Local Gone Missing(55)

“I heard,” I say. “Let’s hope your lawyer is right and the police leave us alone.”



* * *



—

Fat chance. DS Susie Atkins arrives half an hour later. Looking into our hall, taking it all in as soon as I open the door. Liam hovers near the kitchen door. Ready to disappear.

“Is Mr. Eastwood in? Oh, hello, Liam,” she says. “I’d like to talk to you again about Friday night. Have you remembered any more about the man you say saw Charlie Perry at the workers’ village?”

I want to scream but I’ve got to keep quiet. What has he done now? Why is he making stuff up like this?

“Er, no. Like I said, there were a load of people in the pub. I don’t know everyone who goes in there. You should be talking to the workers at Harbor Row. . . . Most of them don’t even have permits to be here. Loads of illegals. That’s what everyone’s saying.”

“I see. But you definitely didn’t see Charlie Perry that night?”

“No, I didn’t,” he says too loudly.

I’m not sure I’d believe him but I’m praying the officer does.

“And, Mrs. Eastwood”—she turns to look at me—“did you see Mr. Perry?”

“Er, no. Well, it was so crowded—and I was busy dancing and we left early to get back for the babysitter, didn’t we?”

Liam nods.

“Well, I’ve had another look at the CCTV from the High Street and seen your van with two people in the front seats.”

Liam nods but doesn’t manage to speak.

“That would be right,” I say. “We drove home from the festival, didn’t we, love?”

“Right,” DS Atkins says, “but twenty-five minutes later it’s at the Shell garage out on the Portsmouth road.”

“We went to get some diesel on the way home,” I say too quickly. “We were getting low.”

“Right. How far is the garage from the Old Vicarage? A couple of miles?”

“Yeah, about that,” Liam says.

“So it took you twenty-five minutes to drive a couple of miles?”

Liam goes all red and I know he’s going to say something stupid.

“We stopped for a cuddle,” I blurt.

DS Atkins looks at me and I hold her eye. “Where exactly?” she says.

“Down by the sea,” I say straight back, and try to giggle. “We were reliving our youth—what with the festival and everything.”

“Right, well, luckily there are cameras on the front, so we’ll be able to pinpoint when this kiss and cuddle took place.”

“We weren’t on the front,” I shoot back. “Just parked up on one of the side roads. Then we got the fuel and went back to let the babysitter go to the festival.”

“I see. So can I have the name of your babysitter?”

She’s not letting this go. I shrug as if I don’t care. But my heart is pounding.

“Er, it’s Jenny—she lives at number thirteen.”



* * *



—

I watch the officer march up the path and wonder what Jenny will say? What she saw?

Liam comes to stand by me at the window. “A cuddle?” he says. “What made you say that? You haven’t let me near you for a week.”

“Dunno. It was the first thing that came into my head. I didn’t hear you come up with anything better.”

“Why don’t we just tell the truth? Say I took him home?” he hisses.

“It’ll be fine,” I say.

“No, it won’t! We’re making this worse. When she comes back, I’m telling her.”

“Don’t you dare. . . .”

But I’ve lost him. He’s going to do it. I put the kettle on and wait for the police to come back.

DS Atkins looks very pleased with herself when we open the door. “So,” she says, “Jenny says you came home at ten fifteen—that would be ten minutes after your van drove past the first camera. So that must have been a very quick snog. Jenny is sure about the time because she was looking at the clock and out of the window because she was worried about meeting her friend. She says you got out of the van, Mrs. Eastwood. But Mr. Eastwood didn’t come in. He drove off alone. But the garage camera shows there was someone in the passenger seat.”

“That would be Charlie,” Liam says. “You’d better come in.”





Forty-one


THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019





Elise


Her bottom had barely made contact with the chair when the phone rang.

“I know Charlie Perry made it home on Friday,” DS Atkins said, and Elise could hear the growl of adrenaline in her voice as she gave the details. “I’m bringing in Liam and Dee Eastwood.”

“Great work,” Elise said, scribbling a note to herself.

Trying to keep up. She’d only just got back in the driving seat and it was all going a hundred miles an hour. Her heart was racing as she sat and tried to untangle the knot of questions in her head until Caro cleared her throat beside her.

“Susie and I can do both of them?” Caro said.

“No, you’re all right. I’ll take Liam. I don’t want anyone thinking I’m a lightweight.”