8/3/2019 Missing - Full Narrative

1/3

Missing!

Dug slammed his spade into the crisp earth. He thought that he had finally madesense of everything.

It was only twenty-four hours since the alarm had been raised and he was convinced thatthere was more to it than met the eye. Dug had been walking from the large kitchen gardendown to the orchard looking for his gardeners, always hard to find when it was time to digover the big vegetable patch, when he saw the car speed off down the long drive fromHartingwell Manor. It wasnt just that hedidnt recognise the car; he was suspicious of themanner in which it was being driven. Dug had run as fast as he could to get to the largeceremonial gates at the end of the drive to get a good view of the driver. Darkened glass. Hecouldnt even tell how many were in the car and all he could do was to remember themocking licence plate. It was GOT II with a carefully placed dot between the bases of thetwo number ones. He stood for the shortest moment leaning against the golden sandstone

pillars to get his breath back.Walking back to the house, Dug thought through what would have happened andheaded for Cal Meakins office. He would know what had happened. The office was empty, avery unusual thing, so Dug flipped open his mobile phone and dialled 1. The speed dialworked and Cals voice came over as calm but concerned.Dug, we have a problem and we need to sort it out quickly and quietly. Wait for me in myoffice and we will think about the best way forward. Cal suggested before ringing off. Dugsank into Cals heavy leather office chair and waited.

Lord Hartingwell was having another leisurely day chatting to his two of his gardeners,Coney and Boyle, about the old days. He loved the Manor and he loved being Lord of theManor. He thought that things simply couldnt be better. The three of them stood talking

about their time in Africa and how they missed the heat during the cold, British winters.Although all three of them loved skiing, they didnt love snow when they were attempting tokeep the hall dry and warm. In the distance, they heard a shout and a car accelerating andthought that it was Jenson Blast upsetting Dug Hall by spraying gravel over the grass. Theychuckled at the thought of the red faced gardener shaking his fist at the back of a speedingsports car screaming down the drive way. It was only when Lord Hartingwells phone rang,at the same time as that of both of his two companions, that they all wondered if there was aproblem. Calls made, they all headed to the estate office.

It had been a busy twenty-four hours for everyone at the Manor after it was decided that thepolice would not be called. The meeting in Cal Meakins office had been quiet with Cal andZak, one of the gardeners, doing most of the talking. Dug sat in silence listening to the

incredible developments and wondering at how one of his gardeners was so knowledgeableabout the movements of diamond thieves and collectors around the world. Dug thought tohimself that he didnt show the same interest in cabbages and leeks.

The story had begun just before 10 oclock when Jenson Blast, the chauffeur, haddriven Jackie Oliver into town to buy some things for dinner that night. They were chattinghappily when Jenson had to brake sharply to avoid a car with blacked out windows whichwas coming round the corner of the sharp bend.Ooh I wonder who it is coming to see the Lady! Jackie squealed excitedly as she thoughtabout whether she would need to buy some more food in.I bet it is one of those girl groups she is advising, grumbled her driver which means lots ofgiggling and shouting all night.

8/3/2019 Missing - Full Narrative

2/3

They continued towards the shops with no thought of the car. Several minutes later, as theyarrived, the black Mercedes was just turning into the gates of Hartingwell Manor. Itcautiously made its way up the long gravel drive avoiding the front of the house but parkingoutside the doors to the now empty kitchen. The driver stayed in the car whilst his twopassengers jogged into the back of the stately home and got on with their task. They movedthrough the house with a confidence which seemed to suggest that they knew where theywere going and that they would not be disturbed by anyone. They crossed from the kitchen,up the stairs, through the hall and up the main stairs taking them two steps at a time. Only30 seconds after entering the house a dirty footprint was left in Lady Hartingwells dressingroom and less than 2 minutes after that the car was being chased by Dug Hall down thedrive. It was all over so quickly. The intruders had not bumped into anyone, they had notdisturbed Lady Hartingwell and the house looked as though no-one had even been in.

Cal and Zak told the group in the office that they had been waiting for something tohappen for the past few weeks after they had heard that Donnie Sparkle, the world famousjewel thief, was in England. They had installed cameras around the house and had hired a

private detective to trail Sparkle whilst he was staying in London. They also admitted thatthey could find no sign of anything being stolen from the house. It was very puzzling. Theyall looked worried and all of his team looked towards Zak like a leader. It was decided thatthey would go through the house with a fine toothcomb and check to see if anything wasmissing. Dug asked whether they should call the police but was told very quickly by hisLordship that he didnt want to waste their time.

