01 The Long Call by Ann Cleeves

Author:Ann Cleeves
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Waiting in the reception area of the Woodyard, Jen felt right at home. Most of the staff were women of about her age, they dressed like her and looked like her: arty, dramatic. She thought that Matthew had known what he was doing sending her here. It didn’t do to underestimate him. She stood at the door, showing Christine’s photo, catching members of the public as they came in. There was a sympathetic response, interest, but no useful information. It was as if Christine had disappeared into thin air that afternoon. But as they drifted off to their classes, they were still discussing the missing woman. Word would get out.

In the distance Jen saw Gaby Henry approaching the building, and she was so focussed on the woman that she almost missed the man who was walking past her. He was familiar but for a moment she couldn’t place him. He was small, balding, in late middle-age, dressed more for a country walk than for a visit to an arts’ centre, in corduroy trousers and boots. He carried a clipboard. In the end it was the binoculars strung around his neck that gave him away. This was Colin Marston, who lived with his wife in the toll keeper’s cottage on the way to Crow Point. Jen turned her head away, hoping he’d not see her, that he’d put her down as just another woman with untidy hair and eccentric clothes. She wanted to find out more about his connection to the Woodyard before talking to him. He walked past her and into the body of the building.

Jen brought her attention back to Gaby. Today the woman was dressed in black – a long black dress, black tights and black bikers’ boots. Slung across her body like a holster, a red leather bag. The signature red lipstick. Jen waved to her as soon as she came into the building.

Gaby waved back and looked as if she was about to approach her, but seemed to think better of it and disappeared into the crowd. Before Jen could follow her, her phone rang. A number she didn’t recognize. ‘Jen Rafferty.’

‘Sergeant Rafferty, it’s Caroline Preece. You gave us your card, said to call you if we had anything useful to tell you.’

‘Yes.’

‘Well, there’s something I’d like to show you. I can’t leave St Cuthbert’s. Is there any way you could come here?’

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