Marie looked at Carter. ‘And now?’
‘I will have to test the engine, and possibly make a few adjustments, then she’ll be good to go.’ He smiled. ‘But right now, I’d like to propose a toast.’ He walked to the car and came back carrying a cool box and three folding seats.
He set the box down on the quay and opened it. Inside were three glasses, a bottle of Laurent Perrier champagne and an assortment of expensive snacks and nibbles. ‘We can’t put the old girl in the water without wetting her head, can we?’
So Marie spent the next hour sitting on Stone Quay drinking champagne with a poacher, a detective and a mad dog, surrounded by water, marshland, acres of fields and a sky that went on forever. The whole thing was quite bizarre.
When they had finished, Carter said, ‘I think I’ll stay here for a bit, Marie. I know you need to get back, but would you cover for me?’
‘Sure, no problem.’ Marie knew that Jackman would be quite happy for Carter to be away for a little longer.
‘Just don’t get stopped on the way!’
‘And don’t you drink any more either, Carter McLean. Remember you’ve got to get home too.’
‘Promise.’ He handed the bottle to Silas. ‘Si will give this a good home, don’t worry.’
Marie gave Klink a final cuddle, shook hands with Silas and walked back to her car. ‘Thanks, Carter, for letting me share today!’ she called back.
‘There’s no one I’d rather have shared it with. Drive carefully.’
Marie knew this wasn’t true. He would much rather have shared it with Tom, Matt, Jack and Ray.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
After the hush of the quay, the CID room was a buzz of noise and activity when Marie returned.
‘Glad you are back. Where’s Carter?’ Jackman looked behind her.
‘I left him on the boat. I guessed you wouldn’t mind. I think he wanted a bit of time to himself. It was all pretty emotional.’
‘Best thing all round. We’ve had some developments.’ He lowered his voice. ‘Max and Robbie, along with some uniforms, have gutted the Holland Cottage, and they found a box containing five ponytail wigs and a bag of cheap horn-rimmed glasses. We have had further confirmation from Harvey Cash in Spain that Suzanne was indeed abusive, and he’s prepared to swear to it. So it all puts Tom Holland very much in the frame for his wife’s death.’
‘The kind and gentle giant?’ Marie whispered.
‘Looks that way. Even the gentlest people can be pushed too far.’ Jackman scratched his head. ‘Let’s get a coffee. I want to tell you something else.’
They walked along the corridor to the vending machine. For once, the area was quiet.
‘That website demanding we do something to find Suzanne’s killer has reared its ugly head again.’ Jackman gave her an exasperated look. ‘It appears they want our cooperation to, as they say, put our side of things. The super told them that it’s an ongoing investigation so we are not at liberty to join in their bunfight. I don’t think it went down too well.’
‘It’ll go down even better if they find that we are looking at the dear departed and much loved Tom Holland for her killer.’
‘Tell me about it.’ He passed her a coffee. ‘My worry is, if it is Tom, or one of the other friends for that matter, how on earth are we going to find her body when all of them but Carter are dead?’
‘And he certainly won’t help if we tell him we suspect his best mate, Tom. He honestly believes that Tom will haunt him until he finds Suzanne’s killer. This is not good!’
‘And worse, that creep Ralph Doolan is definitely off the hook. His friend, well, his alibi, has surfaced, and swears they were in a Peterborough club that night.’
‘Proof?’
‘True to form, our Ralphie made a pass at a barmaid. He was thrown out and barred. Apparently it’s on record.’
‘Wonderful. Just wonderful.’
They walked back to the CID room. Rosie told Jackman he had a call, and he hurried off to take it.
Marie sat down at her desk, wondering where all this was going. Her phone ringing broke into her thoughts.
‘Thanks for being there today, Marie.’
‘No, thank you, Carter. I felt privileged. And I met a new friend, so that was nice.’
‘Silas?’
‘Oh, him too. It was Klink I was thinking of.’
Carter laughed. ‘That really was a first. You have no idea how honoured you are. He can be a devil with strangers.’
‘Silas?’
‘No! Klink!’
They both laughed again. For the first time in ages, Carter sounded easy and natural. Getting the Eva May back where she belonged seemed to have calmed him. Before she could say anything more, Rosie hurried over and pushed a scribbled note in front of her.
She nodded at Rosie and told Carter she’d ring him back.
‘Something going down?’ asked Carter.
‘Alan Pitt has just rung the DI. He says he’s on his way in to see us. He’s remembered something else.’
There was a short silence before Carter spoke. ‘Then let’s hope it’s something that will get things moving at last. Keep me up to speed, won’t you? Speak later.’
Marie hurried over to Jackman. ‘Did he say any more than that?’
Jackman shook his head. ‘He wants to speak to us privately.’
‘Now we know that Ponytail wasn’t Ralph, this could be very interesting.’
Jackman looked worried. ‘Actually I’m terrified. Aren’t you?’
*
Sam could not settle. The afternoon was hot, and even an hour in his favourite bird hide failed to hold his attention.
Sam had retired willingly from a life of research. He had had enough of the academic world, and had chosen instead to become a simple birdwatcher, a lover of wildlife and a gardener. He spent hours watching the visitors to his wild garden feeding, pollinating or simply resting in the shade.
But now he was back in his office, surrounded once more by books and papers. He had been reluctant to return to the dusty room and the dustier tomes it held. But Sam wanted to be there for Laura Archer.
She had been his best student, his shining star. Sam had never had children, but if he had, he would have wanted a daughter like Laura. Gradually, he had become a father figure for her, especially since he’d retired and she had embarked on her own career.
Sam smiled, rather smugly. He was proud to have put her on the right path. She was a very good psychologist, and her work on trauma was already well respected.
His own field had been memory, in all its different forms. It had fascinated him since his schooldays, and although he was now more involved with social communication among starlings, it still did.
Sam thought about his meeting with the infamous Carter. It had left him confused.
He now understood a little of Laura’s problem. Without a doubt, Carter was a very charismatic man, even in his agitated state. He exhibited both strength and weakness at the same time. The look in his eyes pleaded for your help, and then he withdrew and locked you out.