Chapter 45
FORTY-FIVE
‘Do you want me to take that back to the station for you? I can book it into evidence or pop it on your desk; I’m heading back now for my bait.’ Scotty was pointing at Angela’s journal.
Morgan shook her head. ‘It’s okay, thank you though, and thanks for the lift.’ She could see Ben standing outside of the café; Cain was a little further down the street standing next to Angela’s car.
‘Thanks again.’
‘Anytime.’
She got out of the van making sure she had the journal.
She couldn’t help but wonder if Scotty was trying to get it off her and read it himself.
She closed her eyes for a second, telling herself to stop it.
All she had were wild ideas and a little circumstantial evidence that wouldn’t hold up in a court of law no matter how good she thought it was.
Ben waved at her, and she hurried towards him, afraid to mention her theory to him again in case he got so angry with her he took her off the case.
She still wasn’t sure how she felt about Scotty; he was, on the surface, a nice guy, chatty and laid-back for a copper.
Too laid-back but that wasn’t strictly his fault, or could he be covering up his deep-seated level of violence that he carried around inside of him?
‘Morgan, there’s no CCTV in the café. Can you start checking with the shops along here, see if they have any that could have picked something up?’
‘Of course.’
‘What are you doing with that?’ He was pointing at the evidence bag. ‘Why didn’t you give it to Scotty to take to the station instead of carrying it around with you?’
‘Oh, I forgot I was holding it. Can I pop it in your car for now?’
Ben passed her the keys; she didn’t miss the arch of his eyebrow as he did.
He knew she was up to something but didn’t ask and she was glad.
Once she was inside the back of the car, she opened the diary to the last few pages and began to read.
She was right, Angela had been trying to get in touch with someone she’d traced through Facebook.
She safely tucked the journal into the side pocket of the back seat.
Morgan made her way to the shops either side of the café.
One was an outdoor adventure shop that sold all manner of walking, fell running, and camping stuff.
The other was a sweetshop. Next to that was a newsagent, art gallery, charity shop, boutiques.
There were a few touristy shops that sold knick-knacks, and she noticed that a lot of them were in darkness.
It was half-day closing for a lot of the shops in Rydal Falls, an age-old tradition that, despite the busy tourist season that meant weekends were busy, the shopkeepers adhered to.
The outdoor adventure shop was open, so she tried in there first. They had lots of cameras inside and one that focused on the entrance to the shop, but nothing that captured the outside.
It was the same story for the others that were open.
Morgan decided to go and speak to Jade, the owner of the café.
She was just opening up and busy cleaning, but smiled to see Morgan walk in.
‘Morgan, how are you?’
‘Good, I think. How are you doing, Jade?’
Jade had lost her only daughter to a violent killer yet still she managed to continue with life, even though at times she must feel like giving up.
‘Ah, you know me. Some days I feel fine, others I don’t. There’s a lot of activity outside, what’s happened?’
‘Did Ben ask you about CCTV?’
‘He did, I don’t have it. People can’t really steal from me; they have to pay for their food upfront before I give it to them. There’s not much point in them, as my customers are generally happy.’
‘I bet they are you make the best coffee and cakes for miles. We have a missing lady in her late fifties, maybe early sixties, pale pink hair.’
‘Oh, I know who you mean. She was in here yesterday afternoon. She looked so nervous, and I wanted to ask her if she was okay, but I didn’t. Oh my, I feel terrible. I should have asked, shouldn’t I? Has she done something awful to herself?’
Morgan glanced at Ben who was outside talking to Cain and wondered why he’d not asked Jade about Angela.
‘Not that we know of, but her partner is Cain, and he hasn’t heard from her since yesterday morning, and understandably he’s very worried about her.
What time was she in here and for how long? What did she buy?’
Jade was peering at Cain through the window.
‘Oh no, are her and Cain a thing? Bless him, I had no idea. Let me see, it was so busy in here yesterday it felt as if there were coach loads of tourists all day. She bought herself a coffee possibly around two thirty, but I can’t be sure about that, and sat there nursing it for quite some time.
I got the impression she was meeting someone because she’d look down at her phone, then stare out of the window.
She sat on that table there in the corner.
’ Jade pointed to a table, and Morgan wondered if she should get CSI out to come take fingerprints.
‘Did anyone come meet her?’
‘A guy walked in and sat down opposite her, but they weren’t here very long. I wasn’t sure if he’d just asked if he could sit with her because she was literally the only table with an empty chair.’
Morgan’s heart was pounding inside of her chest. ‘Can you describe him?’
‘Bit taller than Ben, wearing a suit, either dark grey or navy. Young. I wasn’t really taking much notice to be honest; I was rushed off my feet manning the coffee machine.
Brown hair, clean-shaven, quite handsome in an understated way, if you know what I mean.
I wouldn’t say he was drop-dead gorgeous like Cain or Ben. ’
Morgan snorted, trying hard not to laugh. ‘You think those two are gorgeous? Well I think Ben is, but I don’t really think of Cain like that.’
‘I’d say the pair of them are pretty hot, then again I’m a sucker for a man in a smart suit.’
‘Sorry, carry on, it’s just you threw me a little there with that description of those two.’
‘Well, the next time I glanced over in this direction, the table was empty and a family were pushing the mugs to one side.’
‘Would you know this guy if you saw him again?’ Morgan was thinking about Scotty, but if he wasn’t in work, would he wear a suit?
And if he was in work, he would have been wearing police uniform and that was distinctive enough that Jade would have recognised it.
She could check the duties and see if he was on shift when she got to the car
‘Oh, did he pay by card or Apple Pay?’
‘I couldn’t tell you, I can take a look, but my card reader was being a bit dodgy yesterday and I had a sign up asking for cash whenever possible.’
‘Fuck.’ Morgan slammed her hand against the marble counter. Jade’s eyes were wide open.
‘Sorry, I’m so sorry. It’s just I think I’m going to catch a break and then boom, another obstacle is thrown under my feet.’
‘You really are worried about her?’
Morgan nodded. ‘Yes, and I can’t explain why just yet because I haven’t even discussed it with Ben or Cain, but I am.’
‘Have you tried the other shops for CCTV footage?’
Morgan nodded. She felt so miserable.
‘I’ll message Alex and see if he got a better look at him. He was cleaning tables and serving food. He’s probably going to take an age to answer me though because he’s always too busy playing sport or chasing girls.’
‘Thank you. If he can tell you anything, will you ring me?’
‘Of course.’ Jade picked up a towel and dried her damp hands, then she hugged Morgan as tightly as she could. Morgan hugged her back.
‘You’ll find her, Morgan, you always do.’
‘Thank you.’ Morgan was too scared to say yes, she would, but that it might already be too late.