Episode 6

"Follow me" the woman said and they set off across to the other side of the ten acre field with the railway line to their left. Yaxley scuffed his way across the dusty soil bringing up little clouds of dust and realised that two characters were waiting for him. He then caught sight of the deceased laying next to the drain with the pitchfork still proudly erect. He shook hands with Clunch and Hummer and they made their hesitant introductions. "Right. What's the deceased's name then ?" he asked with as much authority as he could muster, aware that he needed to make a good first impression. "That's Reginald Dixon of Chestnut Farm. Thirty Five years old and a bloody good darts players when he'd had a few drinks !" said Clunch.

Yaxley noted the information, leaving out the darts tribute. "And when did you first find Mr.Dixon?" he enquired. "We 'eard it 'appen dint we Cluncher" spat out Hummer Thompson. "Th'ole Fen were a blowing this mornin', fust thing and we were in the shed, weren't we Cluncher. He were drawing a big 'ole tadger on the wall, weren't you Cluncher ? Then there were a bloody loud 'ol screamin' and a gorn ahead racket. We ran out into the blow and by the time we got here, we found Reg laying down here like he is now". "So you didn't see anyone ?", "No, the blow were too bloody thick. Took us best part of ten minutes to get the muck and dust out of our gazollopers, dint it Cluncher?".

By this time Yaxley was having trouble understanding Hummer. He wished he could switch him from 78 rpm to 45 rpm. He hoped that not all Fen people talked this fast when excited. "Could anyone else have seen anything ?" he asked. Clunch pointed to the signalbox. "You couldn't do much worse than speak to young Jak Jackson up there. He can't leave the box on account of the trains. But he mighter seen somethin'.

[Next Episode - Episode 7]