The thoughts swirled around, and his head throbbed. He gave up trying to work it out and went upstairs. It was only when he removed his clothes that he saw the letters and numbers PROV1412 written on his arm. He grabbed his phone and typed in the reference and ‘bible’ in the search engine. The top result was Proverbs 14:12.
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
Chapter Twelve
The storm had raged all night, but all was calm as Meadows stood outside his cottage checking the damage to the roof. Slates littered the floor along with twigs but thankfully had missed his car. The roof will have to wait, he thought as he climbed into his car. He had photographed the writing on his arm before trying to scrub it off, but it still remained. Having sent the photo along with one of his head wound to Edris he had received back a shocked-face emoji which had made him smile. He felt a little foolish now getting himself almost knocked out, even more so for allowing his imagination to make him fearful. As he started the engine his phone rang. Folland’s name flashed across the screen. He hit accept and Folland’s voice filled the car.
‘Got a good one for you,’ Folland said.
‘Great.’
‘An unauthorised grave,’ Folland said with a hint of amusement.
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘A grave in St Herbert’s graveyard that’s not supposed to be there. A Vicar Daniels called it in.’
‘Okay, I’m on my way.’
Meadows had only got halfway up the lane when he found his way blocked by a fallen tree. He got out of the car and shook his head. It felt like there was some higher force trying to stop him doing his job. It wasn’t God that hit me on the head last night, or killed Stacey Evans, he thought. He made a call to the station then walked to the farm to get help. It took over two hours for the farmer, his son, and a tractor to clear away the fallen sycamore tree. When Meadows finally arrived in Gaer Fawr he was pleased to see at least the bridge was passable. He found Valentine outside the church talking to the vicar and another man.
‘Morning, sir,’ Valentine said. ‘This is Gwyn Rees who is responsible for the maintenance of the graveyard and I believe you’ve met Vicar Daniels.’
‘Saw you on the bridge last night,’ Gwyn said. ‘You managed to get home alright then.’
Meadows noticed that Gwyn was eyeing the cut on the side of his head and wondered if he was the one that had struck him. ‘Yes, thank you. When was it that you noticed the suspicious mound of earth?’
‘Yeah, like I was telling this young lady. I came early this morning to check for storm damage. We put sandbags around the church last night, but it doesn’t always work. If water gets into the church and seeps below, it’s a hell of a job to get it cleaned up. After I checked the church with the vicar, I checked the trees for fallen branches then walked the perimeter of the graveyard. The wall of the far left corner has collapsed, nearly taking with it the outer graves. It was while I was checking this that I saw the freshly dug earth.’
‘And there’s been no recent burials.’ Meadows turned to Vicar Daniels.
‘No, not in that part of the graveyard. It’s very old, most of the graves are over a hundred and fifty years old, some older. Every burial is written in the church register. I checked, there is no recorded burial between the graves that are located there.’
‘When was the last time you checked that area?’
Gwyn furrowed his brow. ‘Erm, I don’t generally clear the older section as often as down here. Probably about a month ago I trimmed the grass and checked for any damage to the stones. Thinking about it, maybe more like six weeks.’
‘Okay, thank you. We won’t hold you up any longer.’
‘I’ll stay if that’s okay,’ Vicar Daniels said.
‘Yes, as long as you stay away from that part of the graveyard until we’ve finished. Right, let’s take a look, Valentine.’
‘Edris is up there,’ Valentine said.
‘Where is Blackwell?’
Valentine waited until they were away from Gwyn Rees and Vicar Daniels before replying. ‘He’s supervising the search on Bill Jones’ house. He sent me up here with Edris but said I should go and pick up Donald Hobson as soon as we have a warrant. Paskin’s car was hit by a tree last night, so she wasn’t in when we left. Blackwell thought this might be a prank for Halloween or someone burying a pet but when we took a look we figured it was too big for either. So, we called in SOCO.’
‘I think that was probably wise.’
‘There isn’t enough room for a digger and the ground is too unstable, so they are having to dig by hand. It’s taking ages.’
