Scotland looking

for dead or missing students? We knew where he was but we dont know

where he is right now.

Izzy smiled.Wrong. I do, tapping her laptop. I know it is illegal but once we

got a location when you phoned him I have a map tracker on it. Where he

goes we will know where he is. Location st least, 24/7.

She nodded. So where would you start heading for Izzy.

Glasgow, out NW and to the hotel where he broke his leg. It is where to start

and I would start at the hotel where they all stayed. Simple.

Six hours plus driving in the Defender with you and the cat. That is going to

be a lot of fun.

Izzy winked at her. You can drive the last leg friend, with the right shoes on.

Fly up?

No dough as such. Anyway the drive will give us time to have a cover story

and what to say to people if we ask questions. We stick together. Right

computer printing to do while you make a start packing.

Frankie got up and headed for the door and Buster followed after he did his

yoga stretch then Frankie stopped and said back. You can be a right bossy

bitch Izzy.

I know. Bye.
She turned back to the laptop. Ok, wise guy. Lets see how far you got and

where you stopped, started and where you are now.

She pressed the keys fast entered a code and hit Enter then counted to five

and the map popped up with a pulsating red spot. She bit her lower lip while

she read the name of the area.

Well call me Dr Spock. He is back where he broke his leg!

She went to the door and shouted, Frankie you better get your white ass

down here quick!

Frankie came in wide eyed. What!

Take a look kido. Our boss is on his own walkabout and not my dear in

Portugal. Not only that he has stopped in the village where the hotel is and is

now heading NE but along the coast.

Frankie looked the the laptop screen. How long did he stop for?

Less than an hour then high ho Silver away!

She looked at Izzy and shrugged. Now what?

Frankie was taken aback where Izzy said, We wait. He has to sleep sometime

and when he does we will know where he is. No point in us chasing his tail so

we go when we get the target and not before.

We pack, load up the Defender,watch the clock and then go?

Izzy nodded. We also get some sleep because it may well be dark before he

goes to sleep. I will leave the tracker on when I go to bed and take the laptop

with me.

Frankie was frowning. Izzy rolled her eyes. You got a better idea?
No. I was thinking we were maybe over reacting. Like he is allowed to go

where he wants on holiday Izzy and we are sticking our noses in where they

might not be wanted.

Tell me this and tell me no more. Our bosses mental state is a bit suspect at

the moment.

Two. He lies through his front teeth to us. Three. Off he goes to Scotland to

where the deer and the antelope roam.

There are no antelope in Scotland!

.and Eagles fly. Four. Is he also at risk to himself or from other people?

Izzy came close to Frankies face, almost nose to nose. Well, how does that

grab you?

Frankie nodded. Ill load up, you cook lunch, feed the cat and Ill be back.

Going where to?

I have a plan B if it all goes tits up friend and I have a bad feeling about it all.

Three lighthouse keepers go missing on that Island in 1900 then bright eyes

Zara and her students dont even get to the island and also go missing, no

trace, and now we two and the cat are going up there to babysit our boss and

he and us may also go missing as well as Buster.

Izzy nodded. Ok. A plan B we need.

She waited till Frankie closed over the door then went back to the computer

desk and switched on the large PC, entered the password and waited, her

mind racing then she muttered to herself, And a Plan C Izzy. Oh,yes!
 Dan Coll strained his eyes at the gathering dusk and wet snow, the

wind battering the sides of his car, his headlights gleaming of wet pines and

the road. He checked the distance he had covered since he left the hotel and

was surprised he had come thirty nine miles of bends through two valleys

with snow caps on the tops of mountains. He pulled into a gap with an iron

gate tied together with binder string and took out the map switching on the

car overhead lights. His finger traced the way he had come and onward

across the roads with more bends.

He muttered to himself, Just as far forwards as going back. Damn!

A rapping on the side window made him jump. He lowered the window a little

and found himself looking at a bearded old man with a woolen blue cap

looking at him.

You will no get far in this. Are ya lost? the old man demanded rather than

ask.

Dan looked at him closely as the old man stuck a unlit pipe in the side of his

mouth.

No. Not lost. Im heading over the hill to the next town or village. Though I

might get through.

Well ya wont laddie. Unless your stupid and ya no look stupid but

sometimes I cant always tell. Im on my tractor down the hill and home before

this gets worse.

Tractor?

Aye. A tractor, Big wheels at the back, small in the front and a cabin to sit in

while I drive.
Dan looked from the man and out into the dusk. He could not see a tractor. He

turned back to the old man. I dont see it.

The old man sighed took the pipe out of his mouth and spat to one side then

glared at Dan Coll. Nay. That is because your blocking my fucking gate and

its still in the fucking field and I am freezing me balls off here talking to a

damn fool of man. Could ya move the car and I can open the gate and get it

out and away home!

Dan looked to his left at the gate now dripping with wet snow. Then he turned

back to the old man. Sorry about that. Your right. I am stupid.

Takes a good man to admit that. Now be away with ya and whatever ya do

get shelter for the night. As a matter of interest four miles on there is a small

car park at the edge of the lough and just beyond that you will see a

Fishermans small Cabin. Some people call it a lodge. The key to the door is

in the drain above the door. Ya can stay there for the night. Do ya have

anything to drink or eat?

Coll nodded. I got a flask of hot coffee and a half bottle of whiskey. Oh! The

hotel back there made me up some food, bread and cheese.

Aye. Molly Duncan would do that for a dark stranger even if he was an

Englishman.

You know her?

Aye. I should. My daughter. She married a good for nothing artist who could

no paint a fence and likes the Lady Amber. Whiskey you say?

Dan got the meaning and took it out of the bag. There you go Mr Duncan.

Take it and thanks for your help.

The smile flickered on the old mans lips and he nodded. Thanks. One more

thing when you are in the cabin up there once you're inside. Keeps the cold

out and do not open the door if it is knocked in the night. Not even the deer

like around there so come morning get on if ya can. Dont hang around. Good

luck. Now move on till I get home man!

Dan drove off slowly,and had to smile as he went up the hill and into the white

out now.

THE NIGHT.

Great,just bloody great! What the hell did I get into this mess?

I should have left it to the cops and now I am walking through the snow in a

pine wood in what I would call a storm with an armful of gear looking for a

cabin, lodge or bloody barn.

Snow now crunched under my feet, and I almost lost an eye by a pine branch.

That old man was now creeping into my mind scape and I wondered where he

lived. Ok. He may have been feeding his sheep before the snow came but

except for the possible shelter from this storm, the old bugger said other

things like not even the deer go up thereand, lock the door and dont open

it if something or someone knocks on it. Did he say something or someone

and he was also rude about me blocking his gate. Then he could not get away

quick enough. Was it the weather or was it something else?

I came into a clearing and could just about see a small building. Up one step

and I tried the door. Locked of course. I set my gear on the board walk and

reached up into water run off and found the key. Then my fingers touched

something sharp and then. I took it out and in the darkness could see it was a

bank card or gift card which I stuffed into my pocket and then hurried to

unlock the door of the wooden cabin and get my gear and me inside.

My torch lit up a wooden floored room with an iron burner in the middle of it

and a few logs and turf in the left hand corner. That raised up my hopes a

little. There was a smell of wood and dust in the air. Three chairs, one which

was tipped over a table that had seen better days with a magazine on fishing.

In the other corner was a low bunk like bed, a mildewed mattress and what

was once a striped pillow before something started to eat it. Now there was

also that warm smell of mice and I knew I had company. Mice I could stand,

rats I would go back and sleep in the car. The light also picked up the glass

and stand of an oil lamp and I picked it up and shook it. Yes, there was some

oil in it. Then a voice in my head. You dont smoke or have a lighter on you

or even a match. There is of course a lighter in the car but by the time you get

there and back here, the heat will have left it.

Go away!

I went to the cupboard and open both doors wide. The torch light showed

spider webs, a dead peacock butterfly on its back, a stub of a candle and a

small box, a tin box. I snapped it open and there were five matches wrapped

in tinfoil. I found myself punching the air.

I planned my first match and gathered small sprigs of wood and set it on the

candle which I had placed in the stove, then set the open oil lamp beside it

and struck the match, lit the lamp then the candle. Light and heat. Closing the

glass top I set the lamp on the table and turned it up a bit then fed the fire

with a few logs and peat. Sitting at the table I opened the flask of hot coffee

and gulped down a chicken sandwich listening to the wind sighing around

the cabin.

Ten minutes later I reached into my shoulder bag and my fingers hit a glass

bottle and I drew it and was shocked to see it was the whiskey I had given the

old man and hour before. Unopened. My mind started to race. Did it all

happen in the first place, the old man, the gate and..?

My mobile showed on bar but better than nothing. Taking out the hotel card I

punched in the number and it rang. A womans voice. Hallo?

Yes. Dr Dan Coll here. Can I speak to Molly Duncan please?

There was a tinkle of laughter and a voice now soft. No one has called me

that for a long time. Im married now, two small children and a husband. Mrs

Molly McKinney at your service. I also own the hotel. What can I do for you?

I was now feeling uneasy. Just to thank you and staff for all the kindness

and also today for the coffee and food. You married an artist I believe?

There was a short silence then. Yes. Luke my husband. How do you know

that?

I made light of it. Got a bit lost on my journey and stopped. An old man came

from somewhere and told me to get away from the gate. He said in passing

your name and that he was your father?

Her voice was now icy. Dr Coll, I do not mean to be rude to you but my father

died in a tractor accident six years ago!

But.

There are no buts Dr Coll.

Look, I seen this old man, he was gruff, he smoked a pipe, well he did not

light it but he had one. It was snowing, he was in a hurry! , I protested.

There was silence then, Did this...old man say anything, do anything?

Yes, he had a habit of spitting to his left and he told me where to find the old

cabin where I am now talking to you. As I said he also told me not to open the

locked door if it is knocked during the night. Why would he say that?

Biobhan Sith Dr Coll. A female ghost or spirit of myth. I suggest you hang up

now and I do not want you to contact me anymore or I will inform the police.

You are no longer welcome in this hotel.

I pushed down my anger fast. That it?

This time her voice was softer. Keep your door locked, dont open it for no

one unless you know who it is and at first light, get out of there if you can and

go home.My father was a very wise man but a drunk. It was the drink that was

driving that night, not my father. I must go. Bye.

Wait! What the hell is.?

She cut me off and all I could hear now was the wind outside sighing and

sometimes howling. The fire was bright but I was left in limbo, with what

Molly told me about her father being dead a long time. I could hear her in my

head when she said, Keep your door locked and open it for no one and come

first light, get out of there if you can and go home!

I built up the fire then went to the frosted window and wiped it clean and

looked out. It had almost stopped snowing and I jumped back when I seen the

dark shape standing and looking at the window less than five meters away.

At first my mind was jumbled. These things don't happen to me and it is all a

nightmare. I bit my bottom lip hard, it hurt, but IT was still standing there,

male or female I did not know because it looked frozen, gray cold, but alive.

Now I was more than alarmed. I could see it had no nose, the lips were like

the slit belly of a herring. My eyes watered and I backed away from the

window.

I cried out and then screamed and ran for the door and checked it was locked.

It was and grabbing a chair I rammed it under the handle then backed to the

table and flopped down ,my eyes never leaving the window, my legs shaking

and for the first time in many years, I started to pray.

His phone signal is pink not red Frankie that could mean two things

and one is he is not getting a good signal or two, his battery is going down. I

have a fix on it but it is not moving. If his battery goes we are fucked or if he

switches the damn thing the same result.

Frankie wiped the car window and looked sideways at Izzy. Not good news

and we are somewhere in the wilderness half way up a wooded hillside and

though the snow is easing we cannot get far in this.

She grunted and snapped the laptop shut and placed it in the seat behind her

and looked worried. We need to take stock Frankie. Fuel is ok, so we can run

the heater if we dont switch off, we have sleeping bags, we have food and

water, we have torches. Lets pull into some forest gate lay-by and sit this out.

I need a pee anywhere and Im sure you do as well. As for Buster we can set

him in the snow and see what he does.

Frankie nodded. Lets do it but Buster does not like snow I can tell you.

Feed him a tin of tuna outside, take his mind of the snow and his balls

getting frozen.

Frankie rolled her eyes and muttered, Let's go. Did anyone ever tell you Izzy,

you have a way with words like, as common as muck?

All the time kido.

It was an hour later that both women put on extra clothes and got into their

sleeping bags in the defender. It was Frankie who suggested they switch of

the engine as they could be at risk from fumes unless they leave a window

open a little.

Izzy came back with We could of course freeze to death in this car by

morning.

Stop moaning. We have had a hot drink, some food and are snug in here

now. Get some sleep, and switched off the lights pulling the hood of her

sleeping bag over her head.

Frankie was just drifting off when she heard a small muffled voice, You

sleeping?

Frankie sighed then hissed, Yes. What!

I need a pee?

And?

Will you come with me please?

Frankie switched on her torch, Just go!, with a hint of anger in her voice

which was not missed by Izzy.

Gee thanks a lot Frankie, youre some friend. Im scared out there on my

own!

When Frankie exhaled and Izzy heard the sleeping bag zip hiss in the

darkness she muttered a silent pray of thanks to a God she did not know or

understand.

Curt and to the point Frankie muttered, Ill come with you and three minutes

only otherwise I am back in here, like fast!

They climbed out into darkness and a biting cold breeze. Above them a

million stars and it was then Frankie stopped her torch on the snow and

seeing the tracks. Something has a been here, a big something.

Izzy moved her torch around the cold woods, Like what something and

how big?

Just do your pee and hurry. Not slow but fast.

Izzy squatted, The tracks, What sort are they?

Not human, a badger, fox or deer I rule out, not an otter. Pointed toes.

Fuck! Im done dont just stand there like a spare dick at a party Frankie.

Let's go!

Frankie held up her hand. Listen.

For what. All I hear is a breeze in the tops of these pines like sighing.
Frankie nodded towards the trees. A twig. Something stood on a twig and

snapped it.

Ziggys torch waved from tree to tree. Whos there!

Silence.

Something is in there on our right but whatever it is I dont want to meet it

Frankie.Lets get in the car but fast and lock the doors!

They slammed the doors and snapped down the locks and Frankie

whispered. When we were out there just now I could smell woodsmoke from

a fire blowing from right to left and across the track to us.

Izzy gasped hard. That could also be a house or cottage that burns wood,

logs that sort of thing. But a fire at this time of night or morning is a bit odd

even up here in hill billy country.

Dont forget those tracks Izzy. Tracks and woodsmoke makes me think

something strange is going on here. Like creepy strange, she whispered

looking out the window into the darkness with the torch off. Nothing moved.

Nothing we can do now till first light Frankie. Let's risk it for a biscuit and try

and sleep.

Frankie nodded and both climbed into their sleeping bags and shuffled down.

Sorry Frankie.

Its ok. Just try and sleep, dont talk anymore or I may have to kill you.

By the time they drifted off with their own thoughts, the breeze now turned to

wind and enough to shake snow off the branches of the trees. The last thing

Izzy heard as her eyes closed was a dog fox barking somewhere in the

distance but she was too tired now to care.

They too had mixed dreams, not all scary but a few were. Like Frankie lying

dead in the snow her nude body minus the steel legs and her eyes missing

after the ravens had come to feed. Izzy was sitting with her back to a pine tree

huddled up tight looking at nothing but repeating the Lord's Prayer over and

over again in a jabbering voice.

Inside the cold of a false dawn sucked the heat slowly out of the two

women and they now tossed and turned but still sleeping. The light wind

sighed around the wheels of the and under it lifting from the ground small

flurries of soft snow then moved on into the trees where 'IT was.

It sat high up in the strong branch of the Scots pine, sniffing the air,

eyes dark and burning then looked down on the Defender where the two

women were sleeping. Even from up here it could hear the sounds of sleep,

now and then, when a warm body moved its position in sleep.Its eyes could

pick up thermal heat filling the Defender and it looked back in the direction of

the fishing cabin. Prey there too and much more easy to get in if IT could gain

a way to do so. IT had to feed before the dawn and sniffed the air for smoke

and something warm to feed on.It climbed head down the tree fast and once

on the ground it glided across the forest floor and made for the cabin fast.For

a moment it stood in shadow alert then coughed up two large balls of fur and

spat them to one side, the second ball also containing a cat skull with one

eye still in place.

 The heat in the cabin grew but the last of the wood was now gone and I

made my way back to the window and looked out. Nothing! IT was not there

nor were there any tracks. I thought of going out to the side of the cabin and

bring in some logs that were stacked there. Survival crept in and I decided

that better a live coward than a dead hero.

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH.

Dawn came, clear and cold and it was the crows that brought the two

women out of their uneasy sleep. Inside the Defender the windows were

coated in frost, stars and fingers of ice.

Izzy groaned then farted and looking in the low light light at the windows.

Frankie was snoring in the back seat then looked at her watch. 07.02 it read.

Jesus it is still the middle of the night, she though turning on her side. Above

her head a crow landed on the roof with a rattle then walked across it and

started to call loudly. She shivered. Birds, what next? With a sigh she sat up

and found her boots then put them on then wrapped her coat around her and

slipped out of the back door but did not slam the door shut.
She shivered and looked around, listened and took a deep breath and asked

herself why was she here, in the snow, in the cold with the mad professor

gone AWOL and no doubt in this weather sitting somewhere nice and warm

and on a drinking bender.

Outside she noted the tracks were gone and the only life was the crows flying

away and into the trees. She crunched across the snow and went to the edge

of the wood and squatted. As she finished and steam rising around her, a fox

came out of the wood, stopped and looked at her then bolted back the way it

had come. She stood up and looked at the blue sky, clear and unpolluted. Izzy

looked around her. No tracks, wheel tracks just ice crusted snow. But there

was the smell of woodsmoke again. Back at the car she found the small gas

cooker and a small pot that she put handfuls of snow into until it was full.

Lighting the gas camping stove she placed the pot on it and added more

snow as it melted then went and found the jar of make believe coffee and two

mugs. There was no sugar or milk close by in the back of the car.

Izzy shrugged. So the coffee will be black without sugar but better coffee

black as no coffee at all. Shit happens, she thought. She stuck her finger in

the melted snow and smiled. Hot but not boiling but it would do.

Coffee if you want it Oh Queen. No milk or sugar unless you know

where you put it?

A muffled go away, and Izzy carried on. Oh Queen should know that there is still a

strong smell of wood smoke coming in our direction and more than last night. Also a

fox that came close to a major heart attack.

Oh God. You do rattle on at Bit Izzy. Hand me my coffee!

Please hand me my coffee, said Izzy thrusting the tin mug to Frankies outstretched

hand.

There was silence for a moment then Izzy this is almost cold!

Best I could do Oh Queen as your servants are all dead with cold. Drink it!

There was a grunt on the other side of the front seat. You do know it is only 07.02

am?

A head came up, hair in a tangle. It is. What the hell is going on here?

Izzy frowned still looking at her watch. What is today's date on your watch?

3rd of August 2016!

Me too. Wait! Ill check the dashboard and phone. Oh God. It reads on both, the 3rd

of August 2016 and the clock has stopped at 07.02!

Izzy made a face. Creepy or what?

They looked at one another then Izzy muttered, Try starting the engine.

Frankie tried for almost five minutes. It spluttered now and then and died. Frankie

threw her hands up. We have been fucked well and truly!

I wish, said Izzy looking frightened and her eyes wide. The smoke. Let's find

where the smoke is coming from and see if we can get help!

Frankie held up a hand. We may have a problem with that Izzy.

Like what?

Steel lower legs sweetie so you will have to help me get there.

Oh bugger! Alright get dressed and go.

They slipped and fell a number of times with curses being muttered until they seen the

snow covered car in the car part.

I know that car!

Our boss is playing mind games with us. No. not true. We are playing with our

minds!

Frankie snorted. Only one way to find out. Come on, and slipped face down in the

snow.

Izzy chuckled and helped her up. I can see a house or shed with smoke coming out of

the top.

Frankie made a face. Thats nice.

Me Tonto. You the Lone Ranger. Tonto see white eyes fire but no white eyes tracks

but that means he is in there shagging a woman or something. We go!, trying to be

upbeat and make light of their present situation as it was..

My bladder is full.

Izzy rolled her eyes and pointed to some cover close by. Go!

As Izzy waited for Frankie her mind was racing. None of this is true, it cant be. No

way, she thought as she looked at the fishing lodge. Why would a man with money

come to a dump like this when he could be in the hotel or other hotel and nice and

warm?

Im ready.

Frankie was close by her and the sound of her voice made her jump. Dont sneak up

on me like that!

Sorry. How are we going to handle this Izzy?

Go to the door, knock it hard and shout police, open up then if it is not opened in ten

seconds we kick it in and jump on him. If he is dead of course we dont jump on him.

It may have escaped your crazy thinking but dead people dont light fires?

Izzy looked at the lodge and smoke. True. Come on.

 Dan Coll awoke with a start almost a panic attack and he was looking at the frosted

window where IT had been. He was cold and most of that came from the fear he felt.

He looked towards the fire and could see it was still red but needed feeding with more

fuel.

He got up and put wood and turf on the hot ash then walked to the windows and

looked out. Nothing except snow and a few crows in the pines.

Crows or what because something made me jump ?, he muttered and wiped the frost

of the glass to see better. Nothing had changed, trackless snow and a few crows.

He risked opening the door and going outside and looked around him. All he could see

of his car in the forest car park was a snow covered hump. A light breeze blew the

wood smoke towards where he knew the road should be then went back in kicking the

wooden door shut with his foot. Sitting at the small table he drank cold coffee from his

flask and took stock of what had happened, what he knew and now puzzled what he

did not know but should. He took from his pocket what he thought was the bank card

but now all it was was a card for a taxi firm in Inverness. He worked out that

Inverness was a good thirty miles away and he did not want to visit it anyway, toy

Loch Ness monsters, and a tourist trap if ever there was one.A whisper in his mind

space, nice food, hot drinks whiskey and a small hotel with a bath?

Go away!, he shouted. There was no echo bouncing back at him. Just silence.Im

getting cabin fever or else losing my gray matter and IT was here last night standing

there looking in, big eyes slanted and large domed head. That was real!
It may have been the sighing of the light wind underneath the door or just a light

whisper of a voice unknown. There you go mystery man now all done and dusted. Ship

shaped, shaved and squared away. Not that I would throw you out of bed but you are a bit

long in the tooth and the shape you're in you would drop dead half way through an hour

of passion. Cant risk that.

Dan put his hands over his ears and shouted loudly. Fuck off whoever you are. Leave

me alone!

The door was knocked hard and I jumped, almost called out but instead sat and

waited till it was knocked again. I stood then went to it holding my breath and flung it

open.

Hi Dan. We thought you might be in trouble or something, said Izzy looking past me

into the room.

All I could say was Bloody hell and damnation!

Dan Coll fell into a dark tunnel with no light at the end of it and there was for a time

screaming noises, broken. snapping wood and glass breaking. There was also the smell

of warm blood, his own then nothing but dreams and nightmares.The dreams came in

shapes, colours, some sexual some turning into nightmares of the darkest kind, scary

things no one wants to meet day or night or meet at all. 'IT' was the worst because it

came and looked at him close to his bed and his mind fought off the image at times but

not always. Dark eyes, no smile but it had teeth, very sharp teeth that it would grind

when IT put its face close to his and the smell of dead meat on its breath. His mind and

dreams could not work out if IT was male or female.

If he had a bad nightmare and tried to struggle he could not move and his screams

were in his head and only he could hear them. Silent screams are only for the mad or

the dying.

'I'm dead or close to it his mind said and then he give up, just closed down his head

and mind.

The dreams did not die of course, trickles of electric pulses mapping out a course with

the past, the now and the future. Sexual dreams that were good until the best bit and

turned into something else, butterflies in a wooded meadow and then 'IT'

'IT was always at the edge of his main dreams then walked into them from a room

shaped like a fifty pence piece with just windows that were round and low blue

lighting. There were no chairs, tables or even a book. It was bare and IT' stood there

gray and nude, no smile, no blinking of eyes, just looking at him. Then 'IT' would

dissolve under the blue lighting and nothing.

There always was a 'nothing' when IT left his island of dreams.

I'm going mad, am mad he thought and it is going to get much worse. Funny Farm,

buzz the old brain, take away all the good things in there, with the bad and that is it.

No more brain work, no nothing, just sit with a one thousand meter stare, slobbers

running from your mouth, pissing and shiting your pants, lying in bed in the dark,

waiting for IT.

