The Two Towns (The Lakeland Murders) Read Online Free Page A

said Jane, without recourse to either her notes or the file. ‘Phil and Ann Clark, both aged 47 and from Burneside, had a static caravan on the shores of Windermere. They were in the habit of using it at weekends, winter and summer, as a base for walking and a bit of sailing. There’s no evidence of marital disharmony, affairs, work or financial problems in either case. They both worked in insurance, and had done for years. No kids. On the night of November 14th last year they stayed in the caravan, and at about seven PM Phil went out for a walk. He’d taken to going for moonlight strolls, apparently. An hour later he returned, and found his wife’s body. Carbon monoxide poisoning. SOCO found that the outlet from the heater, outside the mobile home, had been blocked with a potato. They also found that the outlets of three other caravans, fortunately all unoccupied at the time, had been similarly tampered with. The husband denied all knowledge, and he, along with several other caravan users, mentioned that kids had been seen around the site, causing a low-level nuisance. Five of these children were traced and interviewed, and all denied any involvement. A verdict of unlawful killing was returned at the inquest. Is that about it?’
    ‘Yes. That’s a good summary. So why do you think that the husband did it? Why wasn’t it kids pissing about, not realising the danger that they were putting Mrs. Clark in?’
    ‘There had been no previous reports of those vents being blocked.’
    ‘Maybe it was a new prank. The first and last time they tried it.’
    ‘There were no sightings of the kids that evening.’
    ‘Perhaps they just weren’t spotted. Only one other caravan in that part of the site was occupied at the time. Or maybe they did it the night before, and no-one noticed.’
    ‘SOCO said it was probably that night that the vents were blocked. Judging by the state of the potatoes when they were examined.’
    ‘Probably isn’t the same as definitely though, is it? Sandy Smith’s reports are always models of precision. And she says that the potatoes were all placed on the outlets at the same time, were all from the same batch in that they were genetically identical, and had probably been placed on the outlets after 6pm on the day of the incident. But not definitely. She didn’t say definitely.’
    ‘Point taken. So what makes you think it was him then, Andy? A hunch? Surely you can’t believe in that sort of mumbo-jumbo?’
    ‘Not really, no. But I do think that there’s something approaching evidence that it was the husband.’
    ‘I must have missed it. Sorry.’
    ‘Don’t worry. I only said ‘approaching’. And I’m not even sure how explicit the file is on the point. It’s about the other caravans that were tampered with. Which were they again? Plots six, seven and eight, isn’t it?’
    Jane looked through the file.
    ‘Yes, that’s right.’
    ‘Well, just look at those plots against the site map. They’re outlined in blue, and the Clark’s caravan in red. Have a look at the photos too, the general shots of the site. I think there’s an aerial one in there somewhere. Notice anything?’
     
    Jane looked carefully at the site plan, and the photographs. Then she saw it.
    ‘I get you. Why didn’t the offender put a spud on the caravan opposite the Clark’s one? Because although the offenders did do sequential numbers they’re not actually closest to each other, are they?’ Hall nodded encouragingly, and Jane thought about the possible significance of her observation. Hall was about to speak again, but stopped when Jane held up her hand. ‘Don’t tell me’ she said quickly. ‘The caravan that didn’t get done is the one that had people in it that night.’
    ‘Yes, exactly’ said Hall, raising his voice slightly. ‘Now I asked Clark during our interview if he knew that the people in that caravan were there that weekend, on site I mean, and he admitted that he did.’
    ‘It doesn’t prove