So Shall Ye Reap is the 35th book in the detective series detailing the homicide cases of Grade 4 Joseph Lind and his young partner D2 Shelley Shields.
Throughout one's life, collisions and caresses are a part of living.
Like ripples on a pond that are interfered with by a fallen branch or a rocky outcrop, those ripples caress and find a way around the obstacle.
Unfortunately, life is not like that with evil walking amongst us as a daily occurrence.
With any luck we would never be involved how-ever casually with that type of person, but if fate declared such a union, then a downward spiralling trajectory could very well be the result.
As ye sow, so shall ye reap.
Excerpt:
We spent the rest of that day rifling through every drawer, cupboard and desk in the Rectory.
The Bishop or his Secretary peering over our shoulders at every turn.
I pulled out drawers and turned them upside down. Looked into the backs of Cabinets after the drawers had been removed. Looked at the backs of all the Wardrobes and cabinets to ensure that nothing was stuck on the surface. We perhaps, carried on a bit too much, but when an acerbic old man is looking at your every move, the gestures become more pronounced, let me tell you!
It was close to knock-off time and I had given orders for the building to be sealed and a patrol positioned until our return the following morning.
The Technician allocated to examine the Laptop and phone of the deceased Priest had only arrived thirty minutes before.
"Detective? A moment."
It was the Computer Tech who had sat at the Priest's desk and poured over the top-quality Laptop as though it was nectar from heaven. The Bishop sat stonily in a corner of the Priest's Office not wanting the Laptop or the mobile phone to disappear from his view. The expression on the Bishop's face looked as though to even begin working on the device would result in our Technician being sent to Purgatory for eternity!
"Um...I'll have to take the computer back to the Lab...and the smart-phone...but some-one has deleted some stuff from the Hard-drive. Recently...um...not that long ago..."
"Can you see what it may have been?"
"Not now...but I will back at the Lab. The Smart-phone...it has some interesting numbers which have also been recently deleted...I'll let you know."
I nodded my head and glanced at my watch.
"Okay, everyone. Let's call it a day. I want the Office door taped up along with the back and front doors into this building...we have not as yet examined all of the first-floor level or the Cellar. To-morrow, guys. It can wait until then. Organise a permanent Patrol on the Church and the Rectory. No-one in or out until further notice..."
That is preposterous, Detective. We have Services to conduct over the week-end...and often lost souls come looking for kind words and solace in praying to the Lord." The Bishop rebelled.
"I feel sure that the Parishioners will understand...and the chalked outline of their Priest's prone position...and the large pool of his blood would not thrill any of the congregation. I'm sure that in this day and age, you can contact nearly all of the congregation to advise them of alternate arrangements until such time as our forensic technicians have finished their work...and surely you can construct a few words up on the Notice-board to inform those who may still visit the Church on the Sabbath the reason for the Church services being cancelled?"
"How long do you think that this situation will remain in place, Detective?"
I looked at the man and his rotund little shadow figure.
A hint of a smile on my face.
I shrugged my shoulders, before walking out onto the veranda of the two storey Rectory.
I did not feel in the mood to extend my day, but Shelley and I had applied for an overtime period of several hours to pay a visit to several of the Bars and Clubs that may have been favourite haunts of our hapless Harris Clyde Westcott.
That being the other homicide case on our books.