They walked the path that led through the centre of the graveyard. At first the headstones were black and uniform but as they walked further up different shapes and sizes appeared. Some had statues of angels or crosses, others family plots with obelisks displaying the names of the deceased. As they reached the top of the path they could see a man in a white protective suit approaching.
‘Great, you’re here.’ Edris pulled down his hood and took off his mask. ‘They’ve found a body. Judging by the smell it’s been in there a while.’ He wrinkled his nose. ‘I didn’t go close enough to have a look.’
‘Looks like we are going to be here awhile,’ Meadows said. ‘Valentine, you better check up on that warrant and take Hanes with you to pick up Donald. Blackwell can interview him when he gets back from the search. You better sit in and make sure he doesn’t scare the kid. Cordon off the lychgate as well; I don’t want anyone from the village wandering in.’
‘Nasty cut you’ve got,’ Edris said as Meadows followed him to the SOCO van.
‘Could have been worse,’ Meadows said.
‘Worse?’ Edris shook his head. ‘You could be dead. That Bible verse sounds like a death threat.’
‘Nah, they were just trying to warn me off. They could have killed me if they wanted to.’
‘Well, it wasn’t Bible Bill as he was in custody all night. So, there is a killer wandering around the village attacking people at random.’
‘Or he knew I was coming. Then again, there were plenty of people on the bridge last night. Could be anyone.’
They reached the van and were handed protective clothing.
‘This place is starting to give me the creeps,’ Edris said. ‘I reckon there is something wrong with the fertiliser.’
Meadows laughed as he pulled on the overalls and fitted a mask. It was uncomfortable and he could already feel his own breath as they made their way back up the path and across the graveyard. Here the graves were old brown stone with patches of moss. Most of the lettering had eroded over the years, some now were just smooth stone.
A tent had been erected over the site and a pathway marked for entering. A foul smell of rotting meat and sulphur permeated the air and Meadows imagined it would be unbearable without the mask. He braced himself and stepped into the tent. Planks of wood had been laid each side of the hole and against the sides to secure the earth. Mike Fielding, a forensic officer whom Meadows had met on previous cases, was brushing earth off the bloated body. There wasn’t much to be seen as the victim lay face down, but it was enough to turn Meadows’ stomach.
‘We couldn’t make the hole any wider.’ Mike’s voice was muffled by the mask. ‘There are graves on each side, and one has already collapsed. It’s going to be a bitch to get the body out. Looks like a man to me.’
‘Yes,’ Meadows said, looking at the back of the head. ‘There’s not much you can do but photograph each stage and move him. I don’t envy you that task.’
‘We’ll give you a shout when we’ve got him out.’
‘Thanks.’ Meadows was grateful to step outside the tent to where Edris was waiting. He walked to the edge where the wall had collapsed. One grave had sunk, another’s headstone was leaning. From this position Meadows didn’t have a clear view of the road. The graveyard levelled off in this corner before sloping downwards.
‘It’s far enough away from the church and out of sight of the road,’ Meadows said.
‘Yeah, but still a hell of a risk. How do you drag a body up here without being seen?’
‘Let’s go and have a chat with Vicar Daniels. See if the graveyard is locked up at night.’
As they walked back down to the church, they could see a crowd had gathered by the wall. All craning their necks to see what was happening. Meadows ignored the looks as he and Edris disposed of their suits and joined Vicar Daniels outside the church.
‘I’m afraid we have found a body,’ Meadows said.
Vicar Daniels paled. ‘I think I’m in need of a cuppa. Would you like to join me? We could go up to the vicarage.’
‘That’s very kind, thank you,’ Meadows said. ‘I’m afraid we are going to be here for some time, and we’ll need to keep the entrance cordoned off.’
‘What about tomorrow morning’s service?’
‘We’ll do our best to keep the disruption to a minimum. After we’ve moved the body, I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t continue with the service. We will need to keep the graveyard off limits. Judging by the crowd, it looks like you will have a full house tomorrow.’
