“What did you make of Mark McCall then? Funny lad,” she said, placing her glass back on the table.
“He’s a complicated character.” Sitting upright in his seat, he rolled his shoulders momentarily and frowned. “Not quite as overawed by Holly as many seem to think.” Putting the boy’s motivations in an order where they could anticipate his actions, or past actions, was tricky. “Don’t get me wrong, I think he loved her. Even if it’s only the adoration that comes from a teenage boy having a girl take an interest in him. And I think they had a relationship of sorts.”
“Do you think he is capable of killing her?” Tamara’s gaze was upon him, her eyes narrowing. The question came across as something of a test, assessing his ability to interpret a suspect’s intent.
“Quite capable, yes.” The reply was firm, confident. “That’s not to say I think he did it, though. I don’t see the child as being his. The reaction has been all wrong from the point of view of how I’d expect.”
“And what would you expect?”
“A greater attempt at avoidance, more misdirection… anger maybe.” His mouth was dry and he raised his glass, sipping at the water. “Crimes of passion take a toll both mentally and physically. Arguably, he could still be guilty but I don’t see it.” He reached into his jacket pocket, hanging on the back of his chair. Placing the card he took from the shop on the table, he slid it across towards her. “I found this in the local shop.”
“Similar writing. Whose is it?” He shook his head. “We can have a comparison done. In the meantime, look up the number. We might get lucky and find it’s on a registered contract.” She sounded optimistic.
“It’ll come back to Callum McCall.” Now he had her attention. She was both curious and impressed. He could tell from the slight smile creeping up at the corners of her mouth. “He was seen arguing in public with Jane Francis recently. How that came to pass I don’t know. Possibly Callum was looking out for his son, knowing he was seeing Holly. If, and it’s a big if, Callum knew Holly was knocking about with Ken Francis, he may have told Jane in order to put a stop to it. By all accounts she was pretty upset.”
“Would also go some way to explaining the threatening letters, too, if it was him… Callum,” Tamara said, glancing at a passing boat, “but why not mention his accusation, if that’s what it was? I understand why she wouldn’t initially – not wanting to cause ructions at home, but not now everything is out in the open.”
“Unless… not everything is out in the open,” he countered. She inclined her head, seeking elaboration. He was wasn’t sure he’d ironed out a theory yet. Not one that would hold up under scrutiny at any rate. “We know Jane has accepted Ken’s… dalliances, should we say and to that end, Callum revealing her husband’s affair wouldn’t be news to her, so why would she be so upset? It doesn’t make sense.”
“It makes sense if he was threatening to reveal it or blackmailing them. From the general consensus of opinion everyone has regarding Callum McCall that isn’t beyond the realms of possibility.”
He sat back in his chair, thinking it over. He had to concede her point. “And how would he know about what Ken was up to?” Thinking aloud now, picking his way through their established facts. “Mark admitted to me he knew about it, so may have told his father. Did you see how Mark reacted to your finding the shoes? Took off shortly after.”
“You think they’re Holly’s don’t you?” she asked him. Clearly, she thought so. “I’ve sent them off to the lab this afternoon. They’ll test for DNA, fingerprints, anything on the sole or heels that could indicate which area they were walking in recently. I checked with the pathologist and they would fit Holly. If they do turn out to be hers that brings both Mark and his father front and centre.”
“Would either of them be stupid enough to keep them around stashed some place where they will easily be found?” It was too much of a gift to them and that niggled him. “Plus, Callum’s not the sharpest but he has enough experience to ensure he doesn’t make a mistake like that.”
“Petty crime, though,” Tamara said. “Nothing on this scale.”
“Motive?” As far as he could see, Callum McCall had no reason to kill Holly and if he had done so, the likelihood of his placing her in the location where his own son spent a great deal of time was possible but far from plausible. Unless he would rather see Mark sent down than return to prison himself. Tamara hadn’t responded to his question suggesting she had no answer. “Jane is local, too, which I wasn’t aware of. Eric didn’t mention it. His local knowledge isn’t an inexhaustible resource but she would have left when he was barely a teenager, so he probably didn’t know her. Maybe we’re missing something. A connection with Callum McCall from elsewhere in her past.” He knew he was thinking aloud, trying to understand the link between them better.
“Seeing as we’re speculating,” Greave began, nursing her glass of wine. “If they are Holly’s shoes and neither of the McCalls are involved… how did they wind up where I found them?”
“The killer is trying to direct our attention towards one of the McCalls, either Callum or Mark, deflecting our focus away from them.”
“Possibly.” From the tone of her response she was unconvinced leading to him doubting the idea. It was obvious. Maybe that was the problem. “I’m looking forward to seeing what Eric turns up in London tomorrow.” He turned his thoughts to unravelling Ken’s recent past. The man was running from his choices but the consequences appeared