The voice again, 'Ah! Now , now,it may not happen. Ok, your choices will be gone but if

bad turns to worse you could always kill yourself, pretend to swallow your tabs, get a

good number saved up then take them all in one good go. No pain, just the long sleep,

post mortem, then the big burn up. Gone but remember for a while then they forget you

for good. Die a hero, don't fight it and go!

 INTENSIVE CARE.

The woman who ran the ITU ward was a good nurse and not a 'suit' like some

hospitals have and anyone but anyone knew that such people were more of a risk to

patients than the disease or injury caused and more so in an A+E department or a ICU

ward.

She looked across at the John Doe in the four bed side room and then at each of the

three woman, all of them in an induced coma. At least two of the women had injuries

that were life threatening and aged females at that, the third woman was young,

redheaded and was now less than seven stone and had been moved closer to the door

for removal when she died. Across from her in a bed, John Doe was bad, and his

chances were not great. She checked all their stats and wrote up their medical charts.

She then checked on the five other cubicles and the staff and walked around in the

night-time low light conditions. The only black nurse was not a trained nurse but an

auxiliary nurse better known in the old days as a 'care worker.'

Frankie St Clare was puzzled by Izzy Monroe, because she held a Master's degree in

computer programing and took time out to work here. Not only that they shared a

house together, the only other living thing with them was a moth eaten looking grey cat

with one eye called Buster.

Buster was shared by them both and not very loyal but his good eye missed nothing

when it came to food.

Izzy was with her on the ward but had been asked by the other nurses to help turn in

the bed an eighteen stone male who had a stroke for the second time. He was hard

work because he was also a type 2 diabetic and had shingles. She waved to Izzy and

went back to the nurses station and wrote up her report for the 08.00. handover to the

day staff. She looked up at the clock and it read 04.03 am, the hour of the wolf when

patients BP would take a dive.

The grim Reaper stood in a corner waiting.

At that moment 'John Doe' was struggling to stay alive but hearing voices two women.

One with a angry tone to it. They were in a house and the one called 'Frankie' had

pushed by him and by him followed by a black woman who came across in his

nightmare as a black widow who glared at him as she passed.

Frankie stopped and turned hands on hips. Both women looked around then Frankie

snorted, I hate say this but you have come down in the world, your world in fact.

Drunk and hiding in your head and you don't even know your own name If you die it

will only because you want to spite me. Of course I will do all I can to keep you alive.

So don't even go there John or Izzy will remove your 'ball cock' and the rest!

He screamed at her in his head. You're fired. Both of you!

Good. You can explain to the cops when they come what a man like you is doing in a

rundown dump like this. You are ill John, like getting close to Grim Reaper time and

he is coming for you. Dr Bloody Moorfield will have you on the table by morning, your

puddings all spread out in front of her gloating as well as your brain in a basin , big

boy.
The one called Izzy came in close and glared at him. Yes, what she says is true and

she will have the gray one with the big head and big eyes and sharp teeth. Loves warm

human blood and fresh warm meat. Hate to say this, he's flat lining Frankie.

Move aside and hit the alarm Izzy and hard. Then help me get him sitting up and.....

John Doe muttered softly, I was looking for them, the students and Zara McDonald. I

found a bank card hidden away and it was one of Zara's students, a female. Suzy Kirk

was her name. Dead now, Like real dead. a bug feast somewhere,

Frankie started rhesus and muttered to Izzy, He's in the butterfly stage, heart

slowing getting ready for a close down, and if that happens he has no more than three

minutes, four at the most.

The crash team came in with the trolley and went to work on John Doe while Izzy and

Frankie stood to one side. Dr Moorfield walked in and pushed her way through and

looked at John Doe. She turned to Frankie, When he is gone get him shifted down to

the Rose garden. I'll ring the Porter's office when I get back to mine. Oh and I need

the bed because A+E are crying out for one. Male who parted from his bile and was

run over.

Frankie protested. You can't do that. That is the Crash team there, you're the doctor.

You need to be here!

Moorfield looked at John Doe and shook her head. He is flat lined, he is not breathing

and his eyes are shot. Make a note of time of death and I will sign it later. Bye.

Dr Moorfield I need to say this. You cannot leave the team until it is all over. That are

still working on him!

Moorfield moved close to Frankie and whispered in her ear. He's fucked dear.
Frankie backed away or she would have slapped her there and then. Izzy tell the

porter's office when I am ready and they are to take their orders from me and me only.

Not Dr Moorfield. You got that?

Sure have boss. Will do.

I told you that I wanted the John Doe shifted.

And I have told you he is going nowhere till I am ready . I run ITU not you. So stay

until it is all over. Leave before and I will make sure you're grounded.!

Izzy walked away to the nurses station and rolled her eyes, Oh boy!, and picked up

the phone.

His mind was racing, his fear pure ice. He heard them speaking and though their faces

were fuzzy he could see that no one had eyes just a bloody hole where they once were.

Then darkness and a slowing drumbeat of his heart like a train coming to a halt in a

station.

Dr Moorfield went to her office and slumped into her desk chair holding her

head in her hands and thinking hard. She ran through the short time she had been in

this hospital as a locum and was aware that right now she had made mistakes. Like the

time she was unable to insert a catheter in to the hand of a male patient and had to ask

a tech from pathology who was on the ward taking bloods to help her. Her excuse was

she had brought the wrong glasses from her car. Puzzled Pete Townshend did what she

asked and had it all done in forty seconds. She had smiled at him and told him he was

a wizard the way her worked.

I should be, he thought at the time. I have been doing it for six years.
Then there was the time she give a female patient a vitamin injection who was run

down and when she died next morning everyone put it down to the cancer. Except for

student nurse Bell who noted Moorfield did not write it up in the patient's chart. When

she mentioned it to the nurse in charge she was told to 'drop it' Moorfield was pleased

with that result and the student in question was moved to another ward within a week

and replaced.

That fact did not solve her problems or the risks involved. John Doe as far as she was

concerned, was 'dead meat' or soon would be and it mattered little now because he

could be anyone or from any country. White, male, mid forties plus. A nobody now.

A formal complaint against the two night nurses, St Clare and the black bitch whose

name she had forgotten but just an auxiliary nurse with a big mouth problem. It would

need to be a well thought out complaint with times, date and nature of the complaints.

Then hand it into the Trust HQ on her way home this morning and sit back and wait

for the shit to hit the fan.

She thought what she would do with her night off and have a nice night in with a carry

out and at least one bottle of wine. Tomorrow she would sleep the day away.

She went into the desk computer and put in the report and then printed it out and

signed it. Friday would be a good shift if it all went well.

Izzy looked at Frankie across the room slumped on the sofa and grunted, You need

to shift ass kid because we are out of here for work in forty one minutes.

Frankie frowned at her. I don't want to go in tonight Izzy. In fact I do not want to go

back at all!
And do what!, she snapped back her eyes wide but with a touch of anger in them

towards her friend. You throwing in the towel because Moorfield came at you and

you faced up to her. Man she did not like that. She had a for a moment a great look of

fear in those rabbit eyes of hers. I know you don't like her or her you but there is

something else?

Frankie nodded. John Doe for one and I don't think Moorfield is all as she is cracked

up to be. If you want to know the truth I don't think she is a 'doctor!

Izzy hissed out air. You're kidding! If she is not a doctor they would have checked

even before she started work. How did the Trust HQ bods miss that then?

Frankie stood up and brushed her hair and carried on talking. She turns up here a

little while back to do nights, she knows a little about medicine but not a lot about

what a doctor should know and how many times that we have seen her did we she her

examine a patient and by that I mean the full Monty at night?

She looked at Izzy who was holding up two fingers and pouting. Now what. Like how

do we check her out or who do we tell. Oh yes! I got it. Muggins here has to go over to

Trust HQ go into the Boardroom and state with my black face sticking out, 'Hi guys,

guess what we have a Dr Death working in da hospital and I'll bet ma black ass that

that woman is a fake so what are ya going to do about it boss man?

Frankie laughed, Well Missy I do think we should work on that, you later, do your

computer stuff?
When they got there another surprise, John Doe was sitting up still connected up and

awake.At the handover Frankie was handed two envelops the first one she opened was

from the police with a hit on their computer. John Doe was now Archibald Dan Coll

aged 53, address in Rushall, Walsall, works in archeology and anthropology at the

University and has written many articles and three books on his subjects. Unmarried,

blood group O, no crime or arrest history but was fingerprinted in Turkey after a pub

fight many years ago but not charged.

Lives on his own in a large house in its own grounds.

She turned to the day and night staff in the room. The Doe is now a dear. Dan Coll

aged 53 so amend his records and the computer records and get his past medical

history loaded. Right. What's new tonight?

A large ward sister smiled, Dr Moorfield is not on duty tonight. It is Dr Shander, and

I have worked with her before but keep an eye on her she likes sweets. Good to work

with, knows her stuff so take this in board and work with her. Her that should not be

mentioned has put in a complaint against two members of the night shift. Nothing to it

of course but watch out if you are working with her.

Mrs Sloan passed over at 3.51 this afternoon her family were with her to the end. Her

bed is taken over by Gillian Temple aged 31 who wanted to be a swimmer and jumped

off the bridge last night and somehow managed to get back on the towpath. She had a

stroke on the way to hospital. Now in an induced coma.

Maggie Todd is taking fluids and eating a special diet but needs help with both.......

ONE WEEK LATER.

Dan Coll waved Izzy and Frankie over three hours into their shift. Night had

fallen outside and thousands of tiny lights twinkled across the city.
So you two are here on your last shift?

Seems so Dan. Izzy and I are suspended for a hearing as from 08.00. tomorrow.

The hearing is on Thursday. It seems she will get away with it,muttered Frankie her

face grim while Izzy just stared at Dan puzzled.How come you know about it because

we only got the letters as we came on shift, Izzy said in an icy voice then added,

You can't walk very well so who told you?

He laughed softly. I had a visitor, two in fact. The CEO called James Wilburn and his

Assistant, Sofa Daws. They came to find out more about my complaint and of course

my legal claim against the Trust and how you two saved my life which I am grateful

for of course. The woman, Sofa Daws wanted to know if my legal beaver could look at

settling out of court and I said she would need to ring him. Of course Tom Rower will

up the ante and ask how much is on the table then get more. It is not a question just

about money in the bank now so ,I am going to demand that you two are at your

hearing, along with Rower QC, myself and Moorfield be there as well. It's fun time

women and next week we are going to put this shit to bed and all that.
Jim Wilburn rang me an hour ago and told me he had his staff and the police run a

check on your Dr Moorfield. And I tell you and for your ears only. Moorfield,

Moorefield, Moore and what ever else she called herself in India, Germany and

Switzerland has not been registered with the Medical Council here in the UK or for

that matter, Ireland and the BMC have no trace anywhere in their records. What was

found out that a Karen Moorland was a nurse ten years ago and worked in a Nursing

Home in Swansea for a time. There was a high death rate there seven in all in the short

time she was there. She was suspended on the spot pending police and Inspector

inquiries into the deaths. Somehow she skipped the UK and turned up in Europe with

a new surname for each place she worked Trouble is she made out she was a doctor.

Oh shit. Do the Trust know about this? whispered Izzy looking at Frankie in alarm.

She been offered no more shifts as from last night till after the hearing or so the Suits

said and they added, 'there are some issue's there' so there you have it. Not a word.

Not from me , muttered Frankie, But she was suspect and I am not saying that to

have a go at her.

Izzy groaned. Have a go at her after all she has done to you and I'll bet my black ass

that we may never know how many people she bumped off either by accident or

design!

Dan nodded. Interpol will be on the case in Europe and our cops, the detectives ,here

in the UK , many of them are overworked and a good lot could not detect fleas on a

dog.
Frankie bit her lip then.Thanks for the info and I feel a bit better now but let's get

back to patient , Dan Coll Archaeologist, anthropologist, and writer of learned

documents and books some of which I have read while at UNI, as part of my course.

How are you holding up really in the old filing cabinet department inside that skull of

yours?

Dan Coll's face dropped and he shook his head. Not very good at times. I know what

is happening as from when I came around to now but I am a bit shaky on the past

before and after the accident. The CT scans show normal wear and tear, the x-rays of

my head are not pretty but I am eating better now and doing a bit of walking with

help. I'm fine folks.

Izzy snorted then smiled at him. Sure you are Dano. Fucked up, insecure, neurotic

and emotionally unstable. Fine you are Man like us two. As long as you are not like Dr

Death I'm ok with it all.

Dan laughed. Well that is me sorted. Have a good shift.

They stood in the car park, morning sunshine on their heads, Izzy smoking a thin cigar

as always while Frankie was deep in thought about the rent, downsizing the flat and

finding somewhere else to live anywhere. They did not have anywhere else to go. She

puffed out her face and Izzy noticed. What is Tin Legs thinking about now or are you

planning to kill Moorfield?

Frankie thinks that her friend Izzy is needs a head transplant. We missed it!

She blew out a cloud of smoke over Frankies head. Missed what?

It. The university. We go there on the pretense of informing them of how well Dan is

doing but also to dig into about his side of the story, missing students and the Zara

dame. Then we hunt for a new hutch to live in by the end of the month.
Ok but I also think we need to also visit his house, just to check on it. He may have a

room or rooms to rent. That can be an afternoon job for us.

Izzy threw away the stub if her cigar and it hissed in a small puddle. Fucking great.

What about sleep!

Just get in the car and drive Izzy and let's have an all day breakfast in Aldridge with

loads of strong coffee. In that order. Breakfast, university then flat hunting and in the

afternoon, go see where Dano lives.

Izzy grunted. Just tell me this Frankie. Why do we have to go to his place?

Because I want to check it out.

And then what?

Frankie was getting in the car but muttered, To see if I have been there before.

Oh God. You're not right Frankie dear. The last time I seen you like this is when you

were in hospital after your legs op and with all the drugs in you, well out of your tree!

She glared at Izzy. You my friend or not?

Izzy threw her hands up in the air and got into the driver's seat.

When the got into The Dolphin Breakfast Joint, Malcolm slid over to them once

they were seated ,pen poised over the writing pad. Darlings. What can I get you

both?

Izzy looked at him her, face like stone. How long have we been coming her Mal?

Mal pouted. Long time, same thing, big breakfast with black pudding and two mugs

of coffee. Anything else?

Izzy smiled at him. I need a shag. I have withdrawals.

Tut, tut Izzy dear and what would my Simon say about that now?

Izzy smiled. You know we love you too don't you?

He nodded and for a moment looked sad then kissed Izzy on the top of her head and

slid away.

Frankie laughed. 'Such a nice man. Better than some we have known Izzy. Remember

that red haired doctor a year ago who would come on the ward. You had a date with

him?

'Dr Pop Up. Sure my night out was a curry, a pint and then he suggested we go back to

our place for coffee. Like that was some line from the nineteen forties. I said 'no; and

told him to drop me off but he got more than fresh so he pooped it out and I popped

him in the mouth hard and got out of the car. He drove off and that was the last I seen

of him. But youre one to talk. I came back early one night and you and the legless

Royal Marine Commando were on the floor, your legs and his on the floor and you

looked like mating toads with him muttering 'it's only a state of mind,' over and over

again and you glassy eyed, both of you pissed outta your heads.

Frankie reddened, So. We did try. He could not....

Too much information girl. I was there,seen it, have nightmares about it and next

time get a guy with both legs and a hard on.Enjoy.

Frankie had to laugh. He said he loved me. Bless him.

She rolled her eyes and then laughed at Frankie. Bootnecks and sailors always say

that dippy. They want to be loved back more than just have sex. Pongo's on the other

hand just say 'brace yourself woman!'. Jump on, jump off in three minutes and that is

that!

They both laughed until tears rolled down their cheeks and when Mal came over with

the tray of food and coffee he looked at them and smiled. Such laughter, such love, oh

the day is going to be a good one. I can tell. Eat and love.
They watched him go. Frankie tilted her head and watched him. He glides more than

walks. How the hell does he do that!

With half a sausage in her mouth, Izzy just grunted and pointed at her plate.

It was Frankie who took the lead when they reached the university and at

the reception desk they were told by a young woman who never looked at them while

she was giving the answer to Frankie's question. She was too busy doing her nails and

chewing gum.

Go down to the left. You will see the lift, Dean's Office second floor in the

Anthropology Department.. You will see a reception desk like this one. They will sort

you out. Have a nice day.|

Frankie looked at Izzy who muttered to the girl, Gee thanks a bunch. We have come

to see him because he got my friend here up the shoot and the bastard is married as

well as being gay. Nothing wrong in being gay kid but he caught syphilis off her.

Thought he should know on both accounts.

The girls face shot up in shock her red lipstick showing on the lips in a large round 'O'

and the bright blue eyes like dinner plates. Oh my God. Is it contagions!

Very. Bye.

In the lift Frankie slapped Izzy playfully and pressed the button. You are wicket!

It was fast and the door opened and they walked out and seen a large woman

sitting at reception, glasses on the end of her nose.Izzy pressed record on her phone

unknown to Frankie. She looked at them both then curtly asked, How may I help

you?

We are both nurses and we need to see someone who knows him well as he is a patient

of ours. Dr Dan Coll. He works here.

Did work here you mean. We heard he was very ill?

Yes. Still but we need to put together a package when he is ready to be discharged.

Maybe someone in HR or a friend?

She pushed the glasses up her nose slowly watching them closely. I need to see some

ID please.

Frankie showed her NHS badge while Izzy muttered. Mine is in the car but I can nip

down for it?

The woman smiled. No need. One moment please, and picked up the phone and

punched in four numbers. Then, Hi I have two nurses from the hospital and need to

talk to someone who knew him well. Something to do with his discharge or something.

Yes. They are here now in reception. Of course. I'll show them the coffee and tea area

and chairs. Thanks.

She set her phone back in its cradle and pointed left. The Dean is not here at the

moment but they are sending the new head of his department down to speak to you.

Take a seat. Coffee and Tea is free.

They knew they were being watched as they headed for the chairs and the drinks

machine not just by the woman but also by two overhead cameras.

They sat down, avoided only with will power not to have a drink and as they say they

spoke in whispers.

She still watching us now and then, muttered Izzy then added, I hope you have a

plan A and a plan B?

Stay cool. We are here on un-official business. They don't know that yet.
They heard the lift door swished open and a tall young red headed woman came out

and walked towards them a fixed smile on her face but her greenish eyes were very

alert.

Good morning. My name is Zara McDonald. I took over from Dr Coll when he left.

Left?, asked Izzy. She frowned, I, we, were under the impression that because he

was ill that his job would be still here for him?

McDonald shook her head and sat down in one of the chairs in front of them and

Frankie and Izzy knew she had just taken the high ground.

This is Frankie St Clare and I am Izzy Monroe We did the night shift and Dr Coll was

one of our patients for a long time. He is much better now but not ready for home yet.

We were also led to believe that you and your students went missing in Scotland on a

field trip to some islands. Dr Coll was in a train crash that same day it seem but he still

thinks he was in Scotland with you and the students?

Zara McDonald shook her head. He has brain damage?

Frankie smiled, We cannot discuss his medical conditions you understand but he has

been through a very rough time and he is a bit confused. Do you know why they closed

the book on him?

Off the record of course?

Izzy and Frankie nodded. Sure.

The Dean and Dr Coll had words, something to do with his work and the Dean give

him a choice, change or leave. He left and was on his way to Portugal on what he called

sick leave so I had first to take over his class as well as my own. When we heard how ill

he was in Hospital and maybe even die, I was offered the Headship and I took it.
Even if he had not been injured the writing was on the wall because of complaints

from a number of his students, The Dean was in the process of making him redundant

with six months salary.

Frankie looked at Izzy then at Zara McDonald. So was Dr Coll in trouble with

students in some sort of a sexual nature?

Zara McDonald laughed. Good God No! He was a man who would bollock a student

out. The old school and all that, but one of those students was the daughter of our local

MP here in the city. The Dean was also friends with him so he had to take some sort of

action.

Izzy snorted, So he was not feeling tits or bums or grabbing male students by the

dick? Shock spread across Zara McDonald's face and her mouth fell open and she

shook her head three time then, No. He was not like that!

Oh Dear. So this place threw him to the wolves when he was down and out!

Izzy's eyes were blazing sparks of light. She frowned deeply and put her face close to

McDonald's. It made her animal like, a cat about to hiss and fear crossed McDonald's

eyes.

This conversation is closed and Dr Coll is better out of here because he is too good

for you lot to have. Good day!

Izzy got up and stumped off leaving Frankie standing and looking down at Zara.

Their eyes met. Your friend is a bit upset.

Frankie nodded, More than upset. I have known her to take a lump out of people's

faces with her teeth when she gets like that. You were lucky. Good day and I hope the

price was right?

Price?
 Thirty pieces of silver for the betrayal of a friend.

Zara for a moment hung her head. How is he really?'

Frankies laugh was harsh. Much better now seeing he has got real friends around

him.

I loved him but he never knew, never acted on it, I give him hints but....

Frankie turned on her heel and walked away and went to the lift where Izzy was

waiting.

You slug her Frankie?

No. But I was close.

'Huh!

She told me at the end she loved him.

Izzy rolled her eyes. Gee this love stuff hurts a lot don't it.

Sure does and I love you to bits.

DARK MIND GAMES.

They were approaching the car park when a young woman in a dark suit

walked towards them and as she passed she pushed a large brown envelope into Izzy's

hands and walked on without speaking.

What the hell!

Izzy looked at Frankie who was watching the young woman and noted she was heading

for the main building but did not turn around to look back as she reached the door.

She also scanned the car park for cameras but there was only two in the distance.

Go Izzy and don't lose that. Drive. Head for Rushall and when we get there check

what goodies are in there.

You don't think we have someone who.....

Frankie nodded. Yep,go.

Forty one minutes later they reached the turnoff into another road. Frankie was

frowning when she spoke softly.

Before you ask how we got here I don't know but I just know. Top of the road turn

right and park. Dan's house is just in front of you tall iron gates in need of paint.

Green paint once.

Izzy shot her a glance then carried on driving. You're freaking me out friend.

Me too. When we stop get out and go to the gate look around then come back and tell

me.

Izzy nodded. That it?

No. See it it is locked.

She stopped the car got out and walked to the gate and checked everything.

The gate was not chained but there were two camera's on each of the pillars, one with

a splodge of bird droppings. A few rooks were cawing in the trees up the gravel short

driveway and a blackbird flew off into the bushes in alarm. Izzy reached out to test the

gate handle when a voice behind her made her jump.

If you're looking for Dr Coll he is not here. He is in hospital.

Izzy turned fast. God you made me jump!, taking in the large post woman in front

of her with rosy cheeks. She thought fast. Yes we know. He has been on ITU for a

long time and we are here to see the house.

We?
 Yes. Frankie St Clare the night manager and I do night shifts on ITU and as we were

off duty she thought it better to see if it was possible to get a wheelchair in. I'm his care

worker on the ward and we have ID. I'm Isabel Munroe, Izzy for short.

She walked across the road to the car followed by Izzy. Frankie got out and smiled.

Before the post woman could ask Frankie produced her hospital ID. Izzy struggled to

get hers in her back pocket and showed it too.

So how bad is Dan Coll?

Pretty knocked about to be honest and he will need for a time aftercare treatment

and that at the moment is going to be hard with all the cuts going on everywhere unless

he goes private. He give me the code for the house and gate when I was on ITU.

His date of birth. We need to check and do a house assessment for his care plan.

You can ring the police if you would like to and I understand that?

The post woman smiled and thrust out a meatloaf of a hand. Lisa Woods. I live next

the Church. You know what he does for a job?

A trick question Izzy so get it right first time.

Archeology and anthropology and was a head of the department at a local

university.

The post woman nodded still smiling. You said 'was' meaning he is no longer able to

teach. But he can still do his research and all?

Oh Yes. They had to let him go because of his long term sickness.

Lisa Wood grunted. Times we are in. That awful woman, the redhead, Zara

something the other get his job. Met her twice up here with some students and never

liked her from the start. Foxy sort. All self as I could see.
Frankie gambled her next question. We had the displeasure this morning. It was her

that told us his job was gone.

Izzy needed a pee and urgent. So is it ok if we go in and up to the house?

Yes and hwen you leave, slam the door and leave the light on the time switch. Oh!

Two letters for him and just put it on the hall table along with the rest.

Frankie took the letters and smiled. Thanks Lisa. I am sure we will meet again

sometime.

Lisa Wood waved and toddled off her bag on her hip and a steady step. The good sign

was she did not look back.

Frankie was feeling sick as she stood at the gate with Izzy. She punched in number and

the gate slowly swung open with a creaking sound, stopped and then a low buzz.

Get the car and I will walk. I need the air.

