The Long Call (Two Rivers #1) - Ann Cleeves Page 0,7

you’re out every day.’

There was another silence, broken by the sound of a car pulling up outside. Matthew recognized it as belonging to Sally Pengelly, the pathologist. The barrier was raised and the car drove on.

‘Who was that?’ Hilary was on her feet.

‘Just one of the team.’ Matthew turned back to the husband. ‘So, Mr Marston, any strangers?’

‘There are always one or two people I don’t recognize. Even at this time of year, there are visitors. And I don’t take much notice unless they’ve got a dog that disturbs the birds while I’m counting.’

‘But today.’ Matthew was a patient man. ‘You must be a good observer, used to registering detail.’

The flattery appeared to have worked. Marston looked back at the notebook and seemed to be reliving his walk on the shore. ‘There was a couple, a man and a woman. He was in a suit, not really dressed for the beach. She was a bit younger and she was wearing jeans.’ He paused. ‘I was watching something I thought might be a little gull and they flushed it.’

Matthew was thinking the man in the suit seen by Marston couldn’t be their victim because the clothes didn’t tally, but Marston was still speaking.

‘They were walking hand in hand and they stopped once to kiss. Not just a peck, if you know what I mean. As if they’d not been together for a long time.’ He stared out of the window. ‘I wondered if they might be having an affair, because they came in two cars and there was a sense that they were doing something dangerous. Exciting.’ His voice was wistful.

‘You saw the cars?’

‘Yes. They climbed the dunes and after a bit I followed them. I wanted a better view of the birds near the tideline.’

Jen shot Matthew an amused glance. Yeah right! Not that you were hoping to catch them making out.

‘I saw them getting into their cars. I didn’t get the reg of either of them, though. Pity, they might have been useful for you.’

‘But you do remember the make of the vehicles? The colour?’

‘Of course!’ Marston almost sounded offended that the question had been asked. ‘As Hilary said, I used to work in the car industry. Behind the scenes, working on contracts, but it’s still in my blood. One was a red Fiesta. A few years old. That was the woman’s. And a black Passat.’

‘You saw them drive off?’

Marston paused for a moment. ‘I saw the man drive off. The woman was still in her car, looking at her phone, when I dropped down onto the beach.’

‘Did you see anyone else?’ The low sun must have been streaming in through the window all afternoon and the heat had been trapped in the small room. It seemed airless.

‘One guy in the distance.’ A man, it seemed, held less interest for Colin Marston than a couple.

‘Could you describe him?’

‘He was a long way off, close to Crow Point.’ Colin set his notebook on the table in front of him.

‘And he was on his own?’

‘Yeah. Though maybe he was waiting for someone. He didn’t seem to move while I was there. He was still on the beach when I headed back towards Spindrift.’ The man looked up sharply. ‘You live in the house there, don’t you? I thought I knew you. I’ve seen you in the garden and going through the toll.’

Matthew didn’t answer. Instead he asked another question of his own. ‘How many cars were parked there when you made your way inland?’

‘Just a Volvo. They’re regulars. An older couple.’

Matthew nodded to show he understood. Those would be the people seen by the constable on duty outside. It was so warm in the room that it was an effort to move. He stood up and thanked the couple for their help.

‘What happens now?’ Hilary was on her feet too, leaning forward, desperate for more information.

‘We continue with our enquiries,’ Matthew said. ‘Someone will be in touch if we need to speak to you again.’

As he stopped to unlock the car he saw both the Marstons at the window, staring out at them.

* * *

The CSIs’ vehicle passed them as they were getting into Matthew’s car, and they must have worked quickly because by the time he and Jen arrived at the scene, the tent had been erected and a white-suited team were doing a finger-touch search of the surrounding sand. Ross was standing well away, still pacing.

‘Any ID?’ Matthew was hoping they could inform relatives before the press got hold