A Stitch In Time

By Ruby Binns-Cagney

The new short story in the Blanchflower Mysteries series.

A woman mysteriously disappears from Valley View Nursing Home and is reported missing. Sussex Police are short on resources and pass the case to Blanchflower and his associate, Inspector Ferraud.

The Chief of Police contacts Ferraud and he convinces Blanchflower to travel with him to Pease Pottage to down the missing person.

While they examine the woman’s past, Blanchflower learns something about himself that changes the dynamic between him and Ferraud forever and when Blanchflower later drops a bombshell; it makes Ferraud re-evaluate their working arrangements.

Working to solve the case opens up new lines of enquiry at every turn. Blanchflower questions his abilities when he is faced with an unforseen challenge and a name from the past makes Blanchflower open up to Ferraud about himself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BinnsCagneyPublishing Co
• Release date: Jul 23, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370226832

Ruby Binns-Cagney

Keep in touch - sign up for new releases and save on publication day:http://books2read.com/author/ruby-binns-cagney/subscribe/1/41373/Ruby Binns-Cagney is a successful independently published Author who writes women's fiction (chick-lit) and American-based crime thrillers.Ruby's 'Detective Macaulay' crime series has a following on Twitter https://www.twitter.com/detmacaulay (@DetMacaulay)Ruby has a website and blog - read more details of her publishing services.Through her publishing company - BinnsCagneyPublishing Co - Ruby empowers others to become self-published Authors, and her Team also mentor new Authors.Free Marketing Help Signup:http://eepurl.com/3IsJPAdd her to your Google+ Circles https://plus.google.com/+RubyBinnsCagney/postsPlease visit her website:http://author-tales-of-self-publishing-books.blogspot.co.uk

Book preview

A Stitch In Time – The Blanchflower Mysteries

Ruby Binns-Cagney

Copyright ©BinnsCagneyPublishing Co 2016

Cover Image Copyright ©BinnsCagneyPublishing Co 2016

All rights reserved. The reproduction, transmission or utilization of this work by any means is prohibited without written permission.

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the Author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to locales or to actual persons is purely coincidental.

OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

The Tragedy at Siddlecombe Manor

A Bird In The Hand

Available at all online retailers.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

About The Author

Chapter 1

Pease Pottage. A small, unappealing village nestled between the North and South Downs in the Parish of Slaugham, East Sussex, where its rolling green hills run parallel to the coastline.

Barbara Holland climbed onto the carriage and gathered her flowing skirts into the narrow space. She took in the vast expanse of green fields before her as she was whisked hurriedly towards St Mary’s Church in Handcross. If the horses kept up their pace, she would make it on time for Morning Mass.

Father Brian Dowd kept a strict timetable. Sunday Mass, followed by confession until midday. He wouldn’t open the Church doors for Barbara if she arrived just a minute too late for him to hear her confession, under any circumstances.

The carriage presented Barbara at the doors of St Mary’s at ten a.m. and then she took her time to rearrange her clothing to appear more demure. She smoothed her hair back from her face with a silk-gloved hand, and tightened the ties of her bonnet.

At the back of the Church where the confessional booths were, Barbara noted there were three men waiting. She chose to light a candle in remembrance of her long departed Papa, and then sat at the front of the Church and read a random verse from the Bible while she waited for an empty confessional booth.

Every few minutes she turned her torso awkwardly on the pew to check whether the confessional was available. The third time she half-twisted around in her seat, the three men had gone. Now was her chance to see Father Dowd. She dashed towards the back of the Church and grabbed the booth’s door handle.

Give me a moment, please, Father Dowd’s stern voice came. Barbara released the handle and did her utmost to stifle the pleasure she felt for arriving on time for confession. Her mind was burdened and she needed to confess before anxiety robbed her of another night’s sleep.

Come, child. The Lord be with you, Father Dowd’s Irish brogue beckoned her into the booth.

And also with you, Father. Barbara made the sign of the cross over her bosom and then clasped her hands before her and closed her eyes in prayer.

"Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was seven days