Under a Silent Moon: A Novel Read Online Free PDF Page B

“Flora? They want to take our fingerprints—and our DNA!”
    She returned to the kitchen, heart thudding.
    “It’s fine,” said Sam, gently. It was as if she could tell that Flora was feeling the loss more than the rest of them. “It’s routine. We expect your prints to be in the cottage; it’s the ones we don’t expect to find that we’re interested in. We need to take yours for elimination purposes.”
    And there, on the table, an ink pad, a roller, sheets of paper, plastic sealable bags. Her mother at the sink, already scrubbing at her fingertips with the Fairy Liquid and a pan scourer.
    Nigel came in as Sam was explaining the process to Flora: fingerprints, then cheek swabs for the DNA.
    “You can forget about taking mine for now; I want to speak to my solicitor first,” her father said and went to the office to make a phone call. By the time he came back Flora was washing her hands.
    “I’d like it to be noted that I’m cooperating fully,” he said to Sam.
    “I’m happy to note that.”
    Flora watched her father as he allowed the officer to manipulate his fingers, one by one, against the ink pad. He must be hating this, hating having them here. He was hiding it well, though, and it was something she had always grudgingly admired—the more difficult the circumstances, the more he turned on the charm, the easy, relaxed confidence.
    And the oddest thing: Flora, with nothing at all to hide, felt nervy and guilty and afraid, while Nigel, with the most to fear, was as relaxed and confident as she’d ever seen him.
----
    MG11 WITNESS STATEMENT
    Section 1—Witness Details
    NAME: Richard John HARRISON
    DOB (if under 18; if over 18 state “Over 18”)    Over 18
    ADDRESS:      35 Priory Acre
                      Morden
                      Briarstone
    OCCUPATION: Retired
    Section 2—Investigating Officer
    DATE: Thursday 1 November
    OIC: DC 8745 Alastair WHITMORE
    Section 3—Text of Statement
    I am a retired accountant and I live in the village of Morden. On the morning of Thursday 1 November I was walking my Jack Russell, Lima, on the Downs outside the village. Our usual walk takes us across the fields to the old quarry at Ambleside, skirting round the top of the quarry, and then back home.
    I left home at around 6.30. It was still quite dark but by the time we reached the quarry it was fairly light. I estimate that we were there no later than seven.
    When we reached Ambleside quarry Lima ran off into the bushes, barking. I believed she was chasing a rabbit and I followed her because I didn’t want her to go over the edge of the quarry. When I cleared the bushes I noticed that there was a car lying on its roof at the foot of the cliff on the far side of the quarry. I believe this is directly under where the car park is situated.
    I could not see what make of car it was, except that it was silver in color. I do not believe the car had been there yesterday when we took our walk as I would have noticed it.
    I called out in case someone was trapped in the car, shouting that I was going to get help.
    I walked back to the path where I found Lima waiting for me. I attached her lead and walked quickly home, where I phoned for the police and an ambulance.
    Section 4—Signatures
__________________________
__________________________
WITNESS: (R Harrison)
OIC: (A Whitmore)
----
    20:39
    It was heading toward nine, and Lou was reaching the point where nothing more could be usefully done until the morning. She would grab a takeaway on the way home—her stomach was growling and she realized she hadn’t eaten anything since the Kit Kat she’d had in the morning.
    “I thought you said the witness saw the car go over the cliff?” she asked Ron when the statement came back.
    “Sorry, ma’am, it was third-hand info by the time I got it. We know it definitely happened overnight, though. The countryside warden says it wasn’t there at six the night before. PM on the