‘Sometimes, but nothing serious for a while now. She was just focussed on enjoying herself and having fun.’
She was sure Stacey would be able to track down her friends on social media, leaving her free to pursue another avenue.
‘Did she tell you who she was meeting today?’
‘She’s twenty-one, Inspector. She doesn’t report in to me.’
Oh, how much easier her job would be if that was the law.
‘She had no issues at work?’
‘Her colleagues love her, and she loves her job.’
‘What does she do?’ Kim asked.
‘She’s a model. She works for an agency in Stourton.’
Kim hid her puzzlement as she felt the first stirring of unease. As far as she knew, there were no modelling agencies in Stourton, which begged the question.
What had Nadine Cowley really been doing for a living?
Thirty-Eight
Penn thanked the young couple for their time and advised them they were free to leave.
He’d headed here immediately on the boss’s instructions to interview witnesses who had been in the pub at the same time as Nadine Cowley. He’d lost one potential witness who had insisted on returning to work, but her mother had remained. Of the seven people the landlord had managed to keep in the pub, this lady in her early sixties was the last one to interview.
From the level of information he’d received so far, he didn’t hold out much hope of discovering anything worthwhile. Most folks had seen Nadine enter, but they hadn’t taken much notice after that, having no need to pay attention.
He moved to the last table where the woman was looking at her phone.
‘Sorry to keep you.’
‘Rita,’ she offered. ‘Rita Copson, but Rita will do,’ she said, putting away her phone.
‘Thanks so much for staying back, Rita, and sorry for the wait.’
‘It’s okay. Never one to turn down free mince pies and white wine,’ she said with a smile. ‘And before you ask, I’m walking.’
Penn laughed because it had been the first thought that had occurred to him. Occupational hazard for police officers, especially at this time of year.
‘May I ask if you were here alone?’ he said once he’d taken her full address and phone number.
‘No, I was here with my daughter. She had to leave half an hour ago, but she didn’t see anything anyway.’
‘How do you know?’ he asked.
‘I love my daughter but she’s so immersed in herself that once she got talking about her job, she wouldn’t have noticed a herd of buffalo storming through.’
‘But still, she might?—’
‘She had her back to them. She was sitting where you are now, and the lady in the pink blouse was sitting over there,’ she said, pointing to a table just right of the bar. Fully in Rita’s eyeline.
Penn didn’t question how she knew who he was interested in. They’d been held hostage in a pub not solitary confinement. Unlikely that Mick Hill hadn’t shared what he’d found with someone. Any information would have travelled around like wildfire.
‘Did you see her come in?’ he asked.
‘Who didn’t?’ she said, opening her eyes wide. ‘She hesitated by the door and took a good look around. That pink shirt got your attention, but what held it was the confidence. She was assured, if you know what I mean.’
