1911021494 by MICHAEL HAMBLING

extract the body. They had spread large sheets of plastic on the ground nearby, ready to receive the extracted soil, and they were erecting an open sided forensic tent. Nash greeted Sophie with a wave.
    ‘We’re just about ready to go. I did wonder about bringing in a mini-excavator, but if there are other graves nearby I wouldn’t want them compressed with the weight of the machinery. So we’ll use the old fashioned method. The soil’s not too heavy at the moment, so we won’t lose too much time.’
    ‘Are there enough screens up there on the rise to prevent Joe Public from seeing what we’re up to?’ Sophie said.
    ‘Yes. I’ve just walked the area, and we’re as private as we can be. Your people up on the road can keep their eyes open for anyone trying to trek over here from the lane.’
    ‘Well, let’s get started.’
    It took less than thirty minutes to extract the first body. The rug was still intact enough to be lifted out without difficulty. Inside was the body of a young woman. She was in an advanced stage of decomposition and they could not tell her age. She was laid out on a trestle bench, and the digging team moved a few yards away to the second spot identified by the dog.
    Marsh took Sophie into one of the farm buildings. They ducked under the tape stretched across the entrance.
    ‘In here,’ Marsh said. ‘Blood in some of the cracks between the stones. And quite a lot, from what Nash said.’
    ‘So this is where he was killed. If Nadia was telling the truth there would be traces of her vomit as well, probably against one of the walls. Did he say anything about that?’
    ‘Not to me, but he was going to get a summary to you this afternoon. Maybe it was in that.’
    They walked back to the grave site. As they arrived, one of the diggers called out, ‘found something!’
    Sophie stood beside Nash and they watched the team brush soil from another rug-encased bundle.
    ‘Dave, were there traces of vomit found in that shed? Probably against a wall?’ she asked.
    ‘Yes. Someone had used farm disinfectant but we found blood between the flagstones in the middle of the floor and some traces of vomit over to one side. We’ve got a sample. It’s on its way back to the lab for analysis. You look relieved.’
    ‘It confirms her story, that’s all.’
    By the time darkness fell, two bodies lay beside their graves. Both of them were young women. Nash estimated that they’d been buried for periods of between two months and a year. The dog showed no signs of having found any more graves, so the forensics team started to pack up. They planned to return the following day for a sweep of the area using the latest technology.
    ‘But it won’t find more bodies,’ Nash said. ‘That dog’s a marvel. If it hasn’t detected any more, then there aren’t any. But we have to be certain.’
    The two corpses were secured in body bags and manoeuvred into the vans, ready to set off for Dorchester and the waiting Benny Goodall. Sophie didn’t envy him his job for the next few days.
    She turned to Marsh. He looked devastated.
    ‘Have you anything planned for this evening, Barry?’
    He shook his head.
    ‘Come up to Wareham and have something to eat with us. I have to go into Swanage to collect Nadia. You can pick up your car and follow me up the road. Martin or Jade will be cooking something, and one more won’t be a problem.’
    ‘I don’t know, ma’am.’
    ‘You need company this evening, Barry. You should be with someone who’s seen what you have. Which means me. Thank God we left Jimmy back on the road. You’re in a mild state of shock and I can’t afford to let it get to you. I don’t want you hitting the bottle either, which is what’ll happen if you’re left on your own. Please trust my judgement. We can also talk things over if we feel up to it. I’ll have to give a report to Matt Silver, and it might help if you were there too. I’ll ask him to pop over to my house. You can drive back to