For a moment Izzy hesitated but though better than to speak or make a wisecrack and

walked to the car. When she got in she felt a fear that she had never felt before and

that was because right now she could not understand how Frankie thought she had

been here before, knew the code, knew there was bird poo on a camera lens.

She swallowed hard. 'Hope she does not come up with the body in the basement, the

doors opening and closing and the screaming skull bit' because if she does I am gone ,

like fast.'

She took a deep breath and started the car. This is madness Frankie!, she shouted

and put the car into gear.

Izzy noticed in the rear view window that when she had passed through it the cate

closed over slowly. By the time she passed Frankie she was wishing that she had not

watched the TV horror channel shows.

Then she was in front of the large house, stopped the car got out and lit one of her thin

cigars. Her eyes slowly scanned all the windows, upstairs and downstairs and she

thought, they only come out at night.

The crunch of gravel made her look around and Frankie was walking towards her pale

and a little unsteady on her feet. She stopped and looked at the house then grunted.

Before you ask yes I did throw up more out of panic than illness because I have been

here before. Don't know when or why but how else would I know all this Izzy?

Izzy shrugged. You look like shit kid.

Thanks. Anything else nice would like to say!

Sure if you will listen but you are stubborn and I doubt you will do as I ask?

Frankie sighed. Try me.

Well we are both exhausted from the night shift, we are also flying high with all the

caffeine we drank, we have been on the go most of the day and we are more than a

little confused. Let's leave it, have a talk with Dr Dolittle in the next few days and put

it to him that we would like to rent a room or even two rooms if possible. Home first

then bed.

Izzy waited then added, We also have that envelope to read but not here Frankie. I

believe you have been here before, but it is real scary right now because I am getting

the same feeling.

Frankie's eyes widened. You too?

Izzy nodded and looked back at the windows. Yep. With you but it has just come to

me. When I don't know but so was Buster. Dan was not sure about the cat but in the

end he put up with it and he has in there a great lab, great computers and all the gear a

geek like me would use.

The only way Izzy is for use to open the door and go in and look.

Izzy sucked on her cigar. That is a No, No. Not without a police warrant and a squad

of marines backing us!

Frankie hit her head with her hand, Christ Izzy we have a chance to clear all this up

once and for all for Dan's sake as well. I'm going crazy now. I came here to work, live

here and you followed me. He interviewed me in a room in th e town, two chairs, a

table snd that was that!

Izzy walked to the lawn, stopped and turned. Ok. Let's say what you have just said is

true. How did you get here?

Taxi. An Asian taxi driver. He dropped me at the gate Izzy with all my gear and when

I asked him to help me up to this house he said, 'I don't do bags, Bad back. Yes he said

that,'bad back' then he drove off but not before he said something else, ' He lives there

on his own, like alone and he is a bit odd' That is what he said, 'a bit odd'

Izzy threw away her cigar butt,put her hands on her hips and muttered, I say home

and we sleep on it and see what comes next!

Frankie nodded. But we will be back, I will be back.

THE BIRTH OF CODEX FORENSICS

...... and thanks for the fruit and a real newspaper at last. Kind of you and you both

have been missed. They moved me into this side ward. I like it better but they needed

my bed in ITU. So you're not in uniform and therefore not working even after a good

result?
Frankie smiled at him. We packed it all in, Looking for a smaller flat to downgrade

to by the end of next week and we are going back to our old jobs. I have heard you are

going home so we just came in to wish you well Dan for the future.

Yep. You're on the up and up Doc. Time to write and all.

Dan Coll's face dropped. What the hell are you going to do?

Izzy nodded at him. This and that and move on. Enjoy life because it is too short and

you sir were close to paying the piper to get to the other side. Lucky guy.

She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. See ya around Big Boy. Take care.

I'm going for a smoke. I'll wait for you in the hospital car park Frankie. No long

goodbyes.

Dan's mouth fell open in shock as the door closed over. She means it Frankie!

Frankie stood and shook his hand. Real formal like then. Take care Dan.

You can go and leave me high and dry, both of you. Hang on a damn few minutes I

was about to say that I am starting a new project called Codex Forensics and I wanted

you both with me. Good Lab and if you want, a room each and I have enough money

now to offer you jobs and pay you well.

Your still crazy Dan. How can you do this and I hope you are joking?

He put a finger to his lips as he spoke a deep frown on his face. Not joking. After all

you and Tonto went to my house though did not enter it but the cameras did pick you

both up and the postwoman confirmed that, Lisa Woods,you met her, then when she

left you both went to the gate activated the code and went in. You walked up the drive

and Izzy stood by the car and had a smoke. So why were you there because Mrs Woods

checked the camera computer and there you were and she brought her laptop in and

there I was?
Frankie's face went red and she spluttered, I thought I had been there once before

and went to see it. Izzy too and I am sorry. It was not a joke on you.

He shook has head and grunted. No. Not a joke. I have now got a Home Office license

again. It came through to here last night. By hand no less.

Meaning you are back in the forensics business here in the UK?

He laughed, And Europe when and if Interpol needs me. Van Penn, said he knew of

my work in the past ID bones in mass graves in Iraq of civilians in Basra. Says there

will be plenty of work across Europe with UN involvement. But I cannot do it alone

Frankie. I need you both.

She looked at her feet then looked up, tears in her eyes. And what flag will we be

working under and you're not angry because we checked you house out?

UN Human rights, Interpol and the Home Office. Yes I was a bit pissed off when I

heard what you both had been up to but you did not go inside and that was the point

She looked at him sideways the hair almost hiding the face scar. So where do we go

from here Dan after all you know about us now?

He grunted, Better get packed up and all your gear shifted down to the house and

Izzy as well. Freedom of the house except for my study which had a large 'P' on it

which means what Frankie?

Private.

Now your getting it. Good. Mrs Woods who does for me once a week to make some

extra cash will have it all done and dusted, food and milk in. She has or will leave clean

bedding in the two rooms to...

The left. One green room and one light blue room with the windows of each looking

out of the garden and the Nature Reserve in the distance. The Lab is down in the

basement with a good light source , three computers, one the master computer that

Izzy fell in love with and...

Good God woman how the hell do you know all this if you never went in?

Oops! I don't know Dan. I just had a strong feeling Izzy and I had been there before.

He looked at her with amusement and shook his head smiling. Ok. Where is the red

door in my house and even if you looked through the windows you still would not see

it. So if you said you feel you had been in my house before where is that door?

The toilet door or my room door but close together on the ground floor

His mouth opened and closed a few times and to Frankie he looked like a trout out of

water gasping.

Hmm. You had this sort of thing happen to you before Frankie?

She nodded, In a snowstorm in Wales and we got stuck at the back of the Black

Mountain. Forest road, the forest was all Christmas trees. We pulled in and stayed the

night in the car. It was cold and Izzy and I did not sleep well. In the morning it had

stopped snowing and we went outside to, you know, pee? There was I think a smell of

woodsmoke and also the feeling that something was watching us from within the

trees.

Dan Coll nodded. Wales not Scotland?

No it was Wales.

And this trip to Wales why were you there?

She laughed. The Rugby Match. Wales and Ireland were playing. We missed it.

Dan Coll was watching her closely. Then what?

I think we headed home but I can't remember much about the home run as Izzy was

driving and I fell asleep.| I remember when I opened my eyes we were passing through

a village called Fross or something like that

He looked upset for a moment. Tell her that Fross is in Scotland he thought.

He sighed. Thanks for coming and pay Mrs Woods for the food. Also if you could pay

her what I owe her till I get home that would help.

Sure. No problem. See you soon and ring the house if you need a lift home.

He grunted. I'll take a taxi when the time is right. Bye

Izzy waited at the hospital door and turned when Frankie came out. What kept you?

Sex.

With Dan?

Frankie laughed loudly. You should see the look on your face Izzy. Oh boy. Race you

to the car.!

You're on Tin Legs. Go

People watched then racing across the road and into the car park and a few smiled.

DEAD BONES TELL TALES.

THREE DAYS LATER.

Izzy grabbed the hall phone. Izzy Munro here.

Detective Sergeant Tapper here Walsall police here. Is Dr Dan Coll there?

No. But his assistant is. Frankie St Clare. Can I asked what it is about?

Bones. We are in a wood at Brownhills and we think we found a shallow grave. A dog

walker called us in but we are not sure if they are human or not.
Hold on please, covering the mouthpiece with her hand and yelled, Frankie, call for

you. Walsall police.!

Frankie took the phone. St Clare here, Dr Coll's new assistant. How can I help you?

The male voice was strong and official, Sgt Tapper here Miss St Clare. A dog walker

found some bones or at least a long bone and we wanted to confirm if not if it is

human. The main bone is sticking out of the heather and soil, a long bone.

We are on the left on Brownhills common just passed the pub and bridge then there is

a track to the left. You will see the police car and I will wait for you there. Can you

come?

Frankie thought fast. Of course. Out of Rushall towards Brownhills I think?

Thanks. See you then. Bye.

Frankie hung up and looked at Izzy and laughed. Wow! Our first case. Grab the red

rucksack as I set it up last night with all with all the gear I will need. Come on Izzy.

Chop, chop!

Camera?

Loaded and in the bag. muttered Frankie then added, Bring the map of the area.

Two men in dark coats and one in uniform and a few locals being kept back

by the uniformed officer. The introductions were made and Izzy and Frankie followed

across the heather between small low pine trees and other shrug plants.

Sgt Tapper stopped and pointed at the bone. There you go Miss St Clare.
Frankie slowly walked past him and the others and Izzy was now close behind her with

the bag. Frankie scanned around the area and then moved in and knelt down and

sniffed. Been here a while, maybe a year or more. Bone is a femur, from a large

mammal or small human. Ground slightly hollow and soft. I am going in slowly and

see what I can extract. No evidence of other bone scattering by foxes or birds of prey.

She switched off the small recorder clipped onto her jacket and started to remove soil

from around the bone then went deeper and stopped. She stopped and looked back at

Izzy and the police officers. Have a skull with.....horns or anthers.and slowly pulled

it out. She held it up and muttered , Deer skull! Sorry. Not human, and stood up

taking the cloth that Izzy held out to her and wiped her hands. She walked to the

police.

All I can tell you that it deer bones and had been buried, the skull has been detached

by some cutting tool, knife or axe. Suggests poachers maybe, and they took the main

meat of it and buried the remains. Had to be a late night job if it was. Sorry, and

dropped the skull at her feet.

The officers looked relieved and Sgt Tapper handed her his card. If there is a charge

please send the bill to me. I'll sort it.

Frankie smiled at him. No need. Good practice but keep in touch and spread the

word if you can. Codex Forensics is in business.

INTO THE UNKNOWN VOID.

 Izzy brought the car to a stop and switched of the engine and looked at

Frankie. That went well. We rush out with a great red bag full of everything for a job

because we had a call. We get there and the cops are waiting. We turn up without

wellies and get wet feet, you poke around inside the bones of a dead, and long dead

Bambi without putting on protective gloves while I stand with a camera loaded and all

like a spare prick at a wedding waiting for you to give the word. Then you walk across

to the cops and drop a deer skull in the heather at their feet, smile and we are gone!

Frankie sat stone faced and looked straight ahead and said in a low voice. Have to

say it. You're right. Amateurish or what?

Yep. Very. The plods I don't think worked it out but Sgt Babble was watching you

closely and your bum as you bent over. Don't take this the wrong way dear but we

need to perform better than that next time if we get the remains of a human to look

at.

She slowly turned her head and glared at Izzy. Finished?

Sure. Just an observation and an opinion.

Frankie nodded towards the house. Pity you did not observe that he's back and I

would like your opinion on that smart ass!

Dan?

'The same. Our boss is in there now and is going to ask us where we were so you had

better get the story right when you tell him.

Izzy's eyes went wide. Me?

Frankie smiled at her. Sure. You are the field expert now kid and I am going to drop a

load while you tell Dan all you know. Have fun!
 Dan Coll was sitting at the kitchen table, his bag at his feet and a mug of coffee by

this right hand. He burst out laughing, She did that without gloves on!

'There is more. We were in such a hurry to show off that she turned up in slippers, the

furry ones and we both got wet feet. Then the skull, she hauls it out looks at it then

drops it beside the cops and we came home.

He was trying not to smile and nodded. Well better write it up and put a name on it.

Shall we say, 'our first case as a team'?

They were still laughing when Frankie walked in and slumped in a chair and looked at

them both. You two look cozy. Glad someone is happy!

Dan caught the look Izzy give him and he muttered ''Before you ask I am feeling much

better thank you. So to celebrate that we are all home safe and well I have already

ordered a home delivery of food to be here in an hour and will leave the gate open so

tonight we rest. Tomorrow we take stock and plan.

Sounds good, said Frankie. Anything else?

'Oh yes. RSPCA rang me and said they was a woman locally who was trying to drown

a pair of hush puppy slippers and for us to keep an eye out, said Dan Coll in a causal

voice not looking at Frankie.

Izzy. You told him! Oh how could you?

Izzy exploded in laughter. Just a bit of fun. Dan wants me to open a folder and write

it all up.

Never. Not now not ever. I hate you both! , and stormed out of the kitchen with the

sound of Dan Coll and Izzy making puppy whimpering and sharp barking noises

behind her.

When her bedroom door crashed close with a bang they laughed even more.
Izzy was looking at her main computer screen again and this time more slowly as she

checked the single email that had been sent to 'Codex Forensics UK for the attention of

Dr Dan Coll, Director;

'Dear Dr Coll, Need help to try and locate four people over the years who have went

missing while out climbing or hill walking ,all female adults who went into the area of the

Trossachs beyond Stirling and close to Loch Lomond area. All four went missing

between Loch Katrine and Loch Achray in what was once known as the 'wooded glen'

I am sure you will understand that these remain Cold Cases Dr Coll but family and

friends are again baying at the door of our First Minister demanding more action.

I feel that in these four cases this would be justified but the police have done their best

over the years as have the Mountain Rescue services. We therefore have the directive to

offer a financial contract to Codex Forensics for six months to look into these cases from

a forensics anthropology and archeology point of view to see if any evidence can ne

obtained with the view of reopening all the cases. All evidence, which is little and maps as

well as police reports of the time and background information on the missing women will

be made available to Codex Forensics. Media coverage stories are all alike but a few is

included in the package though it seems 'hyped up' to sell newspapers.

If possible could you give me a straight yes or know as soon as possible.

Yours,

Trisha McCall

Head of Public Affairs

Scotland.

Email: TrisGov@PA.com.'
Izzy let her breath out slowly. Picked up the internal phone and punched in the

number.

Dan here/

'Better get bright eyes and yourself into the Lab boss. Something big has come in.

Dan reread the email then stood back and looked at Frankie. Do we need

something as big as this and all we have is three of us. If we take it on we are

committed till we find something or nothing for six months?

And we will have to hire at least two other people, one for here to keep this end

running and keep track of us and the public informed if anything else comes in and

two, another field worker

They looked at Izzy. She's right Dan. Three of us up there on the cases is not enough

and with no one in here on a daily basis is not professional.

Dan snorted. You have a point of course but both of you hold your horses. You

forgetting my headbanging time, hospital time, confusion, fear, the screaming

abdabs?

There was a very long silence except for the light ticking of the lab clock and low hum

of the computers. Izzy was counting to ten in her head waiting.

Frankie said loudly, No. You're right Dan. Too much for you and we can't do

something like this in a rush without the backup we will need. It would have been good

if we could have turned anything up for the family and friends of the missing, but we

are not cops and we still need a Lab Bod no matter what we decide. Let's pass on it.

Agree?
Dan Coll was frowning and looking at the screen while Izzy was again counting to ten

in her head. Then her hand shot up. I have it!

Dan looked from the computer screen and Frankie folded her arms across her chest,

Have what Izzy?

Well we can do it if Dan stays here with a new Lab bod, when we get around to

getting one, soon, a live in one of course, and you and I do Scotland but get a field

worker on loan but paid from Edinburgh University on a part time basis, but Frankie

as lead.?

Frankie smiled. Good idea but what do you say Dan?

Dan Coll walked back across the room,from wall to lab wall then put his finger up.

Yes. Got it. Good idea! Go on line and look up the name, Dev Chi, listed as 'free lance'

lab technician, forensics, Birmingham. Get her phone number for me and an email if

there is one. Then Izzy, seeing this was your bright idea ring Edinburgh University, see

what is on their books who is looking for a six months job and get a name, contact him

or her and take it from there.

And me?, Frankie looked at Dan Coll wide eyed her face flushed. He smiled at her,

My dear. While I go to my study, after Izzy forwards the email over to me, consider

yourself the Lead investigator in all this when we take it on.

You mean it Dan. You want to take this on?

He tapped Frankie on the shoulder. Your it. Team project leader so start leading and

make sure your all set to go up there a week from today. Oh. And you can take the

Defender of course. Your ID will be through by then as will Izzy's

Before Izzy or Frankie could reply the doors swished close behind him and they looked

at one another.
What have we just done Izzy?

Scary stuff but we can do it. Can't we?

Alex is the new Quad in, the two seater?

A short bearded man came out of his office and looked at the broad frame of his

nephew, Ken McCloud. Aye it is. So when do I get the balance for it Kenny?

'Sure you know I am good for the money Uncle Alex and anyway I was going to talk

about that. Someone is coming today to interview me in person, a six month full time

job as a field worker on the forensics side here in Scotland. More to the point, in this

area. Now they are impressed by my degree but I still have to do the interview and it

would look much better if I had good wheels for the moor.

The old man raised an eyebrow. Would ya not be thinking of some sort of car?

Trust me. A smacking new red Quad parked outside the Grouse Hotel where the

interview is being held will crack it. Trust me.

Alex shook his head and nodded. I wish ya luck lad but don't hold your breath if you

go like that. Beard not trimmed. Smell of sheep and sheep dip, and you cannot go in

that kilt that lad. It is old and threadbare. Go and bath, and put on your father's

Harris suit. He always said it would be better on you than him and I tend to agree with

him. Wherever he is he will be proud of you.

Aye. I'll do that Uncle. First impression are important at things like this and after all

the tourists are about and sure I might just snare myself a wife.

The old man laughed, Well I hope you have more luck snaring a wife than you do

with rabbits on the hill Ken. Good luck with the job.
He walked away, still stinging from the remark his Uncle had just made. When it came

down to relationships with women he was a homegrown disaster and the few he met as

tourists were a drink and that was it. At university all his main friends were women

but no relationships were in the making that led to a romantic free fall.

His father had been Head Stalker up at the Big House and when Alex had free time he

would help him out with fencing and any deer culls that had to take place. But when

his father died out on the hill no one was with him and the ravens had got to him first.

He was told by phone what had happened and he arrived home. The funeral had a

good attendance that sunny day and when his Lordship asked Alex would he like to

take over he had declined. That meant of course giving up the tied cottage for the next

man employed. As luck would have it, his Uncle offered him a small cottage, two rooms

and an outside loo in exchange for help now and then with the sheep and fencing. His

main job was to make sure the fences were all in place and standing because sheep on a

deer habitat was more than frowned on by his Lordship. Deer stalking brought in good

money for the estate and the rich men and women would be out there on the moors

from late August onwards. Not any deer was shot but if there were too many stags the

best would be left alone for breeding. Alex never liked shooting any deer unless it was

ill or very old. He did not get on with the hunting parties because he felt that they were

all pretenders and liked nothing better than talking about themselves and their money.

He pulled the bright red quad into the small car park and locked it then made

his way to the reception area. Cathy Deen was on duty. She smiled at him and pointed

to a door down the hall. She's in there Ken and good luck.

She?

Aye, good milkers nice teeth, and good child bearing hips Kenny lad.
He left reception with a red face, checked his watch and knocked on the door.

It was opened by Frankie St Clare who held out her hand. Ken?

Aye. The same. You are..?

Frankie St Clare, Dr Coll's assistant. Come in and close the door behind you. Do you

want a drink, tea, water before we start?

He shook his head. No thanks. I sent my CV as an attachment to you so I hope I got

it?

She nodded, 'Take a seat and relax. Yes your CV seems ok but I was more impressed of

what you know about nature and wildlife here in Scotland. That could well be useful.

What is against you is your lack of field experience so you and I are going out to the

moors and forests and you are going to try and answer my questions. If you fail, we

have both wasted our time and I will thank you then I will be gone.

Ken swallowed, How many questions do I have to get right?

Three wrong answers will fail you?

Ok. Lets do it then and get it over with.

She smiled at him. Don't you want to know anything about Codex Forensics Ken

He looked sideways at her and shook his head. Lets see what I can do first and the

answers to your field questions when we go out.

She stood up and looked out the quad then turned. I'll drive the quad and you direct

me where we are going. We need bog, rock, woods and water.

The quad is new. I just got it!

Don't worry, I will take only a little paint of it if we hit a fence or a dry stone wall.

You ride shotgun. Fun time.

 Twenty minutes later and a few near misses, she stopped the quad on a high

ground overlooking a valley below, some parts wooded, some moor land and water.

She heard Alex sign and get off and run his eyes over the muddy red quad.

You drive fast Miss St Clare and your pants are all muddy now.

She laughed. So are yours. Right lets sit and study the landscape. Read it would be a

better word. If you work for us you will be a forensic anthropologist not a pathologist

and we leave that to such people if we find remains. Got that Ken?

Aye. Loud and clear. So why here?

'Look below you from right to left. Don't rush it. What do you see and record?

He shaded his eyes, Wood in the distance, native woodland, conifer forest in front of it

some of which and has been strip felled, moorland with heather and scrub, two deer

watching us from the pile of rocks, a few forest and woodland paths and tracks, a small

lake, fencing. A car park in the conifer forest with one car parked in it, remains of a

dead sheep with bones scattered by foxes and birds of prey, hooded crows feeding on

something beyond the rock pile, a yellow dumper in the wood and Oh shit!

Frankie looked at him then back out over the valley. What?

Someone in camo clothing lying down on a bank aiming a firearm at us, a rifle and I

have seen the scope flash in the sunlight. Four hundred meters to your right.

They heard the bullet hit a rock a few meters away from them and then the crack of

the rifle and as she crouched low in the heather and another bullet whizzed over their

heads and again the crack of the rifle following.

Christ Ken he or she is shooting at us!

Correct so get into the dip behind me and crawl low back to where we left the quad

and whatever you do keep your hear and arse down Miss St Clare.
Stop calling me Miss', McCloud because I think right now you can call me Frankie

so lets go but I will need help when we get to the bumps.

He looked at her frowning, then seen she had pulled up her trouser legs showing her

lower legs.

I have no lower legs from the just below the knees so running is out and crawling is

going to be slow. Plan B?

Another bullet hit something hard and whined of skywards and he looked hard at

Frankie. She was small, but no heaver than a dressed carcase of a deer.

Crawl over here and onto my back then I will take you and I out of the hollow and

back to the quad. No time to be coy Frankie because whoever was , is shooting at us,

could have taken us out with the first two shots.

Her mouth fell open. You want me to lie on top of you!

His eyes twinkled. Yes. So hurry. He may have moved for a better shot or her.

She was breathing hard when she climbed up his back, the smell of tweed in her nose

and sweat. Ready when you are!, she snapped.

He moved fast and from cover to cover then the dropped into a small hollow where the

quad was parked. Right, this time I drive, you jump on when I start it up and hand on

for dear life.

She did as she was told and he raced off across the hill and in hollows she did not even

know about. When they pulled into the hotel car park tourists were standing looking at

them as they unmounted, mud covered and wet. Someone shouted, Why don't you get

a room?, and a few people laughed. Frankie felt her face go red and even more so

when Ken McCloud shouted back, At least we don't chase sheep like you do!

There was silence and he followed Frankie into the hotel.

They sat in a corner too shocked to do much talking until they were on their second

whiskey. Ken ran his finger around the glass and looked hard at Frankie who had a

deep frown on her face. I hate to say this Frankie but you have a strange way of

conducting an interview for a job and you seem to have friends in low places if what

we both have just gone through suggests?

Frankie scowled at him. Who would want to kill us McCloud?

He shrugged. I doubt it is anyone I know but whoever fired those shots was not trying

to kill us but scare us off the moor. All the poachers are local men, five in all and I

know them. They may kill a deer but not a man or woman. That rifle had been zeroed

in and the poachers may be a good shot if they are lamping at night but whoever it was

out there today is not local, left their car in the forest car park and walked in well

before we got there. They knew where we were going or close to it.

How the hell would they know that Ken?

He grunted. When you got to the hotel did you meet or talk to anyone you knew?

Came in, booked in, had lunch, a nap, met you, went up there on the quad, got shot

at, came back and now getting a little drunk and I am going for a shower and a change

of clothing.

What about me. The job?

