Page 44 of Sharing Forever in Hope Creek (Hope Creek #2)

‘We want you to look at ten photographs of different men and see if you remember seeing any of those men around town lately,’ Gary told them. ‘We’d like you to do so individually so that none of you is influenced by what you hear from someone else.’

‘Like we’re picking them out of a line-up?’ June Lynch asked.

‘Exactly!’ Liz said. It had actually been Liz’s suggestion to present the photos and she and Connor had driven back to Hope Creek with Kade to attend the town meeting.

‘So we can get through this a bit faster, Rick, Mitch, Jim, Blue, Morgan and I all have the same set of ten photos,’ Gary explained.

‘We’re going to spread ourselves out in different areas of the pub and ask that you come to one of us, one at a time, to look at the photos and see if you recognise any of the men.

But once you’ve looked at the photos you’re not to discuss them with anyone else. ’

There was a murmur of agreement from around the room and several people said, ‘Good idea.’

‘If any of you have anything at all you think might help with the investigation—anything out of the ordinary that you’ve seen while you’ve worked at the vineyard or had dealings with Andrew Thompson,’ Gary said, ‘please go and talk to Stella and Margaret. They’ll take notes and give them to us later.

Anything at all, folks, no matter how small it seems, might make a difference here. ’

‘I know you wanted the kids to be outside so they didn’t hear any of the details of the murder,’ Mavis called out, ‘but I think it’d be a good idea to ask them, too. Children often notice things adults don’t.’

‘Let’s see how we go with the adults first,’ Gary said. ‘Unfortunately, unless a crime has been committed directly against a minor, they’re usually not considered particularly reliable witnesses.’

Callie overheard one of their neighbours saying quietly to another neighbour, ‘Rick and Gary should just be questioning Mavis. If she hasn’t already noticed, nobody else would have! We all know Mavis knows everything that goes on in this town.’

‘Come on, Callie. You sit over here with Connor and me while we let everyone do their bit,’ Liz said.

‘Good idea.’ Callie was grateful to sit down.

Even after long stints on her feet in various positions in the hospitality industry as she’d worked her way up to her position as assistant manager, she couldn’t recall her legs ever feeling so tired.

The drive down and back to Melbourne with such a quick turnaround and the see-sawing of different emotions this week had tired her out as well.

‘You must be exhausted with the pregnancy and then all this straight after the wedding preparations,’ Liz said. ‘I’m glad you’d already lined up this week off work. You might need to extend your leave to get through all this.’

‘I’m sure Jack will be back with us before you know it. Somebody’s sure to have seen something,’ Connor assured her.

What they really needed was for someone to have seen Marcus Covington in the area. If Jack had seen him at the vineyard, someone else must’ve seen him around.

The update from Jack’s lawyer was that the police were investigating the claims regarding Covington.

They were trying to locate him to bring him in for questioning.

They were also checking into his finances to try to find a link between him and Thompson and to see if they could prove that Covington was in debt to Thompson.

The good news Gary had delivered to the Richardson clan as they’d arrived at the hotel was that the Melbourne detectives had located Fiona Harris and she was now at a police station in Melbourne being interviewed about her boyfriend.

Thankfully, when the police had knocked on her door they’d found her high as a kite and in possession of cocaine.

Gary said that the police were able to use that charge as leverage.

They’d offered to put in a good word for her with the judge if she cooperated with them.

‘God, but I hope Covington’s girlfriend really does have information that can help clear Jack’s name,’ Callie said quietly, mindful that Gary had warned those who already knew about Covington not to mention his name to the broader community.

‘We weren’t told how the police found out about her—or about Marcus Covington,’ Liz whispered back.

Callie raised her hands to rub at her temples. ‘It doesn’t matter. Let’s just be thankful they have the information.’

Jim and Margaret had assured Callie there was no need for her to speak about her parents’ backgrounds to anybody.

‘Yes, it’s all rather strange,’ Connor added.

‘I’m not sure how these anonymous tips work.

You’d think there’d have to be a lot of hoaxes—people with a vendetta against someone phoning up police and giving them the name of someone they didn’t like, all to make life difficult for the person.

Let’s hope this isn’t the case here and that the police aren’t chasing a red herring. ’

‘I’m sure the police don’t follow every lead,’ Liz said. ‘You know, apart from the angst we’re all going through for Jack, the author in me finds this very interesting.’

