2010
Natalie held her breath. Was it human? Or animal? After all, this had been a farm…
‘Dad? What…what is it?’
He turned to face her and Molly, his expression grim.
‘Looks like a human skull to me. I don’t want to dig any more in case I damage it. We should call the police.’ He stood up, rubbing his back.
Her mother hugged her. ‘Looks like you did see a murder, darling. So don’t go doubting yourself any more.’ Molly turned to Peter, smiling. ‘Well done. Now come in and wash your hands and I’ll get you a cold drink.’
Taking a last look at the part-excavated skull, Natalie shivered. Then she followed her parents inside and picked up the phone.
‘I’ll call them, Dad. Sounds better coming from me. I can say we were digging for a pond, which is sort-of true.’ She dialled the number and explained what had happened. The sanitised version. After ending the call she told her parents they were on their way.
‘Lemonade, anyone? I could sure do with one myself.’
Her parents nodded and she pulled out three cans from the fridge. By mutual consent they took them outside to the terrace and sat down, looking towards the sea, averting their eyes from the hole in the ground.
‘I suppose this’ll make the local headlines.’ Natalie frowned, unhappy at the unwanted publicity and invasion of her privacy.
Molly pursed her lips.
‘It will, I’m afraid. Bodies don’t turn up all that often over here. But it’s most likely to be the proverbial seven-day wonder, and if you get pestered you can come and stay with us.’ She sipped her drink, looking thoughtful. ‘Assuming the body is that of a woman, and buried for about twenty years, you’ll need to tell Stuart, won’t you? Before the press gets wind of the connection.’
Natalie nodded. ‘Yes, I’ve been thinking about that. I’ll ring him if it looks as if it’s Olive. The police will want a living relative for DNA. Bit of a shock for him and Tabby.’ Where would she start? The vision? She’d have to tell him something…The sound of cars arriving interrupted her thoughts. Suggesting her parents stayed put for the moment, she went through to the front door as the bell rang.
She was faced with several uniformed policemen hovering behind two men in plain clothes, one of whom introduced himself as DI Woods and the other as Dr Vaudin. Behind a couple of police cars she spotted an ambulance.
‘Right, I’ll show you what we’ve found. It’s round the side, if you’ll follow me.’ She noticed the excitement in the faces of the policemen. Her mother was right; investigating a buried body was a rare occurrence. The DI stood by the hole and motioned to the doctor to join him.
‘Do you want my men to clear away more soil? I’ll tell them to be careful.’
The doctor nodded and moved away slightly. Natalie watched as two men slipped into the type of coveralls she’d seen on television, covering their shoes and pulling on gloves. They opened a case containing small trowels and brushes and set to work.
‘Right, Miss Ogier, can we go somewhere where we can talk?’ The DI, a slim man in his thirties and sporting stubble on his chin, turned away from the kneeling men.
‘Sure. Let’s join my parents on the terrace.’
Natalie made the introductions and DI Woods took out a notepad and started asking questions. He seemed satisfied with what they told him.
‘I understand you’ve only recently moved in, so I don’t suppose you’d have any idea who the…person might be?’
This was the question she was hoping he’d ask.
‘Well, I might. You see…’ she told him the story of Stuart’s grandmother and his interest quickened.
‘That’s extremely helpful, thanks. We can check the old files about the case. Is Mr…’ he checked his notes, ‘Cross around?’
‘No, he’s in France with his mother. I…I don’t want to bother him until you’re sure it could be his grandmother. There’s been a family wedding.’ She smiled at him.
‘Understood. I’ll go and check progress.’ He stood and went back to the hole.
‘Coffee, anyone? And I’ll see if any of the police would like a drink.’ Her parents both said yes and Natalie collected the empty cans before joining the group huddled around the now bigger hole in the ground. Police tape surrounded the site. As she drew near, Natalie felt something like an electric shock run up from her feet through her body and, swaying, felt the cans drop from her fingers. The doctor rushed to her side, asking if she was all right.
‘I…I think so, thanks. Just felt a bit…dizzy.’ She remembered the last time she’d felt the same thing. When she’d stamped her foot on the ground. Which now appeared to be Olive’s grave.
‘Sit down and I’ll take a look at you.’ He guided her to the chair she’d dragged round earlier and she sat down, shaking. ‘It could be delayed shock. It’s not a nice thing to find in your garden, is it?’ Crouching down, he put a cool hand on her forehead and then checked her pulse while an officer collected the cans from the pile of soil where they’d fallen. Her parents must have seen what happened and rushed over, wide-eyed.
‘What’s happened? Are you okay?’ her father said, eying the doctor hovering over her.
The doctor let go of her wrist and said, ‘She felt dizzy. Her heart rate’s fine and she doesn’t have a temperature.’ He turned back to Natalie. ‘How are you feeling now?’
‘Bit better, thanks. It’s all been a bit of a shock…’ Molly had gone into the kitchen and returned with a glass of water and she drank it down.
‘Thanks, Mum.’ She frowned as she glanced at the doctor looming above her. ‘Are you here to see if the…the remains are human?’
‘Yes, I’m the pathologist. DI Woods also wants me to assess how long ago they were buried.’ He nodded towards the hole. ‘They’ve uncovered a full skeleton and it’s a female. I’d say she’s been there for a number of years, for sure. At least twenty. But further tests will tell us more.’
Natalie glanced at her parents, who looked relieved. Beyond them, DI Woods was in deep discussion with the officers in the hole.
‘How long will it take to learn the woman’s age and when she died? She could be my neighbour’s grandmother.’
He pursed his lips.
‘Yes, I heard you mention that earlier. We’ll be taking the body away shortly and I’ll be as quick as I can.’ He stopped to watch as a stretcher was brought from the ambulance. Turning back, he added, ‘Should know by tomorrow at the latest.’ He gave her a searching look. ‘Sure you’re okay? You’re still a little pale.’
‘I’m fine. Nothing a cup of coffee can’t fix. Talking of which–’
‘I’ll make it, you sit still, darling,’ Molly said and went off to ask if anyone else wanted a cup.
DI Woods, after giving orders to other policemen, joined Natalie. Satisfied she was all right, he said he’d be leaving officers to search the immediate area for anything that could be of interest and that part of her garden would remain sealed off.
‘I’ll phone you once we’ve had the pathologist’s report. Are you going to stay here?’ He looked as if he thought it’d be odd to stay in a crime scene.
‘Yes, no reason not to. It’s not as if I’m at risk from someone who killed twenty years ago, is it?’ Her fighting spirit had surfaced. She saw the doubt in her father’s eyes but he remained silent. Wise man.
The DI moved away and Natalie watched as the skeleton was carefully lifted into a black body bag before being placed on the stretcher. As the bearers moved past her, Natalie could have sworn she heard a faint voice cry, ‘Help me, please!’