Chapter Ten
For the rest of the day, the promenade was cordoned off. Edward headed into the radio station early, knowing they would cover the story on his Friday phone-in at nine, maybe spend the first two hours on it – he had already seen an account of the crash on the localCoast Livewebsite, which made much of how near the bike had been to ‘wiping out four entire families’. The rider had not been named by police.
Edward’s antibiotics had kicked in quickly and his voice had almost returned to normal, so he was back to work, speeding in on his moped. When Edward’s phone buzzed, he was on the outskirts of Pinn Village. He stopped, cut the engine, and answered in a single action.
‘Mr Temmis?’
‘DC Jordan Callintree, hello.’
‘I forgot you had my number. And,’ he cleared his throat, ‘it’s DS now.’ It was a while since they had last spoken, after Jordan had been key in solving the hit-and-run that had killed Edward’s son, Matty. Edward thought the young police officer’s voice sounded more distant, more formal than he remembered. ‘Have you got a minute?’
‘I have,’ Edward replied. ‘I’m guessing it’s you that’s busy right now.’
‘Yep. It’s that. Obviously it’s the crash … I’m calling in connection with that. I need to contact someone you know.’
Edward had the sudden inkling that this was about the crossbow woman, but Callintree quickly swept the thought out of his mind.
‘The crash in the pizza place,’ the police officer said stiffly. ‘I was there. Motorbiker dead, as you’ll have heard. Getting him clear of the fire – a young woman helped me out. Now, I think you know the woman. During my investigation last year—’
‘Of course.’The Case.
‘She was the person you tried to help, Mr Temmis, am I right? She got some terrible injuries on her face.’
‘Stevie Mason. Is she in trouble?’
‘No! Well …’ The hesitation was telling. ‘A witness statement would be helpful. Are you presenting your show tonight?’
‘On my way in now.’
‘And this won’t go on it, what I’m about to tell you?’
This was difficult. But Edward respected Jordan Callintree more than any other acquaintance in the town. Young and junior at the time, the gangly police officer had been the only one to doggedly refuse to drop the investigation into Matty’s death. While radio presenters skimmed facts and stories, Callintree had the good officer’s desire to dig deep. Edward believed they respected each other, not that they would ever say it out loud.
‘I’m going to take your silence as agreement, Mr Temmis.’
‘Edward.’
‘The motorbike rider doesn’t check out.’
‘I’m not following you.’
‘There’s a lot I can’t say.’ The policeman seemed to swallow before continuing. ‘False plates.’
‘Really?’
‘And that fact alone means we need to do more comprehensive follow-up, to rule out …’
The sentence tailed off. Edward waited. But there was no more.To rule out what?
‘I should have taken Miss Mason’s name and number, but police officers suffer shock too.’
‘I’m so sorry. Let me send you her contact card as soon as I get off the call.’
‘Not a word on the air, please.’
‘About what?’
‘False plates.’
