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"In
the early summer of 1999, Anne and Kent Murphy are excited - and dreading it a
little - that work on the new restaurant extension for their Hotel; 'The
Gallows Tree' is underway. But contractors excavating in the old gardens have
hit a problem; they have discovered the remains of ancient dungeons, complete
with graveyard. Now work has halted while Archaeologists from Rutland
University check out the uncovered ruins. Mr. Tibbs is on scene because two
souls have gone missing from the current human time line..."
Episode may contain the following warnings:
“All incidents and dialogue, and all characters with the exception of some well-known historical figures, are products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Where real-life historical figures appear, the situations, incidents, and dialogues concerning those persons are entirely fictional and are not intended to depict actual events or to change the entirely fictional nature of the work. In all other respects, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Author’s notes about this episode:
[1] The original Title for this episode was: ‘THE DIG.’
[2]
A ‘Jericho Tibbs’ original story.
[3]
There is NO 'Alexandra' series adult extended version currently available.
[4] "THE GALLOWS TREE HOTEL MYSTERY." The original drawing for this episode was created by the author, as was this episode, which was also conceived and written by him. Copyright © 2011-2025 Stephen Williams. No reproduction of any part without written permission.
[5] Names and locations have been changed to protect the innocent!
Concept
date: 22nd August 2019
First
published: 30th January 2020
Status: COMPLETED & PUBLISHED.
Location: BOOK SERIES 1 – EPISODE 12.
Revisions: 5 [last revised June
2020]
Version:
Final.
Published
Episode No. 12
Previous
episode: “Ghosts in the Devil’s Garden
of the damned.”
Next
episode: “Fractures in time.”
Age
recommendation: 12+
Average
reading time: Approximately 60 Minutes.
Angel-in-charge: Margret
Team Assigned: Team 74
Mission: 1 - 401980 – 8 – 1999
Human years:
Episode Preview:
1. THE ARCHAEOLOGISTS.
Old professor Fielding Larbert walked slowly back to his caravan, hands in pockets, head down. His threadbare flat cap lay at an angle upon his hairless head. He stopped and looked back at the fenced off excavations; they were due to pack up the dig in a couple of weeks – the funding had basically dried up and the whole place would be closed up until – well, that was a mystery in itself. What the hell would happen to the Hotel now?
He sighed and removed the padlock on his caravan’s door and stepped inside. He threw down his hat and well-worn jacket and slumped on the cushions beneath the big window with shabby curtains; closed to keep out the bright sunshine. He stretched out and remembered there were a couple of bottles of coke in the small fridge. He reached down and from a rucksack, discarded at his feet; he pulled a bottle of ‘Johnny Walker’ whisky – half empty – or half full, if you were the optimistic type. He wasn’t.
A couple of loud knocks on his door made him hastily replace the bottle and
shout; “Enter!” In stepped Ray Chapel, who grinned and gestured towards the
rucksack with the whisky bottle half hanging out. “Just in time, am I?” He held
up a full litre bottle of coke. Fielding had to chuckle and gestured for Ray to
sit down – after he grabbed a couple of clean glasses from the small sink -
which was crammed with dirty dishes and cutlery.
Ray stared at the sink and turned to the professor who was opening the bottle;
"I thought you asked that student.... Emma, wasn't it? To clean up the
caravan for you, before they headed home for the weekend?" The professor
grunted; "I did and received a lecture about female emancipation and the
fact it was almost the twenty-first century and so on."
The professor shrugged his shoulders and refilled the glasses; “Well, it
actually makes sense – in a crazy way – the police investigation discovered
bugger all. Then of course, what about all those stories that started to appear
around the ruins; ghosts, apparitions and noises. All that shit is bound to
attract the nutters; even the so-called professional one's!"
The pair sat in silence for a few minutes, then Ray’s mood changed a little,
his voice couldn’t hide irritation with some of the letter's content. “How the
fuck, are they allowed to use the Hotel to doss in and we’re stuck in this
mobile flea-pit?” He asked, throwing the offending letter back on the table. The
professor didn’t answer that question but patted his aggrieved assistant’s
shoulder and smiled; “I thought the end paragraph would cheer you up a little;
the local police liaison will be Detective Constable Sharon Smith. So, surely
that will put a smile on your face and a spring in your step.”
