Frozen Grave (Willis/Carter #3)(87)

‘Yes.’ He smiled.

Carter showed his badge. Willis and Tucker did likewise.

‘We phoned earlier. Can we come in?’

‘Please, do.’ He stepped aside and held open the front door for them to walk through to his lounge/office. It was an uncluttered space with more PCs than sofas.

‘We’d like to run through what you saw on Saturday evening when you were driving along the coast road.’

‘Yes, sure. Please sit down.’

All three detectives sat on the red 1960s sofa, which was more chic than comfortable. Willis perched on the edge of the seat and took out her notebook. Mendrik-Sutton sat in the only other seat – an orange armchair.

‘Can you just tell us what you saw.’

‘Um, well, it was just after nine. I’d been to dinner with a friend and was driving home when I saw two runners.’

‘Male or female?’

‘I’m not sure. I saw them out of the corner of my eye. One had a hoodie on. I remember thinking that it was a very cold night. The road was freezing. I had to watch out for black ice. I thought that I wouldn’t have been running so late in the evening.’

‘Did they look like they were running together?’

‘No, not at first. One was a few paces away from the other. The next time I looked they seemed to be alongside one another and then something caught my eye and I nearly crashed as I saw what seemed to be a fight between them. There was a car passing me and I took my eyes from them for a split second and then I looked back and they were both gone. When I drove by this morning and saw the police activity, I thought I should say something. I hope it helps.’

‘Yes, many thanks and we’ll get back to you if we need anything further.’

After they left Mendrik-Sutton’s they drove to Lisa Tompkins’s house. They parked at the end of the road. The house had an officer outside. The team of SOCOs were finishing up. The man in charge of them – Penny – stopped to talk to Carter.

‘Any sign of anything untoward going on here?’ Carter asked him.

Penny was a slight man. The white suit ballooned around him.

‘No,’ Penny answered. ‘No signs of any disturbance. Just what you’d expect to find.’

‘Would it be okay if we bring our team down here? This could be connected to another investigation. This woman was on a list of women involved with a man we’re looking into. Three of the women are now dead. All died in different circumstances.’

‘Let us know what you need and we’ll oblige,’ said Penny.

‘Can we have a look round now?’

‘Be my guest.’

They stepped inside the front door and walked straight into the lounge.

‘You can’t swing a cat in here,’ Tucker said as he stood in the middle of the room, looking around.

‘No, you don’t get a lot for your money. Location, location, location,’ said Carter as he moved through to the kitchen. ‘This is a bit better. At least you can sit down in here. There’s a table and chairs.’ Carter began opening the drawers. Willis opened the back door and stepped out into a lean-to.

‘Nice bike,’ she said. A racing bike was leaning against the wall there. Tucker joined her and took a step past her, down into the lean-to and then to the tiny patio beyond. He walked to a back gate and opened it.

‘This is the way she must come in and out with the bike.’

‘Where does it lead? Do we know?’ asked Willis as she rejoined him.

‘My guess is it comes out at the end of the houses, towards the station. Useful little short cut.’

‘Yes, she would probably use it most days. Maybe just hide the key somewhere while she’s out running. It’s a nuisance to run with a bunch of keys.’

‘Do you run?’ He turned to look at her.

Willis felt herself blush. ‘Yes, but not every day.’

‘Fast?’

‘As the wind.’ She smiled and almost added, ‘it’s in my blood’, but decided not to.

‘Ha-ha. You’ll have to give me a head start then because I’ve got a war wound. One leg is longer than the other.’

‘Which is it – a war wound or uneven legs?’

‘Both. I can’t dance like I used to.’

‘What kind of dance?’

‘Salsa, ceroc, jive, you name it . . .’

She looked at him. ‘I’m always suspicious of single men who go to those classes.’

‘Okay. Right. Just as well I’m lying then.’

‘I’m even more suspicious of men who lie.’

‘Of course. Sure. Well, that’s it then.’ He grinned at her back as he followed her into the kitchen, and found Carter still looking through Lisa Tompkins’s kitchen drawers.

‘Found anything?’

‘Actually, yes, I have. Follow me.’

He walked back into the lounge and stood in front of a landscape painting of moorland and windswept trees.

Willis took a closer look.

‘Recognize the signature?’ Carter asked them.

Tucker stepped in beside Willis.

‘I do. That’s one by Megan Penarth. The artist I went to talk to. From one woman on the list to another.’

‘We need to talk to all the women now,’ said Carter.