The investigation into Tom Roberts’ disappearance had taken an unexpected turn, as it now seemed highly likely they were searching for a body rather than a missing person. It became a joint venture with Derbyshire Constabulary as the search relocated from Cumbria to Derbyshire. George Kerr would need to liaise with them to work out the finer details of costs. Naturally, he’d want them to pay the lion’s share for such a large operation. Jack would love to be a fly on the wall to hear that conversation.
Priestly travelled with his DS, Owen Hardy, who was delegated as the driver on a bright sunny Monday morning while Jack spent much of the journey on his phone, co-ordinating the search.
Heading to such a beautiful part of the country in a designated National Park, both men could have wished for a less gruesome reason to visit the area. Claire Swift had worked her magic in researching the original accident in which Jenny and Alice’s sister’s family had perished, finding an approximate location to give them a starting point.
After an early start, the detectives were on course to meet with a team from Derbyshire Constabulary at 10.30am.
Jack’s phone rang for about the fourth time. He listened silently and then offered his thanks to the caller.
‘What’s up, boss?’ Owen’s expression was one of eager, puppy-dog curiosity.
‘The helicopter’s identified what could be our body.’
‘Already?’ Owen’s demeanour became solemn. A respectful silence gave the men time to let the news sink in. The helicopter had started the gruesome search early; conditions had been perfect, with no visibility problems and the crew member Jack had spoken to sounded confident of his find.
‘It could be that our search is drawing to its conclusion, Owen.’ There was a note of weary disappointment in Jack’s voice as they were confronted with the likelihood that finding Tom Roberts alive was now virtually non-existent.
The helicopter was stood down, their work complete. The discovery was within half a mile of the original accident site. Claire’s research had saved valuable time and resources.
It was unusual for Snake Pass to be closed in summer. Winter was a different matter altogether; the snow and ice made driving treacherous, closure was frequent and expected. The road was also prone to subsidence following heavy rain, again resulting in closures, but the reason that Monday morning was for something else entirely.
Owen parked as close to the barriers as he could get, and he and Jack exited the car with heavy hearts. A group of officers was already assembled, waiting for Jack’s okay to begin, and introductions were made.
A couple of volunteers from the local mountain rescue team were ready to make the descent from the road to the sighting location. One of them was an off-duty PC, the other a medic. Also waiting to make the climb down was a crime scene manager from Matlock, who identified himself as Rob Britton. If this did prove to be a body, the CSI manager would make an initial examination of both the body and the crime scene before they could move anything. If physical conditions prevented this, photographs would have to suffice.
Owen Hardy took a brief glance over the side of the barrier then stepped back sharply. ‘Thank God I don’t have to go down there,’ he whispered to Jack. In most investigations, the SIO and the DS would view the scene before anything was moved. Unfortunately, today this was not possible as neither were experienced enough in such terrain.
Jack, impressed with the equipment already in place, was grateful for the co-operation of those at the scene. Nothing was visible from the roadside, but the helicopter crew’s report suggested that what they were looking for was about seventy feet below the edge, caught in some shrubs. Of course, it could have been worse. The CSI manager and the PC, both dressed to make the descent, seemed to think nothing of it. Jack felt like a spare part as he watched them prepare, checking safety equipment and clipping on harnesses.
A hydraulic winch, still loaded on the back of a lorry, was parked at the roadside, the operator waiting patiently to play his part in the recovery. It all seemed surreal to the Penrith officers, but the Derbyshire team knew their stuff and worked efficiently.
As the two men embarked on their descent, the team fell silent, listening to the men’s breathing, the only sound so far through their radio mikes.
Rob Britton’s voice came through the speaker. ‘I can see something now. It’s too small to be a body; hang on, I’ll get a bit closer.’ A few minutes of silence followed when all they could hear was the men’s movements and a few grunts. ‘It’s in a black plastic sack, too small for a man’s body… unless it’s dismembered.’
Jack felt suddenly nauseous, wondering to what awful depths Rachel Roberts had plummeted. ‘Can you see anything else?’ He asked.
‘Yes.’ The PC, whose name was Andy Grice, answered. ‘There’s something about six feet below me, larger than the bag, caught up in some shrubs. Could be what we’re looking for.’
‘Rob, how are you fixed for a preliminary examination of both items?’ Jack asked.
‘Not good. I’ve got a foothold, but it’s precarious. I think photographs will have to suffice in this case, Jack.’
‘Agreed, don’t take any unnecessary risks. Good job, both of you.’
The winch was manoeuvred to the side of the road, and a stretcher sent down to the two men below. It was a slow process, the grinding noise adding to the horror of the task they were undertaking, but eventually, they managed to secure their first discovery, which was winched safely back up to the top.
The smell was the first thing that struck those gathered around on the roadside; a rancid stench made worse by the heat of the recent summer weather. Owen pulled on gloves and rolled the bundle off the stretcher.
‘Bloody hell, it’s a dog!’ He turned away, clearly disgusted as the plastic covering was pulled away to reveal the decomposing body.
‘Barney,’ Jack whispered gloomily. It was tangible proof of Rachel’s depravity.
Again the stretcher was lowered over the edge, with Jack and Owen sadly aware of what this second discovery would be. The wait was longer this time, made more unbearable by the heat of the sun, now at its peak. Jack imagined the original accident would have been on such a day as this.
Eventually, the second, heavier, bundle was winched to the top, followed closely by Rob Britton and PC Andy Grice. The body was partly covered by what could be a blanket.
‘Good work, guys, thank you.’ Jack helped the CSI manager to his feet.
‘It’s certainly a body, the clothing suggests an adult male, but I need to get him to the morgue for the pathologist to begin the identification process. It won’t be a pretty sight, Jack,’ Rob warned him. ‘Decomposition in this weather will have been rapid, and the wildlife will have contributed as well.’
Jack nodded. He had no reason, or desire, to view what they now knew to be a body. Identification and cause of death would take time, although the Derbyshire pathologist had assured them he would fast-track this one.
There was little more for Jack and Owen to do. With the benefit of technology, the necessary paperwork could be completed back in Penrith and shared via email with their colleagues in Derbyshire.
Having no appetite, even though they hadn’t eaten since early morning, the two men set off on the long drive home, Jack again on the phone to update his superintendent and the team at Hunter’s Lane.
During a silent, reflective, moment, Owen wondered aloud, ‘What I don’t understand is why she was so cruel to her daughter. I can understand her hating her parents, but what had the child done to be treated in such a way?’
‘I’m no psychologist, Owen, but I’ve wondered about that too. For what it’s worth, my opinion is that Rachel was subconsciously punishing Millie for not being Jenny, her sister. Perhaps the thought of a baby elicited hopes of reliving her years with Jenny. But when Millie turned out to be nothing like her, and Rachel didn’t feel the emotions she was expecting, she was angry and took it out on her daughter over the years.
‘It sounds weird, but I can see what you mean. Nothing would surprise me about Rachel Roberts, and I’ll be glad to see her behind bars where she can’t ruin any more lives.’
It had been a difficult day, but worse was to come. Alice Roberts needed to learn of their discovery, a find which would terminate her hopes. Even though it was impossible to identify Tom’s body yet, there was little doubt, and the woman had a right to know of their findings. Not for the first time, Jack wondered how much heartache one woman could endure.
