‘Walked. We live in the row of houses about a five-minute trek from the bridge. We walk our dog along here most days, me and the boys.’
‘Can you please just talk me through this morning, starting from when you left home?’ It was a long shot but she knew that sometimes perpetrators came back to crime scenes, even coming back to see what was occurring if the body had been found. She knew Kapoor would have taken details from all the walkers that she’d come across as a matter of procedure. She made a mental note to task O’Connor with following up on these.
The skin on his forehead creased into thick dark ridges as he concentrated on remembering everything. ‘We left the house around seven thirty. Just enough time for a dog walk before getting the boys ready for school and my wife and I getting ready for work. We walked on the path running alongside the road until we reached the bridge. That took us four or five minutes. A lot of cars passed but it is a busy road. There were no cars parked up around here when we arrived. Most of the walkers’ park on the dirt track behind the riverside walk, off the main road, they’re not supposed to, but they do. We passed a few people early on but most looked like they were walking from the estate at the back of Cleevesford, cutting alongside the river and field to get to the industrial estate over the way.’ There was a small industrial area, one road full of units, some of them having twenty-four seven operations. People could have trodden this route at any time during the night. Gina made a note to get an officer over to the units just in case anyone working there had seen something.
‘Can you remember anything about the people you passed?’
His shoulders dropped and he put a hand on each of his knees as he leaned back in thought. He began rubbing his thick black eyebrow as he concentrated. ‘A woman with a dog. I remember her, just past the bridge. I had to put Dobby on his lead. Her Jack Russell wouldn’t stop yapping. Then there was a man, a runner with earbuds in. Two men walked together and looked like they were going to work. They had yellow fluorescent coats on. I think there were other people, there were definitely other people, but I just don’t remember anything about them.’
She smiled and finished noting down what he’d said. ‘Can you tell me what the runner looked like?’
‘I can’t remember. He was wearing dark jogging bottoms. I didn’t see his face. You think I’d recognise most people who come here regularly but I don’t. People pretty much keep themselves to themselves. This stretch is a part of a local cross country run known to be quite a challenging route, people come from all over to do it. I’ve seen the woman with the dog before, she lives at the back of Cleevesford I think as she comes from that way most mornings.’
‘How about the two men?’
He scratched the light layer of stubble on his chin. ‘Again, I think I’ve seen them before, maybe not both together. One was smoking, the other had dark hair sticking out from under his woolly hat. They didn’t speak to us or acknowledge us at all. I wish I could remember more.’
Gina had four more potential witnesses for O’Connor and Wyre to look into. She really needed them to come forward from the appeal. She would make sure officers were positioned around the area over the next few days. If these people lived and worked close by, they’d probably be back.
‘Did you walk your dog around here last night or yesterday?’
He shook his head. ‘I’m afraid Dobby had to make do with the garden. It was so cold and rainy, neither me nor my wife wanted to go out with him.’ He paused. ‘Can I leave now? I need to get back to my children.’
She nodded. ‘Officers will visit in a short while to take elimination samples from yourself, your children and the dog, as well as a formal statement. This will just help us with the investigation and won’t hurt at all. It’ll all be explained to you. Are you okay, Mr Gregson?’
He shrugged. ‘I don’t know. Someone killed that man and left him there. I live here and my family have always felt safe here. One of my boys saw his naked legs and torso. I now have to go home and speak to him about it. I don’t know what to do…’
Gina wished she could magic away his bad experience but she couldn’t. ‘Maybe the officer that attends could—’
‘That’s kind, thank you, but this is something I have to do myself. No time like the present.’ Gina asked him a few quick questions and watched as the man headed back towards his house with his head held low like a man deep in thought.
Gina glanced through all she had noted down. Dale Blair – they knew who he was but a formal identification would need to be made and that would happen a lot quicker if they could get him to the morgue and call a family member in. One question filled her mind. Where was Susan? Susan was possibly the last person to see Dale alive, did that make her a suspect?
Twenty-Nine
‘Clare. Clare!’ Mary ran through the front door, dropping her bag.
‘You’re back sooner than I thought.’ Clare tied up her dressing gown and hurried down the stairs.
Tears streamed down Mary’s face. ‘The detective called while I was out. They’ve found a body.’
Her mum was panicking over nothing again. She’d seen the news too. ‘It was a man, Mum. It’s not her.’
‘I know that. But why does the detective want to speak to me? She’s on her way over. This has something to do with Susan, I know it. It’ll be her next.’ Her mother opened her hands out and slammed her palms onto the wall several times, shaking her head as her cheeks reddened.
‘Mum, calm down. Let’s put the kettle on. It’s not Susan. You’re going a bit overboard here. The detective probably just wants to update us on Susan’s case.’ She reached over and placed a loving hand on her mother’s arm and led her to the kitchen.
Smoke, that’s what Mary could smell. In the hallway, on Clare’s clothes. Why wasn’t she dressed? With all that was going on, she needed her daughter’s support, not her defiance when it came to the house rules. She was meant to be up early and looking for work. ‘You’ve been smoking in the house.’ Mary removed the grip that had been holding a few strands of brown hair off her face.
‘Can we talk about this later?’
‘No.’ She clicked the grip into place. ‘We can’t. Look at you, dressing gown still on and stinking of smoke. Have you even had a shower yet?’
Clare sighed.
‘Don’t sigh at me, young lady. They are small asks. I want my home respected and I want you looking for work.’ Mary knew her timing was bad but anger swelled up in every part of her body. Had she not been so consumed by Clare’s chaotic existence, she may have had more time to help Susan. In her daughter’s moments of need, she hadn’t been there. She’d let Susan down.
‘Make your own tea!’ Clare stormed out of the room. As she stomped up the stairs the ceiling creaked.
