The Ten Commandments Read Online Free PDF

proportioned and standing on arguably the most desirable site in town. It had a small garden at the front and a slightly larger one at the rear, secluded by trees and a high wall from curious eyes.
    On this warm July morning, people were pouring across the green on their way to work, the women in brightly coloured dresses, the men as informally attired as their offices permitted. Across the green, a delivery wagon had pulled up to offload barrels of beer at the Jester public house.
    Frederick's brows drew together in a frown. It was outside the Jester, apparently, that the victim and his killer had met. Frustrating to reflect that had it taken place a day later, he might himself have witnessed their meeting. Not, of course, that it would have meant anything to him at the time.
    The phone on his desk rang, making him jump. Frederick Mace,' he said into it.
    'Pop! How are you? Welcome back!'
    'Alex!' The murders faded from his mind, giving way to a wave of affection and anxiety for his younger daughter. 'I hear you're coming over today?'
    'That's why I'm phoning; I wasn't sure what time the twins' tennis coaching was, but it's this morning. So will this afternoon be OK, about three?'
    'Whenever you like; we'll be here.'
    'See you then. 'Bye.' She rang off.
    Frederick replaced the phone thoughtfully. Though he'd be pleased, of course, to see his grandsons, their presence would preclude the chance of a proper talk with Alex. Which, perhaps, was exactly what she intended.
    As they drove through fields of ripening corn on their way to Erlesborough, Webb was in reflective mood. It was exactly a year since the town had featured so largely and so traumatically in his investigations, a case which had involved digging deeply into his own family history. Well, that was water under the bridge now, and at least the result had been a closer relationship with his sister. Not that he'd have time to contact her today.
    He had decided that before he made any further inquiries on the Judd case, he needed to satisfy himself as to exactly how close the parallels were with the previous one. And the man to help him with that was the officer who had been in charge of it, DCI Ted Ferris.
    They were approaching the familiar bend which led into the town; and Webb mentally braced himself, as always when visiting the place of his youth. The memories were still not happy, even if the worst of them had been expunged.
    'You remember the way to the nick, no doubt,' he observed. Jackson merely nodded, knowing the governor to be touchy when in this vicinity. The pavements were crowded with market stalls and he almost missed the turning into Silver Street, a short, cobbled cul-de-sac where the police station was situated. He turned up the narrow alleyway alongside the building to the parking area at the back, and they got out of the car in silence and walked round to the front of the station.
    Ted Ferris was of medium height and rather more than medium weight, with a cheerful, rosy face and thinning hair.
    'Dave!' he exclaimed, when a DC showed them into his office. 'Long time no see!' He came round his desk with his hand outstretched, and Webb took it.
    'How are you, Ted? We missed you last year – on a course, weren't you?'
    'Right; Mick Charlton filled me in. Bad business all round.'
    'Well,' Webb said briskly, 'you know what I've come about this time.' He sat down as Ferris waved him and Jackson to a couple of chairs.
    'To remind me of my failings, no doubt. These uncleared cases are the very devil.'
    'Perhaps we can sort it for you. As you know, we've been landed with almost a carbon copy. If we work in harness, we might come up with something.'
    'Fine by me. What do you want to know?'
    'Everything you've got, really. I've been through the files at Stonebridge, but it's all pretty cut and dried. What I want is the human element, feelings – suspicions, even – that were not strong enough to be noted officially. Suppose you go through it from the