petunias, trailing nasturtium and bacopa, against the backdrop of the white-washed walls, made the outside look so pretty. There were a few picnic benches and a small fenced-off play area. Hers was the only car and she wondered if anyone was in. The front door was ajar, and she knocked.
A voice shouted: ‘Come in.’
Morgan stepped inside her second pub of the day. This one smelt far better than the one before. Inside it was much brighter and modern as well. There was a woman behind the bar, polishing the woodwork.
‘Morning, lovey, we’re not open yet.’
‘Morning. Oh, that’s okay, I’m not a customer. I’m from the police. I wondered if I could ask you a few questions about an investigation.’
‘Yes, of course. You’d better come and sit down; would you like a tea or coffee?’
‘If it’s no trouble, a coffee would be amazing. Thank you.’
‘No trouble at all, I was going to make myself one anyway. I’m Elaine, I run this place with my partner Simone. You’ve just missed her; she’s gone into Rydal to get some shopping.’
Elaine disappeared for a few minutes and came back with two mugs of coffee; passing one to Morgan, she sat down.
‘What can I help you with?’
‘I’m part of the team investigating the murder of the Potter family. Are you aware of it?’
She nodded. ‘Terrible tragedy, yes. I am very aware of it.’
‘Did you know the Potters? Did they ever come here?’
‘I’m not one for gossip, but I knew something bad was going to come out of it.’
‘What?’
‘That woman’s blatant lack of morals. She used to come here now and again with her husband. He was such a nice guy. Then she stopped bringing him and brought another man instead. It was obvious what they were up to. They’d be holding hands under the table. I tried not to look, but you could see him stroking her thigh. I’m not a prude at all, but it was the total disregard for her family which upset me. I thought they’d split up and it wouldn’t have been so bad if they had, then I saw her the day after in town with her husband, her arm linked through his. He looked so happy and it made me feel sick. Simone told me to forget about it, not to let it bother me, that it wasn’t any of my business and she was right, it wasn’t.’
Morgan felt so sad for Saul; they say the partner is always the last to know.
‘Who was the man she came with, do you know?’
‘Greg Barker, you’ll know him, he’s the mayor.’
She smiled; she knew him very well. Looking up, she spotted a domed CCTV camera by the bar.
‘You wouldn’t have any footage of the pair of them together, would you?’
Elaine let out a laugh. ‘Do I? Yes, I do, only it’s more like a pornographic video. I didn’t know what to do with it. Simone told me I should destroy it, but I didn’t. I just had a bad feeling about it. I guess I realised it was all going to go to shit before it actually did. Truth be told, I’ll be glad to be rid of it. I’ve kept it in the safe, not sure why I did but you are very welcome to it. If I never have to look at it again that would suit me just fine.’
She stood up and disappeared behind the bar for a second time. Morgan’s stomach was churning; she wanted to know what was on the footage and prayed to God it was enough evidence to keep Barker in custody. Elaine came back clutching a pen drive in her hand and passed it to her.
‘There you go.’
‘Thank you, I really appreciate it.’
‘You’re welcome, I hope he never darkens my door again. He’s a vile man. God knows who voted him in as mayor, because most of the people I know can’t abide him either.’
Excited to go back and see what was on the pen drive, Morgan headed back to the station to view the footage and tell Ben.
Forty-Seven
Ben was waiting for Tom to give him the all-clear to speak to Greg Barker in custody when Morgan came rushing down the stairs, breathless.
‘Boss, you need to come and look at this footage which was handed to me at The Grain.’
‘I’m about to go into interview.’
She was shaking her head. ‘No, like now.’
He followed her up to the office, where she had an image paused on her computer monitor. He perched on the desk