You are sat in the car park of the Balne Lane Library at eight o’clock on a wet Saturday morning in May -
The car doors are locked and you are shaking, unable to switch off the radio:
‘Healey wins Polaris battle with Foot; Tebbit pledges to curb unions and abolish GLC and metropolitan district councils; Thatcher seeks bumper victory to thwart Labour extremists; boy aged sixteen found hanging from window bars of a cell in the borstal allocation unit of Strangeways prison; Dennis Nilsen is committed for trial…’
No Hazel.
You are sat in the car park of the Balne Lane Library at half-eight on a wet Saturday morning in May -
The radio is off but you are still shaking -
The car doors still locked.
It is Saturday 28 May 1983 -
D-12:
Does anybody know any jokes?
Up the stairs to the first floor of the library, the microfilms and old newspapers, pulling two boxes of Yorkshire Posts from the shelves:
December 1974 and November 1975.
Threading the film, winding the spools, flogging dead horses:
STOP -
Friday 13 December 1974:
Morley Girl Missing – by Edward Dunford, North of England Crime Correspondent.
Mrs Sandra Kemplay made an emotional appeal this morning for the safe return of her daughter, Clare.
STOP -
Sunday 15 December 1974:
Murdered – by Jack Whitehead, Crime Reporter of the Year.
The naked body of nine-year-old Clare Kemplay was found early yesterday morning by workmen in Devil’s Ditch, Wakefield.
STOP -
Monday 16 December 1974:
Catch this Fiend – by Jack Whitehead, Crime Reporter of the Year, 1968 & 1971.
A post-mortem into the death of ten-year-old Clare Kemplay revealed that she had been tortured, raped, and then strangled.
STOP -
Thursday 19 December 1974:
Caught – by Jack Whitehead, Crime Reporter of the Year.
Early yesterday morning police arrested a Fitzwilliam man in connection with the murder of ten- year-old Clare Kemplay.
According to a police source, exclusive to this newspaper, the man has confessed to the murder and has been formally charged. He will be remanded in custody at Wakefield Magistrates’ Court later this morning.
The police source further revealed that the man has also confessed to a number of other murders and formal charges are expected shortly.
STOP -
Saturday 21 December 1974:
A Mother’s Plea – by Edward Dunford.
Mrs Paula Garland, sister of the Rugby League star Johnny Kelly, wept as she told of her life since the disappearance of her daughter, Jeanette, just over five years ago.
‘I’ve lost everything since that day,’ said Mrs Garland, referring to her husband Geoff’s suicide in 1971, following the fruitless police investigation into the whereabouts of their missing daughter.
‘I just want it all to end,’ wept Mrs Garland. ‘And maybe now it can.’
The arrest of a Fitzwilliam man in connection with the disappearance and murder of Clare Kemplay has brought a tragic hope of sorts to Mrs Garland.
STOP -
Saturday 21 December 1974:
Murder Hunt – by Jack Whitehead, Crime Reporter of the Year.
A fresh murder hunt was launched in Wakefield today following the discovery of the body of 36- year-old -
STOP -
STOP -
Into the library toilets, dry-heaving -
Your stomach burning, your stomach bleeding -
You retch again. You puke. You spew -
Knowing it’s not over, that it’ll never be over -
That you have to go back there -
Threading films, winding spools, flogging dead horses:
STOP -
Monday 23 December 1974:
