CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CRISTY: ‘It’s almost midnight on Thursday and I’m with Connor at his home recording this.
We’re hoping for news from Guernsey after receiving a call a couple of hours ago telling us that something was going on at the Villa des Roches.
We still have no idea what it is, or if the incident – I guess that’s what we should call it for now – is over yet.
We just thought we’d share the wait with you guys so you’ll get an idea of the build-up to whatever is coming down the track. ’
CONNOR: ‘Since getting the tip-off we’ve been trying all our contacts on the island – including Sadie, Gabe and Lukas – but so far all we’ve had is a text from our original source telling us that things aren’t looking good.’
CRISTY: ‘What the hell does that mean, you must be asking, and believe me, we are too. Our imaginations are running out of control. Is everyone safe? Has someone set fire to the villa? Where is Sadie? What’s happening to her, or her aunt?
Are Gabe and Lukas still there? It was Evie who raised the alarm, apparently, so we’re guessing they are, but she’s not responding to messages either. ’
CONNOR: ‘As a quick recap: the last we heard from Sadie was earlier today when she told us she was planning to go to the villa again in the morning in the hope of speaking to her aunt. So, did she go this evening instead?’
CRISTY: ‘I know it’s doubtful we can use this next bit, but just in case: now could be a good time to share a call we had from Mia, also earlier today, in which she was clearly confused between Sadie and Lottie, and ended up accusing us of turning Sadie against her.
She claims to be afraid of what Sadie might do to her, and insists that Gabe and Lukas are imposters.
A quick reminder here that the results of a DNA test on both men show that they are indeed who they claim to be.
Anyway, have a listen to some of Mia’s distress call, because that’s what it sounds like – a woman in distress. ’
As Connor stopped recording Cristy noted the time code and wrote, She’s coming for me, next to it, a guide for where to edit in the call later. That done, she sat back on the sofa, tired and worried, and annoyed with David for keeping them in the dark for so long.
‘What the hell’s going on over there?’ she muttered, glancing up as Jodi put her head round the sitting room door. The baby was in her arms, goggle-eyed and dribbly, and smiling in a way that caught Cristy’s heart.
‘More coffee?’ Jodi whispered, as if someone might be sleeping.
‘What are you doing up?’ Connor asked, going to take his daughter.
‘She’s hungry,’ Jodi replied, ‘so I thought I’d come and sit with you guys while she feeds.’
Nuzzling, kissing and cooing over his girl, Connor said, ‘Then I’ll make the coffee.’
Jodi smiled her thanks and went to sit with Cristy on the sofa, taking Aurora back as Connor said, ‘I’m guessing you won’t want one?’
She shook her head and yawned while opening her top ready to nurse.
Watching, Cristy couldn’t stop her mind leaping from Aiden to Bear and on to the awful possibility that she was going to be drowning in babies in the coming weeks and months.
Thank God this sweet little angel wasn’t her responsibility, was completely loved and cared for by her parents and had no need of anything from her soon-to-be godmother other than to be doted on and spoiled.
‘Connor told me about Aiden,’ Jodi said, after settling Aurora against her breast.
Cristy’s eyes closed, then quickly opened again as her phone rang.
‘David!’ she shouted to Connor, and clicking on, cried, ‘Thank God. What on earth is happening over there?’ She glanced up as Connor rushed in and set to record.
David’s voice was hoarse and low as he told them what he could.
DAVID: ‘It’s been pretty chaotic. The police and emergency services are still all over the place, but mostly they’re searching the cliffs under the villa …’
CRISTY: ‘Christ! What are they searching for?’
DAVID: ‘A body. I guess it can only be that, the fall is too great to survive and the rocks …’
CRISTY: ‘Who are we talking about, David? Please, for God’s sake, don’t say it’s Sadie …’
DAVID: ‘Sorry. No, it’s Mia. Apparently she contacted Sadie earlier and told her to come … I’m not sure how long Sadie was there, or what happened between them … All I can tell you is what a detective told me, that apparently Mia threw herself from one of the balconies.’
CRISTY: ‘Oh my God! In front of Sadie?’
DAVID: ‘I’m afraid so. Sadie’s been in a pretty dreadful state since. They’ve given her some kind of sedative now. As far as I can make out she went down there alone, but it’s possible Lukas was with her … I haven’t got that straight yet …’
CRISTY: ‘Have you managed to talk to Sadie at all?’