She waved a finger at him. I don't need a body guard or a stalker but a forensic

anthropology brain with a man or woman who has also common sense. That was a

pretty good show you arranged up there on the moor and of course you almost

convinced me except for one thing.

He finished his drink in two gulps, shuddered and stood up. Miss St Clare, if that is

what you think of me you can take the job and stuff it where the sun does not shine.

Good day to you and thanks but no thanks!

He stormed out of the hotel bar, jumped on the Quad and roared off up the hill and

lost in the hedgerows within a minute. She could feel her face burning and when she

looked up and Cathy Deen was drying a glass but looking at Frankie.

Aye. That went well. He dinny get the job then?

Sorry?

The job ,went with you for the interview?

Frankie shook her head. No. It was well, interesting but it would not have worked

out. Who are you anyway?

Cathy Deen the owner of this hotel. Have been for the last five years. Kenny and I

went to school together as kids in the village, young romance that came to nothing. He

went to university and I took on this place from my mother when she passed over.

How come he failed?

Frankie knew she had to tread carefully now, a stranger in a strange place. She was

booked in here, with a friend of Ken McCloud's and was starting to get a bad feeling

about it all. She could lie and say that he would not fit in with the team or maybe later

she would look at it again. Then she felt the anger rise in her and she almost blurted ,

'Because he is a hillbilly from the sticks, I don't feel I could trust him and there was

something not right about him on the hill, the way he moved fast and played te big I

am when the shots were fired.

You thinking about the right thing to say Miss St Clare or just loss for words?

Blunt and to the point Deen was, her brown eyes sharp and glittering.
I have the feeling he laid on a show for my benefit up on the hill. He may have

arranged someone, sex unknown, to fire a few shots in our direction to get a reaction

and he then played the hero getting me out of there and back here on his horse.

Anger flashed across Cathy Deen's face. Don't be such a stupid woman because I

know and everyone else knows that Kenny would not do that! You want to wise up wee

girl because he would have been a good team member.. The man who more than likely

fired those shots is now sitting in the public bar getting pissed. Been in there ten

minutes before you and Alex got back. His car, if you care to check it is covered in

fresh mud. Where is Kenny now?

I expect he went home where ever home is

Up the brae, house on the right, thatched roof and a single tree in the front garden.

She frowned at Cathy. This man who is he?

Cathy snorted, A blow in from across the border in England. Name of Barry Fill and

his Lordship give him the job as stalker when Kenny turned it down. He has only been

here a while and already has upset the local people. Can't hold his drink. Lives on the

other side of the big hill.

He shot at two figures I would think not to harm but warn off as that hill is part of the

estate. He has also wired off the right of way up there and there is a row about that

pending. You got it all wrong about Kenny McCloud.

She looked at Cathy, frowning and asked, The public bar where is it?

She pointed to the left. In there. He always sits at the end of the bar mainly alone

and wears a hat full of sea trout flies. Has a tash that grows over his lip.
She nodded and walked towards the public bar and in through the door and looked

around. Three old men talking about sheep and foxes, a young couple with rucksacks

drinking beer in the far corner and Barry Fill at the end of the bar nursing a pint.

Frankie walked up to him and he looked up. Were you on the hill a while back with

your rifle and fired a few shots of?

I was. Were you?

She glared at him er lips tight. That was not the question!

He smiled, Might have been. I get people up there trespassing and the odd poacher

but most of all I get tourists where they should not be. Like the two today so I

frightened them off with a few shots over their heads and off they went like hares.

Frankie hit him hard on the left side of his face and knocked him off his stool and he

tried to get up but she pinned him to the floor with her foot on his throat.

There is a little horse shoe bone just where I have my foot and if I push it down it will

snap and you will choke to death on your on own blood. You shot at me and my friend

Kenny McCloud and I am going to inform the cops of that soon as you leave the bar

asshole!

A rough voice behind her and she found herself looking up at a very large police

officer
who was not smiling. Would you mind if you took yer wee foot of his throat because

he is going a funny colour. Kenny rang me and told me what happened so I came here

to see you Miss St Clare and get a statement. As for you Mr Fill I am arresting you

under the firearms act and I am also going to caution you and then take you in cuffs

down to the hole in the wall. Once I do that I am coming back here to talk to Miss St

Clare so you won't be going anywhere tonight. Move aside woman till I get him cuffed.

In the meantime it might be a good to go and clean up and I will be back in an hour.

For a moment she was too shock to answer but she nodded and walked to reception to

get her key.

Cathy Deen laughed. Nice one. I love your style. You go up and I'll send you up a

good drink, on the house.

No! Honest. I'm fine.!

Cathy glared at her. You will do as I say and unless you have some religious reason

for not having a drink or in recovery then you will have a large Scotch and like it. It

will be there in five

She cleared her throat. Can I buy the police officer a drink for later?

Aye. Sgt Deen will say thank you as does his wife.

His wife?

Oh yes. I married the big lump a few years back. He is ok but he does as he is told as

long as it has nothing to do with his job. That man Fill has had this coming for a long

time and now he is in the bag.

Frankie nodded and looked more than sad. Thanks. I had better go.

And the job. Kenny?

Frankie smiled and did not turn around. You had better tell him and be packed by

morning and also he is driving.

Will do. See you later.

Dan Coll stopped speaking on the phone. You did what!

Hired Ken McCloud and we are coming back in the morning. He is ok.

He grunted, Hope so because we are going to get real busy here. Oh yes and Dev Chi

starts tomorrow in the lab and she seems a smart cookie.

Frankie snorted, Is a smart cookie or you just like her Dan?|

THE TEAM PLAYERS.

They gathered, they shuffled now and then and they waited for Dr Dan Coll to come

in to the large room that was polished room with chairs and a single table. On the wall

behind the desk was a single picture, a print of the Girl with the Pearl Ear Ring.

The door creaked and it went quiet. He walked to the desk and sat down at it dumping

a load of folders on the desk and looked at them.

Welcome this afternoon for Codex Forensics UK and you may see that I have a

Dictaphone beside me. To record, to keep and later to be written up by one of you.

Not me. However what you think you know about Codex Forensics UK, forget now as

it may become a disappointed idea to some of you. My name is Dr Dan Coll. I am, will

be and always be the Director here, while you are the team and if need be, I have the

last word. Take that on board now and let there be no issue or debate on that fact at a

later date. If for some reason I am ill or God forbid, I am dead, that office will be taken

over by Francis St Clare, better known as 'Frankie'.

By now you all know where you sleep, where you eat and shower, where the lab is, the

codes to the main gate and the house codes the one room you must never got into

unless I asked you. My study. You were also asked to sign the Official Secrets Act, the

contract and also that your bank details are correct. You have also declared and signed

you have an active passport. Before you leave here today you will collect your ID card

with a mug shot on it and your finger print, the thumb one right hand.

I take it by now that you have registered with the Rushall Medical center and or the

Pelsal Medical Center?

He paused, glared at each face in turn then cleared his throat.

By now no one smiled or spoke yet. They knew the way Dr Coll presented himself at

the moment was letting them all know the buck stops with him. Good. Let's hurry on

then, questions at the end please so you whoever you are put your hand down.

Ken dropped his hand fast, flushed a little and waited.

Dan cleared his throat, I am leaving the room for five minutes so if you have not yet

introduced yourself to the people around you and that way it saves time later do it

now. Frankie and Izzy, walk with me in the garden please.

They both looked at one another and then nodded and followed Dan Coll out of the

room and through the door at the bottom of the narrow passageway.

Dan waited till Izzy closed over the door then stood looking at them. Well. We have

them so what do you think?

Izzy puffed out her cheeks and let the air out slowly. Not sure about Ti Chi Dan?

You mean 'Dev Chi' I think Izzy, and he smiled at Izzy then added, And what may

I ask is your problem with her?

She reminds me of a leopard that has not had lunch yet and she does not blink a lot I

have noted. And that walk. She could be on a catwalk with flashlights going off all

around her and a fixed smile on her gob.

Frankie had to laugh. Competition kid, me thinks. And Yes, she was once on a

catwalk in Viet Nam aged four and up for sale. Daddy was a Jar Head US and Mammy

it seems was a street girl. The US Marine was killed during the pull out and later when

it was all over, her mother vanished as did the rest of her family line. A French couple

were able to buy her and took her home and paid for her educations right through her

University.

Oh shit. Well I did not know any of that. I guess I could warm to her.

Dan grunted. I have a problem with you two, a big one.

Izzy lit a thin cigar to give her time to think what they had done and Frankie spat it

out, Us! You have a 'big problem with us! Tell us then!

He nodded a half smile on his face. You two and I eat meat, fish and all that stuff and

the rest are rabbit food crunchers so how do we work the shopping and what we eat

around the table together

I hate to say this but Ken McCloud is a Bambi eater and that is meat as well as

grouse, ducks and of course fish,muttered Frankie. So that only leaves Dev and as a

Buddhist she must do what to do when it comes to food.

Dan nodded and Izzy smiled while Frankie rolled her eyes, That it?

Unless you have something more to add?

Izzy and Dan waited. Frankie shrugged, Nope. I'm cool.

 When they went back into the room Dev, and Ken were whispering together and

then a light laugh as Dan sat again behind the desk. Frankie and Izzy did not sit

together but at the end of row.

If my maths is right, then including myself, we have a ready to go team of five but as

Ken will have to go into the field with Frankie and as Dev has no lab work on hand as

yet she too will have to take a mobile lab with her and work within Edinburgh

University by arrangement and as a directive from the Home Office.

Izzy with her art in computers and myself will keep this place going until we can get a

sixth member of the team and right now I don't see many people coming forward.

Unless someone right now can produce a name and a contact number who might want

a job this is it.

It was whispered softly by Dev Chi and she looked at the floor when she spoke the

name, Jack Wilbur Slade.

Dan looked hard at her. Sorry?

She lifted her head slowly and looked into Dan's eyes. His name is Jack Wilbur

Slade,mid fifties, Irish by nature and ex marine by default. Was a drunk in the past

but twenty years away from one and needs the work. He also worked in protection

with the police in the past, can drive a car like no one else I know and will be available

in three days from now at 08.00.

Dan coughed lightly and caught Frankie's eye. She was still looking at Dev her mouth

open. She looked at Dev and asked straight out, 'This Slade, where is he right now?

Dev licked her lips. Marsh Dale Prison. It is an open prison and gets good results.

Izzy snorted, And he is in there why?

Everyone waited with baited breath. He killed someone, a nasty someone who

murdered a child and pushed her into a drain. He tracked him down, talked to people

that normal people would not give the time of day and then he got a name, the killers

name, found him, made him talk of where the body was then shot him in the head.

He rang the cops there and then handed himself up. The rest is history.|

Ken muttered, So how come you know him Dev?

Dev looked straight ahead, Because it was his daughter and mine.

Frankie looked hard at Dan then the rest. No time to fuck about folks do we take him

in or say no and if we say no ,we need to have a very good reason for doing so.

The clocked ticked away but to Frankie it was doing it in slow motion and it was Dan

who broke the silence. I say Aye.'

The rest put up their right hand and said Aye

THE BLACK CROW.

 Birds were singing but lost in a babble of words from men in the exercise yard of

the prison and were in small groups except for one man who sat on a step reading but

as his eyes read the words, they also flickered over the top of the book at the men

around him and to the right and left of him. He was always alert and with two days to

go he had no wish to get involved in any sort of row or fight. Five years for a firearm

offense, three for a manslaughter charge that had been reduced to one and now

deemed by the powers that be as served. He knew most of the men did not like him

because he kept himself to himself but he also knew that most of them had some

respect for him but all feared him deep down. He earned the name of Black Crow or

Jack Crow', depending if he was meditating with eyes closed or alert with eyes almost

black scanning everyone and everything around him. In that mode he was looked on as

'dangerous' and not to be approached. Some of the prison guards would call out to him

when they approached, Mr Slade and he would look at them and nod once. Like this

morning. Offer Poole was in his late fifties, large, red faced and ex-service and both

men had a respect for one another and there would be no deals done.

The Governor requests you present right now Slade. Come with me.

They passed through gates and then more gates and stopped in front of a large oak

door with a spy hole in the middle.

Poole tapped the door twice, looked at Slade and nodded then walked away as the door

opened. Standing there was Governor Linda Burns, middle aged, blond hair slowly

going to gray and still a trim figure. The eyes were pale blue and clear. Slade noted the

light make up and the smile that seemed ward. She stood aside and nodded and he

walked past her and stood in front of the desk.

You may sit Slade.

He sat as she walked around him and then sat down facing him and flicked open a

folder then put on glasses and read the letter and looked at him.

You are aware that you are due for release soon Mr Slade?

Jack Slade nodded and felt ice clutch at his heart. Yes mam. Two days.

She smiled and Jack relaxed. Wrong. Today. Your belongings are being packed now

and you can collect them along with some money and you release papers.

He grunted. I don't understand Mam. Two days I was told?

Seems you do have friends in very high places Mr Slade some of them with political

clout, a few high ranking police officers, a Dr Dan Coll who is offering you a job and

shelter and a women, Dev Chi who was the mother of your child. If you had not used a

firearm you would have been out of here years ago. Still for all that Codex Forensics

UK want you to work with them as of course does your past partner.

I know of Dr Coll, a well respected archaeologist and anthropology lecturer and I

would say you are very lucky to be on the team. Considering the nature of your prison

sentence. However you were in the past a good detective before the booze got you and

AA sorted you they have an opening for a man of your , shall we say,skills as a field

worker.?

He nodded. Can't be happening. Why me?

Because you were once good at what you did, you kept your nose clean in here,can

drive a car like a fool, you have done protection duty, a good investigator and still fit.

He nodded, So as you know all that who will I be protecting now?

Her smiled vanished and she closed over the folder and looked at him, The dead.
 Officer Poole walked to the front gate with Slade and when the gates opened

he shook Slade by the hand, then handed him a brown envelope. Just something to

get you started

'Thanks Mr Poole. Better go.

Yes. Good luck. The Defender has two people in it, one of them, your boss and the

other calls herself 'Frankie St Clare. That is all the info I have.

Jack Slade nodded and started the walk across the car park and stopped when Poole

called after him. Don't let me see you back here son!

He did not turn around, held up his arm high and walked on.

Frankie watched Jack Slade walk towards them and muttered out of the side of her

mouth. You think we did the right thing Dan?

He laughed harshly. Bit late now old girl. Time to meet and greet our new member.

Dont worry Frankie he wont harm you because you are all steel legs and tits but look

at the size of him and I am small, an old man compared to him.

She glared at him for a moment and hissed at him, Less of the old and if I had these

steel legs wrapped around him he would not die happy let me tell you.

His kidneys would pop!

She got out of the car and stopped in front of him and Slade tilted his head and looked

at her then past her to where Dan Coll was sitting in the car.

She watched him closely. Im Frankie St Clare. The guy in the car is our boss, Dan

Coll. Dr Dan Coll of Codex Forensics UK. I take it you're Slade?

He nodded and looked surly. Last check made on me one minute and four seconds

ago said so.Otherwise I would not be standing here now. Lets go!, and pushed by her,

walked to the back car door, open and got in slamming the door behind him.
Dan did not turn around but laughed. See you met Frankie. Im Dan.

I know, She made a point of telling me!

Thats good. She is the field boss and for all that your boss when and if needed. If you

dont like that arrangement get out of the car and go back to the prison gate.

Slades mouth fell open. You're kidding. Right?

Dan turned slowly and looked at him hard. Wrong. She is the boss I am the Director

and you, if you come, are the hired help like all the rest who have something to offer

the project. What do you have to offer Mr Slade?

Frankie was watching both men as they talked and she smiled, Oh boy Jack Slade,

you might be sorry you ever joined us.

There was just chit chat between the three of them as they drove down the

motorway to Walsall then onto Rushall and Slade was wary about asking too many

questions. Then as they drove to the gate Slade asked to be left there and he would

walk in. Dan frowned, Frankie nodded and he got out and closed over the door and

took out a battered pipe and filled it from a pouch that had seen better days, They

drove on slowly leaving him in a cloud of his own smoke and Frankie muttered, He

has flutterbyes Dan.

Same as you had when you first got here. Izzy dropped you where Jack is standing

right now but that is ok. Anyway, what way do we work the room and bed

arrangements with Slade and Dev Chi?

Frankie muttered, Better leave it to them to sort out Dan but I do know things will

never be the same again. Too much water under the bridge she said, to think they

could take up where they left off. They may well be friends but I think, from a

womans point of view Jack Slade will be having his own room and own bed and unless

he is gay, there is not much going on here. You're not gay Dan are you?

He laughed, Fuck off Frankie and I know Ken is straight so that leaves Izzy and you.

They stopped in front of the house and Dev was sitting on a bench when they got out,

She stood up and smiled. Dont need to tell me. He is having a smoke of that pipe of

his. Gives him time to think. I need to talk with him if you dont mind, sort out a few

things, such as a friendship and nothing more. Better if he knows from day one.

Dan sighed deeply. It could wait till he gets settled in Dev?

She shook her head, smiled and walked down the lane and was lost in sunshine and

shadow.

Jack Slade looked up as she came towards him and he shaded his eyes against the

sunlight. She came right up to him and kissed him on the cheek then took a step back.

Your looking better than I expected.

He give a crooked smile and stuck his pipe in his mouth. You too.

Dev brushed the hair out of her face, We cool Jack?

Ice cold kid. Love is still there as your friend and I dont expect anything else after all

the years lost. Thanks for the tobacco and cards but most of all the books. Oh! and the

two visits at Christmas past. That meant a lot. I was planning to move on somewhere

south when I got out, new start and all that.

Seems I planned wrong. Got early release, the offer of a job, somewhere to bed down

for a while, food and in a nice area. You will be running the lab I have heard?
Yes. They are a nice bunch of people Jack so dont sweat it. Izzy the computer wiz kid

will keep us all on our toes, Ken is a Scot and a field worker, a bit crazy with his

storytelling and worse with his singing, Frankie is Lead Field Worker, Dan Coll is big

boss. Good at what he does, can be grumpy at times and was a little crazy upstairs

after the train crash, Bad head injury and almost went to Glory twice.

He blew out smoke and half smiled at her, And me Dev what am I?

A nice man who gets a second chance, a field work and investigator who will be just

as good as ever like in the past, and most of all my best friend.

Jack Slade blinked away a tear, bit down on the stem of his pipe and said gruffly,

Come on wee woman, lets go. Do you know you still talk shite when you get all

mushy.

She laughed, And you go all Mr tough guy and chew nails when people get close to

you.

He smiled, The Nature of the Beast and you know me best of all. God, you're still just

as ugly and worse with scar face Frankie!

Her smile vanished, Dont you ever call her that again. Not ever Jack Slade and if you

do, we are well and truly finished.Kaput!

She stormed off up the track and he stood in shock, Now what have I done now?, he

muttered to himself and followed her at a distance and a faint whisper entered his

mindscape, that went well jack.

Ken McCloud stopped scrolling, made a note, and called out to Izzy.

I got a hit on number one Izzy.

Izzy shot across the floor on her chair from the master computer and stopped close

beside Ken. Name is Sally Ann Webb, aged 24, home in York, went to York University

there,reading History, in second year when she went missing in Highlands area on

11th October while hill walking, Had been staying in a Bothy with two other students

when she did not return and search was on.

Snow on the mountains, she was classified as a good hillwalker, could read maps and

had a mobile phone. Also had sleeping bag and cover bag if needed

and she went missing in 2010. In Spring 2011, still no sign of her or remains and two

days ago, 2017 two walkers found her mobile phone, which was dead inside a small

rucksack along with a notebook and a student union card with her name on it.

Beside the bag covered in bracken, was a right hand still attached to lower arm

bones.but chewed on.Police notified and they bagged the lot, took photographs of site

and the hand and then put the photographs of the bag up on the www along with her

union card and a photograph of face taken three days before she went walkabout. I

know the area, and you need good boots and a back up plan if the weather closes in.

Close by where the bag and remains of the hand were found is a fishing Bothy, a cabin

close to the loch.

Good work Kenny. Ill bring up the map or maps of the area while you go find our

leader and inform her. Dont forget to inform Dan as well or he will go into a huff and

a puff.

On It.
Something was niggling Izzy about the bones, the location and the two students who

reported the woman missing. She put an internal call through to Dev in the lab. Hi

Dev need your help here if you can come over. Have a report on hand bones being

found in location in Scotland along with a dead mobile phone in a small bag.

Great,thanks.

She left the tab open and slid across to the master computer and went into search.

Typed in the womans name and the name of the students.

Within seconds it came up with all the news reports and police reports but what hit her

like cold water in the face was the names of the two students who were with the

missing woman and who reported her missing.

ZARA McDONALD and SUZY KIRK

This cant be!, she muttered loudly and Frankie made her jump when she looked

over Izzys shoulder, What cant be?

Izzy nodded at the big screen. This and the young face does not fit anyone we might

know? Note the date of when the woman went missing and reported missing by Zara

McDonald and this Suzy Kirk woman. Seven years ago.Subtract that from the woman

we know and who shaffed Dan Coll out of his job?

Frankie sucked air and shook her head. I agree.Put seven or eight years on that Zara

and she would look older than the one we talked to but the Zara McDonald we know

looks younger than her!

And this Suzy Kirk?

So what?

Frankie was still puzzled and Dev joined them followed by Dan Coll, Ken and Jack

Slade who looked bored to distraction.

So what do we have now. A young present Zara McDonald and a much older one who

with someone who is known as Suzy Kirk and were both students and witnesses to a

Sally Ann Webb going missing while hill walking on the 11th of October in 2010 and

some of her remains turn up three days ago along with a bag in 2017 and her student

ID?

Dan Coll rubbed his head and looked back at the screen and blinked. This cant be,

the time line is a way out! Izzy check it again!

Dont need to Dan. Both computers came up with the same dates and info as did the

police reports. Let's say that Zara McDonald is now 25 years old as an example in 2017

so subtract seven years off that and that puts her aged eighteen years old in 2010.

You're telling me she did her degree, then her masters in seven years and is now

running your department!

Dan almost growled at her. She was a smart kid, was hungry for it but granted, now

that you mention it, a fast track to the top.

Izzy punched the air. Right on. Now stay with me folks. If she got where she is today

and she is really who she says she is, she either done it on her back all the way to the

top or she is not Zara McDonald of Christmas past Dan.

Then, no wait Dan! This Suzy Kirk in the photograph with McDonald in 2010 and you

say was one of the students who went with Zara McDonald along with, Robert Walker,

Joe Duggan, Helen Watts and Frankie McaVoy to Scotland and went missing. Right?

If you say so Izzy.

Oh God! If this is the same woman, Suzy Kirk with McDonald back then as a fellow

student at the same age, then how come she was still a young student when they were

heading to Scotland on a Field Trip. I had a number of rows with her and daddy was

an MP and he had the ear of the Dean so as she produced little or no coursework I

dumped her in McDonalds class Then it all went pear shaped for me.

And us it seems, said Frankie, and it looks like there is a missing time factor, Wales

and Scotland dont gel with me or you Izzy so what is going on and where do we go

from here?

Jack Slade spoke from the back. His voice soft but yet strong. If I can suggest that

Rob Roy here and I check this McDonald woman out, home and work and also where

the Kirk woman is now. Izzy may want to do a fair bit of computing on the so called

other students on the list and keep Kenny here and I in the loop. I take it Dev and

Frankie will be heading to Scotland on site then pick up their little bundle of joy for

their forensics and come back here or do it up there.

And as Project Director Mr Slade what should I be doing?, said Dan Coll in a voice

that had sharp edge to it.

Jack Slade smiled across the room at him, Suggest what you are good at and start

directing the show here with Izzy and we will feed you all we get as we go along then

and only then will we stop acting like the Keystone Cops.

No one laughed or sniggered but they waited to see what Dan Colls reaction would be.

I want to know where you lot are, what you are doing twenty four seven and bring

back receipts from hotels, food places and fuel and placed them in the intray for me to

deal with. Izzy have you trackers on each and every phone?

Of course. Yours as well. May I say something that I think is important right now?
Dan and Frankie nodded. Go ahead, said Dan and then added, You have that look

again in your eyes.

Kenny would be better used in Scotland with Dev and Frankie. He knows the land,

speaks the lingo and could open doors that we never could.

So that leaves Jack here on his own is what you are saying?

Izzy rolled her eyes, No. You could go with him, I hold the fort and you come back

here to cooked food and we feed the beast afterwards with computer data that you all

have gathered.

Dan Coll looked at her hard. You up to this Izzy?

She laughed. If need be I can run all three computers if I keep the main gate outside

on lock down and you use the password which is new and is codexforensis17814.

