{"id":72,"date":"2024-01-04T14:24:40","date_gmt":"2024-01-04T14:24:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jlrobinsonauthor.com\/?p=72"},"modified":"2024-01-04T14:24:40","modified_gmt":"2024-01-04T14:24:40","slug":"spring-fever-ch14","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jlrobinsonauthor.com\/?p=72","title":{"rendered":"Spring Fever – Chapter 14"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

In The Thick Of It<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
\n

 <\/p>\n

At the end of the lane, you can walk three ways. Left leads to the chicken factory. Follow that road to the right and you reach the river. Walk straight forward along the footpath, is the quick route to the river. Turn right, and you go past Proctor\u2019s Farm and Mark\u2019s house at the end of the airfield.<\/p>\n

Stephanie stood and thought about how to get to the barn.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think I\u2019ll walk forward, along the footpath, just in case there is any traffic and then I won\u2019t be spotted,\u2019 Stephanie thought, after all, she was investigating a mystery.<\/p>\n

She walked along through a field of growing wheat and looked around, thinking about whose land she was walking through.<\/p>\n

\u2018This field belongs to the Proctors down to the river. Then I will walk left towards the barn,\u2019 Stephanie planned out loud to herself. \u2018Then I\u2019ll be on Barry\u2019s land.\u2019<\/p>\n

The path crossed over some small concrete bridges as she walked from field to field over the water filled dykes. Amongst grass and bushes, birds were flitting about, their chirps and trills filled the air around her. There were also a few hares and rabbits running in the fields, they were tricky to see when they sat still, a rabbit looked just like a brown rock from a distance.<\/p>\n

 Stephanie climbed up the embankment and finally reached the river. A long stretch of river ran from left to right as far as the eye could see. It moved ever so slowly; you could tell it was moving by watching the twigs on the surface. Ahead of her was an iron bridge. It seemed to just go to a water treatment place and maybe another farm. Teenagers often jumped off the bridge in the Summer, and a few empty cans lay around in memory of hot summer days and fooling around.<\/p>\n

Stephanie followed the path left, along towards a small clump of trees. The small woodland blocked you from walking further along the river, you had to follow the path behind the trees and then it led back to the river on the other side.<\/p>\n

As she started to walk around the trees, she stopped. Stephanie could see movement on the other side. In the Summer, you wouldn\u2019t be able to see to the other side, but early Spring meant the branches were bare. She quietly carried on walking as near as she dared. Men were talking and walking about. There were about five men in front of the barn, and another three by the river. Stephanie couldn\u2019t hear what they were saying. She quickly turned round, walked back to the river, and rang Lisa.<\/p>\n

\u2018Lisa, it\u2019s me,\u2019 Stephanie whispered, \u2018I\u2019m near the barn and there are some men there.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018What are they doing?\u2019 Lisa whispered back.<\/p>\n

\u2018I don\u2019t know yet, I\u2019m going to go closer,\u2019 Stephanie replied firmly.<\/p>\n

\u2018Wait! What if they\u2019re crazy people? What if they\u2019re drug lords or kidnappers or something?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018I doubt it,\u2019 Stephanie thought about the possibility, \u2018In Hibaldton? I think I\u2019ll be ok.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Wait- there was something in the local news yesterday about drug raids increasing in the area and I saw two police cars down my road last night.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018There\u2019s drug raids going on all the time.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Keep your phone on so I know you\u2019re ok,\u2019 Lisa ordered.<\/p>\n

\u2018Ok,\u2019 Stephanie answered and then returned to the clump of trees.<\/p>\n

Mary must have seen something that night to take that photo, and Stephanie just had to find out what it was.<\/p>\n

Stephanie, very carefully, stepped over a rock and put her foot in between two trees. She had to duck under the branches and walk bent over for a few steps. She decided that if she were seen, she could pretend that she was finding somewhere to go to the toilet. There was an opening in the group of trees. Branches tugged at her coat-like hands trying to stop her from moving forward, it was as if the wood didn\u2019t want her to go further. She crouched down behind a heavy clump of tangled branches that seemed to have grown around each other. It made a good hide for her to peep through. One of the men started to walk over to Stephanie. He held a phone and wore a long black coat which was open to reveal a dark polo neck jumper and jeans. Stephanie looked behind him to the other men. They had their back to her in deep conversation. What were they doing there? They must have finished in the barn because the door was shut. She looked over to the river, they seemed to be looking up towards Rigby, she couldn\u2019t see a boat. One of the men, from the back, reminded her of Mark. She was just thinking that his jacket looked the same when the man near her spoke.<\/p>\n

