Larcombe Manor

by Ted Tayler

  His friends in the Alliance had wanted both Olympus agents killed, just as he had. They financed the hit, so Tyrone knew they would be unhappy with the outcome. He needed to rebuild bridges if they were to continue their partnership.

  February - April 2015

  Maria Elena returned from Estepona on Monday evening after the attack. She refused to stay away from Giles any longer. The nanny looked after Hope while Athena planned the funerals of Barry Longdon, Kelly Dexter and her unborn child.

  Minos and Alastor assumed responsibility for the other Olympus men who had died. As those arrangements were being completed, Athena learned of Phoenix’s death. Another funeral to attend at Larcombe Manor. Where else could it be held? Phoenix didn’t exist.

  Athena endured many dark days after Rusty’s return that Friday afternoon. The danger had always been there. She and Phoenix had both understood that. It didn’t make the pain any easier to bear. She still caught Hope standing by the window looking for her father to come home.

  On Monday, the second of February, Rusty stamped his mark on the new Olympus with a visit to the City of London. He killed Tyrone and Colleen O’Riordan. He blew open the safe in the bedroom of Tyrone’s flat and discovered damning documentation on the Grid. There were details of the burgeoning collusion with the far-right group.

  On Tuesday, Giles Burke hacked into the Glencairn Bank and froze the Grid’s assets. Without the shield of the bank to protect the money-laundering, it exposed the soft underbelly of the network.

  Zeus acted as Phoenix had forecast. He called an emergency meeting. Ten Gods gathered at Curzon Street, in London, on Wednesday, the fourth of February. The two newcomers, Chronos and Hebe were welcomed. Aphrodite returned once more, bruised but not broken. Ambrosia was in mourning but managed to seat herself next to Zeus.

  Zeus received unanimous support for the vision of the new Olympus Project. Athena would return to the table in time. Phoenix was gone, never to be forgotten.

  Apollo proposed Rusty should take his place. Zeus dubbed him Perseus, the slayer of monsters.

  In mid-February, Athena had the scan confirming she was expecting a son. There was only one name that suited the occasion. He would be called Phoenix.

  Perseus promised to train Hope and Phoenix when the time came.

  Artemis, Sarah and Maria Elena plotted to add to the number of students. There would always be monsters. The world needed heroes to slay them.

  The tide had turned. Police now had the tools to wage the fight against organised crime with the help of Olympus.

  Callum Wood received a call from Zara Wheeler at the end of March. She offered him Phil’s old job. He had never fancied moving into the new headquarters at the end of the year, so he accepted.

  Callum found a folder on his desk when he arrived on his first day at Larcombe Manor. He learned that the double murderer he sought was a Russian gangster contracted to kill Phil Hounsell. He had been eliminated.

  The three Albanians responsible for the robberies and the killing of Wayne and Bridie had been hunted down and killed in Tirana. A substantial sum of money was recovered.

  Callum was tasked with identifying a list of charities he thought should benefit.

  Callum wondered what he’d let himself in for. He decided he wasn’t an old dog yet. He could learn new tricks. Working at Larcombe Manor promised to be interesting.

  The far-right conspirators revealed themselves as the Alliance Party in the run-up to the election. Giles Burke, Minos and Alastor provided more than enough to discredit them. The distorted transcripts from the BBC Monitoring Service revealed in January had wounded them. Proof of one hundred thousand pounds paid to Tyrone O’Riordan for the services of Steve Nash, even without a direct link to the Alliance, was confirmation these people were not to be trusted with the public’s vote.

  The Alliance Party made no impact at the General Election. Another danger had passed. The UK could look forward to a brighter future.

  It was as Benjamin Franklin had said: -

  “Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected

  are as outraged as those who are”

  *****

  On a grey, February day, a low-key funeral took place in the little estate church at Larcombe Manor.

  Phoenix was laid to rest.

  His identity was never uncovered.

  Everything had turned full circle.

  Colin Bailey was invisible, just as he had been in the beginning.

  You have finished reading ‘Larcombe Manor’

  The twelfth and final book in the series featuring ‘The Phoenix’.

  Feel free to Tweet about any of my books and please tell your friends to read them.

  Every writer likes to receive a review; it’s our lifeblood. If you can, then please do.

  This part of my journey is over. For those of you who have read and enjoyed my books from the start, you have my heartfelt thanks.