‘Yes, it looks that way. Do you know who it is?’
‘No, not yet and even if we did we would need to inform the family before we can release a name.’
‘Of course. I’ll make an announcement before service in the morning if you would be good enough to let me know what I can say.’ Vicar Daniels started to walk behind the church. ‘There is a shortcut to the vicarage.’
‘Handy,’ Edris said.
They walked back up the central path, but this time turned left at the top. A narrow pathway led to a wooden gate.
‘Much easier than walking around the road way,’ Vicar Daniels said. ‘Gives me an extra couple of minutes in bed on a Sunday morning.’
They stepped through the gate and into a large garden. In the centre was a round patio area with a hydrangea bush in the middle. A lawn ran around the patio and disappeared into deep borders of shrubs.
‘Lovely garden,’ Meadows commented.
‘Not my work, Gwyn takes care of it.’
Two steps led up to the back door and into a wide hall with a coat stand. As he followed Vicar Daniels, Meadows noticed a stained glass window at the top of the oak staircase. He admired the Vicar’s dedication to his vocation. It seemed that the church dominated every aspect of his life, even the home he lived in.
‘Come through to the kitchen, I find it is cosier in there,’ Vicar Daniels said.
‘It’s a big house,’ Edris said. ‘Do you live here alone?’
‘Yes, seems a bit of a waste. I expect the vicarage was built to accommodate a large family and to entertain the parishioners.’ Vicar Daniels filled the kettle and hit the switch before taking three mugs out of the cupboard.
‘You said earlier that there is a register for all burials,’ Meadows said. ‘Who would have access to that?’
‘Anyone is entitled to look at it. It’s kept in the church vestry. The register is very old, but we still use handwritten records.’
‘It wouldn’t be easy to pick a spot that had enough room,’ Meadows said. ‘Most of the graves are close together.’
‘Yes, originally there was plenty of space between the graves and enough land. Later, as the plots filled, the graves were dug closer together. We are running out of room. Most people now choose a church service and cremation but some of the older generation still have plots.’
‘You would also need to know that part of the graveyard is not used,’ Edris said.
‘Not many people go up that far, only Gwyn. Except on Palm Sunday when flowers are laid on nearly all the graves. I guess most people in the village would know the layout.’
‘Have you noticed anyone hanging around in the graveyard over the last few weeks?’ Meadows asked.
‘No, but then I’m mostly indoors. Either here, in the church, or visiting parishioners.’ Vicar Daniels poured the water into the teapot. ‘Milk and sugar?’
‘Just milk,’ Meadows said.
‘Both for me,’ Edris said.
‘Are the church gates locked at night?’
‘No, they are kept open. There has never been cause to lock them, no vandalism. The church is locked. It’s a sad world we live in that forces us to close God’s house.’
‘Do you keep a digger or equipment on site for digging graves?’ Meadows asked.
‘No, we use a professional company. There is a shed where Gwyn keeps his gardening tools.’
‘It can’t be easy to dig a hole to fit in a body,’ Edris said. ‘How long does it usually take to dig a grave?’
‘It depends. They use a digger if the ground is stable otherwise it’s by hand. I’m sure I read somewhere it takes about six hours and it is a skilled job,’ Vicar Daniels said.
Meadows watched Vicar Daniels pour the tea. He was finding it difficult to figure out how someone could move a man through the graveyard and dig a hole that size without being seen. Probably did it at night, he thought.
‘What about noise or light in the night?’
‘My bedroom doesn’t look over the graveyard so I’m afraid I wouldn’t have heard or seen anything.’ He handed the tea to Meadows.
‘Is there a side entrance here?’
‘Yes.’
‘Locked?’
‘No.’ Vicar Daniels sat down. ‘Do you think someone came through my garden carrying that poor soul? It doesn’t bear thinking about.’
‘We have to look at that possibility,’ Meadows said and took a sip of his tea. ‘It’s a more direct route. I’ll get some officers to take a look. It would probably be best if you don’t use that entrance for the moment.’
