that covers the back of the church and the vicarage. There are no CCTV cameras on the graveyard, so I have nothing I can give you. It’s a big area for two cameras but that’s all the budget stretches to, I’m afraid.’
Jacob pulled his notebook from his pocket.
‘Can you tell us any more about this person?’ Gina leaned on the window ledge and tried to imagine how scary it would have been for Sally Stevens when she saw the figure. Living alone in this big house with its creaky floorboards would have heightened the fear.
She shook her head. ‘No. From here, I couldn’t really get much of an idea of the person’s height and, well, the figure was covered in the huge coat so I couldn’t even estimate their build. I don’t know whether it was a man or a woman and I couldn’t see their face, not even when they looked up. There are no lights out there at all and I recall it being cloudy, so the moon didn’t even give off much light. Had it not been for the long coat material moving a little with the breeze, this person probably would have blended right into the night.’ She glanced at her watch. ‘I don’t want to hurry you but if I don’t get down there, I’ll have a load of parents and children getting cold outside the church.’
‘Before we go, do you know a man called Al who often hangs around the street. He has a crew cut and is approximately six feet?’
She shook her head, her curls bouncing as she moved. ‘No. That description isn’t ringing a bell for me.’
An image of the bell with no clapper inside sent a shiver through Gina. ‘You’ve been really helpful. If you remember anything else or you see any strange people in the graveyard, would you please call me straight away?’ Gina passed the vicar her card. ‘Call me anytime, day or night.’ If hanging around a graveyard in the early hours wasn’t suspicious, then she didn’t know what was. If it was kids playing around, there would have been more than one of them and three in the morning was late.
‘I definitely will do. It’ll be my pleasure.’ The vicar paused and looked intently. ‘“Be sober-minded, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Peter, chapter five, verse eight. I’m always on my guard and I’ll call you if I see or hear anything else.’
Gina allowed that little speech to sink in and smiled. ‘If it’s okay, I’d like an officer to come by later when you have more time, to collect all the CCTV recordings for the past few days. You never know, we might just spot this person on another day at another time.’
‘I have already looked but you’re welcome to everything I’ve got.’
Jacob stepped out of the bedroom as Sally began to move towards the door. Gina trailed behind, having one last glance out of the window before reaching the landing.
‘Jerry, shut up. I won’t be long.’ She glanced back. ‘That dog hates me going out and leaving him. Separation anxiety.’ They hurried downstairs and out of the heavy wooden door, back into the drizzle.
‘Thank you. We’ll be in touch.’ Gina rubbed her hands together as the cold air hit them.
‘You know where to find me.’ Sally Stevens ran towards the back of the church, disappearing through the door ready to open up out the front.
‘Shall we take a look around the back?’ Jacob began walking around the house.
‘Yes. I know the team are up to their elbows in it, but I’d like the graveyard to be secured as a potential scene. The night before we find a body buried alive in the woods, a suspicious individual was spotted at one of the potential entry routes at approximately three in the morning. It doesn’t get any more suspicious. I’m going to call it in. Given the adverse weather, I’m not holding out for any evidence, but you never know. All it takes is that one little thing to be dropped and trodden into the earth.’
They reached the graveyard and Gina spotted a robin bobbing on a mossy bench. The tree’s bare branches reached out, like bony fingers trying to nudge the robin as a gust of wind caught them. Gina shivered and wiped the misty raindrops from her forehead.
‘It’s creepy, isn’t it, guv?’
She stared at the grave that Sally Stevens had pointed to. It was large