The Two Towns (The Lakeland Murders) Read Online Free Page B

anything though, does it? Maybe the spud on that outlet fell off, or was carried away by an animal or a bird.’
    ‘It didn’t just fall off, I promise you that. One of the SOCOs, we call him Tonto, searched the whole area. No other spuds. And no abandoned bags of spuds in the bins. Nothing.’
    ‘But the potatoes that were used didn’t match the ones in the Clark’s caravan.’
    ‘That’s right. They were a different variety. The details are all in there.’
    ‘So you’re suggesting that Clark didn’t want to kill the other couple, the Sidhus, and that’s why he didn’t put a potato on their outlet pipe. Is that it?’
    ‘Pretty much, yes. But it’s not evidence, is it? Because if it was kids, maybe they just saw a light on or something in the Sidhu’s caravan, and decided to leave well alone.’
    ‘All right, so can I ask you a few questions, Andy?’
    ‘Certainly.’
    ‘The outside temperature was already low, just below freezing, at around the time of death.’
    ‘That’s right.’
    ‘So why was Mrs. Clark only wearing a t-shirt and jeans when she was found? Those caravans are bloody nippy, I can tell you, but her sweater was still in her bag, unpacked.’
    ‘You’ve got personal experience? Of static caravans, I mean?’
    ‘Too right. When I was a kid my mum took me to them every summer, all round the coast. They were usually freezing, even in July.’
    ‘Rain bouncing off the roof, all that?’ said Hall, smiling.
    ‘Having your ice cream washed away. It’s the taste of childhood disappointment, is that.’
    ‘Happy days’ said Hall, smiling until he saw that Jane wasn’t. ‘Anyhow, what conclusion do you draw from the fact that Mrs. Clark wasn’t warmly dressed? There were no signs of duress, no drink or drugs in her blood or stomach.’
    ‘Agreed. No conclusion, just an observation really. But I did have one other question.’
    ‘Shoot.’
    ‘What has happened since? To Mr. Clark, I mean?’
    ‘What indeed? I must admit that I’m curious about that too, Jane. We have no formal interest in him of course, but I did hear that he does have a new lady friend.’
    ‘A lady friend?’ Jane was smiling.
    ‘All right, but you know what I mean. A girlfriend, then. And my mole tells me that Clark might even be about to marry again.’
    ‘Your mole?’
    ‘Top notch source. Never wrong. My wife’s hairdresser. If it goes on in Kendal, Lorraine knows about it.’
    ‘Interesting. He’s moved on, then.’
    ‘There’s no law against it, I suppose’ said Hall evenly, but just slightly as if he thought otherwise.
    ‘So how do you suggest I proceed?’
    ‘I thought you might like to meet the happy couple. Let them know, let them both know, that the case is far from closed, and that you are conducting the annual review. Just see what you make of them, really. How does that sound?’
    ‘I’ll get it sorted today.’
     
    Hall was about to reply when there was a knock at the door followed, a fraction of a second later, by Ray Dixon’s tanned face and suspiciously chestnut brown hair.
    ‘Sorry to interrupt, boss.’
    ‘Come in, Ray. Grab a seat. You’ve met Jane?’
    ‘Oh, aye. I just wanted to run something past you.’
    ‘You mean you just wanted to cover your arse.’
    Dixon smiled. ‘Sally Graham, boss. One of her lads has gone AWOL.’
    ‘Age?’
    ‘Fourteen.’
    ‘Known to us, I expect?’
    ‘No. That’s the funny thing. The kid’s straight. He really seems to have escaped from the dark side somehow, unlike his scum-bag brothers.’
    ‘So Sally reported it? That’s unexpectedly public-spirited of her, I must say.’
    ‘No. One of the teachers at the lad’s school told Kate Straw, from the social, and she flagged the kid as a MISPER. This was on Friday. I’ve got the sheet here, if you want to see it.’ Hall held out his hand, and Jane watched him scan the page quickly, then read it through again.
    ‘So you followed up?’
    ‘Aye, yesterday. I phoned Sally, and she