Seated at the kitchen table, Rupert smiled as he listened to the doubt in Joyce's voice. "You don't believe I'll find the pendant in the pool."

She shuffled in her chair and sipped her morning tea. "Let's say you find it. What's your next move?"

"I have a body exhumed on the basis two were buried. One we know about and the other we were not meant to find. It makes sense when you complete the jigsaw."

She placed her empty mug on the table. "I assume this is one of your gut feelings."

"You know me. I have completed the picture on the facts I have. Okay, I've added a few missing pieces. Pound to a penny, I'm right."

"As always, you'll do what is right for you. Archer will go mental when you shove the evidence up his nose."

"You're forgetting something. I don't work for Archer. And anyway, he knows if he makes a fuss, I'll have a quiet word in the Chief Constable's ear."

She laughed. "No, you wouldn't. You're not that sort of person."

"Archer never worked with me, so he hasn't a clue what I'm like."

"Watch out for him. He's the sort who will smile sweetly as he stabs you in the back."

"Predictable idiots are easy to manipulate. He wields his rank as a sword. You must stay out of the way, but I have the advantage."

"Be careful. That's all I ask."

His mind wandered back to when they first met. She was straight out of training and possessed a strength of character the majority of female officers never had. When she put one of her male counterparts down, he felt the pain as others laughed at him. Rupert always speculated what she was thinking, and when he asked her, she told him straight to his face. The first time he summoned enough courage to ask her out, she told him no hope in hell and she wasn't a senior officer's bed warmer. It took time, and eventually, she surprised him and asked him. During their first date, he knew she was something special, and their relationship blossomed, but for the most part, it was on her terms.

From outside, a klaxon horn blasted.

Rupert peered through the kitchen window and saw a khaki green fully equipped Land Rover. "Eric's here, Joyce." In the hallway, he lifted a Harris tweed overcoat of its hook and put it on.

Joyce pointed at two holdalls. "There's two camping stoves, cutlery, and enough food for an army. The three flasks are full of coffee. Rita in the Posh Café made the contents, so no complaints, or I'll tell her."

He grinned. "Hell hath no fury like Rita, but she makes a mean bacon roll."

She kissed him. "Be careful. No falling in the pond."

"Been there and done that. See you later. If I see a phone box, I'll call you when we finish."

"The klaxon sounded again.

"Geoff's becoming impatient." He opened the door and carried the holdall to the vehicle. "Morning Geoff. Where can I put lunch."

Geoff sighed. "Park your arse in the passenger seat and dump it between your legs."

He smiled. "You always called a spade a spade. You know the way to Stonewall Village. When we reach the church, I'll guide you to the track that will take us to the pool."

Geoff engaged first gear and drove away. "Rupert, the guys in the rear seats are in no particular order. Bill, Martin, Fred and Richard, my divers. You don't happen to know how deep this pool is."

"All I can tell you is it's deep enough. When I tumbled from the path, I never touched the bottom. Is that a problem?"

"Not really, but it becomes a time-restrictive dive if it's more than thirty feet. I assume you've heard of the bends?"

"I have." Rupert removed a picture of the pendant from his pocket and passed it to the men behind him. "This is what I hope you can find. However, I'm not sure it's there."

"If it's there, we will find it," said the man behind Rupert.

"Are you listening?" said Geoff. "Your first job is to remove the Rib and check the depth of the water."

"No problem, boss."

"Two minutes to Stonewall," said Geoff.

"Drive slowly past the church, and you'll notice a five-bar gate on your left. Stop before it, and I'll jump out, open and close it when you're through."

"Is that the gate, asked Geoff.

"Right in one."

Three minutes later, Geoff drove across the field towards a gap in the hedgerow.

"Not an easy gap to spot if you don't know it exists."

"The track on the other side is well worn. The potholes are deep, so drive carefully.

"I've a lot of expensive gear on and in this wagon. I don't intend to damage it or hurt anyone."

The vehicle rocked from left to right until they drove over the narrow stone bridge.

Rupert pointe. "Drive on the grass. It's level from here to the pond."

"I'm glad. My arms were beginning to ache," said Geoff. "Everyone okay in the back?"