\u2018Right, so you think the drop\u2019s going to be next Saturday morning 0100 hours\u2026 Yeah\u2026yeah\u2026ok. We\u2019ll be here from midnight. It should take about half an hour to get here from Hull Marina. Yeah\u2026we\u2019ll be waiting.\u2019<\/p>\n

Stephanie suddenly had pins and needles in her foot. As she shifted her weight from one leg to the other a twig snapped. The man looked up and his eyes scanned the area. Stephanie held her breath for what seemed like ages. She didn\u2019t dare move an inch. His hand moved to his waist and Stephanie thought she could see a gun peeking out under his coat.<\/p>\n

A gun? People in Hibaldton didn\u2019t usually carry guns. Maybe it wasn\u2019t a gun, maybe it was a mobile phone. Ok, he had a phone in his hand, but he might have two phones\u2026.<\/p>\n

\u2018Right. No, it\u2019s nothing. I thought I heard something but it\u2019s probably a rat, there\u2019s loads of \u2018em near the river.\u2019 With that, he turned back to the barn and they all walked round the side. Stephanie waited, not daring to breathe. She could hear engines starting and then\u2026silence.<\/p>\n

Slowly she stood up and looked around to check for rats. The thought of sharing her hiding space with a furry animal sent shivers up her spine. Her legs felt like jelly and were numb from crouching for so long. She didn\u2019t have to go back the way she came. Stephanie walked around the thicket and was in front of the barn where the men had been standing. She realised that she was hardly breathing so she took a deep breath.<\/p>\n

\u2018What\u2019s happening?\u2019 Lisa asked on the phone.<\/p>\n

\u2018They\u2019ve gone,\u2019 Stephanie replied.<\/p>\n

\u2018There\u2019s a padlock on the barn door, I can\u2019t see any windows or gaps in the walls.\u2019 Stephanie walked around searching for a way to see inside.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019m going to come back next Friday night,\u2019 Stephanie decided.<\/p>\n

\u2018Are you crazy? We should call the police.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018They\u2019re not going to do anything. We need proof. If I come back, I can hide back there and film what I see.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018It will be so dark, you won\u2019t catch a thing.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Well, they probably will have lights, and they\u2019ll be talking. They said something was being dropped off at 1 in the morning. What do you think it could be?\u2019<\/p>\n

 \u2018I don\u2019t know but whatever it is, it\u2019s worth killing over.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Maybe you were right- it could be drugs, or money, or stolen goods.\u2019<\/p>\n

Stephanie had reached the river again. She stopped and her eyes traced the line of water as it flowed towards Rigby, its movement caught clumps of green algae and floating branches. It looked dark and deep and cold.<\/p>\n

\u2018The river flows through Rigby and then it eventually leads to the Humber, doesn\u2019t it?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Yes,\u2019 replied Lisa. \u2018My dad\u2019s friend has a boat moored in Rigby and he often goes up the river. You can get to the sea if you want to.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018The man said something about Hull Marina. So, whatever it is, it\u2019s coming in from the sea. That\u2019s how they\u2019re doing it. A ship must bring the goods in, and then they transfer it to a small boat, that brings it here down the river. It\u2019s a quiet area, no one around to see. Perfect for smuggling\u2026\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018This is John Barry\u2019s land, isn\u2019t it?\u2019 Lisa asked thoughtfully.<\/p>\n

\u2018Yes,\u2019 Stephanie replied. \u2018I think he recognised the photo and rang somebody up to tell them.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Do you think he knows what\u2019s going on?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018I think so. I overheard him talking, and it sounded like he was asking for money to keep quiet.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018I really think we should tell someone Stephanie. It sounds dangerous. What about Mark?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018If I told Mark, he\u2019d stop me from coming. I promise I\u2019ll be really careful.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018I wish you\u2019d change your mind. I\u2019m worried something\u2019s going to go wrong.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Look, I know what I\u2019m doing. I\u2019ll see you tomorrow but don\u2019t say anything in case someone hears.\u2019 Stephanie hung up.<\/p>\n

She felt the adrenaline running through her body. It was up to her to solve this, no one else was going to. She owed it to Mary.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Spring Fever – Chapter 14 – In The Thick Of It<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-72","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jlrobinsonauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jlrobinsonauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jlrobinsonauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jlrobinsonauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jlrobinsonauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=72"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/jlrobinsonauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jlrobinsonauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=72"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jlrobinsonauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=72"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jlrobinsonauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=72"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}