DAVID: ‘A few minutes ago, but she was pretty out of it by then. Exhaustion, shock, the drugs kicking in … She seems more worried about Mia than anything else.’
CONNOR: ‘Where are you now?’
DAVID: ‘On my way home. The police want to talk to me again tomorrow, and there’s a good chance someone will contact you … I told them about the podcast, and the noose incident, I hope that’s OK. It kind of goes to her being suicidal.’
CRISTY: ‘Of course. We can let them have—’
DAVID: ‘Sorry, Lukas is trying to get hold of me. If there’s anything to report I’ll call back, otherwise let’s speak in the morning.’
CRISTY: ‘Please ask him if he was with Sadie at the villa earlier.’
DAVID: ‘Will do.’
As the call ended Cristy and Connor stared at one another, processing all that had been said, all it could mean, all that might or might not have happened earlier that evening.
For the moment it was difficult to get their heads around anything, although a standout for Cristy was the fact that Mia had thrown herself to the very same sort of end that had been inflicted on Janina, and she could see from his expression that Connor had very probably zeroed in on that too.
*
It was late on Saturday afternoon before the events of Thursday evening began to come clear.
By then Cristy and Connor had shared all relevant material with the Guernsey police and had also spoken to Gabe and Lukas.
Both men were clearly badly shaken up, they could see that on the video link as well as hear it in their voices.
LUKAS: ‘No, I didn’t go down there with Sasha.
I wanted to, so did Gabe … We just weren’t sure how stable the woman was, or why she was so insistent that Sasha should go alone.
I had a bad feeling about it from the moment she left our hotel to drive back there.
We all did. I only wish we’d ignored her instructions and gone with her anyway. Or at least followed.’
CRISTY: ‘How long was she there before you heard what had happened? Actually, how did you hear?’
LUKAS: ‘Sasha rang me … She was so distraught I could hardly make out what she was saying … Obviously we jumped in the car and went straight there. Jasper let us in the gates. She’d called him too, so he came to the villa with us, but none of us knew until we got inside what had actually happened.’
CRISTY: ‘And what had happened?’
LUKAS: ‘We found Sadie curled up in a ball on the floor of Lottie’s study.
She pointed at the open doors and kept saying, “I tried to stop her, I tried to stop her.” I went to look, but it was too dark to see anything.
Jasper got straight on the phone to the police, while Gabe and I did our best to comfort Sasha.
She could hardly catch her breath she was so upset.
She told us she hadn’t realized what was happening until it was too late.
She asked us to stay with her until the police arrived, so of course we did.
Evie drove over as well, as frantic as we were.
By the time the police came … They must have already called out the lifeboat and helicopters because we could hear them, the noise, blinding lights on the water …
We were asked to wait in another room while Sadie talked them through what had happened.
They wouldn’t even let Gabe be with her.
It was very hard for her, but I think they treated her well. ’
CRISTY: ‘Where is she now?’
LUKAS: ‘At the lodge with Jasper. Obviously we’ve cancelled our flights to Florida. We’ll be here for as long as she needs us.’
CRISTY: ‘Do you think there’s any chance she’ll speak to us?’
LUKAS: ‘Yes, yes. She’s told us everything she told the police, and she says she wants to share it with you when she’s ready.
I’m not sure when that will be. She’s been a little calmer since the body was recovered this morning, but I’m sure you understand this is still a very difficult time for her.
So much to process … The trauma of it all.
How could her aunt have done such a terrible thing to her? Thank God we’re all here.’
After the call was over Cristy and Connor, at the office now, continued to record, while Jacks and Clove joined in the discussion of what they’d just heard, and how their initial thoughts were playing out.
CRISTY: ‘The first question I’m asking myself is, did Mia get Sadie down there with the sole purpose of making her witness her suicide?’
CONNOR: ‘It’s the kind of mad and cruel thing she’d do.’
CLOVE: ‘Do we know if Mia contacted Sadie by text, or did she call her? I’m bringing it up because a text will show whether or not Mia asked her to go down there, whereas a call won’t.’
CRISTY: ‘Are you thinking Sadie might have gone, uninvited?’
CLOVE: ‘I’m just saying, it’ll look a lot better for her if there is a text asking her to go there.’
CONNOR: ‘Unless it’s found that Mia died before she went off the balcony, I can’t see how they’ll be able to pin anything on Sadie, if anyone’s actually thinking that way.’
JACKS: ‘Do you believe that neither Lukas nor Gabe were at the villa with her when it happened?’