Cold as Ice

Chapter 32

Carter walked down the corridor to Bowie’s office. Bowie looked ready to leave.

Carter popped his head inside the door.

‘You off?’

‘Yeah, but not for ten minutes. Come in, Dan.’ Carter closed the door behind him. ‘Sit down and tell me how it’s going with the undercover operation.’

‘It was test day today, so she’s had a lot to cope with, getting her legend right, juggling a lot of balls in the air at once but she’ll be okay. She’s home now so I’m off the hook for the evening. I need to go home and get some rest.’

‘Fancy a drink?’

Carter shook his head and laughed. ‘I’m too tired.’

‘Yeah, we both know that’s a lie. You’re under the thumb.’

‘Maybe. But I have to give my relationship with Cabrina my best shot. What I don’t need is complications.’

‘If you change your mind text me.’

‘I have to go.’ Carter stood, took his buzzing phone from his pocket and looked at the message on the screen. ‘I would say I hear my conscience screaming in my ear but it’s actually Robbo – just got a message he wants to see me. Have fun.’

Robbo was on his own in his office when Carter walked in. Pam and the other two researchers had gone home.

He looked up as Carter entered.

‘I was double-checking the timeline of events. I thought it looked familiar – check out his address.’ He showed Carter a piece of paper. ‘Remember the man who was there when the boys discovered Emily Styles’ body?’

Carter looked at it and squinted for a few seconds as he thought about it.

‘You’re kidding me?’

Carter parked up outside Gerald Foster’s house and watched for a few minutes from the street. The place looked unlived-in; it was dark but Foster’s van was in the driveway. It was just gone ten. He rang Robbo again.

‘Any news of the hit-and-run driver who killed Niall Manson?’

‘None.’

‘I’m tempted to get a forensic team over here to check out Foster’s van.’

‘Discreet for now,’ answered Robbo. ‘If he is Hawk the main thing is to get Danielle back. We scare him off we could blow it. He hasn’t done anything wrong that we can book him for.’

‘He’s connected to two parts of this inquiry.’

‘Could just be coincidence.’

‘There’s no such thing as coincidence. I’m sure I learnt that from you!’

Carter walked up the drive and as he did so he took a good look at Foster’s van as best he could in the light from the streetlights. Even in this light he could see it had been recently repaired – there was fresh paint and a new bumper. Carter took out his phone and photographed the repair work. The flash lit up the night. Foster appeared from around the side of the house.

‘Can I help you?’ he said frostily as he stood watching.

Carter walked around the van.

‘A fair bit of damage on the bumpers?’

‘It’s a works van. It doesn’t have to look pretty. What can I do for you, Officer? Have you found Danielle?’

‘Not yet. I believe you were there when the young woman’s body was pulled from the canal? Can we talk about it? Can I come in?’ Gerald Foster grunted and opened the front door, led the way inside the house. He flicked on a light in the hallway. Carter followed him in. ‘It must have been pretty horrible.’

It was dark and cold inside. Not exactly homely in here. Carter was thinking how there was no way Foster had been in the front of the house for a good while. He peered into the rooms either side as they walked through to the back of the house. It had a forgotten feel and smell. Foster put the light on in the kitchen.

‘The lad found her. I was just there.’

‘What were you doing there?’

Foster looked at Carter with contempt. ‘What do you think I was doing there? Do you think I always hang about canals in the hope some body will float to the surface? I was working. I was making my way to the Canal Museum to start my tour. I show people around. I told you I’m a guide.’

‘Of course. I remember. I didn’t realize you were also an expert on the canal system in London.’

‘Yes. I normally show people around, take them up the canal on a barge, but it’s been impossible for weeks. I like to do a job properly; I like to be thorough. I can walk people up the towpath instead so I like to think of as many interesting facts relating to that as I can. I wanted to take a look at the ice.’

‘So you were with people when the boys were playing on the ice?’

‘No, the weather meant people cancelled. I was merely checking on things. I saw the boys larking about. Bloody hooligans; should have been at school. I shouted at them to stop throwing rocks on the ice.’

‘They didn’t listen, obviously.’

‘No, then one of the little bastards got pushed on the ice. I thought for a moment I was going to have jump in if the ice cracked.’

‘Would you have?’

‘No. But there’s a lifebuoy. I might have thrown that for him. If he was lucky.’

‘Sensible. Did you suspect anything was in the canal there?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You told my colleague, Detective Willis, that you know every inch of the canal; maybe something had caught your eye in the last week or so?’ Foster shook his head and stuck his hands further into his pockets as he stared hard at Carter.

‘No. Is that where you think Danielle is? Is that what this is about? You think I had something to do with that young woman’s murder and that I have even more to do with my own daughter going missing?’

‘We believe Danielle is being held against her will. There is still time for someone to release her; still time to get her home to her son Jackson. It isn’t too late.’

‘Why are you telling me?’

‘Because you’re right – it’s quite a coincidence that you were there when a friend of your daughter’s was pulled out of the canal and now your daughter goes missing. But coincidences are a rare thing in my job.’

‘I didn’t know she was a friend of Danielle’s?’

‘Yes. She was. Can I just ask you something else about your work showing people around the sites of London?’

‘Look, I’ve had enough. I’ve told you all I know, now please leave.’ He almost pushed Carter backwards.

‘One minute, Mr Foster.’ Carter didn’t move. ‘It can be here or at the station.’ Foster backed off. ‘Do you ever take people to the Heath?’

‘Hampstead Heath?’

‘Yes, you know, a tour of the parks, that kind of thing?’

Foster bristled with irritation. ‘I have done in the past. I do private work where I drive tourists round and show them the sights. Hampstead Heath is sometimes on the list, depends what they want. Is that it? I want you to leave my property.’

‘When were you there last?’

‘In the summer.’

‘You haven’t been there in the last week?’

Foster didn’t answer; he stared at Carter then waited for an explanation.

‘Another body was found there. I think you need to call your lawyer, Mr Foster.’