Sergeant Tom Cantwell

As Temple looked out of his office window, the rain lashing down the windows, he saw Cantwell running across the car park. Running is too extravagant a description of Cantwell's movements. Let's say he moved faster than usual. Since usual is sitting down and drinking coffee, you'll get my meaning!

Anyway, his heavy footsteps soon thumped down the corridor. The door opened and a rather breathless Cantwell came in:

"Think we've had a break, Gov." He wheezed. "A chap called Fudge found this on the beach." He handed Temple a sodden leather wallet.

"It's Ellacott's, Gov. His initials 'B C E' are embossed on the outside. Also, there are some business cards. See." Sure enough there was a wadge of cards 'Ellacott's Pharmacy, 27 Rolle Street, Starmouth'.

"There's also a card from Redbourne's Turf Accountants. There isn't any money though."

"This Fudge chap have anything else to say?"

"No, Gov. I reckon he hoped there'd be some money in it. He says he read about Ellacott having gone missing and when he saw the cards, he rang the station."

Temple looked at the wallet: "Did Ellacott chuck it in? Did someone rob him, take the money and throw it away? It raises questions, Cantwell, but gives no answers."

Cantwell's face fell. Like a child, he was easily deflated. Temple thought for a minute then decided what they needed to do: "We're going round to see Mrs Ellacott. Show her the wallet and see how she reacts."

"Are we taking the car, Gov?"

"No, it's not worth it. The walk will do us good."

"It's raining!"

Temple glanced out of the window. The rain had dwindled to a drizzle. It would soon stop. From the corner of his eye, he could see the look on Cantwell's face. Something inside him made him force the issue. After all, to Temple's mind Cantwell had had it easy so far, he hadn't been in the Army for six bloody years - marching in all weathers. He'd had a little desk job somewhere in Exeter. War effort! Some effort that was Temple's view.

"Drizzle, Cantwell, just drizzle. It'll have stopped before we're halfway up Albion Hill."