The Reckoning Read Free Page A

size and looked young, judging by the way he strode up the path. He was wearing tan-coloured trousers and a cherry-red sweater and had a hat on, and a knapsack on his back.’ Chivers paused. ‘And now comes the strange part. Hammond had decided to start moving the sheep back to his farm – it’s some way down the valley – and he whistled to his dog. The man on the path, the killer, heard it. He looked up, Hammond said. He actually paused for a moment. But he didn’t stop. He went on. It made me wonder if he was all there.’
    He waited for Billy’s reaction.
    â€˜Was there anyone else around?’
    Chivers shook his head. ‘Not according to Hammond. Earlier in the afternoon he’d seen some hikers go by on their way to the Downs. But they were in groups.’
    â€˜He didn’t see anyone on his own?’
    â€˜That’s correct, and certainly not this fellow. Hammond saidhe would have remembered the sweater. It was bright red. Later on he saw those two fishermen who heard the shot. They came over the ridge and he saw them disappear into the bushes. When I spoke to them the next day I realized they must have been about a hundred yards downstream from here.’
    â€˜Then the man Hammond saw walking up the path must have gone by them?’
    â€˜He must have. But they didn’t see him. The bushes are quite thick at that point and most likely he didn’t see them, either. Anyway, Hammond spotted this bloke, as I say, and watched as he walked up the path to where Gibson was fishing – here, in fact – and then stop and go down the bank to talk to him.’
    â€˜He could see they were speaking?’ Billy interrupted.
    â€˜I’m not sure about that, and neither is Hammond, but it looked like it.’ Chivers shrugged. ‘Gibson had been bending down, getting his stuff together. He seemed to be on the point of leaving. Then this man appeared and Hammond saw them facing each other, as close as you are to me, and he watched as Gibson went down on his knees in front of the man. But then he turned away . . .’
    â€˜He turned away ?’ Billy scowled. ‘ Hammond did? Why?’
    â€˜Because of his sheep.’ Chivers shrugged. ‘They were starting to move, and for the next few minutes he was busy with them. When he finally glanced down at the stream again he saw there was someone lying on the bank.’
    â€˜Hang on a minute,’ Billy cut in. ‘What about the shot? Didn’t he hear it?’
    â€˜Yes and no.’ Vic shrugged. ‘He heard something, but didn’t realize it was a shot until later, when he found the body. He was some way away, remember, up on the hill, whistling to his dog; besides that, he’s an old boy and hard of hearing.’
    â€˜But he saw the body. He must have known something was wrong.’
    â€˜Well, he wasn’t sure it was a dead body, not at first: just somebody lying there. But then he spotted the man in the sweater walking back down the path in the direction he’d come from. And just walking, mind you; not running, not hurrying. Just striding along, as cool as you please.’
    He shook his head.
    â€˜By that time Hammond had decided he ought to do something and he went down to the stream. When he found Gibson lying there with a hole in the back of his head, he climbed back up to the path to see if he could spot the other chap. But he’d vanished. So Hammond did the next best thing and legged it as fast as he could into Kingston, which is where he ran into Boon.’
    He turned to the young officer.
    â€˜All right, Constable. It’s your turn now.’
    Boon straightened.
    â€˜I’d just come off duty, sir.’ He addressed himself to Billy. ‘I live with my mum and dad in Kingston and, as I reached our gate, I saw Mr Hammond coming up the road towards me, half-running. He was out of breath and could hardly get his words out. When he told me