Local Gone Missing(43)

“Okay. And on the condition that everything is off the record. You can’t quote me.”

“?’Course not.”

“So you can turn off the recorder on your phone.”

Elise watched as Kiki did so and let Kiki tell the story she was writing. Elise interrupted occasionally to put her straight on small details but she seemed to have most of it.

“So Charlie Perry was seen on Friday at the festival? And then near the static caravans where the laborers are living,” Kiki added.

“Really? Who said that?”

“A bloke in the Neptune.” The reporter consulted her notebook. “He didn’t want to give me his name.”

“It’s the first time I’ve heard that,” Elise said. “Just an observation but the statics are on the Brighton road and Charlie’s body was found at his home—in the opposite direction.”

“Okay, I’ll check it. I’ve heard a dog led the police to the body.”

Elise laughed. “It was me, actually. I was near the footpath at the back of his property and—”

“And?”

“I smelled something.”

“God! How awful for you.”

“It’s not my first time—”

“No, ’course not. Sorry. I was just thinking what I’d feel like if it’d been me. Finding someone I knew.”

“Well, I hadn’t known him long, really,” Elise said. “I’m sure there will be others who knew him much better. I’d met him a couple of times and chatted in the shops. Nice man.”

“That’s what everyone says. No one has a bad word about him. They’ve been telling me about all his charity work—and his great stories.”

Elise wondered how quickly the press would dig out Charlie’s real past.

“It’s a funny place, Ebbing, isn’t it?” Kiki said as she put her notebook away. “Seems quite quiet at first glance. A bit down-at- heel, really. But it’s all going on, isn’t it? Drugs, arson, and now the unexplained death. It’s like Midsomer Murders. . . .”



* * *



—

Elise rang Caro as soon as Kiki left. “I know I’m seeing you later but I’ve had a reporter here.”

“Poor you. Hope you shut the door in his face.” Caro belonged to the other school of thought on the media.

“It was a her, actually. Kiki Nunn—do you know her? And no, I let her in because I thought it would be useful to hear what the locals are saying about Charlie.”

“Okay. Go on, then?”

“Murdered by Eastern European laborers, apparently . . .”

“Good grief. I’ll make a note. Look, I’ve got to get on, Elise—we’re still reviewing all the mobile phone footage from the festival to try to spot Charlie and anyone he spoke to there. There’s hours of it. Mostly people off their faces and bashing into one another.”

“Okay, but the reporter also said that Charlie was seen late on Friday night up by the workers’ village—those tatty old static caravans the builders are using. On the Brighton road.”

“Really? Well, why didn’t you say that first? That’s a new sighting! Who told her that?”

“A bloke in the Neptune who wouldn’t give his name. Dave Harman might be able to help.”

“Unlikely—the drugs case has gone tits up. His son has withdrawn his statement. He’s got a new solicitor who says he wasn’t in a fit state to be interviewed.”

“Oh, dear.”

“He’s as guilty as sin but we’ll have to start again to build a case. He was helping set up the bars that night and we’re reinterviewing the others working with him—one of them is of interest, actually. Liam Eastwood. Do you know him?”

“Eastwood? Sadly, I think he might be married to my cleaning lady. Is he a plumber?”

“That’s him.”

“Shit! I’m going to end up looking for a new cleaner, aren’t I? Just when I’ve got used to Dee. Actually, Liam Eastwood’s been working for the Perrys. I saw one of his trade boards up at the crime scene.”

“Yes, I clocked that too, thank you. But it’s the conspiracy to supply MDMA that brought him to our attention.”

“Go on.”

“His name was on the Brighton boys’ radar. A user but he hung around with some of the dealers. We had him in for questioning on day one of the inquiry but he said he hadn’t had any contact with his Brighton mates for years. Not since leaving the town. Said he was stupid when he was younger, experimenting. But we’re hearing different from people in Ebbing. He’s boasted about more recent drug taking in the pub, apparently. We’re having a closer look. I’ll pass the sighting of Charlie on to the boss. Got to go. See you later.”

“Okay, but when are we having a press conference? It’s twenty-four hours since the body was found and these rumors are building while we’re saying nothing.”

“We? Don’t worry. The boss is doing one in the next half hour, so it’ll be on the local news.”

“I’ll be watching.”





Thirty-three


TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2019