The Coffee Pot was in the centre of Brampton, set in the lower floor of a gift shop, accessed by narrow stairs. Jayne had to negotiate racks of trinkets and mugs, past picture frames with witticisms inside, the sort of place where people buy birthday or house-warming presents. The air was filled with the scent from incense sticks.
She had the urge to duck as she got into the cafe part, the ceiling low and lined by wooden beams. The tables were set in small alcoves and lit by candles, making it cosy and romantic.
It would have been a good move by Chris, she thought, had she not discovered his secret.
He was in the corner, in uniform, checking his watch, a coffee in front of him. Jayne stopped by the counter and asked for a latte, before joining him.
When she slid into the bench seat opposite, her coffee waking her, he smiled and put his hand out to take hers.
Oh, such a winning smile, she thought. Her instinct screamed at her to pull her hand away, but the desire to find out why he lied kept it there.
‘You were out early this morning,’ she said. ‘It would have been nice to have woken up with you.’
‘I know, I’m sorry, but I should have said. I’m on a six-two shift.’
‘Are you all right to be here. If you’re on duty, that is.’
‘Who’s going to tell? If I get a call-out, I’ll have to go, but I reckon I’ll be safe from shoplifters for a while. More importantly, how are you?’
‘Oh, I’m fine. A bit tired, but that’s down to you.’ She gave him a playful slap on the arm.
He laughed. ‘How’s your investigation going today?’
‘Making slow progress.’ She pulled a face. ‘Or no progress. What about you? Have you thought of anything more that could help me? You’re important in this, because you’re a grieving brother.’
‘I’ve stopped thinking about it too much.’
‘Really? That wasn’t how it seemed yesterday?’
‘Only because you were asking.’ He sighed. ‘It’s hard, you know, always being known because of Ruby. When people see me, they don’t say that I’m Chris the cop. It’s always the whispers about me being Ruby’s brother. I can never be just me. Just Chris. I’m always in her shadow.’ He held up his hand. ‘I don’t mean to sound like I don’t care or that I don’t miss her, or that I don’t want to see her real killer locked up, but I’ve got to live my own life.’
‘But I’m here and wanted to talk to you for the same reason. Why did you want to spend time with me? I’m just another reminder, surely?’
‘You’re different.’
‘How do you know?’
‘I can just tell. You didn’t have to sleep with me to find out what I know. I told you because I trust you.’
She tried hard to smile and gave his hand a squeeze. ‘Last night was special. That wasn’t about Ruby. It was about us.’
‘Is there an us?’
‘I don’t know. I really want there to be, but I’ve got to go back to Highford today. The trial starts on Monday and it’s ground to a halt here.’
‘I don’t want you to go.’
‘You could always follow me to Highford. It’s not that far.’
He pulled his hand away. ‘It’s too far for me. My job is here.’ He shrugged. ‘It’s the problem with a town like this. You meet too many people who are simply passing through. Tourists, or people wanting to leave.’
‘Give me a reason to stay longer then. Tell me who else I can speak to.’
‘Take this the right way, but don’t think you can do in a couple of days what I haven’t done in twenty years.’
‘This is it then?’
‘If you’re going back to Highford, I suppose it is. We’ll always have last night though. Before you go, is there anything you haven’t told me? I know you’re here for your client, but this is my sister. My parents too. It wrecked them. If there’s some bit of evidence you haven’t told me, I beg you, please say it.’
Her mind went back to his torn-up bank statement. ‘I’ve told you everything. I’m sorry that it’s not enough.’ She squeezed his hand again. ‘You could come and see me in Highford. After all, if you’ve never been there, you don’t know what you’re missing.’
He smiled, but it was faltering. ‘What I’ve never had, I’ll never miss.’
‘Touché.’
His brow furrowed. ‘Have you spoken to Rodney’s wife?’
‘No. Sarah, isn’t it? No, why would I?’
‘Because I don’t think Rodney did it, and who knows him better than her?’
‘Yeah, good point. Where does she live?’
He pulled out his phone. ‘I’ve got it written down in here. Hang on.’ He scrolled through. ‘Here we are. Rockley Drive, in Wakefield. Number nineteen.’
