One Lost Soul
Table of Contents
ONE LOST SOUL
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One Lost Soul
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
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First published by Hamilton Press in 2019
ONE LOST SOUL
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We learn through experience and we must never forget.
One Lost Soul
Hidden Norfolk - Book 1
J M DALGLIESH
Prologue
Holly was grateful for the shelter of the dunes. The wind had a habit of rattling along the coastline, sweeping across the flatlands and cutting through even the hardiest of winter clothing. Where they were sitting, beyond the thick pine forests of the Holkham estate, there was shelter of sorts. She watched the others building a fire on the beach below, gathering driftwood and any fallen branches scavenged from the nearby woods. In the summertime, the estate routinely sent groundskeepers out to ensure open fires were not set but not at this time of year. Early spring could be lovely on the Norfolk coast, bright sunshine, warming on the skin. As long as the prevailing wind wasn’t whipping in off the North Sea, at least. The sun had long since set and the chill of the evening was beginning to bite.
In a month or so, the tourist season would begin. All the local businesses running skeleton opening hours over the winter would be up and running once more. The seasonal workers would soon return, maybe. There was a lot of talk amongst the locals that this year would be different. Applications for job vacancies were down on last year and her father commented that even agencies were struggling to fulfil the roles.
It must be amazing to be one of those people with the freedom to travel beyond the confines of where they grew up, able to go to another country and experience different lifestyles and culture. The prospect of learning a new language, trying strange food or simply watching the sun set over an alien landscape was exciting, exotic. One day that would be her. Not that she could tell anyone, nor would she when the time came. She would vanish on the breeze, carried away by an unstoppable force. Maddie came to mind, watching her as she danced with her friends a short distance away. What will become of her when I leave? That last thought dampened her enthusiasm, tempering the future vision.
The fire was lit now. They were singing, the others. It wasn’t a song she cared for, not one she even knew the words to but it was popular. Their shadows danced on the sand around the fire as they moved, linking arms and singing louder as more voices joined in the chorus. Holly felt a hand on her shoulder. The touch was gentle. She didn’t look round. Mark slipped his arm across her shoulder, coming to sit alongside her on the blanket he’d laid out for them. Part of her wanted him to suggest they move closer to the flames. He didn’t and she knew why. He would no doubt try to slip his tongue into her mouth soon. To be fair, it was to be expected. The location, the fire, and their being alone, away from the others and sitting in the darkness made for quite a romantic setting. She would probably oblige.
Mark was a nice guy. Most of their year group steered clear of him but that was less to do with his outbursts and more to do with the family reputation. If she knew of anyone less deserving of such scorn, then it would be news to her. Releasing his grip on her shoulder, Mark retrieved a bottle from a plastic bag at his side and unscrewed the cap. He offered it to her first. She could smell the alcohol and it made her stomach churn. The waves of nausea were getting more frequent but she kept quiet. The last thing she needed was another lecture on visiting the doctor. How could she? The thought of drinking made her feel worse and she declined the offer. He said nothing, sipping from the bottle and pulling an odd face as the liquid burned his mouth. That was the issue with Mark. Immature.
The bonfire was well underway. The colours, the crackling of the wood and the spiralling wisps of smoke and flame dancing into the night sky with the waves crashing on the beach was somewhat hypnotic. Holly imagined her fears being consumed by the heat, with the glow at its heart a depiction of her dreams and fantasies. One day soon she would leave this place and everyone in it behind, travel somewhere where no one knew her and become an artist, make things… jewellery perhaps. All of this would be but a memory.
She felt Mark’s hand stroke the small of her back. Looking to him, he smiled. She said nothing, returning her gaze towards the bonfire and spying the whites of the breakers beyond as they approached the shoreline. Mark was a nice guy. Even so, he still couldn’t come with her. There was no place for him. There was no place for any of them.
Chapter One
The frosty chill of the dawn was now rapidly becoming a warm Saturday morning and Tom Janssen sat on the bonnet of his car, sipping his takeaway coffee and watching Saffy in the nearby play area. Only a couple of short months ago, she would have insisted he accompanied her to every piece of apparatus whether he could fit in, under, or on top of it. Not so now. She was a precocious seven-year-old, confident and enthusiastic for any new experience and she would seek out a challenge at any opportunity. That wasn’t to say she took everything in her stride. As he observed her interactions with the other children, none of whom she was familiar with as far as he knew, he felt a swell of pride within, which felt odd. Occasionally, her little head would pop up, similar in style to that of a meercat, and he would see her blonde curls framing her rounded face and piercing blue eyes just checking on his presence. Sometimes, if he wasn’t observant enough, there would be a call to ensure he was still paying attention.
