Chapter 10 #3
We knew when we were being dismissed. I stood up, Wrigley following suit.
“We didn’t want to upset you, Lily. You have been very helpful though,” Wrigley said. “We may have some more questions for you at some point, but we’ll do what we can to not have to bother you.”
His shift surprised me. He’d been convinced that Lily was responsible for the fire at Micky Mulligan’s as well as the Goodhew house.
“I’d appreciate that. Do you still suspect I may have been involved in Amanda’s death?” She looked to me for reassurance.
I let Wrigley answer.
“We’ve no reason to at present. You weren’t the main beneficiary of her will.” He left it there, as if this was just about money.
“I knew that. My parents were very clear that we would need to make our own way, although The Holding would support us if we followed their guidance.” She walked to the door to the hallway, still carrying the teapot and cup. “I suppose it was like a kibbutz. That’s the best way I can describe it.”
“Would you have stayed part of them as an adult?” One last question.
She shrugged, slender shoulders shifting. “I don’t know and there’s no point thinking about what could’ve been.”
I nodded, not probing for any more. “You have my contact details still, don’t you?” I’d left them for her when we’d first visited.
“I do. Thank you.” She gave me another smile but ignored Wrigley.
We didn’t speak until we got to the car, both of us computing what we’d just heard and seen, and not wanting anyone to overhear us or clock who we were.
Wrigley slammed his car door shut. “She offered her notes, didn’t she? I think we should request her file from her psychiatrist and see if there’s any mention of The Holding.”
“You don’t buy what she told us?”
“I think it was a sales pitch. She remembers a lot more, she just doesn’t want to tell us.
” He started the car, the engine purring.
He tapped the side of the door, thinking.
“Let’s get to the school where Lily went, find whoever was safeguarding lead at the time and see what their take was and whether they were aware of The Holding and any other children involved.
It was the school who raised a concern with social services. ”
“And you don’t just do that because of behaviour. We agree that this fire is connected to the one seventeen years ago but do you still think Lily is responsible for the fire at Micky Mulligans?”
“So did she strangle her mother?” He indicated and drove off slowly and carefully. “I’m not ruling her out, Mac.”
“But her CCTV shows that she didn’t leave the building other than to put her bins out.” I’d had an email from the tech team to say they were sure the footage hadn’t been doctored and dates hadn’t been changed.
“There’d still be a way out of the property, and she knows exactly what ground the cameras cover. I’d like to search her house and wherever she uses as a store for her plants and equipment – do we know where that is?” He shot daggers into my neck.
“It’s on Carly’s to find out list. We really could do with a few more DCs on this, sir.
It’s not as straightforward as we thought it was going to be.
With almost nothing online it’s going back to old fashioned policing.
” I wondered if this was how slow policing had been in the eighties and nineties, before you could find out who was friends with who just by clicking.
“Less of the old.” He sighed, slowing down for lights that were still on green.
“I’ll see who we can pull from Operation Hawthorn, or if any of the other teams have someone going spare.
Carly’s meant to be going back to her base on Monday, so I’ll see if we can keep her for a bit longer.
” A chuckle. “It doesn’t matter if I fuck the budget up; it won’t be my problem in three weeks. ”
“It’ll mean we’re shorter on another case later though.” It would be my problem, because we’d end up either under pressure to produce results when we didn’t have resources, or I’d end up working for free.
“Like I said, I won’t be around. I’ll be either at the cricket club, or on a cruise.”
“With all due respect, I can’t imagine you on a cruise, sir.” I looked out of the passenger window, not wanting to see Wrigley’s expression.
“I’m not sure I can, but the missus has it all planned out.” He was quiet for a moment. “You could speak with someone from Lily’s support team. She’ll still have sessions with a psychiatrist. See what they can tell you in general about her life before the Goodhew fire.”
“I’ll add it to the list.”
“I’ll get you more bodies.” He shook his head. “This is going to be one of those cases that takes time. It’s a slow burn.”
“You don’t think we’ll solve it?”
“I’m not saying that, just it might rely on a sudden breakthrough and you never know when they’re going to come.”
“Like another death.”
“Or fire. It might not have been personal.”
“The strangulation suggests otherwise. I don’t think we’ve missed out considering those angles. I think it is connected to what happened seventeen years ago.” I’d put my mortgage on it.