Shallow Ground (Detective Ford) by Andy Maslen (to read list txt) 📕

corner, a band was warming up, chords and drumrolls adding to the din of conversation, laughter and good-natured banter. The guitarist, a battered red Fender Stratocaster slung from his shoulder, stepped forward and took the mic.

‘Ladies and gentlemen, colleagues, friends, and’ – he winked at a fifteen-year-old boy who had his mother’s smile – ‘Sam.’ A cheer. ‘We did it. All of us here. I want to thank you for the long hours you put in, for keeping after him and giving up time with your families and friends. For not being downhearted, even if we had knockbacks. For staying calm despite the shit being heaped on your heads by the media and the PCC.’ He paused as a huge cheer went up. ‘Thank you all for making my first case as DI a success.’

‘Hope your playing’s better than your speeches, Henry!’ Mick yelled out, to a burst of laughter and calls of ‘Can it, Mick!’

Ford smiled. ‘Let’s find out, shall we?’

He stepped back, allowing Alec Reid to reclaim the mic. As the opening notes of BB King’s ‘How Blue Can You Get?’ filled the pub, Ford looked over at Hannah. She turned to face him and smiled, then mouthed something. Taking his hand off the strings, he cupped a hand behind his ear. She said it again, and this time he caught it.

‘You’re very good!’

High on adrenaline and not a few beers, he smiled back, feeling his blood speeding through his veins.

De motu cordis.

The motion of the heart.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I want to thank you for buying this book. I hope you enjoyed it. As an author is only part of the team of people who make a book the best it can be, this is my chance to thank the people on my team.

For being my first readers, Sarah Hunt, Jo Maslen and Katherine Wildman.

For sharing their knowledge and experience of The Job, former and current police officers Andy Booth, Ross Coombs, Jen Gibbons, Neil Lancaster, Sean Memory, Trevor Morgan, Olly Royston, Chris Saunby, Ty Tapper, Sarah Warner and Sam Yeo.

For helping me stay reasonably close to medical reality as I devise gruesome ways of killing people, Martin Cook, Melissa Davies, Arvind Nagra and Katie Peace.

For their advice on climbing, Coel Hellier and Norrie Tate.

For sharing their insights into autistic spectrum disorder, Amanda J. Harrington and Dr Hazel Harrison.

For lending Hannah’s cat her name, Uta Frith, Emeritus Professor of Cognitive Development at UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience.

For her advice on strategies for detecting lies, Professor Dawn Archer, Research and Knowledge Exchange Coordinator for Languages, Information and Communications, Manchester Metropolitan University.

For their patience, professionalism and friendship, the fabulous publishing team at Thomas & Mercer: Jack Butler, Sarah Day, Laura Deacon, Gill Harvey, Russel McLean and Jane Snelgrove.

And for being a daily inspiration and source of love and laughter, and making it all worthwhile, my family, Jo, Rory and Jacob.

The responsibility for any and all mistakes in this book remains mine. I assure you, they were unintentional.

Andy Maslen, Salisbury, 2020

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Photo © 2020 Kin Ho http://kinho.com/

Andy Maslen was born in Nottingham, England. After leaving university with a degree in psychology, he worked in business for thirty years as a copywriter. In his spare time, he plays blues guitar. He lives in Wiltshire.