‘There’s a need for that around here, is there?’ Harry asked. ‘A firearm, I mean.’
‘Why else would I have it?’ Bill asked. ‘It’s only a two-two calibre, nowt too powerful. Much better for rabbits and pigeons and crows than an air rifle.’
Bill rested the rifle on the dining room table.
‘You’ve not answered my question,’ Harry said.
‘I knew something was up,’ Bill said. ‘Saw John had smashed up his tractor. Not the first time, neither. Couldn’t be arsed with coming over to be told it was none of my business, either. So thought I’d just have a look. There a law against that?’
Harry knew full well that there were plenty of laws about where exactly you should and shouldn’t point a firearm, but now wasn’t the time.
‘The accident isn’t visible from the road,’ Harry said. ‘How did you notice it?’
‘Upstairs bathroom,’ Bill said. ‘Had to open the window, if you know what I mean. Breakfast came back at me with a vengeance, but that just serves me right for having bacon and eggs. I’m not supposed to, but I was hungry, wasn’t I? The stink was thick enough to carve with knife.’
Harry got the picture and very much wished that he hadn’t.
‘Right, so you saw it from upstairs, then?’
‘Which was where you saw me earlier, with the rifle scope. Heard all the noise, thought I’d have a gander at all you lot.’
‘So, was there a reason why you didn’t go to see John after you’d noticed the accident?’
‘Like I said, it’s not the first time something like this has happened,’ Bill said. ‘And if I’d spent my life going to see if he was alright after every prang that he’d had, then I’d have never got my own work done now, would I? I’ve my own farm to be worrying about, you see, and helping someone like old Capstick generally comes back and bites you on the arse.’
Harry asked, ‘Did you notice anything else, last week, or over the weekend, at all? At his house, out in the fields?’
‘So, he is dead then, is he? Thought so. Knew you lot were over there for a reason, like.’
Harry neither confirmed nor denied it, but knew his silence was enough. ‘All I can say right now is that there’s been a very serious incident,’ he said. ‘And myself and my fellow officers are now attempting to collect as much information as we can to find out what actually happened.’
‘Fancy way of saying that old git is dead,’ Bill mumbled to himself as much to Harry. ‘So, how did he die, then?’
‘I’m afraid I can’t provide any further information,’ Harry said.
‘Well, however it happened, Capstick had it coming, that’s for sure.’
‘How do you mean?’ Harry asked.
‘The man was born with a mean streak in him as wide as the Ure!’ Bill said.
‘Ure?’
‘The river that runs through Wensleydale. You should see it when it’s in full spate after a storm. Terrifying! You should’ve met his dad, though. Even worse! You’ve seen the farm? Awful, isn’t it? Total bloody disgrace!’
‘So, did you notice anything?’ Harry asked again. ‘Anything suspicious? Any visitors? Anything in the way John behaved?’
Bill leaned back in his chair and knocked his head back to drain his mug of tea. Then he leaned forward on his elbows, his huge, weathered hands clasped together. ‘Suspicious? Everything Capstick did was suspicious!’ he said, anger creasing the corners of his mouth as he spoke. ‘There’s not a farm around here that hasn’t lost something to Capstick. Never any proof, mind, but stuff went missing. Bits of equipment, deliveries, even stock. We all knew it was him, but nowt was ever found so he just got away with it. Usually flogged the stuff we reckon. Not daft enough to rub our noses in it. Better to have some cash.’
‘He was a thief?’
‘He was a bastard!’ Bill said. ‘And a right proper one at that. If you ask me, the dale’s better off with him gone out of it! Just a pity it hadn’t been sooner rather than later, like.’
Harry finished his own tea, then stood up. ‘Look, I’ll be sending a couple of my officers around to ask a few more questions, take a statement. I hope that’s okay. It’s just routine. But best you have that rifle of yours locked away before they come around.’
‘I’m not a total bloody idiot!’ Bill snapped, rising from his own chair and grabbing the rifle. ‘You leaving, then?’
Harry gave a sharp nod and made his way back out into the hall and towards the front door.
‘You want to find out what happened, then best you speak to L’all Nick,’ Bill said. ‘He’ll know. If you want suspicious, that’s right where it is, I’ll tell you that. Gossip and rumour spin around him like a whirlpool of shite.’
Harry stopped, turned. ‘Why’s that?’
‘Saturday morning, around six I think,’ Bill said, his voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper. ‘I mean, I was pretty surprised to see John up that early as it was, and heading out into the field, and all, but with Nick as well?’ He gave a conspiratorial nod, then tapped the side of his nose with a finger and pointed at Harry. ‘He’ll know what happened.’
‘You mean he was there?’ Harry asked, wondering why Bill had said nothing earlier when he’d specifically asked if the man had seen anything strange.
Bill shrugged. ‘There were two of them in the cab,’ he said. ‘Saw them drive up into the field, didn’t I? I was off on a walk around with the gun, you see. Me and Steve do that most Saturday mornings, like.’
‘You mean you saw the accident?’
‘I didn’t see anything!’ Bill growled. ‘All I’m saying is that I saw two people in that cab driving up into the field. And Nick’s the only bugger on earth who’d be with John, so it wouldn’t be anyone else, would
