The Long Call (Two Rivers #1) - Ann Cleeves Page 0,24
young women. One of them, Gaby Henry, is the artist in residence here. He worked as a volunteer here too, in the cafe kitchen. I presume that’s how Lucy recognized him when he sat beside her on the bus.’
Maurice shook his head. ‘I’ve never seen him. Lovacott’s a small village. No school any more and no post office. Only the pub and that’s more for visitors now than locals. I don’t think he lives there. I can ask around if you like, when I get back. Take it into The Fleece and see if anyone knows him.’
As soon as he’d spoken Maurice wondered if he’d done the right thing. Perhaps the police didn’t like people interfering. But Venn nodded. ‘Thanks, that would be very helpful.’
Jonathan turned to Maurice. ‘Shall we get Lucy in now? Is that okay with you, Maurice?’
Maurice couldn’t help feeling proud of Lucy when she came in, chin up, and that bit of a swagger she had when she wasn’t quite at ease but didn’t want people to know. That smile that made everyone smile back. She took the seat between Maurice and Jonathan. The photo was still on the table.
‘That’s him,’ she said. ‘The man on the bus with the sweets. I’m not making it up.’
‘We don’t think that for a minute,’ Venn said. He was listening properly and could make out her words. ‘I’m impressed that you recognized him. Lots of people wouldn’t.’ He paused. ‘I don’t suppose you remember what he was wearing when you saw him last?’
Lucy screwed up her eyes. ‘Jeans and a denim jacket. Boots.’
‘That’s what he was wearing when he was found. Is there anything else you can think of?’
‘He had a tattoo on his neck. A big bird.’
‘That’s right. Brilliant.’ A pause. ‘Tell me about the sweets.’
Maurice couldn’t understand why that might be important, but Lucy answered straight away. ‘Sherbet lemons and eclairs, fruit salads.’
‘All in the same bag?’
She nodded.
‘A paper bag?’
She nodded again.
‘That’s useful, you see, because it means Simon Walden went to a proper sweet shop to buy them. Not a supermarket where they’d all be ready packaged. And there aren’t many old-fashioned sweet shops left.’ Venn paused. ‘You told your dad that you’d seen the man before. Can you remember where that might have been?’
Lucy shut her eyes again. It seemed a bit showy to Maurice, as if she was only pretending to take them all seriously. But when she opened them again she shook her head. ‘I’m sorry. I tried to think.’
‘It doesn’t matter. We’ll sort that out.’ Venn paused again and smiled. ‘Just one last question. Did the man get on the bus at the same time as you? You walked to the stop with your friends and one of the workers from the Woodyard. Was he with you then?’
‘No,’ she said. ‘He got on at the next stop, the one just coming out of town at the bottom of the hill.’ She paused, a little shame-faced. ‘I looked out for him. I was pleased to see him.’
‘What did you talk about?’
For the first time she hesitated and seemed unsure how to answer. In the end she gave a little shake of her head. ‘Nothing much. Nothing important.’
‘And was he on his own when he got on the bus?’
Lucy thought about that. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘But he always sat with me.’
Chapter Eight
JEN RAFFERTY ATE BREAKFAST WITH Caroline Preece. She wondered what Matthew would say if he knew – he was such a stickler for rules that taking food from a witness and potential suspect might be disapproved of – but she decided she was so hungry, she didn’t give a shit. Caroline set out the table, tidily, and even put milk in a jug and the toast in a rack.
‘Homemade marmalade. My grandmother’s a good cook.’ Setting a jar with a gingham cover fixed with an elastic band in front of Jen.
They watched each other across the table as they ate. Caroline was tidy too, dressed not quite in twinset and pearls but in the contemporary equivalent: a neat little white blouse and black trousers, with a cardigan on top. Jen wouldn’t be seen dead in anything so boring. Round Caroline’s neck a chain and crucifix. Small, tasteful and tucked inside her blouse. Jen thought she must be the God-botherer Gaby had mentioned when they’d first turned up at the house. Jen was comfortable with that. She’d been brought up in a family of botherers and been taught by nuns.