He waved with his free hand, offering a broad smile to go with it. Saffy set off across the rope bridge in pursuit of another little girl, whose mother looked on nervously from the side lines. He could understand, more or less. He wondered at what point a parent would cease worrying about how their children might damage themselves. It seemed to him that from a very early age, they were practically indestructible. That was his experience where Saffy was concerned. Once, she had bounced from a sofa, pitching forward in an unplanned somersault and landed head first in a heap on a hardwood floor. There were a lot of tears and blood-curdling shrieking but once the initial shock subsided, no harm was done and she was off in search of mor
e stimulation.
Perhaps there was no set timescale. The fears only shifted along with the perspective as the child grew up. Today’s playground would become tomorrow’s gymnastics and then, soon enough, her first driving lessons.
Sipping more coffee, he shielded his eyes from the glare of the sun. It was still sitting low in the sky and he regretted not bringing his sunglasses. His head felt foggy and a mild headache gnawed at him. On another day, he could be cursing the bottle of wine drunk the night before but he hadn’t had a drink in months. Thinking about it, it could be much longer. He couldn’t remember. Not that it mattered. It wasn’t a choice to stop drinking, merely something he fell into by accident. Either way, his lips were dry and his tongue felt like sandpaper. A hangover but without the fun of the night before. Maybe he should be drinking after all if this was what abstinence felt like.
“Penny for them.” He looked to his left as Alice approached. He hadn’t heard her. She clutched a jute bag containing whatever it was she was picking up this morning. She must have said but he was preoccupied and hadn’t really been listening.
“What’s that?”
“You were miles away.”
Tom smiled. He was lost in thought but with nothing in particular. That wouldn’t be an acceptable answer, so he chose to say nothing. Alice was much like her daughter, very inquisitive. Others would call her nosey but not him, he wouldn’t dare.
“Did you get me coffee?” She looked around expectantly, frowning at the absence of an extra cup.
“Sorry, I didn’t know how long you would be.”
“No problem. Did you manage to keep a hold of my daughter, at least?” She was only semi-serious, her tone mocking as always. Even when they were children, Alice used to take the position of the authoritarian despite being several years younger than Tom. He pointed towards the play area and as if on cue, her head popped up again. Catching sight of her mother, the suddenly animated girl jumped up and down letting out a whoop of delight. Alice waved. “Seems to be enjoying herself.”
“Saffy always does.”
“I wish you wouldn’t call her that.” Alice was curt. He knew the shortening of her name irritated her.
“Well, what did you think it was going to be shortened to?” Now it was his turn to stir things.
“We didn’t really think about it.”
“So, what do you call her?” he asked, wracking his memory for an occasion when she’d used a nickname but couldn’t recall one.
“Sapphire.” Alice was matter of fact. “It is her name after all.”
He frowned, then flicked his eyebrows to indicate his understanding. At that moment, the girl in question appeared and hurled herself into her mother’s arms, momentarily throwing her off balance.
“Hey, Saffy.” He cast a sideways glance at Alice just as Sapphire extracted herself from her mother’s hug and launched herself into him. “Was that fun?” She nodded affirmatively. “Where should we go now?”
“The beach!” He laughed and Alice shook her head. The little girl always wanted to go to the beach, it was the destination of choice if ever given the option.
“We’re not going to the beach this morning, young lady.” Alice was firm. The way she managed her daughter’s expectations was commendable. One day, he would be a parent himself and he might adopt a similar approach. Although, in reality, he knew he was more likely to be a pushover or delegate all responsibility regarding tough decision making to his partner.
His attention was drawn to raised voices. The type of altercation you hear when a couple are having a very public argument, unable to hold themselves back until behind closed doors but, at the same time, attempting to continue their heated discussion without anyone else overhearing. An impossible task. Fortunately for the man and woman in question, the car park was pretty quiet at this time on a Saturday morning. Those in the play area were preoccupied with their children and only the three of them were there to witness the display.
The woman caught his eye appearing to notice the attention, not that he was particularly interested, and she dropped whatever she was saying mid-sentence. She was in her forties, dressed in riding trousers and boots, the stereotypical garb of someone getting into a nearly new Range Rover on the weekend in affluent rural Norfolk. She was either on her way to tend to her horses or had already done so. Her make-up was immaculately presented, fastidiously applied but still looked understated which was quite an achievement in his book. Her partner, on the other hand, was a little older, perhaps pushing fifty. A tall man, heavy set with a portly belly and once black hair, now shot through with grey, swept back in a quiff that stood to attention. He wore mustard coloured corduroy trousers and a thick green khaki jumper. His cheeks were flushed, whether as a result of their heated discussion or he was a naturally red-faced individual, Tom couldn’t be sure.
