Free Tainted Ground by Margaret Duffy

difference,’ she pointed out equally softly. ‘Besides which—’
    â€˜What?’ he asked when she stopped speaking.
    â€˜I’m not too sure you know what real friendship means.’
    There was a silence and then Elspeth said, ‘How many friends do you have, Patrick?’
    Even I was shocked at this. It went right to the heart of something of which I have always been aware; Patrick has many comrades, brothers-in-arms and loyal subordinates who have served under him and would probably gladly die for him tomorrow. But genuine friends outside that specialist world?
    Elspeth said, ‘Forgive me for saying this, but if you had real regard for James you wouldn’t have agreed to the posting.’
    â€˜But I thought I could help him!’ he protested.
    â€˜It’s not as simple as that and well you know it! Two men like you two together at work are like two stags circling one another, all horns and balls, frankly.’
    Patrick’s jaw dropped, not surprising really as Elspeth does not normally express herself thus. Then he gave her a look that I can only describe as agonized and left the room.
    â€˜Perhaps that was a bit unfair,’ Elspeth said. ‘After all, he had a terribly worrying time when James was shot.’
    â€˜Something along those lines was going through my mind earlier,’ I told her. I did not add that only mothers are allowed to be that blunt.
    â€˜And if John hadn’t been ill it wouldn’t have happened because Patrick would have done his stint somewhere else. Oh dear, but at least I’ve made a steak-and-kidney pie for dinner. Do please see if there’s a decent bottle of red wine in the rack, or even two, Ingrid. What do they call it in the navy? Damage control?’
    She need not have worried, for there was no ill-humour on anyone’s part following her remarks. We had just finished eating and I was making a brew of coffee when Patrick’s mobile rang where he had left it on the hall table.
    â€˜I’ve got to go out,’ he said round the door a couple of minutes later.
    â€˜I’ll drive,’ I said. ‘You’re well and truly over the limit. What’s happened?’
    â€˜They’ve found the victims’ cars and Carrick wants me to fill in for him until he gets there.’ Patrick was grabbing jacket and outdoor shoes as he spoke. ‘I’ve just been given an OS reference but no one quite remembered to issue me with any maps when I started this lark so I hope to God it’s on one of those we have in the car.’
    Luckily we did have the right one and I headed in the direction of Frome.
    â€˜How were they spotted?’ I asked. ‘I mean, we’re going out into the sticks and it’s pitch dark now.’
    â€˜There was a search underway for a missing child – who was eventually found safe and well at a friend’s house,’ Patrick replied. ‘Police and others were looking around some waste ground, an old industrial site, just as it was getting dark and came upon two cars in a small disused quarry. They’ve been torched but one number plate is still readable.’
    â€˜Is James hoping to recover them tonight?’
    â€˜I wouldn’t have thought so. It’s obviously very important but would be much better undertaken during daylight. There can’t be much, if any, forensic evidence if they’ve been set on fire.’
    â€˜So why are we going there?’
    â€˜I expect he’s just being careful. Who knows, we might find other bodies inside them when we take a closer look.’
    I got lost on all the wasteland, but eventually, after bouncing over acres of boulder-strewn terrain and broken-down fences, spotted the lights of another car. I was aware that Patrick was enjoying himself hugely and he alighted before the Range Rover had come to a complete standstill, like a sheriff in a Western dismounting from a still-moving horse. He went