Chapter 4: Pussys in the Well

Danny went over to the well and started pulling his torch up. As he lifted it out, the fireman returned with the other harness. Danny attached it to his rope with a bowline knot, which impressed the fireman.

Danny lowered it down carefully. Once it was taken off the rope, he pulled his rope back up and coiled it up out of the way.

Sergeant Cline called him over to sit with him and Aiden. ‘Ok,’ he said, ‘Spill the beans please.’ Danny gave them the gist of what had happened and how he had called to speak to Gerry to try and trace Linda. ‘Seeing it was a countryside area,’ he said, ‘I assumed a well was a reasonable possibility. So last week I set up the cone camera on the road at the end of the lane.’

‘I discovered that Gerry went out to work early each weekday and didn’t return before six pm. So last Wednesday I squeezed in through the hedge from the field and found the well. The lid wasn’t showing any signs of being overgrown like everywhere else. I lifted it aside and shone a torch down.’

‘It wasn’t strong enough to light up the bottom. Although I wasn’t

listening for it, I’m sure I would have heard a cry for help as I had my head right over the top. I dropped a small pebble down and counted between two and three seconds before it hit the bottom.’

‘On Thursday I made my camera and light cage plus a bar to go across the top of the well. I didn’t know Gerry’s movements over the weekend so I left it until today to come back.’

‘I lowered it down the well earlier, but there was no signal. It wasn’t until I’d pulled it up and looked at the video that I discovered one of the bodies was still alive.’

‘You took a big risk coming here alone though.’ Aiden said. Danny grinned. ‘I didn’t come alone,’ he said, ‘I had a guardian angel with me. Can you hear me Tom?’ he said. ‘Yes,’ came an immediate reply. ‘Can you come through to the back please.’ Danny said. ‘On the way.’ Tom answered. Danny pulled his phone out of the front of his overalls.

‘I was in contact with Tom all the time on both occasions.’ he told them. When Tom arrived, Danny said, ‘Constable Tom Dexter, can I introduce you to Detective Sergeant Cline and Detective Constable Walters.’

Tom was clearly unsure how to greet them, so Sergeant Cline put his hand out. As they shook, he said, ‘Pleased to meet you Tom.’ ‘I wouldn’t let Tom come in with me,’ Danny said, ‘Because I was trespassing. But all the time I was in here, Tom was parked in the field gateway next door listening in. We kept our phones open and on speaker the whole time.’

As Aiden shook hands with him, he said, ‘I assume you are the young man who stood in for us the other week?’ When Tom admitted he was, Aiden said, ‘Welcome to the club.’

Just then the fire officer called over. ‘Can we have some more hands on the rope please.’ They all went over and took hold of the rope behind the firemen. When the officer gave a blast on his whistle, they all started pulling.

With seven of them on the rope it pulled up steadily and smoothly, even though it now had two bodies on the end. As soon as heads appeared the officer gave a blast on his whistle and the pulling team stopped. Two of the firemen rushed over to the well. As the rest of the team pulled the rope slowly to the top, they reached over the well and grabbed his feet.

As the rope team eased off slightly on the rope. They pulled the fireman by the feet over to the side. He and the lady strapped to him were lowered down onto the ground alongside the well.

They were both untied and the ambulance that had been standing by put the lady onto their stretcher. Aiden was going to go to the hospital with her and collect all her clothes for forensics. Before they took her away, Aiden beckoned Danny over.

‘This is Grace,’ Aiden told him, ‘She insisted on meeting the person responsible for saving her. This is Danny,’ Aiden told her. ‘It was all down to him.’ She held his hand, ‘I can never thank you enough,’ she said, ‘I want to meet you again when I’ve recovered.’

After the ambulance had gone, Sergeant Cline came over to him. ‘I’ve just been looking at your gadgets,’ he said. ‘I understand the lights and camera. Also, the bar with the pully for across the top of the well. But what on earth is the other lethal looking missile for?’

Danny explained that if the camera had been inconclusive, he planned on dropping that down. He explained how the pointed bit would hold a sample for forensics and what the lump of concrete was for.

Amazing he said, ‘You and Lewis never cease to amaze me. Incidentally,’ he added, ‘My name is Simon.’ Tom had gone back out front to keep an eye on things. He rang Danny to tell him a crane was pulling into the field.

Danny told the fire officer so he said, ‘Right lads we can dismantle our ladders.’ Tom came through to the back and approached Sergeant Cline. ‘Yes, Tom.’ he said seeing he looked nervous. ‘The hire company delivering the crane asked if we needed an operator for it.’ he said. ‘I just thought I should tell you that in my previous job, I used to use the same model on many occasions.’

‘In that case, tell them no thank you.’ Sergeant Cline said, ‘You can liaise with forensics and work here with them. It’ll be good experience for you. I’ll inform the station when I get back.’ Tom beamed at him, ‘Thank you sir,’ he said. ‘It crossed my mind,’ he added, ‘That if we had a cage to put on the hook, it would be easier for people going up and down, they wouldn’t need tying on all the time.’

‘That’s a brilliant idea,’ Sergeant Cline said. ‘Where would we get one.’ ‘There’s a farm at the top of the lane,’ Tom said, ‘They might have something that would do the job.’ ‘Ok, you go and see what you can find.’ he told him. ‘Tell him he can send a bill to HQ for anything he supplies.’

‘Shouldn’t you be at school today?’ he asked Danny. ‘Yes, Danny admitted, ‘I rang them and said I wouldn’t be in but told them I couldn’t tell them why.’ ‘Ok I’ll do a letter for you to take in tomorrow.’ he said.

Just then a search team arrived with Gerry’s house keys. He was now in custody. The two bobbies who had arrived earlier were detailed to stay and guard the house and grounds. ‘I’m going back to the station.’ Sergeant Cline said. ‘When Tom returns, ask him to bring you too, then you can make us a copy of your video and I’ll have a letter for your school ready.’

Tom arrived half an hour later on a tractor with the farmer, delivering a metal platform for going on the crane. Tom started the crane and lifted it off the trailer behind the tractor. He thanked the farmer then he and Danny went back to his car.

Danny had already moved all his gear over to by the back of his car, so they loaded up and drove to the station. Tom’s uncle was on the desk. He gave them both a big grin as he let them through.

They went up to the computer and Danny made a couple of copies of the video onto a disc. Then they went to the interview room where Sergeant Cline and Aiden were waiting for them.

In answer to his question, Aiden told him that Grace was fine. ‘It seems the other bodies and general debris cushioned her fall,’ he said. ‘She collected some bruises from the side walls on the way down. Also, she is very weak. Apparently, she was thrown down late on Thursday night.’

‘That’s a relief,’ Danny said, ‘I’d hate to think she was there on Wednesday and saw me shine a torch down then go away again.’ He had decided it was prudent not to mention about him nearly impaling her with his missile.

‘Ok, now I need you to make a statement.’ Sergeant Cline said. He did the preliminary announcements on the tape then Danny explained he had counselled a lady who Gerry had raped a few years ago. ‘She said nothing at the time because she had no proof and was scared of him,’ he told them. ‘He had threatened to kill her and her flat mate Linda, his girlfriend, if she said anything.’

‘He also mentioned that the last girlfriend he had got rid of, he had thrown down a well whilst still alive. At the time I took that with a pinch of salt.’