The Ghost Fields Read Online Free Page A

stage policeman, ‘We’ve got some news regarding a gentleman whom we believe may be a family member. Frederick J. Blackstock.’
    Sally Blackstock’s mouth forms a small round ‘o’. ‘Fred?’ she says. ‘Freddy? But he died in the war. His plane went down over the sea.’
    â€˜Mrs Blackstock, do you remember reading in the local press about a Second World War plane being found near here? It would have been a couple of months back, in July.’
    â€˜Yes, I think I remember something.’
    â€˜Well, there was a body in the plane. Dental records have just identified the man as being Frederick Blackstock. I believe he would have been related to your husband?’
    â€˜Yes.’ Sally Blackstock runs a hand through her hair, leaving it standing up in a crest. She waves a hand vaguely towards the armchairs. ‘Do sit down, Detective er . . .’
    â€˜Nelson.’
    â€˜Yes. Nelson. Like the admiral. Frederick was my husband’s uncle but he emigrated to America in the thirties. We knew he’d died in the war but we were told that his plane went down in the sea with no survivors. My husband will be amazed.’
    â€˜Where’s your husband today?’ asks Nelson, surreptitiously removing a dog’s lead from the cushion of his chair.
    â€˜He’s with Chaz. Our son. He’s got a pig farm near here.’ She pulls a face. ‘I’ll call him. Oh God, where’s the phone? We don’t get much of a mobile signal here,’ she explains to the policemen, ‘so I’ve got one of those cordless phones, but I can never find it.’
    Clough finds it under a pile of
Horse & Hound
s and is rewarded by Sally putting the kettle on for tea. She goes into the pantry and they hear her leaving a message for her husband. ‘Darling, something rather amazing’s happened.’ Nelson and Clough exchange glances.
    Sally comes back into the room minus the phone. Nelson wonders where she’s put it and whether she’ll ever find it again. Mrs Blackstock, though, is suddenly all charm. She leans on the Aga and beams at the two policemen. ‘The thing is,’ she says cosily, ‘there were three brothers. Shall I tell you the story?’
    â€˜Yes please,’ says Nelson, trying not to sound as if he’s in nursery school. He wonders what Katie’s doing now. Perhaps she too is listening to a story. He sees Clough trying not to laugh.
    â€˜Lewis was the oldest. He fought in the war and was a prisoner in Japan. Had a terrible time by all accounts. Anyway, he was never the same again and, in 1950 or thereabouts, he simply vanished.’
    â€˜Vanished?’ repeats Clough.
    â€˜Yes. They all thought he’d killed himself but no one ever said it aloud. George, my father-in-law, says it was anabsolutely terrible time. His mother never could accept that Lewis was gone and she went a bit doolally herself. In the end, though, they had to admit that he wasn’t coming back and Lewis was declared dead in the sixties.’
    â€˜And Frederick had already died in the war?’
    â€˜Yes. He was the second brother. He hated this place, that’s what George always says. He said that the Blackstock land was cursed. He had a vivid imagination, like his mother. So Frederick emigrated to America and he fought with the US Air Force. He died in 1944, leaving George to inherit.’
    â€˜Your father-in-law?’
    â€˜Yes. He never expected to inherit, being the youngest son, but he tried to make a go of the place. My husband is his only child. He’s called George too. Young George, even though he’s pushing sixty.’ She laughs and takes the hissing kettle from the Aga.
    â€˜So the family were told that Frederick’s plane went down over the sea?’ says Nelson, trying not to look as Sally sloshes hot water into the teapot. The police first aid course was a long time ago and he can’t