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‘… It’s a hard plastic shell casing, around four feet square… It’s packed in under the mud… ’ There was interference, which Erika realised were bubbles fro to pull it out…’

She pressed her radio, ‘Okay, I’ Paul and Clive in with the winch, over… This could be it, ‘ she added looking up at Erika

The temperature plummeted by the water as darkness fell Erika and John paced up and doithin the arc of light spilling out of the support vehicles The trees behind them had vanished in the darkness that seemed to press down on them all

One of the divers, slick in his dry suits finally e what looked like a large moulded plastic suitcase streaked inhiround, a torch was trained on it There were two padlocked latches either side of the carry handle

‘There’s a pressure equalisation valve on the case,’ said Erika indicating a mud - covered button underneath the handle John took a pair of long handled metal cutters from one of the dive team, and deftly clipped both locks He stood back

‘Do you want to do the honours, Boss?’ he asked

‘Yes, I do,’ said Erika pulling on a pair of latex gloves She crouched down in front of the plastic case and gently turned the pressure valve, which was followed by a hissing noise She then unclipped both latches and pulled up the lid Inside, packed neatly in long roere bags each filled with the rose-grey coloured powder

‘Got you,’ said Erika She stood up and John raised his hand Despite herself she high-fived hiot him!’

‘Jeez, Boss, now I knohat four million pounds looks like… It’s horrific, but I can’t stop looking,’ said John turning back at the contents of the case

‘Thank you, all of you,’ said Erika, turning to the silent faces that stood around in a ss John was right; it was both captivating and horrific to see that erous power to it A crash of interference ca out by the support boat, Lorna she went over and started talking to the diver over the radio

‘Okay, John, put in a call to control We need this erprint teaet back We’re not taking our eyes off it until it’s safely locked up, you understand?’

‘Yes, Boss’

‘And get one of the large evidence bags from the car’