Secrets and Shadows

Chapter 15

In West Garside, DS Terry Horton had also reached home. He was 35 years old, with a full head of silver hair and very pale skin, 5.9’’ tall but with the broad shoulders, chest and muscular arms of a weight-lifter, or rather ex weight-lifter, having popped a cartilage in his right knee whilst attempting a clean and jerk that was too heavy for him. He now only occasionally used a gym, preferring to run along the riverbank paths near his apartment on Redemption Island, a mile-long finger of an island located in the now ‘gentrified’ old industrial heart of the town.

After his amicable divorce, Terry bought a two-bedroomed apartment on the third floor of the converted Tyzack’s Metalworks. Although the rooms were small, he had a roof terrace overlooking the river Gar, which had once been foul-smelling and putrid from industrial waste, but now was cleansed and clear. From his terrace, he had once spotted a kingfisher perched on the willows that lined the riverbank and he had read that further along the river, a pair of otters had been spotted. How wonderful was that?

He parked his car in his allotted space and took the stairs up to his flat. He had a quick shower, made up a cheese and tomato sandwich on artisan bread bought from a local bakery drank a bottle of ’Redemption,’ an IPA beer from a nearby craft brewery and then went to bed, falling asleep almost as his head touched the pillow. It had been a long day.