Eye Snatcher by Ryan Casey Read Free Book Online Page B

whole lot better than we do.”
    Brian saw Jack smile at him. He supposed he kind of had a point.
    “Did you know Sam Betts?” Brian asked.
    Jack clapped at a few of the cows, lured them out of their pens and out into the field at the back of the farm. It looked out right over towards the motorway. “Saw the lad a few times. Friendly young’un. Bit shy, though. Not like that yappy little mutt of ‘is.”
    “How about Wednesday night?” Brad asked.
    Jack seemed distant. Called some more orders and commands at his cows. “Not sure about Wednesday night. Might’ve done. Got so used to seein’ ‘im I lose track.”
    “Did he ever speak to you?”
    “The odd ‘ello ‘ere and there, y’know. Like I say, friendly lad. But a shy ‘un. Doesn’t surprise me he…”
    He stopped. Opened another gate to let some more cows out.
    “Doesn’t surprise you he what?” Brian asked.
    Jack looked at the ground. Red face flushed some more. “Well, y’know ‘ow it is. Weak ‘uns always get the shitty end of the stick in life. Shame though. Wish I’d seen summat.”
    “Yeah,” Brad said, looking around the darkened outhouse. “Us too.”
    “Which way did he usually walk?” Brian asked.
    “Always down’t track and round’t path. Always. Twice a day, always that way. Never t’other way.”
    That matched up with the facts. The skid marks on the dirt track.
    Brad walked around the mucky ground of the outhouse. Almost lost his footing. “Any kind of security around here?”
    Jack frowned. “Security?”
    “CCTV. That sort of thing.”
    “No need for no security round ‘ere. Just a few alarms, stuff like that. It’s a safe place round ‘ere though. Stuff like this, it never ‘appens. That’s why it’s such a shock, y’know? The missus has bin beside ‘erself since ‘earing about it.”
    They stepped outside the outhouse and Brian finally released his grip on his nostrils. “Any children of your own, Jack?”
    Jack closed the gate as the last of the cows staggered into the field. “Aye. Wee lass aged thirteen and an older lad of twenny-two.”
    “And they both live with you?”
    Jack shook his head. “Patrick’s moved out now. Lives with his girlfriend in Yorkshire. Wanted ‘im to stay back ‘ome workin’ on the business but y’know ‘ow it is with lads these days. Wife, two kids already. Shacked down ‘n workin’ full time over there.”
    Brian nodded as he followed Jack away from the outhouse and back towards the farmhouse.
    “Nice spot you’ve got here,” Brian lied. He knew this kind of country lifestyle appealed to some. Just not to him.
    “Pays the bills,” Jack said, wiping his hands, which were even blacker with dirt and shit than they were when Brian had shook them. “Tough life, but it pays the bills.”
    They returned to the front door of Jack’s house. Returned his wellies, which were ankle deep in cow muck.
    Jack shook his head. “Keep ‘um. If yer solvin’ a case around ‘ere, first things you’ll need are a pair of wellies.”
    Brian smiled and tried his best to look grateful, but all he could think about was how damn stinky his car was going to be if he took these crap-magnets in with him. Knowing Brad, he’d probably rub them all over the mats too.
    “Wish I could be of more ‘elp.”
    Brian nodded. Handed Jack his card. “Anything else comes to you and you let us know, okay?”
    Jack took the card. “Course. ‘Appy to ‘elp.”
    The pair of them waved goodbye to Jack and walked down the driveway, back towards the farm track and the dirt track, where the dogs continued to search in the muddy slush.
    “What d’you make of him?” Brad asked.
    “Shouldn’t I be asking you that question, eagle-eye?”
    Brad shrugged.
    “Well, he seems honest enough. Shifty, but aren’t all farmers?”
    “Mmhm,” Brad said. He wasn’t giving much away.
    “Spidey senses tingling?”
    Brad shook his head and stared at the ground. “Just frustrating. No CCTV, nothing like