Almost certain she knew what Liz was going to say next, Callie raised her eyes and focused on the ceiling fan that was spinning lazily overhead, doing its best to circulate the dry air around the room.

‘When I’m finished with my current book, I think the next book I write might be a romantic suspense. If I have a murder in it, I can raise the stakes for the characters and spice things up a bit.’

Yes, Callie had read Liz’s mind correctly. She knew that Mitch’s aunt always wore her author’s hat. Everyone was always joking that anything they said might appear in the pages of one of Liz’s bestselling novels.

‘As your publisher, I like the sound of that,’ Connor said.

Callie wouldn’t be reading it. She didn’t need to relive this stressful situation in the pages of a novel.

‘Can I get you another drink, ladies?’

Connor went off to the bar to get a gin and tonic for Liz and an orange juice for Callie, while Callie sat back and surveyed the scene in the pub.

Those who were looking at photographs were giving the task their full attention.

Some were shaking their heads but her spirits lifted as she saw one of their neighbours point to a photo and begin to speak animatedly to Gary.

Oh please, God, let this be a lead.

About forty-five minutes later, the whole exercise was over and parents started to call their kids so they could all make their way home.

Mitch walked over with Kade. ‘Time to take this young man back home to bed.’

‘Goodnight, Kade.’ Callie stood to give him a hug.

Kade had almost done the rounds when he stopped and looked at some of the photos that were still spread out on the table.

‘I met him.’ He pointed to one of the photos. ‘I didn’t like him much though.’

Callie couldn’t believe it. ‘What?’

‘How do you know him, Kade?’ Liz asked.

‘I saw him at the caretaker’s cottage.’

‘Gary! Rick!’

The officers were quick to respond to the note of urgency in Connor’s voice. The rest of the Richardson family trailed in their wake.

‘Tell Gary and Rick what you just told us, son,’ Mitch instructed.

Liz held up the photo that Kade had recognised.

‘This guy was at the caretaker’s cottage,’ Kade repeated.

Gary and Rick spoke at the same time.

‘When?’

‘When did you see him?’

Kade ran his hand along his brow. ‘It was before the wedding … Friday afternoon, when everyone was over at the barn doing all the last-minute things for the reception.’

‘You saw him near the caretaker’s cottage at Hope Creek Farm?’ Rick clarified.

Several people gathered around and more began to join them.

‘Yeah. He was coming out of the cottage while I was walking Jax, and I asked him if he was lost.’

‘And?’ Liz asked. ‘What did he say?’

‘He said he was a friend of Jack’s. He told me he’d left something behind earlier so he was coming back to pick it up.’

‘He was carrying something?’ Gary asked.

‘Yeah.’ Kade looked bemused at the interest he was attracting. ‘It was just a shopping bag. Why is everyone so interested?’

‘What was in the shopping bag?’ Callie asked urgently. ‘Did you see what he was carrying?’

‘Nah,’ Kade replied. ‘I didn’t see what it was exactly. I know it was clothes because I saw some blue fabric, but I don’t know anything else. I wasn’t really that interested. I was on my way to feed the goats.’

‘But you’re sure this was the guy you saw?’ Liz pressed.

‘Absolutely ridgy-didge.’ If his information hadn’t been so important, Kade’s use of Australian slang—delivered in his Californian accent—would’ve made Callie laugh.

Stella hugged Kade tight. ‘Oh my goodness! I think you’ve saved the day, darling!’

‘It was blue , Gary!’ Callie felt overcome with relief. ‘That shirt of Jack’s was blue! That had to have been Thompson’s murderer stealing the shirt!’

‘Well, Gary?’ Mitch demanded. ‘The guy Kade identified … Was that Mar—’

‘Whoa, Mitch!’ Gary cut right across him. ‘You mustn’t say his name.’

‘Like Voldemort?’ Kade asked with wide eyes as he pulled away from Stella’s embrace.

The community members who’d gravitated to the spot, anxious to hear what was happening, all laughed at the serious reference Kade had made to the evil character in the Harry Potter series.

‘Tell us, Gary.’ Margaret pointed to the photo of the man Kade had identified. ‘Is this who we think it is?’

Gary and Rick had organised the photos and the only thing the Richardsons knew was that one of the photos was of Marcus Covington. They hadn’t been privy to which photo was his because Gary and Rick hadn’t wanted them to bias the community members in any way as the people looked at the photos.

