Howard Catswell (rough)

As he emerged from the hospital local doctor Robin Fitzgerald looked gaunt and tired as he was chaperoned to an awaiting car by two armed policemen. Police have thus far said little about the investigation but it is understood that Dr. Fitzgerald has been arrested in connection with the discovery of his wife, Alison Fitzgerald, being found dead next to a nearby stretch of road near Alkstead.

The police has voiced their suspicion that Alison’s death was no accident. Dr. Fitzgerald is yet to be charged with his wife’s murder but inside sources have suggested that he could be charged as early as Friday morning.

Report by Howard Catswell.

****

After writing up his report Howard passed a copy to the Belbury Standard’s editor and slunk out of the office. Standing on the doorstep of his office he gazed at the park across the road and sighed. It had been a long day. Crime was outlandish enough in Belbury let alone murder, and the entire thing had left him feeling somewhat distanced from society – most of all the small time hacks still lodged in the office. They were still analysing the best way to sensationalise the incident and villainise the doctor at the centre.

As he walked home across the park he saw children playing, hopelessly unaware of the human tragedy occurring on the outskirts of town. A feathery man in a long coat fervently tried to avoid Howard’s gaze. The autumn evening crept in and a chill wind picked up causing the man’s long coat to flare open and he stumbled on the path. Howard was sure he saw a tear in the man’s eye as he walked past.

The clouds rolled in as Howard continued across the park. One of his colleagues coming the opposite way nodded in recognition. The man was dressed so despicably fashionably and was constantly hooked up to his iPod like it was the matrix. This thought stuck with Howard – ‘This can’t be it!’ he thought. ‘This’ remained ‘it’.