Both doors to the Range Rover slammed shut and the debate restarted. Today was going to be a long one for some people.
“Well, I hope that’s sorted by Monday morning, whatever it’s about.” Alice sounded concerned. Tom looked to her and realised she too had been watching the exchange. Saffy was oblivious, already onto an exploration of a patch of daffodils and a number of ducks who were approaching her in the belief she might feed them.
“You know them?”
“Yes. Don’t you?” Alice sounded surprised. He shrugged. The engine fired up and reversed out of its space at a more measured pace than he’d anticipated. Alice noticed his watchful gaze whereas she had already averted her eyes, focussing on her daughter. “That’s Colin and Marie.”
“From the surgery?” Tom spoke, watching the vehicle approach the main road, indicate and pull out, accelerating away. Alice nodded. “Do you think they saw you?”
“Yes. Certain of it.”
“That’ll be awkward when you’re making tea.”
Now it was Alice who shrugged. “I expect they’ll pretend it never happened.”
“They often like that?” He wasn’t really into gossip but the atmosphere where you worked could really affect your mood. He should know, after all.
“I don’t really see much of them.” She sounded disinterested. “Once I’m onto my patient list and they are seeing theirs, you don’t really come up for air until the end of the day.” He admired how much energy Alice put into her job. As far back as he could remember, she wanted to help people. Her graduation from Nursing College, and subsequent move to Norwich, coincided with his acceptance into the job and he relocated at a similar time. It seemed like their childhood friendship would remain exactly that, something in their past. Now though, somewhat happily of sorts, they both found themselves back home, each with their own story to tell – and equally reticent to share it.
“Maybe it was a cross word that quickly passed.”
She looked down the road, the car having long since disappeared from view. “More likely they saw me and took an educated guess at who you were.”
Tom found his curiosity piqued, intercepting her gaze with a half-smile. “So, you talk about me, then? At work, I mean.” She flushed, much as she used to years ago when embarrassed but didn’t reply. “What do you tell them?”
“To make sure their cars are taxed.” The jibe was cutting. Alice was back on form and it made him laugh. Sapphire reappeared, begging for something to feed the ducks with, swearing blind that crisps would do. Everybody likes crisps. “Now, can you unlock the car, please? This bag is getting heavy.”
Janssen picked his way along the access road running up to Holkham Beach, aware of the number of children charging about excited at the prospect of the day ahead. The road was dead straight, lined on both sides by pine trees, with parking allocated to both left and right. Despite early spring returning to a cold snap, today promised to be glorious and the spaces were filling up with families keen to exploit the four mile stretch of golden sands along with the nearby nature reserve. It was still early for most and therefore they managed to park close to the barriers, cutting
off the road from the reserve, the last point where members of the public could drive to.
Sapphire trilled away cheerily in the back seat and Janssen exchanged a knowing smile with Alice. The little girl had been looking forward to this day all week. Leaving Alice to get their coats out of the boot, the wind may have dropped but the temperature was still only a touch above freezing point, and he walked the short distance to buy a parking ticket. Balking at the price, he only just managed to gather together enough coins to pay for half of the day. It would be enough. Saffy would get bored. By the time they’d eaten the picnic they brought with them, she would be ready for something else.
Retrieving the ticket from the slot, he returned to the car. Saffy and her mother were standing alongside the car, playing patty cake as he approached. Both offered him broad smiles as he came past, reaching in through the open passenger door and sticking the ticket to the windscreen.
“How long did you get?” Alice asked casually.
“We’ll be okay until lunchtime.” Stooping, he picked up the bags containing their food and another with assorted spades and sand castle buckets, along with a frisbee. “Let’s go!” If the truth were known, he was as excited as Saffy at the prospect of a morning on the beach. Some of his favourite memories were of days spent with his parents and friends hanging out on the sands. Not necessarily here, but Norfolk was blessed with a magnificent coastline. Some days they would be out in the depths of November engineering architecturally unsafe castles and their associated fortifications. If they were solid enough to stay up until the tide came in, there was an equal chance that the children would gang together and destroy them themselves at the end of the visit, just for the fun of it.
Within two steps of leaving the car, his mobile rang. Reaching into his pocket, he took out his phone. It was Eric Collet. He was manning CID today. There was no way he would bother him unless it was important. Waving the others on, he held back to take the call.