Simple. Mobile will be linked to all three computers, office landline here with me

which I can carry around. No sweat boss.

Jack looked at Dan and nodded.Any chance you can find everything you can on this

Zara McDonald and Suzy Kirk, birth, death, marriage records that sort of thing for

both of them. Also if possible and under the sheets, medical records, holidays and so

on?

Consider it done.

Dan added, and their passport numbers and use the cobra password across the

board.

She held up a black thin finger. Already done while you were in Hospital and will

send the lot direct to your laptop as Jack here does not have one yet.

Jack snorted, Never used one. I am a pen and paper man and just about to use a

mobile since I got here. A bag of tricks I will never understand.

Dev laughed, You cant use a computer, laptop or..?

He shrugged. I read a lot of books of course.

Books?, asked Kenny his eyes wide and looking around for support from someone

but got none and when Jack Slade answered he did so with some amusement in his

voice. Yes, front cover, back cover, words in between and there is little else to do in

prison except books and mastrubation. Kenny you should try both son.

BLOOD WEBS.

Dan Coll took the road past the golf club and turned left down a road that stated

it was a private road and if you did not live here you had no right to be here. Slade

looked out at the few houses there was, all sleek with well kept lands and gardens. At

the end of the lane they pulled in and Dan switched off the engine.

You need money to live here or else this McDonald dame has a sugar daddy and I can

tell you this for nothing Dan, it may well be a rich mans private estate but Ill bet you

a weeks wages they dont mix well.

You were an ex cop. A detective right?

Long time ago Dan, but I was old school. You put in the hours, day or night and in the

end you brought the bad guys and girls down. I was then transferred to homicide or as

it was better known then as the murder squad.

Dan let the window down a little as the sun dipped behind the trees and dusk slowly

came down. Somewhere owls hooted and another answered in the distance. That is

the house. She will be another hour before she gets home maybe longer seeing it is a

Friday night. No dog, but there may well be a night light from the last time I was here,

at least a year ago. We had a thing going for a while but it died quickly. Didn't work

out. She leaves a backdoor key under a white flat stone. She has an alarm system but

rarely turns it on because it was faulty and would go off day or night. It pissed off the

local cops I heard

So we break the law and break in and we are looking for what Dan?

Dan smiled, You're the cop you tell me. Paper work, phone bills, anything that we can

rebuild her profile on. Can you do it?

Sure. Keep your phone on and ring my number.Let me punch it in. If anyone turns

up ring me, let it ring twice then cut it off. If that happens I am out of there and fast.

Dan Coll looked sideways at Slade. Your enjoying this.

Yes, thing is on a job like this you leave no fingerprints or DNA, you take nothing that

would be missed as soon as the owner comes back and you leave the same way you

came in no matter what. See you in ten.

 Slade edged around the corner of the large house, no night lights came on and he

came to the back door and found the flat white stone. The key was not there! He

looked at the door and could see the brass coloured key in the lock and stood up and

tried the door. He went in slowly, closed the door over and stood and listened. Except

for a clock ticking there was no other sound. He switched on the blue coloured pencil

light and took the stairs two at a time and entered the first bedroom, single bed made

up, not slept in then the second was stripped down to the mattress and he stopped

when he seen the blood stained arm hanging from under it and flies rising and landing

on the bloody arm. Slowly he moved forward and made sure he did not step on any

blood on the floor then lifted the mattress high. She was nude from the neck down, her

chest had been cracked open and a set of pink lungs were placed over the pubic area.

He moved in and could see that the heart had been removed and the open eyes were

blood filled. The scalp had been pulled down at some stage and the brain had been

removed then the hair pulled back into place but not neatly. On the bedside table was

her phone and some rings. He slipped the phone into his pocket then moved back

slowly the way he had come after replacing the mattress back in place. He made a

mental note that she had red hair most of it bloody but its natural colour still showed.

On a chair was her underwear and a towel that felt damp in his gloved hand and it had

a strong smell of soap on it.

He left the door partly open as he had found it and went into the bathroom and could

see that the bath was the placed where the body had been cut up and organs removed

without too much trouble. He touched the hot tap with the back of his gloved hand and

it was still warm. That unnerved him a bit because the killer could still be in the house.

He stopped and listened and all he could hear now was a slow drip of a tap. Downstairs

he went to what looked like a study, the computer not showing that it had been booted

up but the yellow light was lit up so he knew it was on standby or something. He did

not touch it. In the righthand side drawers he found bills, and a passport and two bank

statements. These he folded up and stuffed into his pocket.

Time to go Jack, he thought and made his way to the back door, slipped out and then

closed it over,leaving the key still in the lock. A few minutes later he was back in the

car with Dan Coll and he rasped, Just reverse, turn and drive away slowly and for

fucks sake dont switch on the lights till you get near the main road!

Dan did as he was told and then asked, You see anything of interest?

Sure, your friend under a mattress, nude, butchered, brain and heart removed, lungs

left on her pussy and blue bottles coming out of hibernation for a feed.

Dan reached the road and turned right and switched on the lights. He looked straight

ahead his face like stone. Dead?

Very,

Anything else?

Have her phone, some bills, bank statements and phone bills. Oh yes besides the small

of blood there was a very strong smell of mint. Not sweets but a plant smell all around

the body.
They drove in silence for a while then made the turn off towards Rushall and up the

drive with the gate closing behind them. Dan stopped the car. Looked at his watch then

asked. A rough guess how long has she been dead?

Three to four hours. House heating was on, bathroom was steamed up and the killer

moved her from the bath into the bedroom, went back to the lungs and dumped them

on the body. There is no cameras inside the house that I could see.

Dan made a face. We should make that call.

No.Too risky. She will be found soon enough. Tomorrow or the day after.

Leave well enough alone Dan and trust me on that.

He nodded towards his house, We tell them Jack?

You trust them?

Yes, I dont have a choice.

CHOICES.

Frankie threw her hands in the air. Are you two out of your tiny minds

going there in the first place and now you find a body, well most of it and now you

want to tell the cops!

Dan took the phone from his ear and rubbed it. No need to shout. We know we did

not kill her. Jack went in I waited in the car, he came out and told me what he found.

All the paperwork he handed over to Izzy for processing.

But there is a body. A dead woman called Zara McDonald, remember?

Izzy shouted over from her computer. Better get over here guys and see this!

Who is that, demanded Frankie in a high pitched voice.

Dan muttered. Izzy got a hit it seems. Hold on!

Dan and Jack Slade walked over to Izzy and looked at the screen. What?
Look closely my Master. In the crowd, looking at camera right now. Know who that

is?

Jack looked shrugged. No. Terrorist attack in London, part of the rubber neckers?

Dan gasped and shook his head. Shit no. That is Zara McDonald right now!

Cant be. She is lying butchered back in her house!, snapped Jack Slade and looked

closer at the news broadcast. That is not the woman I found!

Izzy came in fast, Hate to say this but that was taken ten minutes ago and she is in

there with other people when the mad man drove his car into the crowd and killed the

police officer four minutes later. Its her Jack.!

Dan looked at Jack, his face pale.Now what?

Jack was frowning, his mind racing then he looked at Izzy. You have her mobile

number?

Of course and her password of her laptop. Why?

He almost smiled then, She knows you, Frankie and Dan here. But she does not know

me and there is only one way to confirm that is her alive and well.

She does not know me. Before you say it, she could trace my number but if I keep it

short and sweet she has no chance. This is a throw away phone so if I get a postive I

dump it somewhere for good. I can put it on loudspeaker so Izzy can not only trace her

phone but tape the conservation as well.

Risky if you stay on too long Jack.

Izzy looked at Dan. Once picked up and we confirm one way or the other you

countdown from eight Jack then knock her off and block any call from her then switch

off your phone. So here we go?

Izzy pulled McDonalds number from her profile and wrote it down for Jack who

dialed it right away. Three seconds in it was answered, Zara here.

Jack leaned in close to the phone and rasped, Hi Zara, I know what you did.

Who is this!

Your worse nightmare, you are Zara McDonald are you not?

Yes but

Jack knocked her off and then block any call from her and switched off his phone. He

turned to Izzy and Dan. Well. Is that her?

Izzy nodded and muttered. Her all right. No question.

He spoke back to Frankie. Zara is in London and alive.

Then who is the dead woman Dan?

Dont know. Jack went in and the woman was lying under a mattress. End off.

Put Izzy on Dan and do nothing tonight. You and Jack sit tight and whatever you do

dont go back to that house. Stay away from it. Now Izzy please!

Dan thrust the phone at Izzy and she walked away from both men and said,

It was this Zara woman no question Frankie. What do I do with the bad boys?

Frankie growled back. Leave cancelled for them until dawn. then we have to look at

our choices and by that time I will be in Scotland. Dig everything and anything you

can on McDonald. You know the drill better than I do and I will call you tomorrow.

Bye.

But Frankie.

What did she say Izzy.

You really want to know boss?

Yep. I do
 Well she said, I have to run down everything on this Zara McDonald and she means

everything and you Dan have to help me on the other computer and then we have a full

profile.

Thats nice. What the hell do I do?,demanded Slade then added, I could go to bed

and sleep or I could.

Make plenty of real coffee, and large chicken sandwiches taken from the ready

cooked chicken in the fridge and bring them to us. Going to be a long night Jackie

boy.

That is it?

Unless you can use a computer and there is one free and do a bit of research for us

Jack otherwise go to bed and read a book!

Slade stormed off and headed for the kitchen slamming the door hard behind him.

You were more than a bit harsh with him Izzy. He is doing his best!. rasped Dan Coll

then added You dont like him do you?

I dont know what I like or dislike about Man Mountain and he may have been a

good hard nosed cop in the bad old days Dan but for fucks sake he can even switch a

computer or laptop on never mind do searches so what else could I use him for?

Dan grunted and booted up the computer. Ok. Where do I start.?

Public records office of births deaths and marriages on Zara McDonald and family

and as she was once one of your students then your field assistant and tutor later for

her students then I suspect you know her better than most.
Start with mammy and daddy, then where she was born and the date, print it off and

then do all the grandparents and great grand parents and print that off too Once that

is done while I am going through her employment history and getting her medical

history by illegal means that you will never speak off to anyone. Before we go to bed in

the morning clear all your search history, close down and pray by dawn we have

enough on her to move forward with this.

Dan Coll looked shocked for a moment. You do know it is summer time tomorrow as

well as Mothers Day which we lose an extra hour in bed and we have all this to get

into a folder?

She give him a stony stare. You a mother, Im not a mother, my mother is gone and

you may have some explaining to the cops once they find the body in that house and

your mother is also gone so please stop moaning Dan. This is what we are about now

and lack of sleep wont kill you. Frankie and I know all about the night shift because

we looked after you in your long stay in a coma or have you forgotten that already?

Dan blushed and muttered, No I have not forgotten and you're right, this is what we

do right now but keep in mind young lady I am the Director here not you.

For a moment that remark stung Izzy and she nodded. Time to rock an roll Director

Coll and the start up button on that computer is on the side. The new password is

Cobragreen 17814, and you also have lost a day, this is Sunday not Saturday. Happy

Mother's Day Dan

In the kitchen Jack Slade was ripping chicken off the bones and slapping them on

slices of bread then onto plates with anger. He stopped and took a number of deep

breaths. He looked at his watch and moved the hands forwards one hour and did the

same with the kitchen clock.

He muttered to himself, This is not going to be easy Jack and you have a black witch

in there calling the shots right now and getting you all rattled because you have to be

cook and sandwich maker as well as a make beleive field investigator for some

Forensics outfit that seems to be all high flying technology thinking. Oh and dont

forget Jack, your were the last person to see the woman dead because you went in

there with no search warrant, no cop ID and you removed articles from the house

including a passport. That is a right stupid Paddy thing to do seeing your are just out

of prison and could go back there for a long time if you get nailed.

He placed the plates and coffee on a large green tray and scuttled back into the lab and

set it on a table near the door. Grubs up. Im off to bed!

Izzy raised an arm and waved without turning around, Thanks Jack. Sleep well.

This time he made a face at her back and closed the door over gently and went to his

room, stripped off, went to the bathroom then climbed into bed and within minutes

was sleeping.

Far away from the house and Rushall village, a badger was digging into the rich soil of

a forest and uncovered and small skull that was now the same colour as the soil, The

badger sniffed at it then nosed it to one side and carried on digging stopping as a

USAF patrol drove past slowly and out across the airfield and waited till the land rover

engine sound faded away into the distance. Above, a new moon was high in the sky its

light weak in the forest making the badger almost invisible. The childs skull lying on

its side was pale in colour, the empty sockets facing east where tomorrow's sun would

rise in seven hours, three minutes and thirty seconds and it would be Mother's Day.

Across the valley first one dog began to howl then another and another until the air

was filled with their mournful howling and stopped as one then silence.
 Dan kept blinking and shaking his head to stay awake and Izzy was doing no

better and she looked around. Ok Dan let's print off and and close down then beddie

byes.

You sure?

Im sure. Just gone five and I am knackered. You know you and I broke one of your

rules, no food or drink in here?

He stood up and looked at her, Right now, Dont care.

The two printers rattled away for a few minutes stopped, then buzzed and the light

went out.

They did not speak when they left the lab and turned off all the lights and went to their

rooms. Dan dropped on top of the bed and dragged the bedclothes over his head and

was snoring soon afterwards.

Izzy found it hard to get over but in the end she did and the dreams closed around her

none of them good,and it was almost like the dreams were webs of silk in her brain,

each web interlinked with another but never lasting long. Dim figures glided around,

slid in and out, bright coloured lights and at times she was looking down at her own

nude body on a stainless steel table, her chest cracked open and her heart bloody and

steaming lying by her face, a faint pulsing getting slower, then stop.

Her eyes shot open and she sat up gasping for breath, sweat running down her face

and her body ice cold. She switched on the bedside lamp in panic and almost cried out

when the bedroom door was tapped softly.

She stuttered, Who...whos there?

Jack. Jack Slade. I heard you cry out Izzy. You ok?

She gulped in air and shouted, Bad dream. Sorry.

No need to be sorry. You want anything, tea, coffee, water?

She thought fast. What time is it? A stupid question Izzy seeing there is a small clock

on your table.

07.05, Go back to sleep. Just getting light. Need anything just shout.

Sure. Thanks. Ill do that.

She heard him walk away, lay back and pulled the covers over her head glad that he

was up and about. In her own darkness now she felt safe again while somewhere

outside, a song thrush was singing. Sunday was gone, Monday was around the corner

tomorrow and Im cool she thought and closed her eyes.

The leading firefighter came out of the house in Broadway and walked over to

the two police officers and said to the Sgt, Better get your forensic people out here

and CID. There is no body as such, but there is charred remains on the bed, no bones,

no nothing just black very charred meat, Sex unknown.

Sgt Campbell grunted and nodded at the house. Much damage in there and is it safe

to go into?

Oh you can go in but your wont see much. Just a bed and black goo. The bed only

has smoke damage as had the wall behind the victim. There is no evidence of a major

fire, no smell of petrol or paraffin and no containers near the bed. But there is a smell

of burned flesh and I noted a gold coloured ring in the goo.

That it then?

No, there was also a strong smell of mint.

Campbell rolled his eyes. That is not funny Alf.

Tell me about it and I have not had breakfast yet. By the way, your young WPC does

not look well.

Campbell shot a glance at WPC Vicky Logan. She was pale faceed and shaking a little.

Why dont you go to nearby houses and ask a few questions while I call this in.

She nodded and walked fast to the first house she could see and the Sgt went with the

firefighter into the house and to the bedroom and took a look.

He turned and asked.Bloody odd Alf. If I did not know better I would say I was

looking at S.H.C for the first time ever.

Alf licked his lips and nodded at the bed. Me too old mate. Me too.

We have a name for the owner of the house, one Zara McDonald, worked at the

University I was told, no one else lives there and she was last seen four or five days ago.

Shows how much people know about their next door neighbour around here Alf?

Alf nodded at his team. I got to get them loaded up and back to the station and I will

write up my report for you soon as. Leave one man with you just to keep an eye on

things for a while but there is no risk now of it going on fire again. See you around.

Oh one last thing Alf. What time did you get the call?

07.05. We were on the way back to the station after dealing with a green bin fire.

Seems the owner threw hot ashes into it and went to work.

Campbell nodded. Times we are in Alf. Good luck

Dan walked into the kitchen and looked at the clock. He had forgot it was

now summer time and switched on the kettle and looked at Slade half asleep in the sofa

chair. Hi Jack, you want a coffee?

Slade opened one eye, then blinked and nodded. Please. And I have some news for

you. The body under the mattress on the bed. Well it seems she went on fire sometime

in the night, and would not give a name but it was the same house that the showed on

TV News. When I say, she went on fire, it seems that what happened and the rest of

the house in undamaged.

The police say anything else Jack that might concern us here?

Just at the moment they are treating the death and fire as suspicious.

Want witnesses to come forward. Did state that she worked at a University but did not

say which one.

Dan made the coffee and handed Slade one. Mention her name?

Slade shook his head frowning. Nope. It was either a deliberate arson by the killer but

why go back to the house afterwards and run the real risk of being clocked by

someone? He or she could have done that same night she was killed.

Dan was watching Jack Slade closely over the top of his mug as he sipped his drink.

True Jack. Izzy and I went to bed early morning, you were snoring so it was not you

that set the fire so we three are in the clear of that act.

Gee Dan. Thanks for that and I feel better now that you trust me.

Dans laugh was harsh. I would not go that far as that yet but I am working on it.

Honest, In the meantime when Izzy gets up and gets her head together we need to

work our next move.

Whoever the dead woman was she had to be a friend of McDonalds to be in the

house in the first place, at ease, takes a bath, and then gets bumped off by person or

persons unknown for the moment, motive unknown, not robbery because there were

plenty of things to nick, likes DIY surgery as a pastime,

rape possible though I doubt it and then we think but dont know that he went back

sometime after we were there and this morning and set fire to the body and left?

Jack your good, very good but what about the smell of mint?

Slade made a face. Im working on it. Thanks for the coffee.

Dan Coll sighed deeply. So I wont keep you out of the loop Jack but some of the stuff

we found last night about Zara McDonald is a bit more than odd its scary. You say the

body you found had been worked on, to put a finer point on it and you thought, rightly

it was in fact Zara McDonald. Then we get back here and we find that Zara McDonald

was and is in London, around the Westminster Bridge area, not hurt but she had her

face on TV. Izzy and I confirmed that because we know her. You stated that the one on

TV was not the dead woman in her house. Then Izzy in our all night research

discovered a family bloodline going back to 1851. So what matters with this part of it is

that one of the men , a lighthouse keeper, who went missing with two others on the

Flannan Islands could well be her great, great grandfather, maybe a cousin, at the

moment we dont know for sure. So with Zaras mother and father long dead we now

have a problem Jack because three years before they died on a mountain road in

Inverness, Zara McDonald aged two died from flu with added complications, her birth

and death certificates confirm this which we down loaded into a folder and the same

goes for her parents. This is where we get to the scary bit Jack, all three had a very

rare blood group.

Of course you are aware sudden deaths are all up for a Post, that being a post mortem

before the body is released for burial or disposal. This was put in the reports of all

three which is more than odd that all three had the rare blood grouping. Also no one

checked for a very long time but what they found at the postmortem was that the

organs were all in the wrong side of the body, heart, heart and so on. All three, Zara

first, were buried in a natural setting that being a wood along with many others I have

since learned, pretty place, price high to have done and all blue bells and butterflies in

summer. Then there is the time and month of the deaths, 07.05 November the first. All

Souls Day and the day after Halloween.

Ah come on Dan, your out of your tree or been drinking something stronger than

water!

Dan smiled sadly and shook his head. No because if I was then so was Izzy.

It was her that found out most of this during the night and downloaded it.

Jack paced the floor and fiddled with his pipe, stuck it unlit in his mouth and glared

hard at Dan Coll. Ok Dan, let's say this is true so far,how likely or unlikely that all

three of them have the same blood group which is very, very rare like you say?

Dan shrugged, Almost impossible.

Ha, you see you have answered that first puzzle yourself.

But is also possible if cells somehow duplicate themselves and that goes for all cells in

their bodies. Meaning they are all one Jack.

They cant be all one Dan, two females, one male, one child, two adults. You want me

to make that call Dan or will you do it?

Dan slammed his first hard on the table and his coffee mug crashed to the floor and

shattered. Damn you to hell and back Slade. I am looking at the evidence I now have,

the biology I know and your tiny mind cant cope with that. It is fact, fact, fact!

The sound of a car pulling up outside on the gravel made them look at one another

then Dan muttered,Now what!

Slade went to the window and looked out as two people got out of the car, not

overdressed but dressed enough to impress. Seems we have two visitors, one female

with a folder one middle aged male who looks like a cop and both heading for the front

door. We let them in Dan?

No choice as my car is out there and I am quite sure they know I am here.

The doorbell was buzzed long and hard twice and Dan went and opened it. and looked

his visitors.

Dr Dan Coll?

Sure that is me. How can I help you?

I am Inspector Matt Baldwin and this is Sgt Margo Kelly. Birmingham CID. Can we

come in?, both of them showing their ID.

Yes of course. Come in and make your way to the right, coffee if you like or tea?

No thanks. This is not a social call I am sorry to say. Heard this place started up,

calls itself Codex Forensic UK. Seems you also have a Home Office approval.

Yes.Six staff so far, and working on cold cases but I am sure you already know all

that? The man in the corner is Jack Slade one of my field investigators. Please take a

seat.

They sat and Dan took a seat across from them while Slade tried to looked bored.
It was the woman who spoke first, How long have you known Zara McDonald Dr

Coll.

Zara? Five years maybe six. She was a student then became a member of staff at the

Department at the University and now runs the Anthropology Departments degree

course there.

Margo Kelly made a note and looked directly at Dan Coll. When is the last time you

spoke to her, seen her

Last year, months ago in fact, but I was in hospital in a coma until recently and as I

was made redundant I started this company up. Sgt Kelly made a few more notes then,

How did you feel when you heard she got your job while you were ill?

Dan sighed, Pissed off big time, hurt and angry.

Inspector Baldwin spoke softly, Enough to harm her or harass her?

Dan Coll laughed. Tell me she has made a complaint against me.

No. She would not be able to do that Dr Coll because she is dead in her home and we

are treating this as murder, said Baldwin his toneless voice almost boring to the ear.

Zara dead, when how!

Kelly was sharp and to the point. Very dead. Tell me, did you pay her a visit in the

last forty eight hours?

Dan nodded , Yes Jack Slade and I went out to talk to her about some missing

students and other matters. Zara and I were friends to lately but I, never harmed her.

We knocked the door, no answer so we left.

Baldwin looked at Margo Kelly then he turned back to where Jack Slade was sitting.

Did you see or hear anything while you were there Mr Slade?
Jack sat up and faced Baldwin and Margo Kelly. As a matter of fact I did. A car was

tucked under a tree up the road, which is private, a tawny owl was hooting somewhere

at the back of the house but there were no lights on that I could see, and no noise

within when we rang the buzzer. That is it. We left and came back here but you could

always check any CCTV cameras along the road or around the house and you will see

that we did not enter the house.

Margo Kelly snorted, We already did and four out of the five were not switched on

and the fifth one was facing the road but was not working so we drew a blank there.

Anything else you could tell us about Zara McDonald Dr Coll.?

No sorry. Sorry she is dead and sorry it happened when she was so young. How did

she die?

Both police officers stood up and Kelly folded her note book.Sorry. Cant discuss

that. Thank you both for your time. we will let ourselves out.

Blunt and to the point they walked down the hall and closed the front door behind

them. Dan was about to speak and Slade put his finger to his lips and pointed at the

chair that Kelly had been sitting in. He walked over and checked it out from top to

bottom and looked up at Dan. Nothing. Sweet fuck all. no listening device on the chair

or under the flap of the table. And we are ok. For the moment at least.

Meaning what Slade? Slade smiled and stood up then shrugged.

THE FIRST ONE.

Kenny McCloud was grumpy when he looked at the map spread on the bonnet of

the Defender and jabbed a finger on it and glared at Frankie and Dev. Stat navs

dont work well up here in the Highlands and we are here when we should be there!,

making a second jab with his finger on the map.

Frankie looked and then Dev spoke. The missing woman, Maggie Dunlop was last seen

here at Arrochar, a village after leaving the hotel in 2008 to hike and wild camp near

Loch Long then move on to the valley of Cobbler all uphill along the wooded edge,

here, meet a friend in the forest car park and they would drive west for another three

day hike. Dunlop did not turn up in the

car park and after five hours, her friend Sue West rang the police and mountain

rescue. They searched for four days but all that was found was her damaged tent, her

rucksack and her mobile phone. So I suggest we start on the west side of Loch Long

from where the damaged tent was and take the trail to the car park. How long would

that take across this type of countryside Kenny?

