Heaven's Invention

Novella (Fiction) by Geoffrey Heptonstall. Synopsis In an English town a young man, Simpson, enters the garden of Narrator and Caroline. He succeeds in establishing himself, living in the summerhouse, tending the garden, and intriguing everyone with his 'philosophy' of life. The landlord, Dave Marsh, is a Tory councillor and businessman. Simpson's girlfriend, Gelina, pouts her way into Marsh's affections. He agrees to fund a scheme they have. Marsh is opening a country club in need of some art to decorate the walls. Anticipating immediate acceptance, Marsh is furious when narrator hesitates. He feels something is wrong with Marsh's project. Narrator meets Trish and Mick in the street. They say they're going to Melbury Hall (Dave Marsh's proposed country club) to join the squatters there. Simpson visit Dave Marsh to show him photographs of Gelina in bed with another man. Marsh starts to reveal his ideas, if not his plan. He talks vaguely about political upheaval, but nothing more. A body is found dumped not too far Marsh's country house. Dressed in expensive party clothes, the woman is not claimed by anyone. The suspicion is that she is an illegal immigrant working as a prostitute. Narrator is driving at night near Melbury Hall when he is stopped by armed guards in uniform. One of them turns out to be Mick. There is a trial in which Dave Marsh is convicted of the trafficking of women, of possessing arms and explosives, of the attempted murder of Simpson, of conspiracy to murder one of the prostitutes he controlled.