Deep Hurt - Eva Hudson Page 0,41
suspected Gurley wanted to bring Kyle Foster in himself, single-handedly, if he had a choice.
If he thought for one second he could shake her off, he needed to think again.
After Gurley had made a show of rolling up his sleeves, to reveal remarkably pale, almost hairless arms, he planted both elbows on the table and leaned forward. “When did you see him?”
“Just before six o’clock. I was only a few miles from here. Running a bit late… that’s a bloody joke, considering what time it is now… anyway, Foster was standing outside the post office, next to the pillar box. Looked as if he was waiting for something.”
“Or someone?” Gurley asked.
Cooper shrugged. “How am I supposed to know that?”
“So you recognized him? From the TV reports?”
“I know him. Not well, but enough to recognize him in the street.”
“What did you do then?”
“I pulled up and got out of the van.”
“Why?”
Cooper paused for a moment. “Actually, I’m not sure. I didn’t think about it. By the time I was out of the cab, he was gone.”
“Why didn’t you call the police right away?” Ingrid asked. Gurley threw her an irritated sideways glance.
“I tried. My phone battery was out of juice. I need to get a new phone, it runs right down after a couple of calls. I just haven’t got round to it.”
“There are public pay phones in the village. I’ve seen them,” Gurley said.
“But have you ever actually seen anyone use one? You won’t have—they’ve all been vandalized. Quick as BT send an engineer round to fix them, so some little bastard smashes them up again.”
“So you continued your journey into the base?” Ingrid asked.
“Seemed like the smart thing to do. I told Lieutenant Grayson I’d seen Kyle. He said he’d phone the police and I should sit tight and wait for them to come out to question me. That was bloody ages ago. And then you two turn up.”
“Was Foster alone when you saw him?” Ingrid said. “Was his son with him?”
“Alone. I expected to see Tommy close by, but there was no sign of him. That’s not good, is it?” He popped his knuckles again. “My youngest is so upset by it all he’s refusing to go to school. Probably just an excuse to bunk off, but you can understand he’d be feeling scared.”
“Your son knows Tommy?”
“Lewis plays footie with Tommy every Saturday. It’s a little local league, nothing to get excited about, but that doesn’t stop some dads taking it very seriously.”
“And was Foster one of those dads? Did he push Tommy to do well?”
“God no. He was just pleased Tommy had made a few friends outside of the base.”
“Why’s that?” Gurley’s upper body tensed defensively.
“You’d have to ask him. But I think I know what he meant. Village life can get like that too. Seeing the same people all the time isn’t healthy for anyone, is it? That’s how tempers fray and arguments start. Well, you tell me, major. I bet it’s like a pressure cooker in here sometimes, isn’t it?”
Gurley didn’t respond. He just narrowed his eyes and set his jaw.
“So Tommy and Lewis play soccer together. How about you and Foster—are you close?” Ingrid asked.
“What are you getting at?”
“How well do you know him?”
“We have a pint after the match on a Saturday afternoon. But if you’re implying that I’ve done anything wrong… that I’m such a close friend I’d protect him or something… then you’re totally barking up the wrong tree. I reported seeing him just as soon as I could.”
Ingrid wondered why Cooper had become so defensive. Could he be hiding something? “What was Foster wearing when you saw him?”
“Dark trousers, a pale shirt. Bloody big boots on his feet. US Air Force issue, they looked like.”
“Was he clean shaven?”
“He looked like he hadn’t had a shave for a day or two. But he didn’t exactly have a beard. His hair was greasy, lying flat against his head.”
“So maybe he hadn’t had access to a bathroom, the past forty-eight hours?” Ingrid asked.
“I suppose not.”
“Did he look as if he’d been sleeping outdoors?” Gurley said.
“He looked bloody rough, so he could have been.”
“Rough?”
“His clothes were creased and muddy. He seemed exhausted.”
“Sounds like you got a pretty good look at him. How long were you staring at him before you opened the door of your truck?” Gurley’s tone had changed from general hostility to outright mistrust.
“Wait a minute, I don’t like the way this is going.”
“What were you planning to do?”
“I wasn’t planning anything,