Steps to Heaven: A Sgt Major Crane Novel Read Online Free Page A

standard investigative procedure. But much better coming from you, don’t you think? And of course I’m sure the Colonel will look favourably on your co-operation.”
    Hesitantly, the Chaplain finally nodded his agreement. “I’ll see what I can find out for you by tomorrow.”
    “Thank you, sir,” a relieved Crane replied.
     

 
    Chapter Five
     
    That night at home, Crane was preoccupied. It was troubling him deeply that something as awful as the murders had happened on his garrison. He was aware things like this happen in ‘Civvy Street’, but he always thought soldiers more disciplined. Fair enough, most of them flare up at one point or another, Crane had to admit it was almost a given. But to go as far as murdering your family? He was having a hard time getting the whole business out of his head.
    Unfortunately Tina hasn’t picked up on his mood. “Tom...” she began over dinner at their large farmhouse table in the kitchen, which was far too big for just the two of them.
    “Yes, love?” he replied, looking up from his plate. The sight of her made him smile. She had changed from the business suit she wore for work at the bank into what he called a track suit and his wife called a leisure suit. Her long dark straight hair was loose, framing her face and most of her makeup had worn off. This was how he likes her best. Natural and relaxed, her arched eyebrows giving her a slightly quizzical look. Her eyes were searching his, as if trying to decide whether to speak or not.
    “Well, I’ve been thinking about our future,” she said, dropping her eyes to look at her food instead of him, pushing around the vegetables on her plate, studying them as if they were suddenly foreign to her.
    Crane groaned inwardly, whilst keeping the smile plastered on his face. “Oh yes,” he replied, trying to inject enthusiasm into his voice.
    “You know, wondering if the time was right. What do you think?” Tina raised her head and looked at him, with eyes like a timid dog. Soft, liquid and trusting.
    What Crane thought was that she couldn’t have picked a worse time to want a discussion about having children, when all Crane could see when he closed his eyes was the young boy dead in his father’s arms, by his father’s hand. But of course he couldn’t tell her that.
    “What about your career at the bank?” He answered a question with a question.
    “I know, I know,” Tina replied turning her wine glass round and round. After pausing to take a sip of the blood red liquid, she continued, “but I figured that I could take maternity leave and then see where we go from there.”
    Dragging his eyes away from the wine she was drinking, Crane took a long draught of his beer. Placing the glass back on the table, he got out of his chair and began to clear the debris of their meal. Another avoidance tactic, he knew that, but he couldn’t seem to help it.
    “What about the finances though?” he called over his shoulder from the sink.
    “Well, I was thinking that if I look into that first, taking into account my maternity pay and all the benefits you seem to get these days when you have a child, I was wondering if we could just manage, even if I don’t go back to work.”
    Crane slumped against the sink, thanking whatever God there might be up there for the reprieve.
    “Why don’t you do that then?” This time his enthusiasm was genuine. “We could talk about it again next week and go over the figures.”
    Moving over to the sink, Tina placed her arms around his chest and her head against his back. “Thanks, love, I knew you’d understand.”
    Crane dropped the plate he was holding, turned in her arms, kissed her and then whispered in her ear. “No, thank you.”
    “What for?”
    “For being just the kind of wife I need right now.”
    “And what kind of wife was that?” she teased.
    “The kind that doesn’t care if the washing up doesn’t get done tonight.”
    ***
    Crane awoke refreshed the next morning and was