Ray had to smile at that and sipped his whisky slowly. He nodded and raised his
glass; “To Detective Constable Smith.” That’s when the professor’s mobile phone
started to ring – the theme tune to ‘The Dam Busters’ filled the caravan - Fielding
scrambled to the rucksack and pulled his phone out. He sat listening, grunting
Ok several times, then switched it off and sipped his whisky.
“He must be quite a persuasive fellow; this Tibbs.” Ray said and held up the fast-diminishing whisky bottle. Fielding chuckled; “I agree, if he managed to persuade ‘old Dean, I can’t make a decision if I found one in my fucking underpants’ Cartwright to allow them on site, then the fucker should be a politician.” They both laughed again. Fielding gestured to the small cupboard above his head; “There’s a fresh one in there – I keep it for emergencies – like this.”
The pair shared the new bottle for about an hour, then both stumbled to
their respective beds and slept badly. But both were up early in the morning;
neither looking the worse for their drinking session.
Ray sniffed at his bowl of cornflakes; “I think the bloody milk is on the turn.
I’ll get some more, when I pop into the village this morning.” Regardless of
the milk’s condition, he scoffed down his breakfast and watched the professor
eating yet more digestive biscuits; he must have eaten about a dozen this
morning. There were packets of them scattered about the caravan. No wonder the
bloody old boy was like a matchstick. Ray smiled to himself and poured more tea
from the big metal tea pot and stared through the window. He could see at the end of Gallows Lane [the small road that ran up to the
Hotel] a white Transit van had just turned into the lane from Cooper’s Road. He
sighed; “I think the fucking ghost busters are here.” The professor just
grunted and rose from the table, finishing his tea.
“Let’s go and welcome the spirit chasers to our little Shangri-La.” Fielding muttered and straightened his jacket and slapped his flat cap on, he peered out the window
and wiped his face. “Jesus, that’s a big black fella they have driving the
bloody van, even the ghosts don’t mess with him, I bet.” He chuckled and
watched the van park up. Ray eased himself up and adjusted his black jeans that
had numerous pockets filled with bits and pieces. He picked up his dirty, off
white ‘safari’ jacket and checked that he had some packets of soft mints.
The professor pushed through the small door and stepped into the early morning
sunshine. Ray followed, slamming the door behind him. They both watched as the
team of paranormal investigators decamped from their clean new van. “They are
probably better funded than we are; there must be money in apparitions and
ghosts.” muttered Ray then caught sight of the tall, young woman in the tight
blue jeans and white T-shirt that did not hide her impressive figure. He smiled broadly and whispered to the professor; “I must be in the wrong
fucking business.” Fielding just nodded but straightened his thin tie – she
was a real beauty - no argument about that. The young man in the dark blue suit
approached and held out his hand; “Hello, Jericho Tibbs; I believe the Dean has
informed you of our coming?” He and the professor shook hands.
“Oh good, she’s a very efficient detective constable.” The professor muttered but thought; she’s also a hard-faced sarcastic bitch and he really couldn’t see
how his assistant could even fancy the damn woman - that was yet another bloody
mystery around here - He restrained from smiling at his thoughts.
The little group headed for the hotel front doors and Ray stared at Alex’s bum
as she walked in front of him, then he caught Wilson smiling at him. He
pretended to check his pockets and grin; “Mint anyone?” He asked, pulling a
packet of soft mints from a pocket. No-one accepted his generous offer, and they
reached the doors. The professor was a little impressed that Jericho found the
correct key immediately, from the big bunch he held.
Jericho pushed the door open and smiled at the professor; "We'll settle in and meet up later. I'm sure you can give us some insight into the so-called mystery." The professor nodded and turned away, indicating for Ray to follow him. Ray smiled at Alex; "If there's anything we...I can help you with, just pop over to the caravan." He pointed to the scruffy little caravan at the far end of the car park. Alex just nodded and turned away.
Ray pulled one tarpaulin back a little and both men stared down into the circular pit. "I'm amazed that anyone survived down there for a few weeks, let alone years." He spoke quietly and thought, a place like this was bound to have ghosts - if they were real - He threw back the canvas sheet and stared up at the hotel. "I wonder what our amateur ghost busters will make of the mystery." Then smiled and joined the professor; walking back to their caravan.
"THE GALLOWS TREE HOTEL MYSTERY" CONTINUES IN 'TEMPORAL DETECTIVES' BOOK SERIES 1 [EPISODE 12.]
End of Preview.
Copyright © 2011-2025 Stephen Williams. No reproduction of any part without permission.