He looked and frowned. The track is laid out snake like, up and down hills, and the

last stretch to the car park is all down hill. If we are looking for remains or evidence of

such then for two people five hours. If we take Frankie, a day and a night and camping

rough.

Kenny and Dev did not look at Frankie and studied the map but they heard her suck

in air and blow it out hard. So I stay behind and scratch my arse!

Kenny looked at her. No. Four miles from here after you have dropped us off, the

main road heads west and there is a turnoff up a forest track to the small car park. We

have food and water, something to cook on in the defender as as well as sleeping bags

Frankie. We can use the car park as our base camp and keep in touch with the radios.

You have the same map as we have so we will keep you updated and you will know

where we are and how far away we are from you.

She nodded and looked at Dev. What do you think?

 Keeps us all safe and you are the backup if things go tits up Frankie and Kenny

knows the mountains and moorlands where to walk and where not to walk.

For a moment Frankie looked sad but she could see the sense of it and with her legs the

going would be rough and no doubt chaffing around her lower stumps after a few

miles. It would also mean leaving the Defender somewhere and walking in. Lets do it

then.

Kenny nodded, You know she is dead dont you?

Frankie glared at him. Dont ever think I am stupid Kenny and never but never treat

me as a half person because of my steel legs or anything else!

Kenny looked at Dev and winked, I would never do that or think that Frankie, you

have nice eyes, nice shape,a great smile and.

Frankie laughed, Get in the car you great ugly haggis!

Charming. You really do love me dont you? putting a little boy lost face on for effect

as only men can sometimes do.

Her eyebrows narrowed. In. Now!

Dev giggled and got in the back seat and Kenny smiled at Frankie.

Somewhere across the moorlands curlews were laughing too.

FLASHBACK
 She turned into the small car park slowly in bright sunshine stopped the

Defender and sat back and looked at the distant mountains still covered in winter

snow. Frankie got out and stretched and looked around. Clean, no blowing rubbish

and no fly-tipping but most of all no fresh tracks of cars except her own that she just

made. Bird song filled the air and even the buzz of a bumblebee close by. She pondered

on having a nap in the car with the radio plugged into the dashboard on charge. She

smiled to herself and thought, an hour wont do any harm and there is no one about.

Have a pee by the bushes and into my nap time.

It was almost noon when she dozed off and with the doors locked she felt safe.

It was the rumbling of thunder and hailstones beating on the roof of the defender

that woke Frankie with a start, so much so she hit her head on the door hard. She

rubbed her head and looked out at the brooding clouds in the distance, lead grey and

almost black over the mountains and desied to move the car more into the pine forest

and go up the track that she seen. Seen.When, she thought and started up the defender

and took of at speed towards the edge of the forest. A massive flash of light blue and

pink lightening lit up the area and there was the track and a clap of thunder that

shook the Defender. She skidded into and onto the track and slowed her speed then she

seen the fishing lodge.

She skidded to a halt, switched off and made a run for what she took to be the door

and skidded on the hailstones and slid forwards on her stomach.

Crawling onto the wooden veranda she stood up on shaking legs and tried the handle

of the door and pushed. It opened with a screech and she was inside just as the next

flashes lit up the sky and slammed the door shut. She stood shaking and let her eyes

adjust to the gloom then another flash of lightening and for a moment she could see a

wooden chair and a table and she made for it then flopped into the chair. Thanks God

but bad timing!, shouting out loud. There was no echo to her voice and now there was

dust in her nose and she sneezed twice. Bugger or bloody bugger!

She sat panting until her breathing settled down. Taking the radio from her pocket she

pressed and almost shouted, Frankie here. You two alright out there?

The hiss of static was all she got back and she tried four more times then switched off.

Then she noticed the hailstones had stopped and the thunder was fading away to the

west Frankie walked to the window and looked out and she could see bright sunlight

bathing the mountains and on the Loch.

She switched on and tried the radio again this time she heard Kenny.

Hi Frankie. Been a bit rough up here but we are almost there. You ok?

At the moment, scared shitless but ok otherwise. I am in what looks like a fishermans

hut or lodge but dry. ETA please.

Forty minutes. On our way down the hill so stay inside. Sunshine on its way now to

you from where we are. Over.

Over and out. Thanks, switched off then looked around her and a cold fear slowly

began to creep into her brain. I've been here before. No! Not possible.
That a fact Frankie then you are in the wrong place at the right time but no Izzy with

you to support you, no crazy Dan Coll muttering about nothing so take deep breaths and

focus. Go look at the butterfly dead on the window ledge Frankie then look down, nice

loose floorboards there.

She shouted at the walls, Get out of my head whatever you are!

She limped to the window and looked at the long dead peacock butterfly covered in

webs and a large wolf spider looking at her, still and deadly.

Then she looked down and could see the floorboards had gaps in them next the

window. Slowly she went on her knees and pulled on one and it came loose then

another and looked in. It took a minute for her eyes to adjust and when they did and

she seen the smiling skull she screamed like she never screamed before and hobbled

fast to the door and skidded and fell all the way into the defender and locked the

doors. She sat, trembling and switched on the radio and pressed the button. Frankie

here. Get here fast and I mean fast because I have found human remains in the hut,

under the floorboards!

Dev came back with, Can see the hut and the Defender now. Oh God, there is

something in the trees and it is not a deer!

What is it doing for Christ Sake!

Stay in the car and dont try to get out Frankie but whatever it is it is watching

you.Just standing, watching you thirty metres to your right.

Frankie licked her lips then muttered, What colour is it?

As far as I can see, light and dark grey standing on two legs. Cannot see the head or

face. No it is moving back into the trees. Gone.

Frankie for a moment was lost for words then, Human or animal?
Dont know so dont move. Kenny thinks it might be a deer standing on its hind legs

eating the leaves on a tree. Now he is saying they dont often eat pine needles so to

scrap that. Now he is saying he does not know.

Jesus on a crutch. Not very useful is he!

Long silence. Dev you still there?

Yes. Kenny is sulking as I had the speaker on.

Oh dear, how sad never mind. I still love him.

She heard the laughter and smiled then could see them in the rear view mirror and

walking fast towards her in the car.

Bye.

Kenny had the tyre iron and a small crowbar, while Dev had her forensic

kit and cameras. Frankie carried the large field lamp and struggled with it behind the

other two as they went into the lodge leaving the door open.

Kenny looked in the hole in the floor and nodded, Human bones alright. We rip up

that part of the floor?

Let me get the first lot of photographs first of the inside of the lodge and then we can

move on. Kenny you do a walk around the outside and see if there is any animal holes

or larger.

He looked at Dev as she worked the camera. Animal holes?

Yes. Rats, badgers, foxes anything.

On it.

Frankie was solman when she spoke. I think we hit gold Dev. Human remains under a

floor suggests un-natural death Dev and the skull cap has been removed I noted.
Dev did not speak and she took more photographs as she did the walk through slowly

even the wet footprints by the chair where Frankie had sat during the storm. She

knows her stuff, thought Frankie watching her work and glad she had the ex Crime

Scene Officer on board. She stopped when Kenny came in.

Some signs of a fox digging, vole and mouse runs and rat runs but all old stuff,

muttered Kenny standing waiting then added, We call the boys in blue?

Frankie shook her head. Not yet. Lets see what we can find with some more boards

up and anyway they will send out to plods, who in turn will ring for backup and within

a short time this place will be like a circus on a wet Sunday. Record everything you do

and I will make coffee. Need some fresh air to think and get my head into gear.

Something Dan Coll said way back when he was in hospital and now I am close to

believing him. Lets do it folks.

Kenny grunted and starting taking up the boards, some of them spitting and dust

rising above his head while Dev took more photographs. He stopped and looked in the

gaps and took the large torch and switched it on. Oh my God Dev there are four

skulls here and bones, bits of clothing and some of the long bones have been shattered.

You had better get your kit out of the bag Dev because from where I am standing the

pelvic bones look female.

Dev photographed the bones and noted a ring on the finger bones of the left hand of

the first set of bones, a small tarnished crucifix on the third victim trapped in the rib

cage, a mouldy out of date mobile phone lying on its side next the skull of the second

victim and an earring close to the fourth victims head.

She could see some tufts of hair on all the victims, two black, two blond all well and

truly blood. Around the bones were the laval cases, brown in colour of past blow fly

invasion, thousands of them as well as white mites moving out of the way of the bright

light.

The call came from outside, Coffee up folks and bag your gloves out here if you want

to eat a corn beef sandwich which I made for us. Yellow hazard bag on the porch.

Inspector Neil Bracken and his crime team came to a stop outside the fishing lodge

and they all piled out with intent. He marched up to Kenny. Right where are they?

Im in charge here. Frankie St Clare now a home office Forensic Anthropologist, to

my right is my two assistants Kenny McCloud field worker and Dev my forensic lab

tech. We had a remit from the home office to open cold cases and that is why we are

here. The victims are in there under the open floor, four in all, and i conclude all

female, all young and all very dead for a long time.

And you are who?

Inspector Bracken CID. I would have thought as a matter of courtesy you would have

informed the local police at least.

Her voice was sharp when she answered, We did, that is why you are here inspector

along with you team.

He left her standing and walked into the lodge with two of his team cursing.

Dev walked over to the female SOCO and smiled as she struggled into white coveralls.

I will send all I know in my examination without touching the remains but your boss

seems all bluster and puff.

Would you believe he is a first class asshole?

Dev nodded. Yes. I used to work for one doing what you are doing now. Anyway let

me fill you in what I have found so far. First off all the skull caps had been removed

then replaced , there is some jewelry, a cross and a ring, fractures to some of the long

bones on the victims, insect damage over a long time, some rodent damage and that is

it. There is also shards of fabric around the bodies rotten, no shoes so far to be seen

and that is all I have. Here is my card so if you could get your findings and the

postmortem report as soon as you can via attachment I would be grateful.

She nodded and took out one of her own cards and smiled at Dev. Thanks for the info

but have to go or that in there will be pissing himself, if he is not already doing that.

Bye.

Bye Lorna and good luck and thanks again.

Frankie and Kenny were loading up the Defender as Dev went off to find a

bush out of sight. The uniform police officers had taped off the whole area around the

car park and lodge leaving a small gap for traffic in and out.

A woman Det Sgt spent and hour taking their statements and were told they were free

to leave.

Frankie took out her phone and rang Dan Coll. When he answered gruffly she said,

Recovery of victims under way from a fishing lodge Dan, all female.

SHADES OF DOUBT
 It was a very wet Saturday morning after a breakfast when they

gathered in the computer room all aware that Dr Dan Coll was going to address them

in a formal way and they were not looking forward to it. In a somber mood when he

opened the door, came in and never even said good morning or hi and pulled a chair

with his foot and sat down. He waved four or five sheets of A4 in the air and Izzy

closed her eyes and muttered a prayer to herself.

Let me begin this staff meeting by saying good work to all on the finding the remains

of the four victims and the investigation is now been taken up by the police in

Scotland. Twenty four hours have passed since then but the people that were sent to

Scotland have pissed of one Inspector Bracken and police Commissioner Douglas

Homes big time. They both have lodged a formal complaint with Westminster that was

dealt with by the home office swiftly and robustly. They informed both men for what it

is worth now, that Codex Forensics was on a cold case mission and it was approved by

the Home Office to the full. They also informed them that the police force in Scotland

had these cold cases on their books for many years and showed little or nothing of

progress even getting close to doing so. It would seem that we here have earned big

brownie points and we are to carry on with our work. Dev presented me with the

postmortem reports on all four victims and it is not pleasant reading but Dev and Izzy

will put these results and background information in a folder on the computers in case

we need anything from them in the future. Be aware that all Police Forces, the MOD

and internal security have been informed in writing that they must comply with

requests from Codex Forensics UK for information and at times help when it comes

down to the job in hand. Now pin your ears back tightly. The mode of deaths in

Scotland fits in with the death here of what we took to be Zara McDonald, that is, scull

cap removed, chest cracked open, heart removed, brain removed, skull cap placed

back on the skull. The victims in were all dispatched over the years and then hidden in

a fishermens lodge in Scotland under the floorboards while the victim here in Walsall,

name unknown, was found in McDonalds home, nude and with skull opened as well as

rib cage opened and heart removed. The brain was also missing. McDonald is still

being questioned by Walsall and Birmingham CID but as far as I know this morning,
she is free to walk. The woman in McDonalds house also had most of her blood

removed from her body and taken away by the people or person who killed her who

also took her brain and heart. As you may be aware, her lungs were placed between

her legs or at least in the pubic area. Why? We dont know as yet.

There is, in my informed opinion a strong connection between the victims in Scotland

and the one that we know off here in Walsall. There may well be more victims yet to be

found and these were not copycat murders which suggests that they were done by the

same people. More than one so keep that in mind.

Now on a more personal note. You maybe or not aware that I was involved in a train

crash and ended up in a coma for a long time on ITU at a local hospital in the

Midlands. Frankie and Izzy were nurses there on ITU and looked after me at night.

The same time as the train crashed I was in Scotland, in the same location as the

victims, in the same fishing Lodge as the victims were, and two other people ,Izzy and

Frankie think for a time were there too.

Slade spoke softly, Cant be done Dan with no disrespect I think what happened to

you, the train crash, coma and the rest sent you into make believe land for a time.

Oh that is what you think Jack well you better ask Frankie, Izzy, Kenny and Dev,

with Frankie and Izzy being, finding me in the lodge, and then Frankie and Kenny

went there with Dev on the cold case and they too found a dead butterfly on the

window ledge, one chair, one table and a heap of human bones under the floorboards.

Kenny and Dev seen something in the forest watching Frankie in the car, grey with

black blotches and then it backed off. I also seen something that was looking at me

through the cabin window and later when I looked out it was there, nude in the dead of

winter and female shape. IT was real Jack!

Jack shook his head. Frankie just for the record when you left the cabin, lodge and

headed for the Defender did you notice anything else?

Yes. The birds, all of them stopped singing Jack. Even when the sun came out again

the forest was still silent by the time Dev and Kenny got to me.

And Dev and I did see something in the forest and it was not a deer or a bigfoot Jack.

It was not human that I know now for sure, Kenny said with a strong voice.

Izzy grunted and everyone turned to look at her and could not help but notice that her

knees were shaking. Now that it is all coming back I know we both were at that cabin

and I had a feeling we were being watched at night and in the morning when we could

smell woodsmoke and headed up the track. We found Dan, and he was more than shit

crazy, like babbling on about things. How we knew him before we met him in the

hospital where we worked I will never know, maybe dont want to know. I do know

that in that dream or nightmare, call it what you like, there was a low humming all

around the inside and outside the cabin then it got louder and blackness. We may have

blacked out, I dont know but when we came out of it both of us were in the defender

in our sleeping bags freezing our tits off on a mountain road in the snow near Bala in

Wales, and I guess we thought we had the same bad dream, now I am not so sure

Jack.

There was a long pregnant silence then Dan spoke. Zara McDonald is staying in a

hotel with police protection just in case but I am more than confused why she made

arrangements to go with her students to the the islands on a field trip then stated she

never went on it. That part does not make sense to me.
Izzys laugh was harsh. Hate to say this folks but it sounds like something out of

Tales of the Unexpected, the TV show way back and I suggest we track down all six

students on file and someone has a chat with them. I wish you luck with that one!

Izzy has a good point there and we also need the PM report of Jane Doe who was

found in McDonalds home and the PM reports on the four victims remains found in

Scotland. Izzy see what you can do and dont ask, push for a copy and fast.

So where do we go from here then?, muttered Jack Slade and glaring at Dan Coll

who smiled at him, Into the breach dear friend, upwards and onwards!

DEATH BY DESIGN.

izzy groaned when she got the PM reports on all the victims and it took

almost a day and the half to get the ones from Scotland and only four hours to get the

one, skimpy as it was from Birmingham but from that one she also got a name thanks

to dental records and the victim's fingerprints.

She re-read that one again,

Female, aged around thirty to forty years of age, toxicology report suggested she had

a very high alcohol content in her blood, what there was of it and liver was fatty. Brain

and heart had been removed soon after death but not in a medical way. It seems that

the skull cap had not been done by a saw of any type but with some evidence of burn

marks made possible by the use of a high power laser. Same laser used to cut through

the ribs after a knife incision and at an angle on the bones. Heart removed by knife or

scalpel as was the brain but was not done in a professional manner or surgical

knowledge by the killer or killers.

Blood spotting of the eyes and parts of the face, no bruising around the neck and no

evidence of bones broken but this now suggests suffocation, pillow or cloth placed over

the nose and mouth with some force until life was extinguished. Such a method used

would take a few minutes and there would have been a struggle as skin under the

victim's fingernails. The DNA and blood group was found to be a rare AB-() for the

killer and O for the victim.

The victim's tongue was badly torn and almost cut in half as she struggled with the

killer. She had been pregnant and almost full term but the fetus has also been cut out

and removed along with the heart and brain.

No pre history scars to be seen, but a single small tattoo on the neck with a number,

07.00 underneath it. The tattoo was in black and red ink and was that of a wolf or

dogs head, with open jaws that looked to be red ink on the muzzle and teeth. Size of

tattoo was 6 cm across and 8cm down. The word lupus was underneath the numbers

mentioned above and suggest the dead woman may well have been part of a cult. The

name of the victim is one Lucy Lomas born in Barcelona and was reported missing a

year ago. Interpol confirmed that she served a prison record four years ago and that

she had killed pet cats and drank their blood. A psychiatric assessment in Spain

strongly suggests she thought that she was a shape changer and because of this she

spent some time in the prison hospital because of self harm and the sucking of her own

blood. Then removed to a mental hospital in Madrid and was treated there then

discharged back out into society. She was reported missing seven weeks after

discharged from hospital. No record found of her taking a flight to the UK.

Convent reared since she was a child, no parents found.

Dr. Thomas Keele Pathologist University Hospital.

2 copies sent to (1) coroners court Birmingham UK (2) Codex Forensics UK Walsall.

for the attention of Dr Dan Coll Director CF UK

Frankie walked into the room and smiled, You good?

Was. Read these.

Frankie put on her new glasses and read all the reports while Izzy went out into the

garden to smoke one of her thin cigars and then in surprise, re-read the last victims

report as well as the second page, to conclude and in my informed opinion the time of

death may have been longer because of the heat of the house and therefore

temperature loss from the body percentage wise per hour, would have been slower but

I can say no longer that forty eight hours but not less than that. Stomach contents was

seafood, rice and sweet corn with spices. There was no evidence of any sexual activity,

no evidence of disease except for the fatty liver as mentioned above. There was I

discovered something odd. I found one contact lens in the both eyes, the one in the

right eye was damaged and the natural colour was green. There was also a smell of

mint from the mouth but that may have been from a sweet or breath freshener. At

some stage in her life, and the dental reports confirm this, she had her canine teeth

removed and replaced with normal implants as well as three fillings. Two back PM

and one M. There was also evidence of a thickening of the forehead and above the eyes

which if not really bad would have given her an impression of deep frowning if she was

looking directly at you.

End of part two.

Frankie looked up and Izzy came in from the garden and slid the door closed behind

her. Well how do you like those apples honey?

Jesus.What have we got here?

Izzy shrugged, A throwback from history, a mutant, maybe a past head injury from

childhood but there is no evidence of such nor is there any evidence that she was

registered with a GP anywhere in the UK or Ireland.

Frankie sighed. Ok did you find out where our little bird is staying? Zara McDonald

where and when?

Yes. She is still in a hotel near an airport. It took a bit of fancy keyboard fiddling and

I was in places online where I should not have been but she signed in as Zara

McDonald, cant fly out because she has no passport, hotel paid by the police on

protection duty, two cops change over every twelve hours, has had a number of

packages delivered paid for by card on line and the total sum came to 151.00. She has

her laptop with her and has been on line closing accounts and moving all her money. I

have managed to insert a tracker on the laptop so if that goes anywhere with her, we go

with her. Her car is in the forecourt of the hotel reg number xwx 309 wp, colour white.

She wont use that if she does a runner at night because cop one and two would notice

and follow her so she will hire a car and go out a back door or be picked up by

someone.

Your scary Izzy, very scary.

Are you not going to ask me what hotel the airport is close to or what airport the

hotel is close by?

Birmingham, East Midlands?

Wrong. Cardiff in Wales, smiling at Frankie.

Thats nice. Now what?

Big Jack Slade. Get him down there fast, also give him one of the new phones or he

will embarrass us with that brick he carries. She knows you and I but she does not

know our Mr Slade.

Frankie laughed. Good idea but you are still scary. I will go and give him the good

news. Where is he?

She smiled, Right now he is in the bath.

Oh right. Still it would be a nice surprise for him, shows we care and all that.

Thanks.

Izzy was still laughing when Dan Coll walked in. Whats so funny Izzy?

Izzy was pointing at the door and was laughing even harder. Frankie,,, going to see

Slade...has a mission for him!

Dans eyes went wide. Jacks in the bath. No lock on that door!

She winked at him and whispered, I know. Wait for the roar of the lion Dan!

He almost smiled but the roar came sooner than he thought. Jesus woman what the

hell are you doing. I am having a bath for Christake!

Not to worry Jack I have seen it all before. I used to be a nurse.

I dont care what you used to be. Get out!

Or what?

Ill put you out!

Bring it on Jackie boy. I dare you. Come on then are you a man or a mouse?

There was a loud crash as Jack tried to get out of the bath, slipped and fell over the

side onto the floor then laughter as Frankie ran back to where she had left Izzy,

stopped dead, trying not to laugh or smile. Hi Dan. Nice to see you.
Have you been on the hard stuff Frankie because right now you look like a schoolgirl

caught smoking and what was all that noise?

Oh Jack getting out of the bath I think. He must have slipped. Should I go and

check?

No. Ill go!, and stormed off in the direction of the bathroom then they heard Jack

shouting at Dan. Ill kill her I swear Jack!

She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror and what once was Zara

McDonald was transformed into June Cross, dark hair, bright red lipstick and

somber clothing under a grey coat. She wore office type glasses that made her face look

thinner and a black baseball cap pulled down shading her eyes.

The new small ruck sack was slung on her right shoulder as she left her room checking

the corridor and finding it empty and took the stairwell down to the ground floor. She

stood in shadow until it looked safe to go when a taxi pulled in beside her.

Taxi?

She looked at the man then at the taxi markings. Rail station please?

Op in. Five minutes from here and Ill get you there in four. Six quid alright?

She nodded and slammed the door shut smiling as she left the hotel grounds and out

into the main traffic flow.

The man kept his eyes on the road when a low hiss came through on his ear phone. It

was Izzy who whispered, Nice one Jack.She has her laptop and phone with her so drop

her where she wants to go. See if you can find out where. Over.

Jack smiled. You on holiday then?

No. Im going to a healing centre near St Davids. A few weeks then see how it goes

and may become a resident for a while. If they would take me that is.
Yes, my wife is into that sort of stuff. No kids but she is Welsh and I fish so it works

out when she is away.

June Cross lay back and closed her eyes, thinking, Ill bet it does mister.

Jack pulled in at the station and got out and opened the door for the woman in the

back and she stuffed a ten pound note into his hand without a word.

He looked at it and frowned and thought the tenner looked odd.He held it up to the

light and shrugged. Seems ok, he muttered and turned to see where his target went.

Except for a few people coming and going from the station and a kid on a skateboard

who had a death wish, she had vanished.

He climbed back in the car and did a slow U turn and parked in a line of cars then

waited. Before long he was in a deep sleep.

THE CRYING OF THE LAMBS.

Slade blinked twice and looked around him. He was in a room, a large room and

everyone he knew from Codex Forensics was there, as well as Zara McDonald who had

her hair over her face but looking at him through it.
No one looked at him except McDonald. Said nothing but glared at him through her

hair. His mind was fuzzy and he felt weak. He stood up slowly and wobbled a bit then

looked around him slowly. Dan Coll was sitting on the floor in a corner reading a book

upside down, Frankie was doing something to Izzys hair and who looked blank, a

thousand yard stare that observed nothing or if it did, did not take it in. A movement

to Slade's right caught his attention and he was looking into the twisted face of who

was once Dr Moorfield, scar tissue, silver on the round face and slabber running out of

her nose and mouth but what made him panic was where there should have been eyes

were black holes.

