Struck Down
Chapter 2
~Fran Gipani

Disclaimer - Midsomer Murders isn't mine...but I will be able to claim a few creative murders in the form of fan fiction soon so...

Authors Note - Thank you to you all for your response and support :) I am so glad you are intrested to know more :)
~Fran x

There was a moment of dead silence. Both Barnaby's stood there in shock. "Well…who the hell are you? How do you know me?" Ben asked again, he was looking panicked now, and that was when Tom hit the button for the nurse.

"Someone will be here in a moment to explain everything to you," Tom said with a sad look in his eyes, "we probably aren't the best at doing so." He lied blindly just as the nurse walked back in; thankfully that was when John's phone rang.

He had a muttered conversation on the phone, as the nurse worked to calm Ben down, "I am so sorry but we have to go, that was Kate, she has some useful information about the case, so we have to get back to the station."

Tom nodded, "we'll be back," he said to the nurse before following his cousin out of the room, sparing a worried glance back at Ben as he left.

O O O

"So the body was run over twice?" Tom confirmed, giving Kate an inquisitive stare.

"Yes," she creased her eyebrows, "they hit him, then to make sure they were dead, they reversed over him then drove off. See the patterning in the skin? Consistent with tire tracks of one car, but they're repeated."

"I see," Tom muttered, "so definitely not a murder. Is there anything else?"

"Not of yet, but there was a piece of a number plate lodged into the victim's leg. It's being analysed now, there might be something we can find there."

"Not a nice way to go, not nice at all," John muttered, "do you think he was killed instantly?"

"No, his legs would have been broken on impact with the car but he wouldn't have died until the car reversed back over him."

"Okay, thank you Kate, we're going to head over to talk to the family." With a solemn smile the two men left the room and headed back up the stairs to the car park.

The drive was quiet, both men not sure what to say, with only one thing they needed to talk about, there was very little they could seem to say. That was until John spoke up, "I tried to stop him, but they had a tight hold of him and I think when he broke free, he had felt so helpless before that there was only one thing on his mind."

"It's not your fault John, I am sure Sarah has said the same, and I know that Ben, if he was thinking straight that is, wouldn't blame you one bit."

They both dissolved into silence once again.

Minutes later they arrived at the small, ivy covered brick cottage where Simon Grey had lived with his wife. John rolled the car to a solid stop in the gravel driveway; they got out, shutting the doors in unison with a solid clunk. Seconds later Tom was rapping his knuckles on the wooden front door of the cottage.

"One second!"

They heard a sound of a strong welsh accent coming from in the house, then the cry of a small child, the door then swung open to reveal a short woman with frizzy red hair, large hazel eyes and a pale rounded face.

"Afternoon," John began, "I'm DCI John Barnaby, and this is my colleague Tom Barnaby, we're looking for the wife of Simon Grey."

"That's me…" she trailed off, looking worried, "…call me Linda."

"May we come in?" Tom asked

"Wha…what's happened?"

"It's probably better if we told you inside," John said with a sad smile.

"Alright," she said uncertainly, "follow me." She led them into the lounge, indicating the comfy looking sofa for the two men to sit on. She then perched on the edge of the other her fingers clenched together on her knees; she looked worriedly up the men opposite her.

"I am really sorry to have to bring you this news," John began, "but your husband was found in the early hours of this morning, he had been hit by a car, and had died."

"No!" Linda gasped, "You're wrong, you have to be!"

"I am sorry, but it is true." Tom replied sadly

"What am I going to tell Ben?" She said almost to herself, Linda put her hands to her mouth, blinking her eyes and letting tears fall down her cheeks.

"Ben?" both men asked in unison.

"Our son, how do I tell him his father's gone?" she drew in a deep breath, "I s'pose you'll need to ask me a few questions?"

"If you're up to it, that is…" John replied, and waited for a nod in reply before carrying on, "Linda, your husband, do you know where he was last night?"

"Not entirely," she sniffed, "he usually stays in with me on weeknights, but he said he had to meet someone. To talk about work I think…"

"Did he say where he would meet them? Or who it was?" Tom quizzed.

"No, I'm sorry," she looked up from her knees, "though there was something that was a bit odd."

"What was that?" John pounced at the change of routine.

"He walked to meet them, he usually drives but he does…he does walk to work…" she sniffed again.

"Hmm, interesting, would you mind telling me where that is please?" John asked.

"At the garage, down the road called McGee's. Is there anything else?" Linda added

"Just one thing, is there anyone who would have wanted to harm Peter?" John queried.

"As far as I know…no, there isn't." She looked up sadly, "if you don't mind, I have a few things I need to do."

"Of course," Tom said, "we'll let ourselves out."

"We are so sorry about what has happened." John gave a respectful nod as he followed his cousin from the room.

The drive, again, was quiet, that was until Tom spoke up, "I think we should go visit Ben again tomorrow, see how he is and if we can jog his memory a little."

John waited for a moment before answering. "Yes , that is a good idea, we'll go tomorrow after we have talked to Peter's colleagues." I hope he doesn't lose it again. It's not like him, not like him at all.