CHAPTER 24

Both ends of the box were propped up on thick blocks of wood, leaving the metal rods fastened underneath clear of the floor. From the bottom of the capacious toolbox I took the eight plastic, rubber-rimmed discs and placed two of them onto each end of the rods, securing them with dome clips. I picked up the heavy hammer and knocked away each wooden block in turn, allowing the box to come to rest on its wheels. We had delayed fitting them until this moment as they made the box far more conspicuous, and Lay would have been sure to notice.

     We set up the hoist on the ground immediately behind the van and fastened the rope, previously used to secure Lay to the seat, around the box. The steel hook of the hoist snapped into place on the rope.

     Lay’s coffin moved easily along the floor of the van as I pushed. The leading wheels cleared the edge of the floor and the heavy load came to rest with a bump, a few inches of it protruding into the darkness. Ellie began to haul back and forth on the hoist’s lever. After a few pulls the ropes became taut as the hoist took the strain. The box rose, simultaneously continuing its lengthways movement until it was clear of the van’s floor. Ellie steadied it while I went to the driver’s door. After gingerly releasing the handbrake, I held the steering wheel with  my left hand and gave a push on the door frame with my right. The van began to move.

     ‘Okay,’ Ellie called softly. I pulled up on the handbrake and went back to join her. She was already lowering the coffin to the ground. The rope slackened. I disengaged the hook and stowed the hoist back in the van, barely able to see in the dim light from the one bulb.

     I took the black plastic sheeting and wrapped it around the box, making sure it covered the wood completely, and secured it with a dozen drawing pins. We began to trundle the coffin along the track, past the van, swinging it around so it was at right angles to the water’s edge. Small ripples lapped against it. I shone the torch down and peered underneath to make sure there was some clearance.