He stood back against the wall as she crawled on hands and knees past him slowly and

and sniffed the air like a dog, stopped where Ken McCloud was sleeping in a chair and

bit him hard on the leg and he screamed, then Jack screamed as well when he seen her

rip off flesh then swallow it.

Dr Cindy Copperfield with just six weeks into the job took off her glasses and

rubbed her eyes then sighed. She replaced the glasses and looked at the Home Office

inspector, Victor Dell, a middle aged man and bald.

Look if you feel I am not doing things the right way then you may feel that you need

to replace me. Ok, then who do you get to take on the project here at the Combe secure

Behavior Study Felicity because right now you have me and I am making progress

with the patients?

His laugh was harsh. Progress you call it Dr Copperfield but when one patient starts

to feed on another like taking a lump out of his leg and swallowing it I am right to have

concerns because if the press ever got hold of it then you and I will be looking for jobs

and that lot, the so called patients, will be shipped of to very tight run mental hospitals

and at least two of them should be in Broadmoor or something like it!

Her smile was not nice. Which two?

The McDonald woman and the Moorfield woman. Both seem to like human flesh oh

and as you asked there might well me three. That so called Dr Dan Coll is well out of

his mindscape, sees and hears things that are not there like grey like humans and

also, passed himself off as an Anthropologist teaching students, many of them female.

He is as you know not the full pound, he is high risk to himself and most of others and

has been under the microscope by the police, a suspect no less, of six female students.

I see you have did your research Mr Dell but you have little or nothing when it comes

to Dan Coll. And what I have on that patient is totally confidential and not up for

discussion with you or anyone else because after the train crash he has had real

experiences of things that could be confined to the world of the paranormal in fact.

Dell raised an eyebrow. Oh great. The paranormal that would be great for my report

that I would have to support with evidence.

She bit her lip then, Do you believe in the paranormal Mr Dell.

No, not at all.

Believe in God or a religion.

He hesitated then said softly. I am a practicing Christian and in answer to your last

question, yes, I believe.

Cindy laughed, I believe. Munder said that in the X-Files and right now to prove a

point for you and me if you believe then Mr Dell you also have to believe in the

paranormal. All religions are riddled with paranormal events and in your case you

believe in God, Jesus, the Bible and the Devil. Right?

Some of it. Where are you going with this Dr Copperfield.

Nowhere but right now there is a shadow standing right behind you chair and it is not

God or Jesus to me Mr Dell.

Alarm showed in his face and he twisted around fast his eyes wide but there was

nothing there but the clock on the wall. He turned around, anger in his face. That was

not funny!

She held out both hands. Not meant to be but you get my point now I hope?

He looked at her his face like stone. I will give you three months to show that this

Complex is working otherwise I will close it down, and you with it. Three months from

today and not a day more Dr Copperfield.

She nodded stood and held out her hand. He took it but she did not let go and his mask

slipped, What the hell is this!

She let go and smiled. In the next three months I may well give you the answer. Thank

you now I have patients to deal with.

He closed her office door behind him and looked at his right hand. Shit on a stick.

How did she do that?

 Cindy Copperfield let her bright blue eyes take in Dan Coll sitting in a sofa

chair on the other side of her desk with great interest because Dan Coll was not like

her other patients. She had read all the reports on him, read some of the papers he had

submitted over the years and was more than a little surprised at his knowledge on

Anthropology and Archaeology. At the moment he looked scruffy and needed a shave

but she met his eyes.

She looked at the two male nurses behind the glass but close to the door if needed and

the alarm button on the floor was always there also.

She worked out how long it would take him to get to her if he kicked off.

Less than seven seconds, she thought and opened his file.

Good morning Dan. You know who I am?

He held her gaze and nodded. Yes. Dr Cindy Copperfield,aged around twenty nine

years, slightly overweight, no wedding ring, may have a child, very bright blue eyes,

nice hair, smell of perfume, and nice soap, live and work in the hospital in the staff

area, have six day staff, six night staff, three males, three females in each. Two night

cleaners, two night security men on the gate, the small one smokes and laughs like a

donkey at his own jokes when he is not sleeping in the gate hut. That is about it.

She could not help but smile at him. The short version would have been fine Dan. You

were very close except for my age and I do not intend telling you that. Do you know

why you are here Dan?

He shuffled his feet at little and said, For having sex with my mother when she was

alive and buggering sheep in Wales?

No and you know that is not right Dan dont you?

Dan Coll held up a finger and smiled. Got it Dr Copperfield. I think. The

Establishment across the board put me here for my protection and theirs.

She made a note, looked back at him, Protection from what and why?

IT

It is what Dan?

He looked at the floor for a few seconds then when he looked back at her he was

smiling at her. Something I hope you will never see or meet. IT is female in nature, at

least the shape of it, dark eyes, grey and light coloured, large head,well larger than

normal, and a slit of a mouth with very sharp teeth.

Her pen scratched another note. And where did you first see IT Dan?

Scotland Highlands. Outside a fishing lodge at night in the moonlight and looking in

the window at me. IT was nude Dr Copperfield and it did nothing for me. IT stood

there in the snow looking at me. Simple and truthful as that.

This time she frowned. She changed the subject. Anything but this at the moment.

I would like to know how you slipped through the academica net when you applied

for the job there at the university, able to carry out research and teach anthropology

Dan?

He laughed. Because of the papers and research I had done. The interview was simple

and Professor Henry Gibbons was impressed and more so when I walked in and spent

time listening to his lectures from time to time on Middle East Anthropology. I was of

course more mature than most of the students and stayed clear of them on campus.

And when you were employed you also carried out field trips with students,in fact

Professor Gibbons insisted that you were the Lead on such things in the Middle and

Far East as well as here in the UK. Scotland was a project so how did that work out?
Not very well. First we worked on the Flannel Islands where the lighthouse keepers

vanished in December 1900. There were six students and myself and we camped there

but after a few days most if not all of them started to get strange dreams and though

we carried on no one was sleeping well so that meant we were all shattered by the time

we left. Then somehow at a later date I went to Scotland, sametime as my accident on

the train but that confused me because not even I could be in two places at once.

Scotland and in the train crash.

She held up a hand and smiled. The train crash believe me was real and you were

injured, in a coma for a longtime and I suggest to you that during this coma you had

dreams and nightmares about Scotland and IT?

Dans face became ugly and Cindy found she was moving her foot slowly under the

desk towards the red button. All she had to do was press it and the two male nurses

would be in there fast.

You can fuck off Dr Dolittle and I suggest you clean your lug-holes out sooner rather

than later so you can hear me right!

Dan I did not mean to upset you. Im sorry.

He folded his arms across his chest and glared at her. Now what?

She licked her lips and wondered if she should ask the next question.

It has been noted that you have been reading the same book upside down and I would

like you to tell me if there is anything you need. Books,writing paper and so on, maybe

a place for Dan Coll to work away from the rest of the patients?

He looked sideways at her and was again smiling. You could do that for me?

Yes.
Well I am glad someone took notice I was reading the book upside down and the

reason being I was bored out of my mind with a book I have read cover to cover five

times in my life and very good for archaeology and anthropology research or at least

for me to gain more wisdom if there was any to gain.

She raised an eyebrow. This book Dan. What is its title?

Oh, the Jerusalem Bible. Has more in it for my needs, none of them about me being

converted to religion or Judaism but as a reference only.

She made a note. So if I arrange Dan Space with books and paper is there anything

else you would need to carry on working away at times from other patients.

He shrugged, Small laptop and at sometime in the day, excess to Wi Fi not for

emails,you can have those blocked, but I need to research Dr Copperfield.

You do this for me you will want something in return. What may that be?

The Truth, on the table, all the time.That is all.

He nodded, You got it the best I can remember. Shall we continue Dr Copperfield?

He is now trying to impress me and take control of the way this session is going to go,

she thought. The big house you said you had in Rushall Dan was a lie was it not.

This threw Dan Coll for a moment but he nodded. All to do with ego I am afraid.

Lived in a small council house as my mother did before me. A lie.

Cindy was pleased with that answer. Have you ever killed another human being

Dan?

Yes. Four men when I spent time in the Royal Marines and it was them or me.

No women?

No. Just four bad men.

Anything else I should know about your time in the Armed Services?
Official Secrets Act still in place on that one. That was another life, another time. My

ship was HMS Bulwark. End off.

She almost growled at him. But you were trained as a Commando, learnt survival

skills, how to kill with different weapons and your bare hands, your feet, cheese wire

and so on?

Yes.

How did you feel at the time and after Dan?

At the time it was my job and afterwards I did not feel guilty. They taught us how to

kill but never how not to kill when we leave the Marines.That is what the problem is

today with young men and women coming home. They are for the most left hanging in

civvie street and a good few are unexploded bombs waiting for something to trigger

them off. It is Dr Copperfield, all a state of mind.

She nodded and he heard her pen scratch on the paper pad as she wrote and it started

to irritate him. She was trying now to take back control, he thought as he waited. I

need to shock her back to me.

If we met outside this complex say somewhere else in the hospital and you knew

nothing at all about me would you go out, dinner maybe, have coffee then sex back at

your place?

She slowly lifted her head and looked across at him. No. You're not my type Dan Coll

and you are pushing on a bit. Could I love someone like you?

Maybe but as a friend nothing more. That answer that question Dan?

His lips were tight and for a moment his eyes blazed then he recovered himself. A

truthful answer Dr Copperfield,

She kept on writing and mumbled, While we are in a session like this you may call me

Cindy if you must but outside of this room it will be Dr Copperfield thank you very

much. You got all that?

He nodded. Yes. That will be fine. What is next then Cindy?

I need some information from you as you have studied Anthropology and the

question is simple, Is it possible for a human being in the world we live in to believe in

vampires, werewolves and that they could take on this role?

He laughed harshly. Trick question Cindy?

No. I am a psychiatrist and have not researched the subjects.

Well it might be a good idea to do a bit of homework. in answer to your strange

question and in my informed opinion the answer is yes. In a small number of cases but

now adays they would be rare or hidden away.

We see and hear things, we smell things but we dont alway know what they are just

that it happened.

What about ghosts and spirits, lost soul, devils and demons Dan?

Jesus woman you are pressing all my buttons now!

She sighed then waved a hand at him. Time is up Dan sorry to sidetrack when you

are here only for therapy. Forget it.

Cant do that now Cindy. Why did you ask?

She looked to her right then at him. Two nights ago around two am I was on my way

to access a person, a young girl no less and on the way there down a deserted join up

tunnel I seen a moving shadow cross in front of me, It was not a moth or other insect

dancing around the overhead lights Dan but a dark human shape, not solid but a

shape all the same. Yes I was tired but I was not tired after that event. I hurried on to

the A and E Department and talked with the girl for an hour in the staff room there

and as we were both sitting the same shadow or whatever was crossing the room

behind her chair. Then it vanished. The girl was a self harmer but was in the early

stages so I arranged for her discharge, This morning I was informed she had hung

herself from a tree beside the Staff Home where I stay and many nurses and a few

junior doctors. It was a night porter that discovered her while having a break and a

smoke. During her interview she brought up something that shook me to the core Dan.

She said she heard voices and could smell mint but also.

Dan waited. Go on. What?

She said IT was after her and even when she was at home at night, a one bed flat, IT

was a shadow but she knew what it was and to get away from the thing, she self

harmed on her wrists, sucked the blood and rang 999 and was taken in. Most of all, she

give the same description of IT as you did.

Dans mouth fell open in shock. Jesus, Mary and wee Joe. You too?

She pulled herself together and blew her nose. Seems so. Better not tell anything or

anyone or I will end up here too Dan.

IRON LEGS.
 Dan Coll sat by himself, puzzled by what he had just been told when he was with

Cindy Copperfield less than half an hour ago. Why would she even bring it up if it was

not true, at least true to her? He also admitted to himself that he was more than a little

frightened because if what she seen or thought she seen was IT then they were easy

prey if IT wanted to get nasty as they were confined and even the staff as well as Dr

Cindy Copperfield were at risk.

Maybe that old saying is true that in time in any mental institution it is hard to tell the

staff from the patients as they all go nuts, he thought and looked up.

Iron Legs was standing in front of him frowning down at him. He never called her

Iron Legs to her face but always used her known name as Frankie St Clare.

What Frankie?

I need to talk Dan the Man.

He nodded at the vacant wooden chair. Sit.

She sat down slowly looking around her and making sure staff or patients were not

close by the table where Dan and her now sat.

It is about us.

He glared at her. Last time I told you there is no us Frankie and that still stands kid.

I will pass the time of day with you but not the night. So spit it out.

She nodded and looked sad instead of sassy. Its about McDonald. She keeps looking

at me, like looking through her hair at me all the time.

She looks at everyone like that Frankie so stop worrying about her.

Frankie nodded. And she whispers and grinds her teeth if she sits close to me Dan.
He looked at her and shrugged. In this brand new hotel they have staff to deal with

such problems as you know. Anyway as a matter of interest what was she whispering to

you?

Frankie hung her head and muttered, When I eat your arms you will have to get new

steel ones like your legs then I come for your brain and heart and eat those too St

Clare.

Dan Coll sat up straight and she had his full attention now. When was the last time

she said that?

Ten, fifteen minutes ago. She also said that like the rest, raw meat tastes better and

much better if it is still warm. Jesus what do I do, we do Dan?

Dan Coll thought fast. We stay away from her, avoid any confrontation with her no

matter what and make sure we get locked in at night.

Frankie swallowed. What about when we go the shower block in the mornings. Most

of the women take a shower except for Biter. She bit Ken this morning, took a lump

out of his leg while McDonald watched and smiled.

His heart was now beating hard and said to Frankie, You scared?

Yes. You?

Very now Frankie and more than you will ever know. Hate to say this kid but from

now there is an us and we need to watch one anothers back, legs, arms and the rest.

She starts she wont just take a bite, she will take everything if she gets the chance of

getting one of us on her own and she will not be too fussy what bits come off first!

Frankie swallowed hard and glanced quickly where McDonald was now sitting in the

corner,hair still down over her face.

I think she is watching us Dan.

Thats nice. But she is also watching everyone else too not just us. We play cool and

act mad. Dr Copperfield has concerns.

She looked sideways at Dan who was looking straight ahead. Concerns?

Yep. About this place, the main hospital where people die from heart attacks, stroke.

old age, trauma and everything else that is normal in a normal hospital. Here is worse

Frankie because somehow we are all linked, every last one of us including the Biter

and Zara McDonald. Dr Cindy also is linked but how I dont know but we have an

uneasy trust between us.

How uneasy?

Dan sighed deeply. You are a right nosey bitch Frankie but we have a sort of two way

trust, fragile, but there.

She smiled a little. You have the hots for her Dan, dont you old man? Oh my God!

He shook his head. No!

She has the hots for you then?

He laughed harshly, I wish. Oh,oh. We are going to have company Frankie.

Frankie looked where he was looking and heart missed a beat. Oh shit. What do we

do?

Cool. We stay cool, we stay guarded and if that does not work we run like fuck!

To where, she hissed at him her eyes never leaving Zara McDonald who was walking

slowly across the room in their direction.

Our rooms, slam your door shut and it locks automatically.

She stood before them and looked down through her hair at them. Hallo.

Dan looked at her, sniffed the air and could smell an animal smell of urine , sweat and

feces, and said softly, We want to be on our own Zara, Like alone?
She stiffened. The voice was low but harsh. So you're saying you don't like me.?

Now when I think on it. No I dont like or your kind so fuck off to your cesspool!

Zara McDonald turned and walked away, stopped and turned and harshly to Dan.

You and your little crippled friend there need to sleep with one eye open and you also

need to know that I know what you did in Scotland that time and where the bones are,

where the brains are and what took them!

What do you mean by that.Shit is all it is. You know nothing McDonald. Nothing!

She pushed her hair back from her face and Dan could see she was smiling.

I know you are her are frightened off me, what I did, what I can still do but your are

much more frightened of IT Coll and you have every reason to be because it knows

you now and you have met it. IT knows where you are, what you do, why you do it and

when. And it is here, in here and in the hospital, standing at the bottom of a dying

patient's bed at the hour of the wolf, two am to three am and at four am, at the last

breath, the last shudder, it claims the soul!

Dan Coll for a moment was lost for words but Frankie was not, she rasped back,

You think you're so smart, a know all but really know fuck all McDonald and I know

the whispers in here but from what I hear there are plans for you to visit Mummys

Smoking table so that they can cook your brain more than a little zombie style, and

then all you will do all and each day, is sit with a thousand yard stare the rest of your

miserable life. The clock is now ticking.

Lair,lairs both of you. You are just saying that, there is no evidence you can present

that would verify those comments!

She smiled at McDonald. Ian Brady died last night in hospital, now everyone hopes

he reached hell before the devil knows he is dead and when you go your brain wont be

able to function too well but your eyes and ears will and guess what, you are a dead

woman walking. For now!

Zara McDonald let the hair fall back over her face. She was no longer smiling when

she turned and walked back across the room, slid down the wall and sat with head

bowed.

Dan Coll was shocked. Jesus Frankie, where did that come from and is she really

going for the sizzle with Dr Copperfield?

She turned and leaned in close to Dans ear and whispered, That will be your job to

see she does the next time you chat with Dr Copperfield and I know if you really put

your mind to it, you could do it. See you around. Going for a nap in a nice safe locked

room till suppertime. Bye.

Dan shrugged and was also puzzled as she walked away. The room he was in was for

recreation only, pool table, games, TV, a dart board with sticky darts with no points of

course, books all neatly stacked, two toilets, a large window that looked out of kept

lawns and a few trees and in the far distance the M5 and a few misty hills, soft and

hard chairs as well as table where he now sat.

He looked at the large window. Bars on the outside of the glass, and a drop to the

ground that if you dropped out you would push your legs far up your chest and your

lungs and legs would be mush. The window had no way of opening and of course there

were always two cameras in corners that moved around.

Rule that out Coll, he thought, because there is no way you were leaving this room

unless it was through the door, feet first or walking with a nurse of the male kind. Two

bored nurses sat at a table, one male, one female both built like a shithouse wall and

really just guards much the same as you would get in a prison. The real mental health

staff were in another room outside the door and they doled out uppers and downers

when needed to the patients or took medical stats of anyone feeling ill. The door

opened and Dan could see the large frame of Amos Steel, a large aged black man who

looked like the actor Morgan Freeman and their eyes met and he smiled and walked

over to where Dan was sitting. He held out his hand and Dan shook it.

Hi Dan. Brought you a paper, a real one, and took it out of his bag that hung at his

side and set it on the table. Mind if I sit?

Dan smiled at him. Go ahead and thanks for the newspaper. Business or social

Amos?

Amos lowered his large frame into the chair and looked hard at Dan then said, Bit of

both. How is the head and by that is it free flying or boiling?

Dan laughed. You already know that Amos. I am on camera but now it is back to free

flying after Zara is gone. Frankie has gone for a nap.

Amos nodded and looked stone faced now. Yes I know. She slammed the door locked

after she told the two turkeys over there she would press the button when she wanted

to come out. How come Dan?

Shit scared by McDonald. Like real scared Amos. In fact I think most of the people

here are also except for the Biter. It might be a good idea if she was removed or at least

kept away from the rest for a while but when does a patient tell anyone how to run a

place like this?

Amos smiled. All the time but all the mad people are outside of the building Dan

walking around plotting and planning of how to kill people with bombs, and anything

else they use. Most of them are MPs, birds of prey in fact and in it for what they can

get out of it for themselves. Elections from the UK right across Europe and the EU will

collapse like a deck of playing cards soon boy.

If you have not noticed or heard Dan we are all in trouble and the world is in a bad

place right now. Worse than in 1938 in Germany and history is about to repeat itself.

Look at the USA right now, look at North Korea, look at China and most of all, look at

how the elections here in the UK will pan out. A major disaster waiting to happen.

That is if the Lord does not step in and teach them a hard lesson Dan.

Dan held up his hand. Wow! Stop right there Amos old man. I know where you're

going with this and you always bring the Lord or God into it. I admit we are in

trouble Amos and big trouble at that with blood on the streets but like I said to you

before, I dont buy the God bit, well at least the religious side of it at all.

Amos smiled sadly and looked down at his hands then directly at Dan Coll.

But you believe in pure evil, you believe in IT dont you Dan?

Dan Coll stared at him frowning. Yes. I believe in IT

Amos nodded, At least we are both on the same page Dan as is Dr Copperfield

She told you?

Yes, this morning. She told me everything Dan, about seeing something, feeling

something was not right here, not right out there and most of all, and not the Devil or a

Demon Dan because they can be sorted by the ritual of prayer, bell, book and candle.

IT my Man, is pure evil Dan.

Dan swallowed hard. You have seen it Amos. Tell me!

Amos nodded. Yes and it is a long story,

I have plenty of time, like I am not going anywhere soon now am I?

Amos sighed and stood up. Walk with me Dan.

Where?

He stopped and turned almost glaring a Dan, Out of here, with me as your escort to

the garden and sunlight.

Dan followed him through the pass only door, turned right then left past a print of the

Girl with the Pearl Earring and though a door straight ahead.

They walked to a wooden seat with a brass plate with the name, Walter Coburn on it

as well as the date of birth and date of death.

They sat, a few jackdaws were cackling in a tree and a male blackbird singing

somewhere out of sight. Dan took a deep breath of fresh air, the smell of cut grass and

dead leaf dampness.

Amos looked straight ahead when he spoke softly. Snake Pass in the Peak District

twenty three years ago it was. Two friends of mine, Thomas and his brother Oliver.

Three scouts doing their woodcraft badge on a weekend camping trip,and after a long

hike we set up camp out on the heather but beside a clean stream. We did not light a

fire because of the heather but we cooked on two small gas stoves. Not that there was

much cooking involved seeing its was beans and sausages and a billy can of hot tea. We

forgot to bring milk of course but we were young, brave and bold and most of all

happy.
That was till it got dark and any traffic used the road. In the tent we had torches so at

least we could see. Now it was quiet except for the bubbling of the stream over rocks

and the odd sheep calling. I had to go out twice for a pee, too much tea and water and I

went to a large rock and did the job there. I heard something close by, like rushes or

heather being stood on then it stopped and of course I waved my torch around a bit in

the dark when I should have had it on the rocks. I could hear something like deep

breathing and I moved the light up the rock and I can tell you now, what I seen sitting

on the top was a creature like I had never seen before, grey, large head, and eating

something.

Like what?

What was left of a child Dan,head missing and chest split open and when it seen me, it

stopped chewing, it just looked at me and I ran, hit the stream and up the bank and I

ran like I never ran before or since. Then I heard my two friends screaming and could

see their torches well behind me then it stopped, the lights went out and the screaming

stopped. All I heard now was the rattle of wind blowing through the rushes and

heather. I ran and ran and found a farm house with lights on and banged on their door

hard.

When I rushed past the people I got slapped on the back of my head with a shotgun

butt and my lights went out. Next thing I knew were cops everywhere, a nurse was

bandaging my head and , handcuffs were on me. The ambulance crew took me to

hospital but a cop also got in with me and he was making sure I was going nowhere so

he also slapped more cuffs on. All he said to me Dan was, Murdering black bastard

and you will pay for this.

I sat stunned and confused and my head was spinning then I passed out.
After that it all went downhill Dan, A and E, X Rays, stitches, pain relief and moved to

a side ward on my own with my right hand handcuffed to the bed.

One cop in with me, one on a chair outside for the rest of the night and when I awoke it

was well past eleven in the morning, no handcuffs and my Mum and Dad there by the

bedside.

After lunch they left and said they were booked into a small hotel in Matlock and

would be back in the evening. The door closed over and a pretty nurse came, tied up

the bed and smiled at me. Amos. You have two visitors. Police officers, both plain

clothes, one man and one woman and I can not let you see them on your own as you

are listed as a child not an adult. Do you mind me staying with you while they asked

questions. The goods new is also that you are no longer a suspect it seems.

I looked at her already knowing what her answer would be.

My two friends, Thomas and Ollie?

She shook her head and muttered, The officers will tell you everything Amos,

I knew Dan, IT had got them and they were dead.

FROM DUSK TO DAWN.

The sky was yellow in the west as the sun dipped and went to sleep and with a yellow

sky,anyone who is anyone knew it was followed by a storm and wind.

For some reason the patients were all back in their rooms, doors slammed shut and

locked just before the night shift came on for the handover at the Nurses Station. It

was quiet, no shouting no banging on room doors, not a footstep and then the dark

came, black as ink with a rattle of thunder and pink lightning flashing across the

windows.
He came slowly from the dark into bright light, a room of his own, his eyes dim and

hurt by the brightness and Dan Coll closed them again and counted slowly.

