Cody looks at me and grimaces. ‘Oh yes, Kyle wore one now and again. When the mood took him.’
‘Does Kyle still have a boat?’
‘He and Mary do but they don’t use it for trips any more. The family use it now and again to take friends out, things like that. I haven’t seen them out on it for a long time. Him and his missus own the Old Smuggler now. They moved into the pub when they bought it. You can’t miss Kyle, he’s the one who’s always a bit merry.’
‘I remember him from yesterday.’
Cody laughed. ‘Yes, most people remember him. Don’t let his loud and drunken ways put you off. He’s a great guy, does a lot of fundraising for local charities, things like that.’
‘Where was he when my sister fell into the harbour?’ He’s loosening up so I need to get all I can out of him.
‘I can’t remember but I know he would have been with his wife, Mary. They have a daughter too. I remember them being devastated when the news broke about your sister. In fact, after that, I’d see everyone holding their little ones a bit closer when near the sea. I can’t imagine how I’d feel if it had happened to my Daisy. She was born not long after the incident and I remember holding her like she was the most precious thing on earth. I still do. Not hold her like a baby, but treat her like she’s the most precious thing. I can’t fathom what your family has been through. I am really sorry, you know. But your little sister died in a drowning accident. I don’t know who this Will is that you’re after but it’s probably some loser playing games with you. The internet is full of ’em.’
I shake my head. ‘This one feels different.’
‘Does it really?’
I’m not having this. He’s trying to trivialise everything. I was so sure that he was Will but now, I can’t tell. ‘Which boat were we on that day?’
‘Old Pritchard’s or Mr P as we used to call him. Lovely fellow. He took your family on a pleasure trip. From what I remember, he went straight back out on his boat just after he dropped you off.’
‘What if my sister was on that boat?’
He shrugged and stubbed out his cigarette between his fingers. ‘The police checked everyone out, including us. There was no evidence that Mr P had taken your sister. He was the loveliest man, he just wouldn’t do that.’
‘The police were late checking the boats out. They spent all that time thinking she was snatched.’
‘Didn’t they find her hat in the water?’
I grimace as that red sun hat flashes through my mind. Mum had bought that for Jess while we were there and I cried so hard because I couldn’t have one because they didn’t have one in my size. ‘Yes, but that was a long time after, from what my mum told me. The tide had gone out then come back in again. It was hours after.’
Cody presses his lips together like he has nothing more to say.
‘It would really help if I could speak to your father. Does he live locally?’
‘Like I said, he has dementia. He manages to recall some things but quite often he grasps for a memory and gets frustrated when it doesn’t come. Sometimes he talks garbled rubbish, other times, it’s like there’s barely a thing wrong. He’s in a home. His doing. I wanted him to stay with us for longer but he went on and on about how he didn’t want to be a burden. I don’t think upsetting him in any way would be a good idea. With his condition and the brain injury that he never recovered from, it all gets too much.’
‘Please, I’ll ask him gently. I just need to see if he can recall anything.’
‘He can’t.’
‘But what if he can? He might just need his memory jogging.’
Cody steps forward and stares at me. I fight the urge to step back. ‘No, leave my father out of this. If you want to go fishing tomorrow, see you at eight but that’s all you’re coming for. If your plan is to bother my dear old dad, stay away. You upset him, I’ll upset you. From the look of how you were with your husband earlier, I gather you don’t want him to know what you’re up to. Is hubby fed up with you chasing false leads? I bet this could throw a spanner in your marriage.’
With that, the bulky man pushes past me and hurries up the steps, leaving me standing next to his tied-up boat. Darkness is falling fast and I know I have to hurry up and get back with those chips. I check my phone and see that Damien has tried to call me six times. Cody is right, I’ll get on this boat in the morning and not say a word. Maybe I can find out a little more about Cody and his father, Archie. If I can find out where Archie is staying, I won’t hesitate to visit without his permission. Maybe I’ll be his niece who has come down from the Midlands just to see him. The truth is worth the lies.
SIXTEEN
NATALIE
‘Do you want a bonbon?’ Laura held out a bag of round strawberry sweets, her finger coated in pale dust as she popped another into her mouth. The scent of them rose up and made Natalie salivate with hunger.
‘Maybe.’
‘Go on, then. Help yourself.’ Laura held the bag under Natalie’s nose.
Natalie nervously smiled and popped one into her mouth. They’d been left in reception at The Brambles for ages. Darkness had now fallen over the car park, bringing with it an eerie look as the trees swayed in the breeze. ‘Thanks for coming.’
