Broadchurch: Blast From The Past

Chapter 4

TW: descriptions of a dead body, mention of genitalia, foul language

Ellie was waitingin her station wagon at the hospital's main door. Alec hopped out ofthe ShitMobile and waved at her to follow. "Did anyone tell youabout the latest development?"

"No," Ellieanswered suspiciously.

He summarized NigeCarter's visit as they walked down to the basement morgue. Ellie'sreaction was the same as his: loud cursing and a horrifiedexpression.

"Why the bloodyhell didn't he say anything when I was there?!"

"I don't knowabout you," Alec said slowly, "but Nige Carter does not strike meas particularly intelligent."

Ellie gave him asardonic look. "Wow, was that you being tactful?"

"Just trying itout. No good?"

"Awful."

He opened themorgue door and ushered her in sarcastically. "Age before beauty."

"Piss off,Hardy."

The medicalexaminer, a battle-hardened veteran of the force named Ralph, wasunfazed by their bickering. "'Bout time you got here," hegrumbled.

"What've yougot?" Alec demanded without preamble.

Ralph crossed hisarms. He was one of the few people in Broadchurch as surly as Alec,maybe more so. "Other than a body?"

"Yes, otherthan a body. How about an ID?"

"Yup," Ralphsaid. "Traced the serial number on his hip implant. Earl Collins,sixty-three, pensioner. Sky-high cholesterol, hardening of thearteries, and fatty liver disease. Arthritis everywhere, especiallythe hands. I'd imagine that he worked with his hands. Lots of graveland dog shit in the boots; I'm running analysis run on that.Hopefully we'll get a hit on the location."

For all hisgruffness and bluster, Ralph was extremely good at his job; hepretended to be an arsehole when he was really a skilled andpassionate worker. The whole department feared what would happen whenhe retired.

"That's it?"Alec demanded.

"Let's see youcome do this job, Sonny."

"Let'ssee you chase down a suspect, Grandpa."

Elliecut in, as she always did with their verbal sparring. "Boys, playnice."

Ralph sniffed andswitched back to professional mode. "Shotgun to the chest killedhim, close-range. Already dead when they strung him up, of course.Oh, and one other thing," he added, as though he'd just thought ofit. "His genitals were cut off."

"Excuseme?" Alec blurted.

"His dick. It'sbeen cut off."

"Oh, um,that's..." Alec shuddered visibly. "Did you find....it?"

Ellie let out asudden giggle, prompting Alec to glare at her. "You think this isfunny, Miller?"

"No, but yourreaction sure as shit is."

"I didn't findhis dick," Ralph told them blithely. "Wasn't in his hand, mouth,rectum, or pockets."

"Right, well."Alec cleared his throat. "That'll be something to look out for."

"Thanks foryour help, Ralph," Ellie said with a brilliant smile. "Outstandingas always."

"Anything for apretty lady," Ralph answered with a wink.

"See?" Elliesaid to her boss. "Catch more flies with honey than you do withvinegar."

"That's whatI've got you for. Come along, Miller."

They reluctantlyheaded back outside. The morgue, while dim and creepy, was at leastwarm.

"How can it bethis cold and not snow?" Ellie wondered. "If we're going tofreeze our arses off, at least make it pretty."

"So much for awhite Christma--"

The sound ofscreeching tires drowned out Alec's words. He shoved Ellie asideseconds before a black sedan broadsided her station wagon. The sidemirror clipped him, knocking him to the ground. Then the vehicle wasgone as quickly as it came.

"What the fuck!"Ellie yelled. She scrambled to her feet. "That maniac! Whatwere they doing?"

"That wasn't anaccident, it was an attack." Alec sat up with a groan. "They weretrying to kill us."

"Were you hit?"she asked, helping him up.

"I'm fine. Let'sgo inside and radio for backup."

Back in the warmthof the cottage hospital, Ellie called SOCO, and they sat down towait.

Alec scrubbed hishands over his face. "God's sake, what is going onhere? A cockless body, an attempt on our lives...if I wanted thislevel of bullshit I'd've stayed in Glasgow."

His mobile rang.He answered with a furious, "What now?" He listened to theperson on the other end, hung up and shouted, "BOLLOCKS!"

"What?" Elliedemanded.

"SOCO traced theprints and DNA on Nige's letter. Both belong to Susan Wright."

The team's lastencounter with Susan Wright occurred during the Latimer case. She hadlied, stolen, threatened an upstanding member of the community,obstructed a murder inquiry, involved Ellie's son Tom in theinvestigation, disappeared, came back, and perjured herself on oath.None of it was enough to bring her up on charges, but it was morethan enough to make everyone hate her.

"Son of abitch," Ellie muttered. "Now what?"

"We need to getMaggie and Jocelyn out of sight, and the Latimers, andget a tail on Nige Carter."

"Quite a list.What about our kids? Susan knows them. Mine, at least."

Alec went intodecision-making mode. "I'll have Tess come get Daisy. Can your boysstay with your sister?"

"Should befine."

"Ring yoursister, then the Latimers and Maggie. I'll ring Tess, and check onthe kids. Meet you back here in fifteen minutes?"

Ellie nodded, and they went about their separate tasks.