Name to a Face by Robert Goddard

Author:Robert Goddard
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
ISBN: 9780593053683
Publisher: Corgi
Published: 2007-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-SIX

A poky ground-floor flat facing Deal Castle, near the sea front.” Such had been Nathan Gashry’s succinct description of Jack Shepherd’s retirement abode. There were, as Harding had expected, several J. Shepherds listed in the phone book covering Deal. But only one had an address in Deal Castle Road.

“Hello?” The man who answered the phone sounded old and wary but reassuringly alive.

“Jack Shepherd?”

“Yes.”

“Former editor of the, er… Messenger?”

“Mercury. Kentish Mercury. Part of the Kent Messenger group. Not the same thing.” Reassuringly sharp, too.

“Right.”

“What can I do for you, Mr…”

“Harding. Tim Harding. I’m phoning about… well, in connection with… Kerry Foxton.”

“Kerry?” There was an edge of something in Shepherd’s voice: regret, maybe; or loss; or nostalgia. “You were a friend of hers?”

“No. I’m a friend of her sister, Hayley”

“Ah. Kerry’s twin.”

“That’s right. Do you know her?”

“No. We’ve never met. But… I recall Kerry… mentioning her.”

“Did Kerry mention Hayley’s psychiatric problems?”

“Yes,” Shepherd replied cautiously.

“I’m trying to help her get over them. The thing is, could we meet, Mr. Shepherd?”

“To what purpose? As I say, I’ve never met Hayley so-”

“It’s Kerry I want to talk to you about.”

“Really?”

“The loss of a twin is a hard thing to get over.”

“I’m sure it is. But-”

“I could explain myself much better in person. I’m in London at the moment. I could come down to Deal on the train this afternoon, if that’s convenient.”

“It isn’t. I have my daughter coming over. With my grandchildren.”

“This is very important. More important than I can get into on the phone.”

“My grandchildren are important too, Mr. Harding.” A silence ensued, during which Shepherd’s thoughtful breaths fanned the receiver. Then he said, “Come tomorrow. If you catch the first train, you can be with me by eleven. I’ll expect you then. But let me warn you: I don’t discuss my friends with strangers, even when they’re dead. You’ll have your work cut out shifting me from that principle.”

Shepherd sounded as if he might be a hard nut to crack. Harding had no means of forcing him to disclose what Kerry had been phoning him about in the days and weeks before the accident. He could only rely on his powers of persuasion. Even if they proved sufficient, the answer might be of little help in his search for Hayley. And he would have to kick his heels until Sunday before he could even hope to find out. Which left him with no excuse for failing to do what he had known he would have to do, sooner or later, since waking in the small hours of Friday morning.

His destination was close to Hanger Lane Tube station, out towards the western end of the Central line. He had realized he would have to go back there one day. A settlement with the past could not be postponed forever. But this was sooner than he had expected-sooner than he was ready for. When his phone rang shortly after the train had emerged from the underground part of the line, several stops short of Hanger

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