Throughout the day they searched through the house and found nothing. Dug decided thathe would try to find out as much as possible as he could make notes after each discussion.He had always enjoyed being a detective and it was like being back in his old job. By the endof the day it was clear that no-one had been hurt and nothing appeared to have been taken.Lady Hartingwell was very shaken and kept telling everyone how she had been metres from

death as they had been in her dressing room whilst she was in her room with Dolly Wilson,her maid. Everyone thought that she had been lucky as all of her diamonds were in the safewhen the raid took place. Dug felt very sorry for Dolly as she was only young and had beenworried for the ladyship. She was very loyal and had been grateful for Lady Hartingwellsoffer of some time off. Mrs Jenkins was more cross than she was upset. She didnt like theidea of someone coming into the house without the permission of Parkin. The two of themspent most of the afternoon blaming teachers for the terrible state of the country and sayingwhat they would have done to the gang if they had caught them in the house. Dolly also saidthat Mike Rush had telephoned from his trip to a zoo in France to see how everyone wasafter she had texted him.

It was clear from listening to the two men running the meeting and his Lordship that it was

Donnie Sparkle who was responsible for the break-in but what was not clear was what hadreally happened. Dug decided that the best thing to do was check the CCTV films and seewho was responsible. After the first check of the house, Dug fired up the main computer andlogged into the security system. He watched the film feed from every camera and leant backwith a furious sigh. He called Zak and Cal through from their discussion explaining that whatthey were about to watch made no sense at all. The three of them sat in silence as the filmshowed the car, with its taunting licence plate, speed down the drive and move out of view.Dug switched views and pressed play so that they could all see the car screech to a halt onthe gravel, the driver was in full sight of the camera but his cap and dark glasses made himhard to recognise.

8/3/2019 Missing - Full Narrative

3/3

Zak and Cal grunted in frustration as they were unable to see the passenger side of the carand the two raiders getting out. Dug switched cameras again to show them the view from thekitchen. The whole thing was the same as the car stopped in a blind spot from which thepassengers were not visible. Once again, Dug pressed the button to switch views only forthe screen to go blank at the time that the car pulled up outside the kitchen. He repeated thisfor every camera between the kitchen and the area outside Lady Hartingwells dressingroom and every time his two work mates let out shouts of anger and rude words.How can every camera stop working just like that? demanded Cal glaring at Zak.They didnt, he calmly replied camera 3 appears to have hairspray on it and the pic ture onnumber 6 looks as though it has bubble gum on it.There was a short silence before all three men looked at each other and nodded as Cal saidwhat they were all thinking. So it is an inside job.

Dug hadnt felt like this for years; he was back on a case! He called Lord Hartingwell andasked him to join the three of them in the kitchen. Jackie carried on preparing dinnerpretending not to notice their conversation. Dug shared his fears with them and asked hisLordship if he would take them up to his safe in his dressing room. Lord Hartingwell askedwhy they were going to a room which hadnt been visited.Your Lordship, we simply dont know where they went as each camera appears to havebroken, switched off or been sabotaged at the time of the raid. It is clear that someone insidethis house knew what was happening. We only know that they went to your wifes dressingroom as there is a dirty footprint inside. No-one saw them go in and no-one has foundanything missing, Dug took a deep breath and continued his long explanation. Let us think

about this differently. If someone is prepared to put bubble gum on a camera lens, wouldthey also make a dirty footprint to confuse the police?The group of the four men strode purposefully up the back stairs looking for new clues,which had been missing on the main stairs, whilst they talked about what could havehappened during the break in. They stopped as Cal found a piece of gravel from the drivestuck in the carpet pile. Dug pointed out a small stud earring lying on its own. His Lordshiplooked flustered as they reached the door of his dressing room. He looked at the four facesstaring back at him and took a deep breath.Right then Dug. What are we looking for?Dug paused. He knew that he could lose the respect of all of the other men. He also knewthat he could lose his job if he upset Lord Hartingwell.He answered hesitantly Well...erm...firstly I need to ask you what we should expect to find in

the safe, Your Lordship.There is only one thing in there, Dug and that is the Khanda Diamond.

They all took a breath as Lord Jonny Hartingwell turned the dial for the last time and swungthe door open...