"Nothing moved," came the reply.

Rupert pointed. "Park over there. It's flat and firm."

The instant the vehicle stopped, The dive team opened the rear door; one holding a canvas bag jumped out and removed the RIB from its roof rack.

Rupert watched as they lowered the craft onto the surface of the pond. Two clambered on board and readied it for use.

One man removed a lead and line from the canvas bag and placed it into the RIB.

One holding a bow line and the other with the stern line allowed the RIB to drift while those on board checked the depth with the lead and line.

Geoff stood next to Rupert. "It Works. An old navy method of checking the depth."

Rupert shoved his hands in his pockets. "I shouldn't imagine it's too deep.!"

"You can't be too careful. I don't suppose it is, but at thirty metres for thirty minutes, you require a five-minute decompression. Make one mistake in this game, and it's all over."

"Max twenty-five metres, boss."

"Thanks Bill

Okay, guys, get dressed and check your gear. When you're ready, I want three in the water and one with me as a safety diver. You can decide who does what among yourselves.

"Richard has volunteered for safety," came a voice from the group.

Geoff removed his diving log from under the driver's seat and wrote the divers' names, the date, and time. He saw Rupert looking at him. "This is mandatory. If something goes tits up, this is the first thing they ask for."

"Knowing your passion for correct procedures, I imagine nothing will go wrong."

"A million things can go wrong. I say it far too often, but in this game, your first mistake can be your last. Do you know the minimum depth of water you can drown in?"

Rupert leant against the vehicle. "Six inches or thereabouts."

"A tad more than an inch if you're face down. My golden rule is prioritising safety and being cautious around water regardless of depth."

"We're checked and ready, boss," said one of the men.

Geoff turned to Rupert. "You can stay here or sit in the RIB with me and my safety diver. Make up your mind."

"I'll stay here and prepare lunch."

What's on the menu?"

"Tomato soup and Chicken curry, tea or coffee."

"The team will enjoy every morsel. Better get started. Right, guys, I want you to search the shallow edges of the pool initially and work your way to the centre. Any questions?"

Eric clambered into the RIB with Richard. Both men paddled to the centre and dropped a small anchor.

"Into the water, guys. Time starts now."

The three divers lay in the water at the edge of the pool and, hand over hand, pulled themselves around its shallow edge.

Rupert watched until the bubbles from the divers rippled the surface. Bored and unpacked their lunch. He went to speak with Geoff but understood his mind was on the men in the water. He glanced around until he saw a pile of old bricks. He lifted these and formed a three-brick-high rectangular structure.

He removed the two camping stoves from one holdall and set them in position. The saucepans he rested on the bricks. With a few minor adjustments, it was ready.

Content with preparing the meal, Geoff's voice jolted him back to reality.

He strolled to the water's edge. Please tell me you've found it."

"Wherever your pendant is, it's not here, but," He tossed the free end of a line at Rupert. "Pull the line. It's your birthday."

The line went taut as Rupert pulled a weighty object to the shallows. Two divers grabbed and lifted a large canvas package and dumped it on the shore.

Geoff jumped from the RIB and stood beside him. "I never thought we would find a body at the bottom of the pond."

Rupert stared into his eyes. "You don't know it's a body."

Geoff said nothing.

"If it is a body, it's what every copper dreads. Give me your knife."

"You hold it, and I'll cut the ropes."

With precise strokes, the bindings dropped off.

As if holding delicate porcelain, Rupert unwrapped the oiled canvas covering. He gave a massive sigh of relief when he removed the final covering. "Bloody hell, it's comparable to what we used to find buried in Northern Ireland. Whoever dumped them did a brilliant job of covering them with waxed paper. One by one, he separated the pile. Five pistols, two rifles, and, from their size, three machine pistols."

"Whoever hid them in the pond tied a rope to them," Geoff pointed. "and to that tree."

"Rupert unwrapped a pistol. "Good as new. Load the mag, and it's ready for use. On our way home, I'll take these to the station. I'm sure your guys would enjoy a good lunch."

"You and me both. The curry is making my mouth water."

