Free A Full Churchyard by Nicholas Rhea Page A

vulnerable people, it could be an undertaker – after all, they have a lot to gain from death. Death provides their living, Wayne.’
    â€˜Including the gravedigger and his side-kick?’ put in Wayne.
    â€˜We should include everyone associated with deaths and funerals, including the doctors. Exercise the same caution throughout and make sure you include the carers. Any one of those people could have a motive and lots will have had an opportunity to expedite a death.’
    â€˜Mrs Pluke is a carer. Might she be able to help discreetly?’
    â€˜I don’t relish the idea that my wife may be a suspect in a case of multiple murder, Wayne, but she might prove to be a good witness. However, as a reputable police officer, I have to put my personal feelings aside as I investigate this matter without fear or favour. Remember we are treating everyone as witnesses at this early stage, not suspects.’
    â€˜So at the moment we have no known murder victims and no official crimes, but lots of suspects?’ Wayne smiled at the thought.
    â€˜Witnesses, Wayne. Witnesses, not suspects. We must clearly identify cases where the deaths could be the result of murder and then we might interview suspects, hopefully without exhumations.’
    â€˜We’ve set ourselves a major task and in the meantime I’m looking for a common factor but haven’t found anything apart from the apparent involvement of Crickledale Carers. That’s one mighty common factor to conjure with!’
    â€˜It is indeed, and I must say the name of Dr Simpson is cropping up regularly too. I must say the entire matter weighs heavily on my shoulders. I hate to think that a serial killer could have been at work in Crickledale over several years without raising the tiniest hint of suspicion.’
    â€˜If there is someone at work, we’ll find him or her or them.’
    â€˜So do you need me here, Wayne, or can you cope alone?’
    â€˜I’ll be fine, working alone.’
    â€˜Exactly what sort of common factor are you looking for, Wayne? I doubt if things like open windows or deaths on cold floors will be recorded in registry files.’
    â€˜I don’t know what I’m looking for until I find it. Serial killers work in odd ways.’
    â€˜Then I shall leave you to your research, Wayne, and go back in my office. If you can give me a print-out of all these official records over ten years, I’ll go through them as well, just to see if I can find some common factors.’
    â€˜No sooner said than done, sir. I’ve already printed a duplicate set. You can take them with you now. I haven’t examined them but I hope you come across something!’
    â€˜Thanks, Wayne. We do seem to be going around in rather tight circles right now, we need a breakthrough if we’re to make any progress.’ Pluke reached out to touch the wood of the desk upon which Wayne was working. ‘Touch wood,’ he smiled. ‘That’s a really good means of obtaining good fortune and great success, Wayne. You should try it.’
    And with his mind full of new information, Pluke left.
    Chapter 6
    M rs Plumpton heard Detective Inspector Pluke settling down at his desk and allowed him a few moments to compose himself. Walking in with her arms full of files, she smiled and stooped low to place them before him.
    â€˜Whilst you were out, Mr Pluke, and in view of your decision to carry out a cold-case review, I’ve checked via our computer all our CID crime files over the past year to see if there are any major undetected cases of serious crime. I’ve also included minor crimes dealt with by the uniform branch but which remain undetected.’
    â€˜That’s very commendable, let’s hope your initiative leads to a breakthrough. So have you found anything of interest?’
    â€˜I agree that our CID office has no unsolved major crimes,’ she beamed. ‘That’s an enviable record.