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Authors: Peter Robinson
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valuable cooperation she might need from Alex. It was a tricky balancing act.
‘Could Michael be with a friend?’ Annie asked. ‘And I don’t mean a girlfriend. Do you know any of his mates?’
‘He doesn’t really have very many. His life was pretty isolated when he lived up at the farm, you see, and since then, well, most of the friends he did have have moved away, and we’ve sort of spent most of our time together. We don’t socialise a lot. Going out can be expensive.’
‘You never go out for a drink or anything? Or to a party?’
‘Sometimes we go to the local for an evening out, if we can afford a sitter for Ian, but not very often. We enjoy our own company. Mostly we just stop in. It’s cheaper to get a few cans or a bottle of wine in and watch telly than it is to go out for the night. It sounds boring, I suppose, but we’re happy.’
‘Can you think of anyone else at all Michael might have communicated with?’
‘There’s Keith, I suppose. He’s still here. They went to school together, and they meet up for a game of darts once in a while. But Keith hasn’t seen him. I phoned. Graham, too. He’s married to Angie, who’s my best friend, really. But Graham’s a photography nut, and he and Michael get along well. They go off taking photos at various scenic spots around the Dales every now and then. Graham’s been teaching Michael his way around a camera. As I said, Michael’s a natural in some ways, but he doesn’t know much about theory and techniques, or the history. I can’t say I do, either, but Graham does. There’s Morgan, too, I suppose. Michael works with him up on the farms sometimes. But I don’t like him. He’s too flash and full of himself. Wears a gold chain and has a spider tattoo on the side of his neck. Head shaved like one of those BNP types, though he isn’t. He’s half black. His dad’s from Barbados. And he’s always flirting with me.’
‘Does Michael like him?’
‘They work together, and they go for a pint together, too, sometimes, after a day’s work. They get along all right. Talk about any work that might be coming up. Morgan’s managed to get Michael in on a couple of decent-paying jobs, and vice versa, so I don’t suppose I should be so down on him.’ She gave a little shudder and pulled a face. ‘You know, it’s just like, if you’re a woman he makes you feel like a piece of meat.’
‘I know exactly what you mean,’ said Annie. ‘I’ve met a few of those in my time. What kind of jobs do they do?’
‘Anything that comes along, really. Morgan does small removals, you know, houses and flats and stuff. He’s got a large van. Michael usually helps him out on jobs like that. They also do a lot of farmyard maintenance, like I said, roofing work, drainage ditches, helping bale hay for forage, that sort of thing. It’s really a matter of who you know, who you’ve worked for before, where you’ve got a good reputation.’
‘And this Morgan has a good reputation?’
‘I suppose he must have.’
‘Could he be the one who texted Michael about a job yesterday morning?’
‘It’s likely,’ said Alex. ‘It’s what he usually does. Last minute, as often as not.’
‘Have you rung Morgan?’
‘No. I don’t know his number. But I know where he lives. He’s got a caravan at that site down by the river, you know, near Hindswell Woods.’
‘Riverview?’
‘That’s the one.’
‘Well, it’s a start, I suppose,’ said Annie, nodding towards Doug Wilson, who was busy scribbling in his notebook between stolen glances at Alex.
‘Can you give me Michael’s mobile number?’ Wilson asked. ‘And tell me the full names and addresses of the friends you mentioned, Miss Preston, including this Morgan character? Phone numbers, too, if you have them. And do you have a recent photograph of Michael we can borrow?’
‘Please, call me Alex,’ she said, smiling.
Annie could see that Doug was hers forever. He carefully wrote down the
‘Could Michael be with a friend?’ Annie asked. ‘And I don’t mean a girlfriend. Do you know any of his mates?’
‘He doesn’t really have very many. His life was pretty isolated when he lived up at the farm, you see, and since then, well, most of the friends he did have have moved away, and we’ve sort of spent most of our time together. We don’t socialise a lot. Going out can be expensive.’
‘You never go out for a drink or anything? Or to a party?’
‘Sometimes we go to the local for an evening out, if we can afford a sitter for Ian, but not very often. We enjoy our own company. Mostly we just stop in. It’s cheaper to get a few cans or a bottle of wine in and watch telly than it is to go out for the night. It sounds boring, I suppose, but we’re happy.’
‘Can you think of anyone else at all Michael might have communicated with?’
‘There’s Keith, I suppose. He’s still here. They went to school together, and they meet up for a game of darts once in a while. But Keith hasn’t seen him. I phoned. Graham, too. He’s married to Angie, who’s my best friend, really. But Graham’s a photography nut, and he and Michael get along well. They go off taking photos at various scenic spots around the Dales every now and then. Graham’s been teaching Michael his way around a camera. As I said, Michael’s a natural in some ways, but he doesn’t know much about theory and techniques, or the history. I can’t say I do, either, but Graham does. There’s Morgan, too, I suppose. Michael works with him up on the farms sometimes. But I don’t like him. He’s too flash and full of himself. Wears a gold chain and has a spider tattoo on the side of his neck. Head shaved like one of those BNP types, though he isn’t. He’s half black. His dad’s from Barbados. And he’s always flirting with me.’
‘Does Michael like him?’
‘They work together, and they go for a pint together, too, sometimes, after a day’s work. They get along all right. Talk about any work that might be coming up. Morgan’s managed to get Michael in on a couple of decent-paying jobs, and vice versa, so I don’t suppose I should be so down on him.’ She gave a little shudder and pulled a face. ‘You know, it’s just like, if you’re a woman he makes you feel like a piece of meat.’
‘I know exactly what you mean,’ said Annie. ‘I’ve met a few of those in my time. What kind of jobs do they do?’
‘Anything that comes along, really. Morgan does small removals, you know, houses and flats and stuff. He’s got a large van. Michael usually helps him out on jobs like that. They also do a lot of farmyard maintenance, like I said, roofing work, drainage ditches, helping bale hay for forage, that sort of thing. It’s really a matter of who you know, who you’ve worked for before, where you’ve got a good reputation.’
‘And this Morgan has a good reputation?’
‘I suppose he must have.’
‘Could he be the one who texted Michael about a job yesterday morning?’
‘It’s likely,’ said Alex. ‘It’s what he usually does. Last minute, as often as not.’
‘Have you rung Morgan?’
‘No. I don’t know his number. But I know where he lives. He’s got a caravan at that site down by the river, you know, near Hindswell Woods.’
‘Riverview?’
‘That’s the one.’
‘Well, it’s a start, I suppose,’ said Annie, nodding towards Doug Wilson, who was busy scribbling in his notebook between stolen glances at Alex.
‘Can you give me Michael’s mobile number?’ Wilson asked. ‘And tell me the full names and addresses of the friends you mentioned, Miss Preston, including this Morgan character? Phone numbers, too, if you have them. And do you have a recent photograph of Michael we can borrow?’
‘Please, call me Alex,’ she said, smiling.
Annie could see that Doug was hers forever. He carefully wrote down the
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