‘Have you got a number?’
‘Yes, but don’t ring first. I tried that once and she slammed the phone down. Get her face to face and she’s a bit easier to deal with.’
‘A difficult person?’
‘You’ll see what I mean when you meet her.’
‘If you’re trying to move on from Ruby, why do you know this information?’
‘There are times when I think about her and want to do something, but I know I can’t change anything.’
Jayne wafted the piece of paper that she’d written the address on. ‘This is goodbye then.’
He stood and held out his arms. ‘Hold me.’
She stood to hug him and buried her face into his shoulder, let out a contented sigh before pulling away. She kissed him and went as if to wipe away a tear.
‘No, stop, I can’t cry,’ she said. ‘I’m going. Chris, it’s been fantastic. Let’s not make this the last time.’
‘Definitely not.’
She turned and went up the steps and into the main body of the shop, her hand by her eyes, wiping.
As she reached the street, her jaw was set. Her eyes were dry. There were no tears. No sadness.
She intended to keep watch, to follow Chris, to work out what he was hiding. There was a market going on further down the street, so she took refuge behind one of the awnings.
What she saw next made her realise that she was wasting her time.
Porter went into the cafe, but he was looking along the street where she’d walked. He’d seen her and he was going to speak to Chris. Were they working together? Were they suspicious of her?
She couldn’t follow both of them, and she had no idea which one of them may be on her side. She knew she couldn’t trust Chris, but could she trust Porter?
No, that was the hint that she needed that she ought to leave town. Wherever she looked, she saw danger, shadows that shifted. She wanted to go back to Highford, to work out her next move.
Then she remembered the address she’d written down. Rodney’s ex-wife. Her new address wasn’t much of a detour. It was worth a try.
As she went back to her car, she had one last look around her and wondered if she’d ever be back.
She hoped not.
Porter marched into the gift shop. The wind chimes jangled as he rushed through, thumping down the stairs and into the cafe below. Chris Overfield was still there.
He looked up as Porter approached, surprised. ‘Are you keeping watch on me?’
‘No, her. I was outside her hotel, but what a surprise. I wanted to know who she’d met, but I should have guessed it would be you.’
Chris pointed to the seat opposite, gesturing for him to sit down. Porter was about to refuse, until Chris jabbed the table with his finger. ‘Sit.’
Porter slid into the bench seat and leaned in close. ‘Look, Chris, I don’t want to fall out with you, because I know what you’ve been through, but you don’t tell me what to do.’
‘You’ve no idea what I’ve been through.’ He slammed his hand on the table, making the cups jangle and some of Jayne’s coffee spill. ‘You were a spectator, nothing more, thinking you can understand by giving us the soft voice when you gave us the news. But where were you in the years that followed, once Rodney had gone to prison?’
‘You know the job, Chris. We investigate. We convict. We move on.’
‘But you got the wrong man!’
‘You need to keep your voice down.’
‘You’re not in the force now. You don’t get to tell me what to do. But yeah, I can see how you’d want to keep it under wraps.’
Porter rubbed his forehead. ‘Just tell me what she said.’
‘Why? That’s between me and her.’
‘I’m not your enemy, Chris.’
‘Yet here you are, confronting me in a coffee shop. My sister died because of what you didn’t do. That poor boy was found below the cliffs, but you couldn’t catch the murderer, so a killer was free to kill again. That’s down to you.’
‘If you think we could just click our fingers and the evidence would appear in front of us, your career in the force will be damn short. You know how cases work. They take time, they need evidence.’
‘Save me your excuses.’
The two men sat in silence for a few seconds, both glaring at each other, until Porter said, ‘Just tell me, what’s Jayne’s next move?’
‘I thought you were following her. Carry on, if you’re so curious.’
Porter slid out of his seat again. ‘I’m sorry you’re being like this.’
‘Do you blame me? Now go.’
Porter left without saying anything. He scowled as he trudged through the shop before ending up on the pavement outside.
Things were spinning out of control. He’d lost Jayne by going into the cafe, wanting to know who she was meeting, and he knew he couldn’t follow Chris. He was a police officer, and trailing an on-duty officer would be unwise.
He let out a long breath. All he could do was go home and wait.