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Chapters (70)
  1. Cover
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  3. Map of Rutland
  4. Map of Oakham
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
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  27. 23
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  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. On Borrowed Time
  69. Acknowledgments
  70. Adam Croft

‘So you keep telling me.’

‘I’ll give you three guesses as to one of the construction companies that was involved in that work.’

Caroline slowly nodded. ‘I’m pretty sure I can get this in one. Arthur Clifton Construction?’

‘Ten points to DI Hills.’

‘Do I win a speedboat?’

‘Bad taste. Speaking of which, do you remember that guy Howard Smallwood who spoke to us at the boating centre? The guy wearing the frog jumper. I reckon we should give him a call. He’s clearly barmy, but he’s exactly the sort of guy who might have some juicy information.’

Caroline thought about this for a moment. ‘Alright,’ she said. ‘Give him a call. But on one condition.’

‘What’s that?’

‘Tell him not to wear that bloody frog jumper.’

22

Even Caroline had to admit that a four-minute walk down Church Street didn’t warrant her starting up the car, parking a hundred yards down the road, paying for a ticket and then walking the rest of the way to Otters.

The cafe was bustling, as it was most mornings, but there was no mistaking Howard Smallwood. He looked just as Caroline might have expected the president of a local history society to look. He gave the impression of a cross between a supply teacher and a man eternally stuck in the past.

Caroline had heard colleagues and locals talk about Otters, but she’d never crossed the threshold. She realised now why the rest of town seemed so quiet each morning: because everyone was in here. She introduced Dexter and herself to Howard, adding two black coffees to the table’s order.

‘I understand my colleague’s been in touch,’ she said, giving Dexter the side-eye.

‘That’s right, yes. Some potential historical connection, you said?’

‘Sort of,’ Dexter replied. ‘As I mentioned on the phone, we’re a bit rusty on that front, so we wondered if you might be able to help.’

‘I’ll do my best,’ Howard said, smiling. ‘What is it you want to know?’

Dexter was keen not to tell him too much at this stage. It was generally a good idea to only let expert witnesses know as much as was necessary. Evidence would be much stronger if it came independently. ‘Well, we’re not really sure. We’re clutching at straws a bit, if I’m honest. I was hoping you might have a bit more background and context than the standard history books and websites. Maybe we could start with the history of Rutland Water?’