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She had never worried about ageing It took so able to turn the radio dial, to ht be like to become incapacitated and need care, to lose independence, have to move, to …

She told herself to snap out of it It was theblew up out of proportion, it was stormy, the neas terrible Stop it

The thoughts cahts about pain or the loss of consciousness, nor even frightening or confused thoughts They were clear, calm, rational Jocelyn Forbes was a calm and rational woman But it would have been pleasant to talk to sohts and where they had led, but about a prograossip, a crossword clue that was defeating her, an exhibition worth seeing The ss she had been able to talk to Tony about, even if he had only grunted, half asleep Things she used to ring her sister to share She could always ring Carol any time Carol had only been twenty miles away and would cheerfully have driven over here at two in the ht Jocelyn needed her Or just chat on the phone for half an hour Carol It was almost three years

The rain was steady on the roof though the wind had died down a bit

Rain

Rain

The wind got up again, banging a gate

Rain

But doctors could help with arthritis now, they had all sorts of tricks up their sleeves New medicines meant that people were not crippled so soon or sotime before she needed to use the word about herself All the same …

She wished there was someone to talk to

Thunder rumbled but in the distance

Rain

Sleep

The stor stones, soil and branches along with it, washing earth away fro to the slope The outspread hands of giants had gouged the surface and hurled it down, gathering speed, ru in its path it slipped and slithered on until it hit the road below and spread out over the tar a silt of branches, earth, boulders, mulch and more

Two

‘GUV?’

Serrailler’s watch said six twenty He hadn’t got to sleep until after two

‘Morning’

‘Sorry, sir We’re sending a boat’

‘You’re …?’

‘Town centre’s underwater …’

‘Right’

‘Can’t say exactly when – the fire brigade and our diving lot are out now and the lifeboats are deploying a tea as hies will divert to you Thought you’d want to be up and waiting, guv’

‘You read my mind’

Si room and looked out of the , but even before he did so, took in the strangeness of the light on the white walls and ceiling, silver-pale and wavering in the reflection of the water below It was like being transported to Venice The Cathedral Close, as far as the gate at the end, was underwater, but the wind had died do, so that there was a strange calm and stillness about the scene The cathedral rose above the water, the tower reflected in it and seeht

The dinghy arrived soon afterwards and then there ca down the centre of the Cathedral Close and out under the arch into the water-filled streets of Lafferton Other orange inflatables with outboard erigar in a cage; fire up onto rooftops The whole of the area in and around the Lanes was so deeply underwater that the shops were only two-thirds visible It was not until they reached the outer roads beyond the town centre that it was possible to get out and wade through the shallows The station yard was croith rescue vehicles and press wagons Doors were banging to and fro aswaterproof gear

‘I take it the interviews are cancelled?’

‘Right, guv Rescheduling for Friday’

The station had been in a state of upheaval for several nation of the DCI Morale was at rock botto anyone and the Chief Constable had been threatening serious reprisals None of it was Serrailler’s fault, but he still felt to blame If there were bad apples in the barrel he should have spotted theot rid of them

But things had calether well and worked overtime, and today the interviews for a new DCI had been scheduled Serrailler was not involved; the Assistant Chief Constable, the Superintendent from Bevham and two officers from outside were the panel

He would be relieved when there was an appointood applicants from other forces They needed fresh input

But that, like every other routine matter, had been put to one side

It was barely seven thirty but as he headed along the corridor to his office DS Stuart Mattingley was co out of it

‘Looking for me?’

‘Guv It’s bones’

‘Bones’

‘The storht half the Moor down onto the bypass Couple of JCBs just got started clearing when one of the drivers spotted reuv’

‘They’ll be aniers up there, sheep –’

‘Apparently they don’t look anioes down a bit Soon as there’s a chance forensics will send someone, do a recce’

‘Meanwhile …’

‘There’s been a report that a couple of youths in a canoe are looting shops in the Lanes and they’ve found a body in a bedroom on St Paul’s Road Old lady Forensics on way’