Looking up from the village of Aidensfield, towards the high moors High Peak Quarry was clearly visible, a deep gaping hole in the skyline. The quarry workings were leased to the Quarry Directors, from Lord Ashfordly as it was his land upon which the natural stone was quarried from in the same way as he ultimately owned the coal mines beneath the moors. It was these rich natural reserves which funded the Ashfordly fortunes.
Whilst the quarry might be ugly to look upon it was a good source of work for locals and therefore they were not inclined to look disfavourably upon it.
This particular morning Harry Foster who worked at the quarry as foreman left the site office. He walked over to a securely locked shed deliberately standing away from the main offices. On the door was a clear sign – "Explosives! No unauthorised Entry!"
Two padlocks kept the door secured. Humming to himself Harry unlocked both of these and stepped into the shed.
The dynamite they used at the quarry was kept in locked steel cabinets and any removed had to be accounted for in the log book. Harry carefully unlocked one of the cabinets.
But before he could get any further he heard shouting out in the main yard. As he went to the door of the shed he was met by the assistant foreman Bert Jackson.
"Harry, one o't' lads has just keeled right over. Looks like a heart attack! Its bad - he's not breathing."
Harry followed him at a run crucially leaving the shed and cabinet unlocked.
Two hours later Nick Rowan and Sergeant Blaketon were stood outside the same shed talking to an agitated Harry and his boss the Quarry Director Mr Kenyon.
"So let me get this right sir," Blaketon said. "You left the dynamite unlocked and unattended."
"I was distracted – one of the lads were taken real bad. I weren't gone that long."
"Long enough though sir," Nick pointed out.
"Its very unlike Harry," Kenyon said quietly. "I think in the circumstances –"
"The shed was left unlocked as was the cabinet, and by the time you, Mr Foster, returned a significant amount of high explosive was missing," Nick replied. "You say you weren't gone long but it was long enough."
"And definitely none of the lads have taken it and not signed it out," Kenyon demanded of Jackson.
"No sir, I've checked. Wherever the dynamite is, its not here."
Blaketon and Nick exchanged glances.
Nick said, "I've had reports from you before of kids messing around up here. Do you think they may have been hanging about, seen you leave the shed and swiped some of the dynamite?"
"Its possible," agreed Harry.
"We still cannot rule out it has been appropriated by one of your employees for their own purposes," Blaketon pointed out. "So we'll need a list of all your current and previous staff please. And we will need to conduct thorough searches of staff, lockers and personal vehicles before anyone leaves this site."
"How volatile is this stuff?" Nick asked.
Harry and Kenyon looked at each other.
"Very," said Kenyon in low tones. "Just keeping it at the wrong temperature could spark an explosion. That's one of the reasons we keep the storage shed on its own over here."
"And in the quantity that has been taken?" asked Blaketon.
Harry swallowed. "If it all went off together-" he stopped
"It would make the atomic bomb look rather tame, Sergeant," Kenyon finished for him.
Blaketon took a deep breath. "Right. We'd best get on and find it hadn't we?" He looked at Nick. "Best get young Bellamy up here or else these searches are going to take all night."
Joseph Buckley farmed at High Peak Farm just across the moor from the Quarry. As he had done for many years Joseph was out on foot checking his sheep with his dog by his side. Turning to head for home Joseph's attention was caught. Ahead in the distance was a natural hollow in the hill. Two figures came running out of the hollow, running as if for their very lives. Then they both hit the ground lying with their hands over their heads. And next thing Joseph knew was a powerful explosion which knocked him clean off his feet. It was something he had never experienced since his days in the Army during the Second World War.
He lay on the ground for a few minutes his dog whimpering by his side from fear. Joseph put a hand out. "All right lad, Ah know. Easy."
Slowly he got to his feet feeling very shaken. The two figures he had seen got up from their lying prone positions and took off across the moor paying no heed to Joseph's cry to them to Stop!
Back at the Quarry with Phil's help the searches were in full swing. Blaketon was searching vehicles, while Nick and Phil were conducting personal searches of the workers including their lockers and bags. They expected some grumbling but the lads were very co-operative seeming to more than realise the severity of the situation. But as the lads wound up their searches in the site offices, Blaketon came in looking grim. He looked queryingly at Phil and Nick who shook their heads.
"Just had a radio call from Ventress at the station," Blaketon explained. "Sounds like some of the missing dynamite has turned up already. Joseph Buckley, High Peak Farm. Was out checking his stock when he saw two lads running for it across the moor. Next thing there's an explosion." He paused. "A big one apparently."
"Is Joseph all right?" Nick asked quickly.
"Knocked off his feet but he reckons so. So were the two lads he saw. Last thing Joseph saw of them they were hightailing it across the moor."
"So it looks as though its kids who've got hold of the dynamite then?" Nick paused. "I wonder if they've blown up what they had or whether they've still got some left?"
"We'll know when we see the size of the crater they've left behind!" Blaketon said grimly. "I take it you've found nothing here?"
"No sarge," Phil replied. "And we've searched the lot even Kenyon himself!"
"Aye. Well this just gets better and better doesn't it? We've got two delinquents loose out there with enough explosive to start World War Three!" Blaketon turned to the door. "With me Rowan. You finish up here Bellamy."
A little later Nick and his Sergeant were surveying the area where the explosive had been lit.
"What do you think Rowan?" Blaketon asked.
Nick shook his head. "Looking at this only a small amount of explosive was used. They must still have a significant amount in their possession."
"Aye." Blaketon paused. "Done enough damage hasn't it for a small amount? Think if those tearways have the rest of their haul stashed in the garage or the shed…." He left the rest of his sentence unfinished.
They looked back at Joseph Buckley standing a little to one side.
"You all right Joseph?" Nick asked him.
"Aye Mr Rowan. Me and t'dog'll live to tell the tale I reckon."
"And you didn't' get a good look at these two lads?"
"Nay. Just saw their hides as they legged it over t'moor. I got the impression they were a bit older like, not young uns. But more n' that I couldn't say."
Claude Greengrass was coming out of his barn when he saw Nick Rowan's motorbike pull up in his yard. "What do you want?" he asked grumpily.
"Good to see you and all Claude," Nick said getting off the bike.
"Blaketon sent you has he?"
"Not this time, not directly anyway." Nick paused. "I'm talking to everyone in the village Claude not just you. This is serious."
"Oh aye?"
"Dynamite has gone missing from the quarry at High Peak. A significant amount highly unstable."
"Well it weren't me as took it!"
"We think its local kids. Joseph Buckley saw two lads setting some off on the moor. He wasn't near enough to see who they were or get a description and the amount they set off isn't what they took. We reckon they must have stashed the rest somewhere." Nick nodded at Claude's barn. "A barn, a shed."
"And how much have they took, like?" Claude asked curiously.
"Enough that if it goes off in one go Aidensfield probably won't be on the map any longer," Nick replied. "I need help here Claude. Check your barn, keep it locked. Let me know if you hear or see anything."
"And if I did hear summat – or know summat about summat – which I don't - would I get a reward like?"
"Its called doing your civic duty Claude. That's your reward!"