"Better hide these in your wagon," said Rupert. "Don't need a passing stranger to see them. You never know what they might think."

"Knowing our luck, they would call the police."

Rupert laughed.

Once the weapons were hidden from view, Rupert poured the soup into plastic mugs. He plated the curry and handed it around with a fork stuck in the top. Joyce had been right. Second helpings were called for and devoured with gusto.

"Ten out of ten," said Geoff. "You can give me the name of the café. I'll use it when I need provisions."

Rupert rummaged in a holdall. "Here's one of her flyers."

"Cheers," Geoff shoved it in his jacket pocket. "We didn't find the pendant, so what's your next move?"

"I don't know. I'm sure Mary Wilson was enmeshed with the missing women. Ten minutes in her house could make all the difference."

"What would you be looking for?"

"Until I see it. I don't know."

"I'd like to help."

"Thanks, but visiting you at HM Prison is not on my agenda."

"Not on mine. Time, we lifted and shifted. Great lunch."

The RIB nestled on the vehicle's roof in ten minutes, and everything returned to its designated storage. Rupert placed items belonging to The Posh Café in a holdall.

"Heave those bags in the back. I'll return them to the café tomorrow," said Geoff.

"Cheers," said Rupert as he watched Geoff and his team walk the area to ensure nothing had been forgotten.

Rupert clambered into the Rover's passenger seat on their return.

"You look pissed off, Rupert."

"I am. I'll have to tell Archer what I was doing with divers at this location. Thankfully he's a first-class arsehole and not my boss."

Geoff laughed. "I'm my boss. If I fuck up, it's my problem."

A few of the lesser potholes were free of water as they progressed along the track.

On their return to the main road, Rupert pointed to St Andrew's Church and the house on the church grounds. "Without someone living there, it will deteriorate. The local yobs, when they realise it's empty, will trash the place. With some TLC, it would be a great house for someone."

"Don't think I fancy the neighbours even if they are quiet and six feet under. I thought the vicar lived there."

Rupert hesitated. He moved in with his new wife. I don't blame him. She's attractive and meets his needs."

"A vicar with needs. The mind boggles," said Geoff with a huge grin.

"You'll need to stop at the station."

"Not a problem."

Five cars were in the station parking area when Goff parked his Rover in front of the main entrance. "We might as well ruin the duty Sergeants Saturday afternoon and enter mob-handed."

"And why not," said Rupert.

The quietness of the reception changed as Geoff and Rupert dropped the wet package and one pistol on the desk.

The Sergeant glanced at the wall clock and made a note in the log.

"For the record, Sergeant, I am handing in five pistols, two rifles, and three machine pistols. These gentlemen discovered them while diving in a pond in the village of Stonewall. Give me six statement sheets, and we will complete them."

"My pleasure, Mr Parsons." He stared at Geoff. "I remember you, Cooper, CID Inspector."

"Long time ago, Sergeant. I now work for myself."

"Mr Parsons. The forms."

"Thank you. I'll take my friends to my office to fill these in. It'll give you time to log this lot in. Don't forget to note the numbers."

"Of course, sir."

Rupert's eyes flickered towards the Sergeant. He saw the hint of a smile on his lips. "My apologies. I sometimes forget I'm no longer on the team."

"Mr Parsons, sir. You were the governor of this nick. You have the right to ensure procedures are implemented correctly."

"Not any longer, but thanks."

"Right, guys, follow me."

In minutes, they entered the Records Office. "Grab a chair and start writing. Geoff will guide you if you have any problems. Keep the short. I'm going to brew the coffee. I assume everyone wants a coffee. He smiled as they all nodded.

Twenty minutes later, Rupert handed the completed forms to the desk sergeant. "Is the duty officer around."

"He's resting, sir."

"Tell him I'll talk to Archer Monday morning and not before."

When they exited the station, dusk was being chased by the night, and the street lights glowed.

"I'll walk home," said Rupert. "Thanks for today."

"It's no trouble to take you home," said Geoff.

"I need a long walk to clear my head. You know how it is. My next move. Whatever it is, I'll give you a bell." He turned and walked away.

Geoff smiled and muttered. Rupert, my old friend, you never know what might turn up.