  About The Author

  “The core message in all my novels is that today justice is not being served. The Phoenix believes criminals should pay for their crimes; the current system fails to deliver the correct punishment. Olympus agents help him redress the balance. Life is all about balance, isn’t it? Good and evil, love and loss, laughter and tears.”

  “I think of myself as a storyteller; with each successive book, I hope I get better at it. What I’ve been told is that the reader feels as if we’re sat across the table from one another, and I’m chatting with them. There’s always a rich vein of material for me to include in my books from news headlines. There are more stories left to tell.”

  Ted Tayler was born in Corsham, Wiltshire in 1945. When he was five years old his family moved five miles up the road to Melksham. He’s lived there ever since. Ted’s been married to Lynne since 1971. They have 3 children and 4 grandchildren.

  The Phoenix Club

  Sign up to be on my mailing list for details of new adventures and the opportunities for receiving free books. You will receive a free short story simply for subscribing.

  Sign up at - http://tedtayler.co.uk

  Thanks again for reading. Until the next time. There will be monthly newsletters and blog posts on my website for you to enjoy. I hope we meet again.

  Acknowledgements

  To Lynne, my wife, none of this would have been possible without her love and support.

  My parents, Albert Victor Nelson Tayler and Edith Tayler (nee Harmsworth) for everything they did to provide a happy home for my younger brother Bob and me. My mother’s love of music sparked the interest in my first passion, and her love of words encouraged me to read anything and everything. It was years after they both died when the writing started. I never got the chance to show either of them what they helped me achieve.

  Our children, Stephen, Kim and Louise for becoming the people we hoped they would be. We’re both immensely proud of you.

  Every active member of The Like Club. For the past four years, you were my collective rock; always available with encouragement and advice gathered from your own writing careers. I wish you every success going forward. I’ll be around to help plug your titles for a while yet.

  Eternal thanks to every blogger/reviewer who read my books and posted a review.

  Lucinda K. Campbell, a lady who has been with me every step of the way. I published my first two novels on Smashwords and saw a list of recommended book formatters. Her name sprang off the page. Heartfelt thanks for all the sterling effort you have put in, Lucinda. I loved the Evergreen Series and was honoured to read and review it.

  A massive thanks to my wonderful readers. I wish I could list every single one of you. I’ve got the space but I don’t know your names.

  Last but not least, the select band of Phoenix Fiends who took the trouble to add their names to my mailing list. I hope we’ll stay in touch through the newsletters for as long as you want to hear from me. We might get more fans to join. Who knows?

  The Final Straw

&nbs
p; An only child, unloved and unwanted by his parents, Colin Bailey is a bitter, emotionally damaged young man. He’s hell-bent on exacting revenge on anyone who has stopped him becoming the person he believes he was destined to be. What sets Colin apart is his intellect and meticulous planning. Detective Phil Hounsell pursues his man relentlessly while trying to avoid the small town in which he works sliding further and further into the grip of two rival gangs.

  A devastating event in Colin’s life provides the final straw that herald’s a bloodbath. Can Phil prevent it happening or will he too be a victim? This tale of revenge spans two decades, yet the police are chasing shadows; it builds in pace and tension to a thrilling climax against the backdrop of a quiet West Country town.

  Unfinished Business

  The sequel to the award-winning ‘The Final Straw’ sees Colin Bailey return to the UK after a decade abroad. With a new name and a new face, he still has scores to settle. His meticulous planning takes him ingeniously across Scotland and the North of England ticking names off his list with the police completely baffled.

  DCI Phil Hounsell pitted his wits against Colin before and so he is sent to Durham where he teams up with super intelligent young DS Zara Wheeler; together they track their man to Manchester and then eventually south to Bath. The final scenes take place on the streets of the Roman city; Phil Hounsell’s family is threatened. In a dramatic conclusion reminiscent of Holmes and Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls, the two men struggle above the foaming waters of the historic Pulteney Weir.

  A Sting In The Tale

  A collection of twelve short stories, each with an unexpected twist at the end. Love stories, ghost stories, and tales of revenge sprinkled with a touch of humour.

  There is something for everyone, young or old; from the elderly bookshop owner with an unusual talent and his summer of love with a young schoolteacher. To the haunting account of the journey on the last bus back to town from the heart of the countryside. Each story has characters and situations you will recognise. But will you identify the 'sting in the tale' before you turn that final page?

