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Marsh's Last Case

by K D Holdsworth

About the Author: http://www.ken-holdsworth.co.uk/

Excerpt

Anyone driving past ‘Lakeview’ could have been forgiven for thinking that this was just another bungalow. However, appearances can be deceiving because if you were to stop your car, get out and walk to the rear of the property, it would be immediately apparent that this is, in fact, a three-storey house built into the side of a hill. Should you then be invited inside you would undoubtedly be shown the wide, open riser, wooden staircase that afforded access upwards to the attic bedrooms [their picture windows designed to take full advantage of the spectacular view across the mere] and downwards to a large, two-car garage, a wine cellar, and what the current owner, Robert Royle, chose to call his ‘office’.

It was at the bottom of this staircase that he now lay dead.

Dr Tom Barnet, dressed in the full SOCO garb of white plastic coverall and overshoes, was kneeling beside the body. His was a familiar face in the village, for as well as being the police surgeon he was also a local GP.

Sensing that someone was standing behind him, he paused in his examination and looked up. Instantly recognising the newcomer, he couldn’t resist indulging in a little friendly banter. “What on earth are you doing here, Fred?” he said with a chuckle, “I thought they’d retired you.”

“You know very well that I don’t go until next week,” Detective Inspector Fred Marsh replied huffily. “You’re coming to my leaving do at the Plough on Friday night aren’t you? Now then, what have we got?”

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