Contents
43. Birdy
Overview
Birdy, weighed down by her prognosis and last night with Carter, seeks information and solace at a local café. Cath claims she saw Eden run toward the cliffs alone. Returning to the inn, Birdy learns Carter is married, a personal betrayal that complicates trust and her pursuit of the case.
Summary
Birdy wakes confronting her mortality and the isolation it brings, reflecting on sleeping with Carter despite knowing it was a mistake. Carter left during the night, and his phone now goes to voicemail. Seeking distraction, Birdy takes Sunday to the Driftwood Café for breakfast.
At the café, the owner, Cath, shows Birdy unexpected kindness and discusses the recent cliff death. Cath says she saw Eden run up the hill that morning looking lost, and did not notice anyone else. She points Birdy toward a local dog walker, Old Stu, as someone who might have seen more.
Back at The Smuggler’s Inn, Birdy still cannot reach Carter. She chats with his sister, Maddy, and—probing whether Carter might be tied up with someone—learns the crucial detail that Carter has a wife.
Who Appears
- BirdyDCI narrator confronting mortality; seeks Carter, gathers café intel, and discovers Carter is married.
- CathCafé owner who shows Birdy kindness and says she saw Eden run toward the cliffs alone.
- MaddyCarter’s sister and innkeeper; inadvertently reveals Carter has a wife.
- CarterSergeant who left in the night; unreachable by phone; revealed to be married.
- SundayBirdy’s loyal dog, offering comfort during a lonely morning.