The Foundlings (The Forensic Genealogist Series Book 9) by Nathan Dylan Goodwin

Author:Nathan Dylan Goodwin [Goodwin, Nathan Dylan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-10-29T16:00:00+00:00

Kathy pulled up outside of 163 Canterbury Road in Folkestone. It was a cream-coloured 1930s house conjoined with an identical neighbouring property. A bright-blue Mini sat on the driveway beside a narrow rectangle of well-kept lawn in front of the house.

She looked down at the piece of paper upon which the court clerk had written the name and address of the occupant, one Alfred Farrier. Upon returning to Sevenoaks Magistrate’s Court, Kathy had learned the details of the case which had taken place where Rosie Hart had been accused of smashing the shop window of Farrier’s Fashion. Given that Kathy had personally witnessed Alfred talking to Rosie—possibly handing her something—her claim that the window had been damaged accidentally and that Alfred Farrier had denied having had any knowledge of her made the outcome of the case very peculiar.

Kathy climbed out of her car, walked up the driveway to the house and pressed the doorbell. Moments later, a man answered the door, who took her aback. He appeared to be in his mid-sixties and not as old as she had thought him to have been this morning when she had bumped into him outside of the court. The man frowned, making Kathy wonder if he recognised her, too. ‘Yes?’

She held up her warrant card. ‘WDS Steadman, Sussex Police. Could I have a quick chat with you, please?’

‘In regard to what, exactly?’ he asked.

‘Rosie Hart,’ she replied, noticing a flicker of horror in his eyes.

He sighed, pulled the door open and invited her in.

Kathy followed him into the front room, her eyes drawn to the array of photographs on the mantelpiece. ‘Nice little family you’ve got there,’ she commented.

Alfred smiled and picked up a silver-framed photograph of a young couple and a small baby. ‘My first grandchild,’ he told her. ‘Morton.’

‘Lovely,’ she responded. ‘Unusual name.’ The photo of the little boy made her think of Baby Bradley; whereas Morton had evidently been loved by his parents from before he had even been born, poor Baby Bradley had been callously abandoned and probably never loved by his birth parents.

‘Do take a seat,’ Alfred said, gesturing to a pair of armchairs as he returned the photograph to its previous position.

‘Thanks,’ she said, sitting at the nearest chair.

‘So, now then. What can I do to help?’ he asked, lowering himself into the armchair opposite her. ‘I’d hoped that, after the court case this morning, I wouldn’t be hearing that name ever again.’

Kathy offered a warm smile, not wanting to knock him off-side before she had even begun. ‘I’m sure, Mr Farrier. It must have been a very traumatic experience for you. I’m not here about the window incident, though, actually.’

‘Oh?’

‘I want to speak with Rosie Hart in connection with a baby that was abandoned in Haywards Heath in September 1973.’

Alfred’s eyes widened. ‘Her baby?’

‘Possibly,’ Kathy answered.

He sucked in his lower lip and muttered, ‘And what’s this got to do with me, can I ask?’

‘I believe you might know where I can find her,’ Kathy said.

Alfred threw open his hands and appeared quite surprised by her statement.

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