‘That’s fine, I’m happy to help in any way I can.’
‘Thank you. I’ll have someone get in touch from our press release team. They can help you with any announcement that you make in the morning. I’m sure your parishioners will be wanting to know what’s going on.’
‘Yes, I think I may just take the phone off the hook.’ Vicar Daniels smiled.
They finished their tea and were walking back to the church when Mike beckoned them over.
‘Looks like I have an identification for you. It was found with the body.’ He held out an evidence bag with a wallet. ‘A Dr David Rowlands.’
Chapter Thirteen
Donald woke to the sound of the front door closing. His head was thick with sleep and it took him a moment to remember it was Saturday. He guessed his mum and dad had just come back from the weekly shopping. They always went early. Now his father would plonk himself down in front of the TV and his mother would be in the kitchen trying out some new recipe. She’d been doing that a lot lately and Donald was never sure what was going to be put in front of him to eat. He preferred plain food. Still, she usually brought him back a treat and he was feeling hungry. It was the first night he had slept through without the nightmares and now the police had spoken to him he didn’t feel so sick all the time.
He pulled on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and went down to the kitchen where his mum was unpacking the shopping.
‘Put the kettle on, please,’ his mum said. ‘I picked you up some cakes. We’ll have one with a cuppa when I’ve put this lot away.’
Donald made the tea, took a cup to his father then sat at the kitchen table. His mother placed a box on the table and opened the lid. Chocolate éclairs, his favourite. He plucked one out and took a bite, the cream oozed out of the edges.
‘Glad to see you’ve got your appetite back.’ His mother picked up a cake. ‘Perhaps you’ll feel well enough to go back to school on Monday.’
Donald shrugged his shoulders, finished the cake, and licked his fingers before picking up another.
‘The police are at the church,’ his mum said. ‘They’ve been there all morning. That detective that was here the other day was just getting out of his car when we passed.’
>
The cake suddenly felt too heavy and sickly in his mouth. Donald picked up his cup and tried to wash down the mouthful. ‘What’s going on there?’ He placed the remainder of the cake on the table.
‘Dunno, but they were dressed up in those white suits, like you see on the TV. Don’t look so worried. Vicar Daniels is okay. I saw him standing outside the church. I wonder if someone else has been attacked. Can’t see who would have been out last night.’
Anxiety twisted Donald’s stomach, he bolted from the kitchen and ran up the stairs. In his bedroom he hopped from foot to foot as he pulled on his trainers. He grabbed a hoodie and hurried down the stairs.
‘Where are you going?’ his mother called.
‘Over to the church.’
‘Finish your cake first.’
‘I’ll eat it when I get back.’ Donald slammed the door then forced himself to slow down. He thought it might look odd if he ran towards the church. All along the church wall people stood stretching their necks trying to catch a glimpse of the police. He worked his way among them then stood on tiptoes to try and get a better look. Vicar Daniels was talking to Gwyn Rees but there wasn’t anything more to be seen.
‘What’s going on?’ he asked no one in particular.
‘Dunno,’ Emlyn Harris from the dairy farm said. ‘They’ve been back and forth to the van a few times and another copper just turned up. I reckon there has been another attack.’
‘Who?’ Donald asked.
‘Thought it might be you as no one has seen you for a couple of days.’
‘Don’t tease the boy,’ Mary Beynon said.
Donald hoped that it was another attack, it was better than the alternative.
‘Maybe I should go and see Vicar Daniels. Poor soul looks so worried, maybe it was him that found… whatever’s been found. He must have had a shock,’ Mary said.
‘Well, what do you expect? Someone lurking around the graveyard attacking people. I bet he’s thinking it could have been him.’ Emlyn fell silent as Gwyn Rees left the vicar’s side and made his way down the path.
Donald moved with the others towards the lychgate, he wanted to hear what Gwyn would say.
A Knot of Sparrows: a murder mystery set in the heart of the valleys Page 8
