Creeping Terror Read Online Free PDF Page B

obvious. ‘A phone , sir? But it’s so small. There’s no connection – no wire. Like an RT, is it?’
    ‘A bit like a radio telephone, yes. Now tell me, where have you been for the last twenty-four hours or so?’
    ‘On duty in the village of Templeton, sir.’
    ‘Doing what?’
    Rutherford looked to Greene, who turned from the window and nodded. ‘Checking everything was all right. That’s it really, sir. The village hasbeen evacuated, there’s no one there now. All quiet and normal, like I said, sir.’
    ‘You see?’ Greene said. ‘Exactly as I told you.’
    ‘It’s a funny way of saying it, though,’ Ben said. He hadn’t meant to speak out loud, but he’d been struck by Corporal Rutherford’s words.
    ‘Go on,’ Knight prompted.
    Ben swallowed. ‘Well, just the way he said it. “The village has been evacuated” – like it only just happened.’
    ‘And when did it happen?’ Knight asked Corporal Rutherford. ‘When exactly was the village evacuated?’
    ‘On 27 February 1943. The village of Templeton was evacuated and handed over to the War Office for training and manoeuvres.’
    ‘Satisfied?’ Greene asked.
    ‘Your man is very well informed,’ Knight said. ‘He even knows the exact date of the evacuation. Which is more than I did.’
    ‘Of course, sir,’ Rutherford told them. He gave a short, nervous laugh. ‘I mean, it was only a couple of weeks ago.’
    There was silence. Greene’s mouth had dropped open. Gemma stopped swinging her legs. Knight nodded.
    Embarrassed at the silence, Rutherford went on,
    ‘The village is empty and quiet, sir. Ready for our lads to start training properly. And now the Yanks are getting properly involved, we can really stick it to Jerry, like Mr Churchill says.’
    Knight stood up. ‘Thank you, Corporal Rutherford. That’s very helpful.’ He turned to Greene, who was looking pale. ‘I suggest you give this man and the rest of his patrol a complete medical.’
    ‘They’ll probably be fine after a good night’s sleep,’ Gemma said. ‘So long as they stay away from the village.’
    ‘But keep an eye on them anyway,’ Knight added. ‘And as I told you before, I want that village cordoned off, completely out of bounds until my team has been in and inspected it.’
    Knight strode across the room, with Gemma and Ben following close behind. He paused as he pulled open the door and turned back towards Greene.
    ‘Unless you still want to argue that there’s nothing weird going on?’ He barely paused for a reply. ‘I thought not. We’ll see ourselves out.’

Chapter 5
    B EN WAS LIVID.
    ‘There’s no point arguing with him,’ Sam whispered.
    Ben hadn’t realised she was there. His anger and frustration were focused on Knight. They were standing on the steps that led up to the front door of Gibbet Manor.
    ‘You are staying here and that’s final,’ Knight told him. ‘I need Gemma, but for this someone with more experience is essential.’
    Maria was already getting into the car – not Knight’s Morgan but a large hatchback. She gave Ben a sympathetic smile, but he wasn’t in the mood to appreciate it.
    ‘After all that stuff with Colonel Greene, I want to see the village.’
    ‘Maybe you will,’ Knight told him. ‘But not just yet. Besides, I need you here. I need you and Rupam to find out everything you can about Templeton.Its history, parish records, local stories, the families who lived there – everything.’
    ‘I thought all that was classified,’ Ben grumbled.
    ‘Talk to Mrs Bailey. I asked her to see what she could dig up. And get Webby to search the Internet – public access sites and the restricted ones too. There must be something.’
    Reverend Growl pushed past them. ‘I’m hoping there will be some records remaining in the church,’ he said. ‘I see that there’s a village school as well, which might have kept registers or local documents. From what little we do know, everyone cleared out in rather a hurry. Maybe