123467890

With eyes closed he tried again this time more slowly, 12345678910

When he opened his eyes first he was puzzled then a manic fear clutched at him and he

felt a hand push him back down firmly but the voice was soft.

Wow there big man. Take it easy Dan. Slowly does it.

He blinked at the face above him, pretty, full lips and a half smile on them.

Something was up is nose, tubes, a drip needle in his wrist, something nagging at his

penis, not sore but nagging.

Where am I?

Queen Elizabeth Hospital Dan. When the chopper brought you here you were a John

Doe and almost dead. You have been in an accident Dan. A train crash, a bad one, nine

dead and twenty one injured. You are now in ITU and were in an induced Coma till

your skull and other injuries healed.

Frankie St Clare let him take this information in and continued, I have called the

doctor in charge of you case. She will be here in a moment. In the meantime I will get

rid of all the plumbing.

His mouth fell open in shock then he mumbled, How long have I been like this?

Six months, four days and nine hours to the minute. Im Frankie by the way and I am

the Lead nurse here. Izzy and I give you special treatment, washed, cleaned and

shaved you daily. Your food was in a tube so let's start with that first.

Who the fuck is Izzy?

She smiled at him as she worked on removing the tubes. My best Auxiliary Nurse if

you really want to know, Full of chit chat and she would come in here on her break

now and then and just talk to you when you were in the coma.

He coughed and looked at her in panic and she held the bowl under his mouth, cough

and spit or whatever.

He coughed hard and brought up a sticky fluid and spat it out then she wiped his

mouth.

Thanks.

Over seventy cards waiting for you to open when you are ready. Would you like a sip

of water?

He nodded and she left the room and his mind started slowly then speeded up.

Hospital, nightmares, dreams, my own hidden fears and now I am back. One Dr Coll,

aged? Just a bit I think, he muttered and turned his head as Frankie came in with a

large water filled syringe without a needle on it.

Open wide and relax. This will be done slowly Dan so turn your head when you have

had enough. He did as he was told and it felt good then shook his head and she

removed the syringe from his lips just as the door opened and in walked a young

woman and came to the bedside. Well nice to have you back Dan Coll as it was touch

and go. My name is Dr Cindy Copperfield, Neurosurgeon and up here we go by first

names if that is ok with you. Any pain Dan?

He nodded, A little in my throat, slight headache and my legs feel sore and cold.

Cindy shot Frankie a glance then looked at Dan. You have had two fractures of the

skull, and we had to put plates in to pin the bones together, as well as some bone

damage to your face which looks good now. The headaches will go in time.
Can you see well?

Yes. A little blurred but getting better. Legs hurt more now and colder. Anything else I

should know about Cindy.

She frowned and Frankie moved in and took his hand.

The damage to your skull we could fix but your legs were badly smashed up in the

crash, Bone splinters everywhere Dan and we had to remove your lower legs because

we could not save them. Im sorry.

My legs,gone. You took my legs!

Cindy bit her lip and continued, Not me Dan, the surgeons when you came into A and

E, I only deal with the brain and head injuries.

He lay back in the bed and started to sob and covered his face with his hands then the

sobs changed to low screams and he felt a prick in his arm then blackness.

Twenty four obs and run the Glasgow scale hourly for the moment Frankie. How are

his stumps?

Flaps healing well and no infection. Suggest maybe tomorrow you get a psychiatric

valuation done. He may not go for it right away but we need to keep us covered.

Im on it. Got to go. Ten year old boy RTA, head damaged. Bye.

He watched her leave open mouthed and almost went into panic mode but started

slowly controlled his breathing and told himself it was all a state of mind.That is when

the other voice slipped in, almost a whisper.

You want me to sing Happy Birthday Mr President? The voice was husky and female

and to Dan Coll it dripped of sex. It is not my birthday, he whispered and lay back

in the bed and closed his eyes tight.

He lay there waiting but the only sounds were the odd footsteps passing the small side

ward, now and then a buzzer would go off, and at time people speaking and some

laughter at the Nursing station. No Norma Jeane now and for some reason he felt sad

and tears flowed down his face.

The voice made him jump. What is all this Dan Coll. Self pity?

He opened his eyes. Izzy and I are going to gave you a nice bed bath, change the

sheets, new clean gown, shave, hair washed and brushed and then I will check you

bedsores and deal with them. That is the good news Dan.

He grunted, And the bad news is what?

Frankie looked at Izzy and raised an eyebrow at izzy. You tell him Izzy.

Sure. Well it goes like this Man-child. We have been looking after you for a long time,

and I mean long time. So to get you fit we have arranged someone to come and work

you over each morning, cause you some pain no doubt but she said you can make

noises but not screaming ones. Buba does not like her patients screaming and if she lies

on you she will crush you like a foot crushes a cockroach. For the rest she has a good

kind heart. looking for a new husband and if you play your cards right Man-child you

could be it.

Dan swallowed hard. Thats nice. What did her last husband die from or should I not

ask that question?

Frankie rolled her eyes and leaned in close to Dans right ear and whispered,

Disobedience I heard. Never learnt to swim you see and fell into the fish pond in her

back garden and she was more concerned with her fish so she counted to twenty and

rang 999 but, well I think you know the rest Dan.
Dan had to laugh. Very good Nurse, nurse. You had me going for a moment there. I

want to go home, sign myself out now, free up a bed.

Did you hear what the man said Frankie?

No Izzy. Not a thing.

Good. Let us get on then, and pulled the screens around Dan and his bed.

JULY 2017

Dr Cindy Copperfield looked across the desk at Dan Coll, clean, put on weight and

seemed to be together. He had his new legs but would have to use a stick as an aid and

he would have to change his whole lifestyle. She explained that to him a week ago and

he may experience at times, headaches and some pain where his lower legs had been.

He still had some memory loss but she thought in time it would get better. As long as he

did not have flashbacks to when he was in a coma, the staff confirmed he did not say a

lot about them but what he did say, they thought he had been in a very dark space.

So Dan. This is a big day for you. Back home, back up for you, and you can ring me

at anytime if you feel you need to of course.

His smile was a little crooked. No job, no real future, the Manchester Bloodbath, and

Election that was a complete shambles and a circus with crooks at the top running

crooks at the bottom. Home will be a fine place to be.

She frowned. Dan I cannot keep you in here anymore. Much as I would like to but

ward space is at a premium now. A bed gets empty it is filled again within two hours.

The so called money for the NHS is a joke, getting oversea nurses is a no go area and

people like you, many of them worse off, have a bleak future this coming winter.
I know. People like us survive Cindy. We dont have a choice even though our island

of dreams, good and bad is shattered. So we move on, bite the bullet and die inside

before we are dead. They did not tell you that at medical school did they Cindy?

She shook her head and met his eyes. No.They didn't mores the pity. Well, good luck,

onward and upward Dan and all that shit, holding out her hand to him, he took it and

slowly stood up, lifted his stick and went to the door and opened it, then turned, You

know Dr Copperfield if you had money I would run off with you, build a tree house

and live on a beach somewhere.

He closed the door behind him gently and headed off the ward only to be met Izzy and

Frankie coming back from their break.

He did not speak, hugged them both and walked on swallowing the lump in his throat.

A voice shouted behind him and he turned, Take care big man and good luck.

He nodded, and give a weak wave and the doors slid open and he was gone.

Izzy bit her lip and muttered, Think we will ever see him again Frankie?

Nope.

He is alone. No wife, partner, nothing but an empty house.

Frankie looked at her and her face was tight. She loved Izzy as a good friend but

sometimes she stepped over the line. Like now.

Why dont you pack the job in and become a fucking social worker Izzy if that is

what you want. The Dan Colls of this world either survive or die. He is not our

problem now, gone, away, for good!

Izzy eyes blazed. Know something Frankie you can sometimes become a real hard

nosed bitch. We nursed him for six months, night shift, day shift, did everything we

could for him and he walks away, his mind a mess and at his age
he has no one!

Frankie walked on and said over her shoulder, The next one is waiting up on the

ward so a brave face and lets go.

He sat as dusk came in with no wind, no rain and a new moon hanging in the east and

he did not turn the lights on. The only sound was the clock and a dog barking

somewhere in the houses behind the fence. Thirty years living here after mum died and

it is not changed. Everything but the clock and his books , was hers and I sit here

waiting for death.

His mind drifted, the tablets he was given would kill off any pain, and he would sleep

but right now I am frightened to sleep because IT might come back and stand at the

bottom of his bed looking down at him. He lifted the glass of the small table and drank

the large whisky slowly and decided he was going to get through the night without the

tablets and without sleep. He pondered whether to remove his legs and thought, if IT

comes then you wont be able to run, a fire and smoke, and your buggered because

with no legs you wont be able to get out in time.

I can always sleep at dawn, take my legs off when I get up to the bed, drop them on the

floor and sleep all day if I want.

He looked around him slowly. To his right and left two bookcases full of books he loved

and had gathered up on all types of subject. They had their backs to him in the half

light, full of knowledge and much wiser than him right now.
Directly in front of him the window looking out, a single tree and box like houses

behind it. The TV had seen better days but it stood at an angle in the corner and he

had no wish to watch the horrors of the world that would seep into his brain. A

damaged brain at that, he thought and smiled to himself.

Dan Coll lit his pipe and sucked deeply thinking of all the women he had loved and

had sex with them with love, and he tried to recall their names from when he was

sixteen till his winter years. He could see in his mind their faces as they were then, but

not their names and that made him shudder. Some of them passed over he thought,

some may be great, great grandmothers by now and a few sitting blank looking at a

TV that they could not make head or tail about the program. He blew out smoke and

sighed, they would have dead eyes and a muddled brain. They might blink now and

then and suck on their teeth but they were well and truly fucked old boy.

The house started to settle as night drew in and he heard the odd creak of wood and

now and then the sound of summer swifts flying past as their sleep would be in the

night sky till dawn when they would feed on insects in the air.

a movement caught his eye, in the darker corner was his mothers rocking chair, but it

had moved and a shadow sat in it,a tall figure, with a large head.

You're not real,he almost shouted then added, But I have been expecting you.
The rest of the week was the end of the heat wave, hot by night and even hotter by day

and thunder rumbled around the streets of Rushall Village and it echoed around

number thirty nine more so as all the windows were closed, and it was the postman

who first smelt it, a sweet smell coming through the letterbox as he posted another bit

of junk mail for Dan Coll. He rang the bell and banged the door hard, but there was no

answer. He walked up the drive of number forty one and rang the bell. It was opened

by a young woman, dark eyes and dark hair with a child clinging to her skirt.

The old man from next door, Mr Coll, have you seen him lately?

She nodded, He came back from hospital in the ambulance a few days back, but I

have not heard or seen him since. I dont really know the man as I have just moved in

a week ago. I know about him that is all.

The postman frowned, What about him?

Her two doors up said he was a bit strange. Been in a train crash and all that but

before that she thought he looked odd over the months. Acted strange and went out at

night and did not come back till morning. I thought he might have went to a family

member's house but herself said he never married and his mother died in there years

ago. You dont think that?

He shook his head and thanked her then went back to Dan Colls house, the smell even

stronger now but mixed with the smell of mint. He banged on the door but still no

answer so her went to the back gate and found it open so went in and banged on the

back door and still nothing. As he tried the handle he was surprised it was not locked

so he opened it just as a bright flash of lightning lit up the sky and a crack of thunder

close overhead.

Mr Coll. Postman. You ok?

He walked in the back door and found the sitting room still calling Dan colls name

then he stopped and looked at the figure in the chair slumped forwards and he went

over and touched what he took to be Dan Coll.

The face that jerked up was not a face he knew, in fact there was no face, just eyes and

blood and a sweet smell of mint fill the postmans nose and mouth.

He tripped and fell over and then screamed like he never screamed before and crawled

to the back door, then ran back down into the street still screaming and shouting.

The police arrived in three cars and the area was sealed off until the

SOCO took charge and the police surgeon arrived with two detectives, one male,one

female and went into the house.

They did the walk through first without touching anything and stopped in front of the

body, and when they seen no face, the young male detective gasped then threw up

while the woman detective stood and looked grim face. The doctor put on gloves and

started to examine the body stopped and looked at the female officer, Better ring for

the ambulance and fast. he is still alive Heather!

As she rang on her mobile, IT was in the loft listening, not alarmed and having

breakfast with its back to the red brick wall, a hint of a smile on the its face.

POST MORTEM.

And this is who?, asked Dr Pakash as he pulled on gloves in the mortuary and

looked at the police inspector standing across the steel table from Pakash.

Male, aged around twenty to thirty, thought to be one Dan Coll, just out of hospital,

lives in or lived in Rushall village and lives on his own and what you see is what we

found.
Dr Pakash looked from the body over the top of his glasses at the Inspector frowning.

No face?

No but he was alive when found and died on the way in to hospital. We searched

everywhere for face tissue and we found was blood. No skin or bone.

The doctor snorted. His ID confirmed?

Still working on it sir.

I note he is missing his lower legs Inspector. Anything on that or does it give you a

clue to check NHS records?, he replied smiling.

On it at the moment sir. The wounds have healed well but in my informed opinion the

legs have been removed in the last year. Why cut his face away?

Pakash laughed harshly. Not cut Inspector but peeled away and with some force I

may add but not ripped, so such had a purpose to the killer. Now let me get on and

make notes but do not speak while I work on the cause of death. You can sit over there

and I will have the results typed up today and email them to you.

The inspector sat down and put some lavander oil on his upper lip. He had a long

experiences of human post mortem and sometimes the smell. He sighed and waited his

small tape recorder switched on.

The male is much older than twenty to thirty years old and from the teeth judging from

the PM and M that are worn down as well as stained by a form of tobacco and from the

wear down of the lower front teeth he was a pipe smoker over a long time when he was

alive. There is some weight loss as .

He droned on for forty five minutes and helped turn the body by a mortuary porter

and give more details of any injuries bruises or scars found.

Inspector McCall waited for the Y cut on the front of the body from just below the

chin down to the pubic area. The stainless steel bone cutters cracked open the chest

and once the rib cage was removed, Dr Pakash thanked the porter who was in training

and then his both hands went into the chest cavity and the lungs and heart were

removed in a block and set carefully in a tray. Then with a soup ladle blood was

scooped out and put in a glass jar with a lid. Next came the blood samples and they

two were put into small tubes. Once the stomach was removed it too was covered. He

looked at the inspector.

I take it that your forensic people have taken under nail samples and kept safe?

Inspector McCall nodded and softly said. Yes. They are good at their job sir. They

know the drill.

Dr Pakash raised an eyebrow. Indeed they do Inspector but it would have been much

better if everyone could think outside the box while they work on body or remains and

more so if the victim was still alive and was being taken to hospital.

Sir?

Removal of the body before I could take a look at it from A and E, contamination of

of the victim by others, live others I may add, two blond hairs I am sure that I see on

his neck, right hand side, and to finish off, one bloody fingerprint on the right shoulder

blade at the back. I take it that the victim's clothes have been bagged and sealed and

down here Inspector?

Inspector McCalls mouth dropped. I dont know sir.

Well then I suggest you go now and do a bit f detective work and find them and if you

do, bring them here directly, to me so that I can conclude the postmortem.

On it sir.
Good O. Off you go and dont forget to wear gloves like a good chappy.

The young porter standing to the right of Dr Pakash was trying hard not to smile.

Outside, McCall was stamping his way back to A and E, his pride hurt and anger

boiling inside of him and he needed a target to vent his anger on when he got there.

If the killer knew all this, he thought, if he or she was caught and charged then there

was every chance they would walk out of Court and laughing as they did so.

As he passed some nurses in the main corridor he muttered a low Fuck it!

They looked at him and then walked on. I bet the killer is male and young. He would

also be strong and the blond hairs found, may well be his.

He was wrong on both accounts.

IT stood in the shadow of a tree in Walsall Arbouretum and out of the

moonlight because she could not see her prey, she could smell it on the light wind that

drifted across the lake. She had no idea of time, but the moon was well up and if

anyone looked at their watch it was four minutes past one am.

The past week's heatwave did not help and she had to lie up in deep cover, cover that

was on damp ground out of the sun because too much of the bright planet would split

her skin. Even now as she watched for movement with amber eyes, slits set to pick up

body heat of her prey. and it would give off a glow in the darkness. She watched a rat

move glowing in the darkness down to the lake edge where the remains of bread lay,

food left by the public for the waterfowl and anything else that would eat it. It needed

something larger, a face skin was not enough and that something or a number of them

would be sleeping here tonight.

When the glow came, it was walking down the path past the bandstand, and staggering

a little and she sniffed the air and smiled, a slit of a smile that showed the fishhook

teeth. Female, soap smell, sweat. Food.

IT moved from cover and into the shade of the hut that was at the side of the path that

the woman was walking along towards her. The woman stopped and lit a cigarette

blew out the smoke and walked into the shadow of IT, stopped and was frozen with

fear, so frightened she could not even scream.

Death came fast, striking claws, and snapping teeth, the sound of bone shattering and

then both prey and Hunter were on the ground, its feet now tapping slower as it fed. It

did not look around but she knew there was no need to. The kill had been silent and

even if by chance a human stumbled on the scene they too would die very fast. She

cracked open the chest and skull and removed the heart and brain then when she had

finished eating, she dragged the body up into the fork of a tree and leaf shadow. She

sat, sucked blood off her claws and when clean used them to preen her blond hair then

dropped slightly to the ground and made her way to the lake to wash blood of her face

and body. For a moment she enjoyed the coolness of the water but her pointed ears

twitched when she picked up a sound close by. The man by the fence was so close that

she could smell his urine and see his bulk. As he turned away IT sank slowly beneath

the water and lay in mud at the bottom and waited.

No bubbles except the odd mud gas bubble floating to the top silver like then popped

on the surface. IT lay there, feeling the coolness of the water on her skin and at that

moment she wanted to be back in the sea, deep down and safe.
She could use both sides of her brain and take in oxygen through the pores of her skin

as well and breathing it in when on the surface. In time she would mate and breed if

and when she could find others of her kind and more so a mate, a male. There was no

room for that word love that humans used because she did not know what the word

meant and though she had observed two humans mating many times she could not

work out how male and male produced young or females with females of their species.

The water around her was warm on the surface and cold when she drifted down deep

and she lay there eyes closed her mind drifting back through time when she lay in sea

water of a small group of islands of the coast of Scotland waiting for darkness before

she made an attempt to get on the island with the blinking light. She had no idea what

year, what day or what age she was then but she was smaller than she was then.

Lying still she knew she did not have to surface as her skin absorbed oxygen from the

water. There was not a kill of humans she made over the years that she could not

remember, not a face she could forget or a brain she fed on. The humans in the

blinking light place that night, scattered like sheep, and no matter where they went on

the island she tracked them down one by one, killed and fed on each then.

Her ears moved when they picked up the sound of otter diving but she did not mover

her head, just waited until it came close to her face and she opened her eyes and bid

hard down on its snout cutting it in half and she spat out the taste as it was not food

she would like. The otter swam away fast, but soon it would be unable to breath as it

no longer had a mouth or a nose.

IT drifted slowly upwards, and could see the moon and some stars on the water

surface then softly her face broke the surface in a ring of silver water.

A tawny owl looked down at her then flapped away on silent wings to the ash trees
 SHAPE CHANGER.

IT knew that it was time to renew herself and for that she needed a female

human host, young, a good brain that she would put to good use and her own brain

input. Not around here, she thought as she lay hidden in the bamboo thicket and reed

mace six foot tall that was in the wet parts of the area, and not in places of boxes and

too many of the human mammals.

I need a new skin and a new identity but also a new den, somewhere safe and where no

one knows me or ever will. That human male Coll got too close, he was almost was

there and because he made one mistake, he had to die. If I take over someone new they

need to be a nobody, someone who had no real purpose in life, had some sort of a

home, a low paid job. She sighed deeply and curled up into a ball then closed her eyes

and switched off her mind except for her survival part.

Across planet Earth there were in 2017 half a million cloned ITs in all sorts of jobs

from politicians, doctors, police and fire officers, nurses and care staff, down to the

homeless by choice, staff in food places, and even undertakers where if they wanted,

could harvest fresh organs, as long as thet were young. They all knew that the humans

looked to the sky when looking for alien life when in fact the aliens were already here

before humans walked. They did not look to the sea and deep sea trenches or in large

loughs but most of all they did not look at the eyes when people watching because if

they had, they would have seen their soul turn to vapour and vanish. Humans were too

busy killing their own kind in wars and with bombs and bullets to notice the smell of

mint of someone sitting beside them or in a bar or concert. The smell came from the

skin underneath the skin on top and it only seeped out when the creature got angry.
 The moon was in its dark side when she opened her eyes and what passed as a

smile crossed its lips and drank from a pool close to where she had hidden then she

left cover and moved fast running through the trees and leapt over a high iron fence on

to a main road. A driver skidded to a halt and the car behind him severed and hit the

fence. She did not even look at them but ran down a side street and into open land.

The four young men spilled from the second car and dragged the Asian taxi driver out

of the first one and started punching and kicking him, such was their rage until he

passed out. Their car was damaged but the driver reversed and the other three men

piled in and it left burning rubber on the road as they went. When the taxi driver came

to he crawled into his taxi, lifted the Mic and screamed into it begging for help.

Mr Ma-hood sat in the police station interview room drinking water and his

bloody face now puffy. Dec. Constable sighed. And you did not get a good look at the

four men?

He shook his head. No I was in shock. I put on my breaks because something landed

in front of me and I braked hard and they must have swerved left and hit the fence.

Next I know I was dragged out hit and kicked then I must have passed out.

Karan Cooper nodded as she wrote then looked across at Mr Ma-hood. And you

braked because a man jumped out in front of you when you were driving?

No, no Musses dear. You no understand. It was not a man or a deer. It was not human

and it was not..

Was what Sir?

His eyes went wild and he shouted, A devil or a demon!

Really. Have you been drinking sir, smoking ganga, what?

No! You tested me at the car, you tested me here, I even did a pee for you and nothing

like that was found. At the hospital they patched me up, give me medicine and you

took me here. That is all I know and what I seen. It was not human or anything like it I

told you. I want to go home, Now!

She stood up and opened the door. You can go. Do you need a lift home?

He glared at her as he passed by and muttered, Im a bloody taxi driver!

He was pleased that the police officer who drove his taxi back to the police

station had the wit to give him back the keys and park it somewhere where he could

find it. At least he could get home and not be in trouble with his wife and his two

grown up girls for being late. Yes they would worry of course after what happened in

Manchester and last night in London and he worked out if the young men were angry

then it could be he was a Muslim not because of them crashing their car, It could have

been worse of course because of his faith and the terrorist attacks and all Muslims

needed to be more alert for revenge attacks after the funerals of the victims. He

understood this reaction and such terrorists targeted people, men women and children

for a cause that was not just.

He climbed into his taxi and looked in the mirror at his face. How am I going to

explain this when I get home, he thought? I could say that it all happened because a

demon jumped over a fence and landed in front of me and the car behind swerved and

hit the iron fence. The four young men got out and kicked the shit out of me?

Oh! The reason I was late dear was because I had to go to hospital get fixed up then

taken to the police stationed and questioned.

He started the taxi and headed out on the main road and went to Broadway when in
front of him stood a hooded figure waving.

His eyes went wild when he seen the nun, he slowed and muttered to himself. A Holy

Woman on a dark night wanting a lift, a fare and safe.

He stopped and looked her up and down, seen she was young and plain so he said

softly, Where to?

She climbed in the back, closed the door and said in a soft Irish voice,The Sisters of

Mercy Convent Coventry in King Street thank you.

Dont take this the wrong way but that is miles away.

Oh! I need to get there before dawn. It is a matter of life and death. I will pay you

well of course. How much please?

He looked at her in the mirror. I dont take bank cards and the fare will be fifty quid,

that is fifty pounds but seeing you are on a mercy mission I will only charge you

twenty. It has been a hell of a day so far so I might get good Karma for a good deed.

Do you have a name?

She smiled at him. Sister Mary Francis and you are.?

Ma-hood. Mr Ma-hood Sister. We go fast. One hour. Then I come back and go to

bed.

She nodded and sat back relaxed and he drove off and though, A holy lady to protect

me and my taxi. God is Good, Allah is good.

IT sat then Sister Mary Francis closed her eyes and for the first time in a long time

they both felt safe but the dark half of her brain was still plotting a future.

Now and then Mr Ma-hood would check on his holy passenger who was sleeping but

twitching, lips and eyes flickering and once the right eye opened and for a moment he

thought is was yellow with a black slit but put it down to being tired.
HE WAS WRONG AND THE CLOCK IS TICKING!

THE END OF THE BEGINNING FOR YOU.