Condemned, R.C. Bridgestock [most romantic novels TXT] 📗

than aware that the media would get wind of something afoot at Crownest very soon, if they hadn’t already done so. An interim statement to appease them would need to be released. This story would shortly be in print, heard over the airwaves and seen on the screen everywhere. Sadly, every journalist wanted a story, the story, and this sort of gruesome headline would no doubt catch people’s attention, and that’s what the journos wanted, because it sold newspapers. Legend, folklore, whatever you called it – these tales intrigued people. Just thinking that some of the stories about this house that had been told throughout three generations could be about to be proved correct, made the hairs stand up on Charley’s arms.

It would be unprofessional, and slapdash of her, not to order an extensive search of the tunnel, and for this, once the body was removed, she would require the help of the local Mount Rescue Team. God forbid if they found more human remains, but it was a possibility that she couldn’t rule out.

Chapter 9

Amongst the team of volunteers on the mountain rescue team, Charley knew there would be people with the necessary experience for searching underground cavities. They needed to be aware that there was a possibility that they could be crawling into a crime scene, although the house may already have yielded all that it had. No matter what, it needed to be searched as a matter of urgency. Ted ‘Gently’ Bentley, she was aware, was the leader of the group.

Ted was a grey-haired, wily old character with ruddy cheeks and a great sense of humour. Charley had worked with him and his team of volunteers before, in her role as a police constable, searching for missing people on the desolate, unforgiving and dangerous Marsden Moor, whose beauty belied its hostile nature.

Whilst Annie was tasked with co-ordinating the scenes where the bodies were found, Charley’s next immediate priority was to try and identify them. ‘Who are you?’ she whispered as she waited on the drive for Ted to arrive.

From the most recently murdered corpse, DNA and dental records would be a strong line of enquiry, along with possible identification through the metal plate that had been fitted to his leg. Charley was confident that the male skeleton would be the easier of the two to identify. Weirdly, she was just as intrigued about finding out the identity of the woman’s skeletal remains, even though the body had been buried a generation before.

It was dark when Ted Bentley arrived, and obvious that he had just been walking the English springer spaniels. Nell and Wynn lay in the back of his old-style Land Rover, panting heavily.

Ted’s grey hair was tied in a ponytail at the nape of his head, his wax jacket covered his waterproof trousers, and on his feet he had well-worn walking boots. This, she knew, was his daily garb. He lifted his hand in a friendly greeting, smiling as he approached the DI. She guessed that he must be now in his seventies, but the firmness of his handshake, his agility and his mannerisms were those of a man twenty years his junior.

‘Ey up, a young lass like you ought to be out and about with the living, not dealing with the dead and buried. That father of yours would be turning in his grave if he knew you were here.’

Charley smiled, ‘He’d have trouble turning in his grave, he was cremated, but I don’t have to tell you about being addicted to your job, do I Ted? How long have you been retired?’

‘Touché, but the trick is not to let your addiction become destructive. You look tired, lass.’

‘Nothing a strong coffee won’t put right,’ she said, turning away to walk with him to the front door.

‘How do you think I can help you?’ Ted said. ‘You seemed pretty desperate on the phone.’

Before they entered the house, he looked up at the gargoyles that topped the stone pillars above them, and shuddered. Charley could see his breath in the lamp light. ‘I hate this bloody place. Allus ’ave. Some people don’t believe in witchcraft, but I’ve seen stuff in my time, that if I repeated they’d have me locked up, and throw away the key,’ Ted said.

Inside the house Charley poured Ted a coffee from her flask, and offered it to him. It was true something was troubling him; his hands were all of a dither. She shared with him the details of the gruesome finds, and her concern that there could be more undiscovered; Ted listened intently as she unwrapped the scene. She saw the professional mask appear on his face, as the adrenaline kicked in.

‘I get your drift,’ he said eventually. ‘Let me get Nell on the lead.’

‘What, now?’

‘No time like the present.’

‘Are your two body dogs?’

Ted nodded. ‘Aye, and I’ll tell you something for nothing, if there are bodies, alive or dead, secreted in that tunnel, mark my words, Nell’ll find ’em f’ya.’

With a plan, and Nell on the lead, Ted appeared to be more confident. Charley felt less fearful than she had done earlier, but the anticipation of what might be found was making her stomach churn. But was it that or more the fact that she had missed breakfast and lunch, with the prospect of teatime looking like it would become supper?

Nell appeared a little over-excited as the two walked towards the fireplace in the dining room. ‘Recently removed?’ asked Ted.

‘Yes, the body was only removed about an hour ago.’

‘That could be the reason she’s so eager.’

Ted stuck his head in the tunnel. ‘Jesus, that’s some tunnel,’ he said as he saw the length stretch into the darkness. Ted encouraged Nell to start searching, keeping a tight hold on her leash for the moment. The walking was made more difficult owing to the flickering torchlight, the only operating source of light inside the chamber. After a few minutes he turned to speak to Charley who was following pensively in his