Chapter 4 #2
“Of course, Detective. I know the score.”
Lachy was the unfortunate person I saw first after putting the phone down, so he got to extend his working hours and come with me. We took separate cars as I was heading straight to the morgue afterwards, the remains of our second body already with Nate, and Lachy was seeing his girlfriend.
I updated Wrigley on the way, who instructed me to find the evidence to put Lily Goodhew away again. He was not of the same opinion as Ms Tabitha Smithson, or even the same book. I kept my mind open, curiosity my main driver. That, and food.
I pulled up next to a red mini, an older woman in the driver’s seat. I slid out and locked the car, the woman getting out at the same time and offering me a brief smile. “Is it Detective McAllister?”
I nodded. “Tabitha Smithson?”
“Indeed. It’s the house in the corner. It had a bigger garden so she opted for that one. Are you sure it is her mum who’s died?”
“Yes.” I spotted Lachy pulling up in a pool car, parking it like he’d never had a driving lesson in his life. “This is my colleague, DS Lachlan Dixon.”
“G’day.”
I glared at him. I spent at least seven percent of each working day glaring at Lachy.
“You’re Australian? What fun! Whereabouts?”
I lost the pair of them to discussing some place in Australia where both had been while we walked to Lily’s house, the tension settling somewhat. Tabitha was concerned we were going to point a finger at Lily straight away; I wasn’t, but a Wrigley sized finger already was.
The door was opened by a woman a few inches taller than me with straight white blonde hair down to the middle of her back.
She was stunningly pretty, as in the sort of looks that made you assume footballer’s wife material, even though she was make-up free.
Her eyes widened when she saw Tabitha, concern washing across her face.
“What – are you police?” She took a step back, her hand on the door to close it. I doubted many of her experiences with the police had been positive.
Tabitha stepped closer to the threshold. “This is DC Lachlan Dixon and this is DS Mia McAllister.” She gestured to each of us. “They have some news for you. Can we come in?”
Lily nodded, opening the door fully and seeing us through, studying me in a way that made me feel edgy.
The house was immaculate, each piece of furniture looked curated, specifically picked for the shape of the space and the light.
We followed Tabitha through to a small living room, enough seating for four people.
I perched on the end of a chair, not wanting to crush the cushion behind me.
Lily sat tidily on a chair that looked more worn than the others, maybe it was her favourite place; it had a view out onto the road.
“What is it you need to tell me, Detective? I can guess it’s not good news.
” She sounded well spoken, almost no sign of a northern accent.
This wasn’t what you’d expect of a woman who’d been in the custodial system since she was fourteen, this was someone who could’ve attended a top school, with a polished veneer.
“It isn’t, I’m afraid. There was a fire at a house last night and we found a body.
We’ve identified the victim as Amanda Goodhew.
” I waited, watching her reaction, deliberating having omitted information.
It wouldn’t take long for her to find out that there was a second victim, if she didn’t already know, but we were unlikely to reveal publicly that Amanda was already dead when the fire took hold.
She paled, her fingers twisting together, looking ahead at the floor rather than any of us.
“Lily, should I make you a cup of tea?” Tabitha stood up, a mother hen who wasn’t sure what species her chick was.
Lily shook her head, still avoiding eye contact. “No, thank you, but please make yourself and these officers a drink.”
Tabitha looked at us, clearly not really knowing what to do.
“I’d love a tea, please.” I glanced at Lachy.
“Me too, thank you. No sugar in either, just milk.” He gave Tabitha his usual cheery grin and she headed out of the room into what I figured was the kitchen, the sound of water filling the kettle audible through the thin walls.
Lily’s head was back up, no longer staring at the flooring.
“I appreciate that’s difficult news to give someone, thank you.
” She fixed onto me. “I’m sorry for her death, but I haven’t seen my mother since I was fourteen, so I’m having to work out how I should feel.
There’s no loss, as she hasn’t been part of my life. ”
I left the silence to hang. Dying in a fire was a horrible way to die.
Lily Mayhew, as she now was, had lost three members of her family and been charged with their deaths, so she would know better than most about the last few seconds of their lives, and what I was letting her believe about her mother’s, yet she made no comment on it, however performative it would have been.
She still didn’t say anything. The sound of the kettle boiling was the only noise to fracture the thick atmosphere.
“Is there anyone we can contact for you? We’ll be sending a family liaison officer over in the morning - ” I filled the gap, stopping when she shook her head.