  The Olympus Project

  Rescued by strangers from a watery grave and given a new identity.

  The Phoenix is a stone-cold killer.

  An ideal fit for the Olympus Project, a secret organisation fighting injustice.

  With hard, fast action and a cast of characters you can reach out and touch, this is the thriller series for which you’ve been searching.

  Gold, Silver, and Bombs

  The eyes of the world are on London 2012.

  British security services anticipate an organised terror attack.

  Safety is paramount. What if the real danger comes from a lone wolf?

  You won’t want to miss the page-turning intensity of the second story in this gripping series.

  Nothing Is Ever Forever

  The action never slows. The tension never slackens.

  The Phoenix stares death in the face once more.

  Detectives Hounsell and Wheeler return.

  The past threatens to catch up with Phoenix.

  What will the future hold for the Project? What dramas lie ahead? After all, nothing is ever forever.

  Something Wicked Draws Near

  Newly-weds Phoenix and Athena battle The Grid and its leader Hugo Hanigan.

  Olympus seeks fresh faces to join the Gods and provide finance for its missions.

  Grid gang leader, Tommy O’Riordan, is convicted of murder.

  Hugo Hanigan immediately takes bloody revenge.

  A nostalgic trip to Dublin for Hugo Hanigan brings the curtain down on this part of The Grid’s story. It continues in the eighth book ‘Evil Always Finds A Way’.

  Evil Always Finds A Way

  The drama unfolds over forty days and forty nights across the UK.

  The Grid’s story continues as death becomes a constant companion to Phoenix and his colleagues.

  Can Olympus halt the reign of terror perpetrated by The Grid?

  When this story reaches its conclusion one thing is certain, what follows next promises to be even more exciting and unpredictable.

  Revenge Comes In Many Colours

  Justice and revenge are to the fore.

  A senior Grid members meeting has a dramatic conclusion.

  Colleen O’Riordan strengthens her grip in the capital.

  Who is her secret assassin?

  What does the future hold for Hugo Hanigan?

  The excitement never lets up as the vigilante organisation battles organised crime.

  Step by step, the Olympus story moves closer to its final instalments.

  Three Weeks In September

  The Grid becomes all-powerful under its new leadership. The UK is on the brink.

  An onslaught from organised crime combined with attacks by Islamist extremists takes its toll.

  Can Olympus stem the tide without revealing its hand?

  These are some of the story threads in this tenth Phoenix book. The pace is relentless. There are enough passion, excitement and tragedy to last a lifetime. All squeezed into three weeks.

  A Frequent Peal Of Bells

  The Islamist terror attacks resume.

  The Grid wields its power with sustained bursts of criminal activity.

  Government resources are stretched to breaking point as austerity cuts hamper their response.

  Packed with current issues of political and economic concern this eleventh book retains the intensely realistic feel of the whole Phoenix Series.

  Gus Freeman is 61 years old. The retired Detective Inspector lives in a village near Devizes in Wiltshire. He has spent the past three years tending his allotment. His wife, Tess, died from a brain aneurysm six months to the day after his retirement. He is still coming to terms with his enforced solitary existence.

  Then comes a call from the county police HQ. Gus’s old boss wants him to head up a Crime Review Team investigating cold cases. His trips to the allotment would be curtailed and his days would be occupied with old witness statements and freshly unearthed clues… on the other hand, the hunt would be on once more.

  Do his superiors really need his old-style policing methods, or is the request out of pity? Is it something to occupy his mind with fruitless digging into age-old cases their best young brains have failed to crack?

  In ‘Fatal Decision’ the first of six cold case investigations, Gus and his team review the death of Daphne Tolliver, a 68-year-old widow brutally murdered in nearby Lowden Woods as she walked her faithful dog, Bobby.

  The other members on the team who help to solve this mystery are: -

  DS Neil Davis - whose father Terry served with the same county force. Are there skeletons in the family closet?

  DS Alex Hardy - a motorcycle pursuit officer confined to a wheelchair after a devastating accident eighteen months earlier.

  Lydia Logan Barre – a forensic psychology graduate, a 25-year-old firebrand full of righteous zeal with opinions on every aspect of modern policing.

  With a rich cast of characters and a plot worthy of Agatha Christie, this first of six cases in the Freeman Files comes to you in December 2019. Before you have time to catch your breath the remaining five books will be released at monthly intervals.