Buried Secrets: The Freeman Files Series: Book 11, Ted Tayler [best books to read for teens .TXT] 📗

“I told your colleague this morning that Alan loved the life but had had enough,” said Wayne looking at his watch. “Don’t you two talk to one another?”

“Things can move quickly on a case like this,” said Alex. “We debriefed this morning’s meetings with our boss, but there’s been no time to update one another on the detail we got from you and Anna.”

Lydia didn’t quit. The five-a-side football could wait.

“Did Alan ever mention any of the places he visited when he was on leave?”

“I took Anna to Paris for a romantic weekend a year or two after I first met Alan. We visited the Eiffel Tower. Alan said he’d been to Paris with his mates, but they visited Longchamp to watch the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe. Wherever we went, Alan could always go one better. He’d visited the Pyramids, Sydney Harbour, Cape Town. You name it. Well, that’s what the adverts said wasn’t it. Join the Navy to see the world.”

“Did he never mention any of the mates he went with on these trips?” asked Lydia.

“Never,” said Wayne. “Can I go now? It would pay you to put a name to that bloke in the photograph rather than waste your time pestering me. It strikes me he’s your killer. He’s had a ten-year head start.”

Wayne Phillips grabbed his sports bag and threw it in the back of his car. Alex and Lydia stood by their car and watched him reverse off the driveway and speed away.

“He wasn’t happy was he?” said Alex.

“And he was breaking the speed limit,” said Lydia.

“Let’s get home, freshen up, and go out for something to eat. I’ve had enough for today.”

In Urchfont, Gus had spent an hour at the allotment after driving home from the office. It was an excellent spot to sit and run through the events of the day.

Gus hoped Alex and Lydia continued to make progress in Biddestone and Chippenham. He was confident that Blessing would offer more possibilities with the Hub’s help in the morning.

Although he couldn’t see a clear path to the killer as yet, today’s events had raised his hopes of success.

“Evening, Mr Freeman,” said Bert Penman. “It won’t get done if you sit and look at it.”

“Ah, Bert, good to see you,” said Gus. “No, gardening and detecting follow a similar path. I’ve sat here, mulling over our latest case. Perhaps I need to stop thinking and do something. If only I knew what.”

“I’m sure you’ll find the right course of action, Mr Freeman,” said Bert. “Where’s Miss Ferris this evening?”

“Suzie wanted to visit her parents,” said Gus. “I’m sure she’ll be home if I wander up the lane in a few minutes.”

“A fine young woman is Miss Ferris,” said Bert.

“You’ll get no arguments from me on that score, Bert,” said Gus. “I don’t suppose you’ve heard how Brett’s first day went?”

“Not yet,” said Bert, “He promised to ring me later. I suppose I’ll see him at the weekend.”

“What’s the Reverend up to this evening? Will she join you in the Lamb later?”

“When Brett ran me home from the pub the other evening, he mentioned a trip to the cinema,” said Bert.

“Brett and the Reverend? I’m pleased to hear it,” said Gus. He made a note to tell Suzie that the budding romance hadn’t crashed and burned.

“It’s just as well Irene has got no plans to go somewhere different,” said Bert. “I could garden here on my own six months from now.”

“I don’t plan to move, Bert,” said Gus. “I’ll keep you company.”

Bert shook his head.

“I’ll lift a few potatoes, and see what I can harvest for the weekend, Mr Freeman. Time to get off home for you, I reckon.”

Gus left Bert grumbling in the background and returned to the bungalow.

Suzie was home.

“How were John and Jackie,” said Gus.

“You had better come in and sit down,” said Suzie.

Gus went into the lounge. Suzie was sitting on the settee with a box of tissues in her lap.

“What is it?” asked Gus. “Is it bad news?”

Suzie patted the seat beside her. Gus sat.

“Is it one of your horses, darling?”

“No, it’s nothing like that,” said Suzie. “I didn’t go to see Mum and Dad this evening. I needed to confirm something. I’ve used the birth control pill ever since I was eighteen, so things don’t always run like clockwork. The first time I missed a period, I panicked, but it’s happened on odd occasions since. I dismiss it as another hiccup and carry on. This time, things felt different. Tonight, I learned why. I’m around six weeks pregnant; I’m so sorry, Gus.”

“I wouldn’t have thought it was a crying matter,” said Gus wrapping his arms around her. “No method of contraception is foolproof, except celibacy, and that was never an option. What happened?”

“It wasn’t deliberate,” said Suzie. “You have to believe that. I learned this evening that the oral contraceptive has a failure rate of four percent. I’m certain I didn’t forget to take one. It was just bad luck.”

“There you go again,” said Gus. “Why is it bad luck?”

“I don’t know whether I’m ready to be a mother,” said Suzie. “I asked you a fortnight ago whether you and Tess had wanted children. You can’t possibly want one now.”

“I want whatever you want, Suzie,” said Gus kissing her on top of her head. He heard another tissue leave the box. “I love you. Nothing’s going to alter that. I’ll support your decision whatever you decide.”

“Why are you so understanding?”

“I don’t know any other way to be, Suzie. This is as new to me as to you. It’s exciting and frightening at the same time.”

“I need time to think, Gus,” said Suzie.

“Take all the time you need, darling,”