Chapter 34 #3
I focused on Kelly-Anne. I’d called Lindridge, hoping to speak to Dave Beardsley, but he was on a rest day and apparently walking up Snowdonia. No one on shift would be able to remember her, and where she’d moved on to.
But there was one person whose memory I’d always known to be solid, unless it was something he wanted to forget.
Daniel was waiting for me in the entrance hall, making a point of checking his watch when he saw me.
“I know. I’m sorry I’m late. The autopsy report came through just as I was leaving.
” The notes of it had. A more detailed report would be sent later, but for now we had the bullet points of how we knew Dolly had died.
She’d been clothed, although the clothing wasn’t in good shape, and she’d been stabbed in the back, with force, dying shortly after she’d gone into the water, which had been around two and a half weeks ago, making her the first victim.
It was likely to be the same, or a very similar weapon to what was used on the others.
“I understand.” Daniel opened the door to the seminar room, gesturing for me to enter. “I’m not sure how I can help any more than I have already unless you bring me on officially so I can see what evidence you have so far, but I’ll do what I can.”
I sat down at the polished mahogany table. This room wasn’t used for students, it was far too precious and old. This was for seminars between professors and research students, never irresponsible undergrads.
But it had been where I’d told Daniel something I’d never shared with anyone else, even my foster sister, Heidi, who I’d told everything and still did.
This room made me feel cold, leaden, lost.
“Can we go somewhere else?” I didn’t want to be in there.
“Justine’s using my office to speak with one of the second year students, and you said it wouldn’t take that long, so there’s no point trekking up to the top floor, is there?” He sat at the head of the table.
We were in exactly the same places as when I told him ten years ago what’d happened in the gym changing rooms when I was fifteen.
Half my life ago.
Yesterday.
“Okay.” My knees pressing together hard enough to leave a bruise for later. “Kelly-Anne Marsh. I need to know everything you can remember about her.”
His expression faltered, his shoulders tightening. “Why Kelly-Anne?”
“She’s connected to the women who’ve been killed.
She was on holiday as a teen with all four victims, and Evelyn Smith who’s still missing.
” This wasn’t information we were releasing to the public yet.
“We need to find Kelly-Anne. What can you remember about her? Even names of professionals working directly with her.”
“Very little. She wasn’t my patient.”
“But Charlie was, and he was close to Kelly-Anne, so what did he say to you about her?” I could see him hesitating. “If she’s still alive, she could be in danger. We want to find her to let her know to be careful, put additional support in for her.”
He sighed, looking out of the window at the yew tree in the garden. “Kelly-Anne was a selective mute. Charlie was one of the few people she’d talk to – she didn’t even speak to her therapist. She had an eating disorder, anorexia nervosa, which I suspected was caused by body dysmorphia and trauma.”
“Had she been abused?”
“Probably. She never disclosed anything. She told Charlie that he was the first friend she’d had, and he was really proud about that. He told me that she’d been bullied and if he ever found the people who’d bullied her, he’d kill them.” Daniel let the silence fall.
It was me who broke it. “Did you think he would do?”
“I wasn’t sure. He wasn’t a violent type when he was level, in fact he was rather gentle, but if he was high or going through a manic episode, I’d say he was capable of it.
But when he was in that state, I don’t think he’d be capable of being organised, and all of your murders have been organised, haven’t they? ”
“They have. Planned. The locations where we’ve found the bodies have been scoped out. I wouldn’t think someone in the middle of a manic episode would be capable. But Charlie’s dead, so he isn’t our killer.”
“What about someone else who was in the hospital? There was a third person in that friendship, a man called Gray – his full name was Graham. Charlie and Kelly-Ann would spend time with him when he was well-enough. I’ve always been surprised I’ve not seen his name on front page news.”
I filed the name away for a chat with Dave Beardsley. “What happened to Kelly-Anne when she was discharged? Were you aware of where she went?”
“I’d stopped working there when that happened. After Charlie was discharged I finished the contract; it was too far to travel to, really. Mia, I haven’t seen you this nervous since - ” He stopped before saying the words.
“It’s this room. It’s where I told you.”
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t remember.”
It was a lie. I just didn’t know why.
“If you think of anything else about Kelly-Anne, or the name of anyone she was working with, let me know.” I stood up, picking my bag up off the floor. “Thanks for your time.”
I was out of the building before he’d called my name twice.