‘Yes,’ Gary confirmed. ‘Kade has identified the man the police in Melbourne are investigating as the potential murderer—’

A general cheer went up.

‘—and several other people have also identified him as being seen driving around Hope Creek.’

Jane, who owned the general store and petrol station with her husband, added, ‘He filled up his car at our bowser last Friday. I told Rick—he was driving a white Toyota Camry. I only wish we were like the city petrol stations and had security cameras installed so we could find out the number plate.’

Brianna stepped forward. ‘I told Blue that same man met with Andrew last week at the vineyard. I’d forgotten about him because Andrew was constantly getting visits from sales reps and other people, but I also told Blue that Andrew had seemed a bit irritated when he saw that guy arrive.

I didn’t ever get introduced, so I don’t know his name.

’ She shrugged. ‘I assumed Andrew recognised him as a salesperson and was annoyed he’d turned up at a time when he was busy, but now I think back on it, he wasn’t particularly busy.

Also, he did take the guy into his office and close the door—which he didn’t usually do with sales reps.

’ She frowned. ‘And he was a bit agitated when the guy left. I remember I was a bit slow to print out an email for him and he snapped at me, which wasn’t like him. ’

‘Was the man who visited left alone in Andrew’s office?’ Callie asked, thinking that maybe that’s when he’d slipped the letter into Thompson’s desk.

‘No,’ Brianna said. ‘They were in the office together for a while, but Andrew didn’t step out until this guy also left.’

‘Doesn’t mean he couldn’t have come back later and planted the letter,’ Rick said, following Callie’s train of thought.

‘A few of you have said you saw this man driving by. Has anybody got anything further to add?’ Gary asked.

People shook their heads.

‘Not about that photo,’ a young man named Christopher said, ‘but I did tell Morgan that when I was working at the vineyard, I had to go into the bottling facility and I thought Andrew must be outsourcing some of the labelling because I came across a box of labels that were for some vineyard with a very French-sounding name.’

‘Oh, my Lord,’ Margaret said. ‘That could be proof the wine Andrew Thompson was displaying for the investors in his Ponzi scheme was actually wine from Hope Creek Vineyard.’

‘Labelled as French wine,’ Liz said.

‘That was exactly what Jack was told in the anonymous tip-off he received about the scheme,’ Callie declared.

‘I feel like we’re all in a scene from that detective series, Colombo .’ Mavis gave a little squeal of delight. ‘Is this enough to clear Jack?’

‘It certainly helps,’ Rick said.

‘It’s getting late but we really need to get your statements down on paper and sent to Melbourne as quickly as possible,’ Gary said. ‘Could I ask Jane, Brianna, Chris and Kade to come back to the station with me now, please?’

‘Absolutely!’ Jane and Christopher said simultaneously.

Brianna sent a smile Callie’s way. ‘Sure. I hope this new information helps Jack, Callie.’

Mitch looked at Kade. ‘Are you up to going to the station, buddy?’

‘You betcha!’

‘Hope Creek community to the rescue again!’ someone called out.

‘Let’s not get too carried away, folks,’ Gary cautioned. ‘There’s a lot more evidence that needs to be found before this suspect gets convicted.’

‘It’s more than we had before,’ Jim said. ‘We’re really grateful to all of you for coming tonight and helping us out.’

‘Drinks are on the house now until closing time,’ Mitch announced.

Morgan sat down next to Callie, reached out and squeezed Callie’s hand. ‘Have faith, Cal. He’ll be cleared.’

‘Things are starting to look more positive that he’ll be released soon and this whole nightmare will be over.’ Callie’s eyes misted over as she smiled at her sister. ‘I’m really daring to hope.’

Stella overheard Callie’s words as she and Margaret approached them. As Stella sat down on the other side of Callie, she joked, ‘They don’t call this place Hope Creek for nothing.’

‘I think the only more appropriate name for it would be Musketeer Creek,’ Margaret said.

The girls laughed.

‘You’re right, Margaret,’ Morgan said lightly. ‘We’re definitely all for one and one for all.’

‘The three of us lost our families, but we not only gained a family in each other and with you, Jim and Blue,’ Stella said. ‘We gained this huge, wonderfully close community who are every bit as caring as the best of families.’

Stella was right.

It was part of the reason Callie loved being part of this community, and why she wanted her child to grow up here.