Under a Silent Moon Read Online Free
months, after which she was planning on going abroad. I do not know where to.
On Wednesday 31 October Polly came to work as normal. She asked if she could go into town at lunchtime, and I agreed. She offered to do some shopping for me as well. She left in her car at about 12.30. I did not see her again until 3, when I saw her riding out in the top field.
I saw her return a couple of hours later through my kitchen window and I went to the stables to talk to her. She said she had been unable to get the things I wanted. I was very disappointed, as I could have gone into town myself if she had told me sooner. We had a bit of an argument about it. She left without finishing off the work in the stables, claiming she had a headache. The last time I saw her alive was around 5.30.
The next morning Polly was due to start work at 7 but at about 9 I noticed that the horses werenât out in the back field, so I went down to see what was happening. Polly wasnât there. The horses were quite agitated as they usually have breakfast by 8. I fed them and let them out into the field. After that I went to Yonder Cottage to see where she was. By the time I got there it was probably gone 9.30.
I noticed Pollyâs car was in its usual place and the back door to the cottage, which we use as the main entrance since it is nearer the road, was wide open. It opens into the kitchen and I could see blood there. I called out several times but there was no response. I was very frightened. I went to go through to the stairs. The door to the hallway was not completely shut, but I needed to push it open in order to go through.
I could see a body on the floor, right by the door, and a lot of blood everywhere. I almost fell over the body, which I recognized as that of Polly Leuchars by the color of her hair and her build.
I went back into the kitchen and used the phone there to dial 999.
I did not notice if anything was missing from the house and I do not know why anyone would want to kill Polly.
Section 4âSignatures
__________________________
__________________________
WITNESS: (Felicity Maitland)
OIC: (S Hollands DS 10194)
----
15:57
âRight, letâs have some hush, please,â Lou said, hoping her voice sounded more commanding than she felt. The briefing room was packed. Andy Hamilton was sitting right at the front; next to him was Barry Holloway. Her detective sergeant, Sam Hollands, was right at the back, her mouth set in a determined line. Lou knew she would probably never have so many people at a briefing again; by the time the first week was over, she would start to lose people to other duties and would have to beg, borrow, or steal to get them back. If, heaven forbid, the case was to drag on into months, she would end up with only a couple of the people here now.
She needed a quick arrest.
A few moments before her mobile had rung. The display said it was the superintendent, probably calling for a prebriefing update, or maybe to wish her luck with it. Whatever it was, she would have to ring him afterward. Being late for the briefing would not be a promising start.
She was quietly relieved at how quickly silence had descended on the room. She wasnât going to get too many chances to find her place at the head of this team.
âFor those of you Iâve not met, I am DCI Louisa Smith. Iâm going to give you some background, and then Iâll hand over to Barry, who will get us all up to speed on where we are now. Firstly, let me say that if you have any problems here I want you to feel you can come and see me or call me at any time. We all need a swift result with this one. And, as youâre aware, this is a murder inquiry, and anything you hear in this briefing may be of a sensitive nature, so please keep it to yourselves.â The standard warning.
Clicking the down arrow on her laptop, the first slide:
OP NETTLE
Murder of Polly LEUCHARS
With a picture of Polly herself, taken earlier in the year; it
On Wednesday 31 October Polly came to work as normal. She asked if she could go into town at lunchtime, and I agreed. She offered to do some shopping for me as well. She left in her car at about 12.30. I did not see her again until 3, when I saw her riding out in the top field.
I saw her return a couple of hours later through my kitchen window and I went to the stables to talk to her. She said she had been unable to get the things I wanted. I was very disappointed, as I could have gone into town myself if she had told me sooner. We had a bit of an argument about it. She left without finishing off the work in the stables, claiming she had a headache. The last time I saw her alive was around 5.30.
The next morning Polly was due to start work at 7 but at about 9 I noticed that the horses werenât out in the back field, so I went down to see what was happening. Polly wasnât there. The horses were quite agitated as they usually have breakfast by 8. I fed them and let them out into the field. After that I went to Yonder Cottage to see where she was. By the time I got there it was probably gone 9.30.
I noticed Pollyâs car was in its usual place and the back door to the cottage, which we use as the main entrance since it is nearer the road, was wide open. It opens into the kitchen and I could see blood there. I called out several times but there was no response. I was very frightened. I went to go through to the stairs. The door to the hallway was not completely shut, but I needed to push it open in order to go through.
I could see a body on the floor, right by the door, and a lot of blood everywhere. I almost fell over the body, which I recognized as that of Polly Leuchars by the color of her hair and her build.
I went back into the kitchen and used the phone there to dial 999.
I did not notice if anything was missing from the house and I do not know why anyone would want to kill Polly.
Section 4âSignatures
__________________________
__________________________
WITNESS: (Felicity Maitland)
OIC: (S Hollands DS 10194)
----
15:57
âRight, letâs have some hush, please,â Lou said, hoping her voice sounded more commanding than she felt. The briefing room was packed. Andy Hamilton was sitting right at the front; next to him was Barry Holloway. Her detective sergeant, Sam Hollands, was right at the back, her mouth set in a determined line. Lou knew she would probably never have so many people at a briefing again; by the time the first week was over, she would start to lose people to other duties and would have to beg, borrow, or steal to get them back. If, heaven forbid, the case was to drag on into months, she would end up with only a couple of the people here now.
She needed a quick arrest.
A few moments before her mobile had rung. The display said it was the superintendent, probably calling for a prebriefing update, or maybe to wish her luck with it. Whatever it was, she would have to ring him afterward. Being late for the briefing would not be a promising start.
She was quietly relieved at how quickly silence had descended on the room. She wasnât going to get too many chances to find her place at the head of this team.
âFor those of you Iâve not met, I am DCI Louisa Smith. Iâm going to give you some background, and then Iâll hand over to Barry, who will get us all up to speed on where we are now. Firstly, let me say that if you have any problems here I want you to feel you can come and see me or call me at any time. We all need a swift result with this one. And, as youâre aware, this is a murder inquiry, and anything you hear in this briefing may be of a sensitive nature, so please keep it to yourselves.â The standard warning.
Clicking the down arrow on her laptop, the first slide:
OP NETTLE
Murder of Polly LEUCHARS
With a picture of Polly herself, taken earlier in the year; it
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