‘Hang on,’ Kim said, tapping her fingers on the dashboard. She had the feeling that her work here was not yet done.
‘Dare I ask what’s going on in that twisted little mind of yours?’ Bryant asked, switching off the engine. ‘I mean, this may not even be related to our case. Liam appears to have been a happy married man.’
‘Hmm…’
‘What?’
‘It’s the shoes. I can buy everything else, but it’s the bloody shoes. Who walks around their house at 1a.m. with their trainers still on? Where was he going or where had he been?’
‘To get a loaf of bread.’
‘Spot any convenience stores close by as we were driving in? Looks like they’re a one-car family, and that car was with Monica in Chester.’
‘So what are you…?’
‘Come on,’ she said, getting out of the car.
Bryant followed as she strode out of the gate and turned left along the fence line.
‘Can you search your phone and walk at the same time?’
‘Search for what?’
‘Never mind. Get Stace on the phone.’
She continued to walk the well-trodden path that ran along the east side of the Sachses’ property.
‘Yeah, Bryant,’ Stacey answered on loudspeaker.
‘Stace, there’s a small wooded area in Harvington, about a mile away from The Dog and right off the main road,’ Kim said, taking the phone from her colleague.
‘Okay, boss,’ Stacey answered.
‘Find out if it has a name.’
‘Okay, I’ll have a—’
‘Do it now,’ Kim said. ‘While we’re on the phone,’ she added, handing the phone back. ‘Here’s Bryant.’
She followed the path into the woods while she waited. Stacey was tapping away in the background.
‘Bryant, can I ask exactly what it is you’re doing?’ Stacey asked.
‘Following my new sniffer dog into the woods at the minute.’
Kim turned and offered him a filthy look before pushing a long thorny bramble out of her way.
She couldn’t help but think about Monica’s description of Liam’s bubbly, excited mood the night before.
She continued along what appeared to be the only well-trodden footpath through the area. The route appeared to be popular with dog walkers, she thought, avoiding another pile of dog mess. Liam had wanted the house to himself and he’d been excited for the interview. Not nervous, not apprehensive, excited. And then there were the shoes, she thought as the path finally branched into two directions.
She instinctively turned right.
‘Boss, I can’t find any official name for the woods.’
Kim carried on walking. ‘But?’ she asked, hearing the hesitant tone in the constable’s voice.
‘It appears to have a nickname. It may once have been Harvington Woods cos now it’s called Having It Woods and…’