Reginald Hill

902L_tx 14/6/07 08:31 Page i Reginald Hill Reginald Hill is a native of Cumbria and a former resi- dent of Yorkshire, the setting for his outstanding crime novels, featuring Dalziel and Pascoe, ‘the best detective duo on the scene bar none’ (Daily Telegraph). His writing career began with the publication of A Clubbable Woman (1970), which introduced Chief Superintendent Andy Dalziel and DS Peter Pascoe. Their subsequent appearances have confirmed Hill’s position as ‘the best living male crime writer in the English-speaking world’ (Independent) and won numerous awards, including the Crime Writers’ Association Cartier Diamond Dagger for his lifetime contribution to the genre. The Dalziel and Pascoe novels have now been adapted into a hugely successful BBC television series, star- ring Warren Clarke and Colin Buchanan. Visit www.AuthorTracker.co.uk for exclusive information on Reginald Hill i 902L_tx 14/6/07 08:31 Page ii Acclaim for The Death of Dalziel ‘Hill at his best is a masterly storyteller, and he is at his best here. His strength lies not only in a lively, even extravagant imagination, but in his ability to modulate pace, to move from rapid action to domestic scenes . he always handles the big action scenes with authority and perfect timing but one reason for the addictive quality of his novels is that he is every bit as interested in his characters’ off-duty lives . brilliant’ Spectator ‘Hill has kept the series fresh – with innovations that take the reader to surprising areas . the series’ longevity owes much to Hill’s readiness to engage with important social issues and that readiness is apparent in the elements that set the violence in The Death of Dalziel in motion . as usual, Hill is unputdownable’ Daily Express ‘Fans will not feel cheated . Hill should continue to enjoy himself in the company of Dalziel and Pascoe because their 21st adventure is hugely enjoyable to read. God – and Allah – forbid he should think of killing off Pascoe’ Evening Standard ‘Hill is always clever and funny . he demands intense concentration – because he’s worth it’ Literary Review 902L_tx 14/6/07 07:46 Page iii ‘The plot, however clever, is not the main attrac- tion. Hill is a masterful writer, quirky and intelli- gent and his characters – not just the principal duo – are drawn with a depth rare in crime fiction. And, astonishingly, 21 books into the Dalziel and Pascoe saga, I have yet to feel he’s repeating himself’ The Times ‘Hill is one of England’s finest crime writers and this is one of his best novels. A fitting send-off (if, indeed, a send-off it is) for Andy Dalziel’ Glasgow Herald ‘The plot twists and turns to a climax that has you on the edge of your seat’ Woman ‘Hill keeps us in suspense throughout the entire book . it’s a gripping read which displays Hill’s brilliant characterization and dialogue and his skilful plot structure’ Sunday Telegraph ‘More than just a well-constructed mystery featuring some clever twists and turns; it’s also a very human story about loyalty and vengeance, shot through with a wicked and irreverent humour’ Yorkshire Post ‘His energy, wit and erudition are astonishing . he can still see off most of his rivals’ Daily Telegraph 902L_tx 14/6/07 07:46 Page iv By the same author Dalziel and Pascoe novels A CLUBBABLE WOMAN AN ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING RULING PASSION AN APRIL SHROUD A PINCH OF SNUFF A KILLING KINDNESS DEADHEADS EXIT LINES CHILD’S PLAY UNDERWORLD BONES AND SILENCE ONE SMALL STEP RECALLED TO LIFE PICTURES OF PERFECTION ASKING FOR THE MOON THE WOOD BEYOND ON BEULAH HEIGHT ARMS AND THE WOMEN DIALOGUES OF THE DEAD DEATH’S JEST-BOOK GOOD MORNING, MIDNIGHT THE LAST NATIONAL SERVICE MAN Joe Sixsmith novels BLOOD SYMPATHY BORN GUILTY KILLING THE LAWYERS SINGING THE SADNESS FELL OF DARK THE LONG KILL DEATH OF A DORMOUSE DREAM OF DARKNESS THE ONLY GAME THE STRANGER HOUSE 902L_tx 14/6/07 07:46 Page v REGINALD HILL THE DEATH OF DALZIEL 902L_tx 14/6/07 07:46 Page vi This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental. Harper An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 77–85 Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, London W6 8JB www.harpercollins.co.uk This paperback edition 2007 First published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers 2007 Copyright © Reginald Hill 2007 Reginald Hill asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN-13: 978 0 00 719486 5 Set in Meridien by Palimpsest Book Production Ltd Grangemouth, Stirlingshire Printed and bound in Great Britain by Clays Ltd, St Ives plc All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers. 902L_tx 14/6/07 07:46 Page vii For the peacemakers whichever god’s children they are 902L_tx 14/6/07 07:46 Page viii 902L_tx 14/6/07 07:46 Page ix What, old acquaintance? Could not all this flesh Keep in a little life? Poor Jack, farewell . Death hath not struck so fat a deer today. Shakespeare Henry IV Part 1, Act V scene iv A Knight of the Temple who kills an evil man should not be condemned for killing the man but praised for killing the evil. St Bernard of Clairvaux, Liber ad milites Templi 902L_tx 14/6/07 07:46 Page x 902L_tx 14/6/07 07:46 Page 1 Part One Some talk of ALEXANDER And some of HERCULES; Of HECTOR . Anon, ‘The British Grenadiers’ 1 902L_tx 14/6/07 07:46 Page 2 2 902L_tx 14/6/07 07:46 Page 3 1 mill street never much of a street west – the old wool mill a prison block in dry blood brick its staring windows now blinded by boards its clatter and chatter a distant echo through white haired heads east – six narrow houses under one weary roof huddling against the high embankment that arrows southern trains into the city’s northern heart few passengers ever notice Mill Street never much of a street in winter’s depth a cold crevasse spring and autumn much the same but occasionally on a still summer day 3 902L_tx 14/6/07 07:46 Page 4 with sun soaring high in a cloudless sky Mill Street becomes desert canyon overbrimming with heat 4 902L_tx 14/6/07 07:46 Page 5 2 two mutton pasties and an almond slice At least it gives me an excuse for sweating, thought Peter Pascoe as he scuttled towards the shelter of the first of the two cars parked across the road from Number 3. ‘You hurt your back?’ asked Detective Super- intendent Andy Dalziel as his DCI slumped to the pavement beside him. ‘Sorry?’ panted Pascoe. ‘You were moving funny.’ ‘I was taking precautions.’ ‘Oh aye? I’d stick to the tablets. What the hell are you doing here anyway? Bank Holiday’s been cancelled, has it? Or are you just bunking off from weeding the garden?’ ‘In fact I was sunbathing in it. Then Paddy Ireland rang and said there was a siege situation and you were a bit short on specialist manpower so could I help.’ 5 902L_tx 14/6/07 07:46 Page 6 ‘Specialist? Didn’t know you were a marksman.’ Pascoe took a deep breath and wondered what kind of grinning God defied His own laws by allowing Dalziel’s fleshy folds, swaddled in a three- piece suit, to look so cool, while his own spare frame, clad in cotton jeans and a Leeds United T-shirt, was generating more heat than PM’s Question Time. ‘I’ve been on a Negotiator’s Course, remember?’ he said. ‘Thought that were to help you talk to Ellie. What did yon fusspot really say?’ The Fat Man was no great fan of Inspector Ireland, who he averred put the three effs in offi- cious. If you took your cue and pointed out that the word only contained two, he’d tell you what the third one stood for. If you didn’t take your cue, he usually told you anyway. Pascoe on the other hand was a master of diplo- matic reticence. ‘Not a lot,’ he said. What Ireland had actually said was, ‘Sorry to inter- rupt your day off, Pete, but I thought you should know. Report of an armed man on premises in Mill Street. Number 3.’ Then a pause as if anticipating a response. The only response Pascoe felt like giving was, Why the hell have I been dragged off my hammock for this? He said, ‘Paddy, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but 6 902L_tx 14/6/07 07:46 Page 7 I’m off duty today. Bank Holiday, remember? And Andy drew the short straw. Not his idea you rang, is it?’ ‘Definitely not. It’s just that Number 3’s a video rental, Oroc Video, Asian and Arab stuff mainly...’ A faint bell began to ring in Pascoe’s mind. ‘Hang on. Isn’t it CAT flagged?’ ‘Hooray. There is someone in CID who actually reads directives,’ said Ireland with heavy sarcasm. CAT was the Combined Anti-Terrorism unit in which Special Branch officers worked alongside MI5 operatives.

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