Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
Pauline and Leo left the house early to make the trip to HMP Starling House.
It had been a cold Christmas, but no snow had fallen.
A stiff wind had blown in off the coast and everyone went about their business dressed in layers, collars pulled up, scarves wrapped around them.
Nobody stopped on the street to chat, unless it was about something important, like a murderer living on Crescent Avenue right under their noses.
Pauline usually enjoyed the Christmas break.
She and Anthony, with Leo, would often go to the markets and round the shops.
In the week between Christmas and New Year, they’d have many a long stroll on the isolated beach then pop into a nearby café for a hot chocolate to warm themselves up.
They’d hit the sales and Pauline would treat herself to something and Anthony would get some new trousers or a jumper.
If Pauline was feeling flush, they’d go somewhere nice for a meal.
This year, there was none of that. Pauline hadn’t even left the house since Christmas Eve.
She couldn’t stand the looks, the daggered stares, the tuts and, if someone was brave, the harsh words about her abilities as a mother and how she had raised a monster.
Any shopping she needed, Leo volunteered to endure the gossiping neighbours and buy the essentials such as bread and milk, but even he was lambasted for his association with the Winstanley family.
He had a thicker skin than Pauline and ignored the hurtful words.
Although, he sometimes gave as good as he got to the more high and mighty neighbours.
He enjoyed putting people in their place.
The drive to the prison was conducted mostly in silence.
There was nothing to say that hadn’t already been said, and there were no words Leo could come up with that would make Pauline feel any better about her only child being locked away in prison for a crime he hadn’t committed.
He pointed out the odd irregularity on the journey – the rare sight of a Rolls Royce he’d love to own, an overloaded truck that was struggling to move under its weight, and a bull and a cow in a field doing what came naturally to bulls and cows.
These comments were all met with snorts from Pauline.
She wasn’t in the mood for a light-hearted conversation. Or indeed any conversation.
They parked close to the prison and queued outside with all the other visitors.
When they were allowed in, they filed in silently and took their place in a waiting room.
Nobody spoke. The atmosphere was depressing.
Pauline remained impassive, but Leo looked around him and took in the elderly couple, the young woman, the middle-aged man, the mother and child.
All different age groups and backgrounds, but all with the same expression on their faces – dejection.
One by one, people’s names were called out and they stood up and made their way into the visiting area. Pauline and Leo were the only two remaining when the prison officer turned on his heels and began to walk away.
‘Erm, excuse me,’ Pauline said, jumping up from her seat. ‘You didn’t call out my name.’
The man turned and looked her up and down then back to his clipboard. ‘Surname?’
‘Winstanley. I’m here to see my son, Anthony.’
‘No Winstanley on my list. Sorry.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘It means that he’s not down to receive visitors today,’ the man said, in a mocking tone.
‘But … I have a visiting order,’ Pauline began to rummage around in her handbag.
‘Sorry, only people on my list are allowed through.’ He didn’t sound sorry at all.
‘Look,’ Leo joined in. ‘There’s obviously been some kind of a mistake,’ he said with a polite smile. ‘I mean, these things happen all the time, don’t they? Can’t she just go in and see him? It’s not as if he’s going to be out shopping, is it?’ He gave a nervous laugh.
‘There’s no Winstanley on my list.’
‘But there should be,’ Pauline said, raising her voice.
Leo placed his hand on Pauline’s arm, a silent gesture for her to calm down. ‘Is there any way you could just check that there hasn’t been an error? We’ve driven more than eighty miles.’
The man sighed. He didn’t say anything. He turned and went through the door, closing it with a slam behind him.
‘What’s happened?’ Pauline asked, tears filling her eyes.
‘He’s going to check,’ Leo replied. His placating smile grew bigger.
‘Something’s happened.’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘Something’s happened to Anthony. That’s why his name isn’t on the list. Oh my God, what if he’s dead?’
‘What? Where did that come from? Pauline, if anything serious had happened, they would have called you?’
‘Would they?’
‘Of course, they would. Look, you’re letting your imagination run away with you.
Come and sit down. It’ll all be sorted in a minute.
It’ll just be an office mix-up. They happen all the time.
Remember when we didn’t get our bins emptied two weeks running when the council changed the route of the bin wagon?
Same thing here. I mean, I bet his list was alphabetical and Winstanley was the last name and it’s just been missed off. It’s easily done.’
Pauline nodded. ‘Yes. You’re right. I bet if he just turned his piece of paper over, he’d have seen Anthony’s name.’
‘Exactly.’
They sat back in the hard plastic chairs and waited. The only sound in the room came from the ticking clock on the wall which seemed to tick louder with every passing minute.
Eventually, after almost twenty minutes, the door opened, and a woman stepped out. She was wearing black trousers and a grey jumper that was too tight for her. Her dyed blonde hair had been scraped back into a ponytail and her roots were in need of a touch-up.
‘Mr and Mrs Winstanley?’ she asked.
‘No. I’m Mrs Winstanley. This is Leo. A friend,’ Pauline corrected her.
‘Oh. I’m sorry. I’m Deirdre Abbot. I’m in charge of Section A, that’s where your son is staying. I’m afraid Anthony is currently in the prison hospital.’
Pauline slapped a hand to her chest and took in a sharp intake of breath. Leo grabbed her other hand.
‘Hospital?’ she asked.
‘Yes. He was attacked in his cell on Christmas Day.’
‘Attacked? Is he … I mean, how bad … what happened?’ Pauline’s words fell over themselves as she tried to understand what was happening. Tears rolled down her face and she didn’t wipe them away.
‘I wasn’t here. We’re running an investigation to try to find out exactly what happened. However, trying to get information out of a bunch of prisoners is like trying to get common sense out of an MP,’ she sniggered.
‘Wait a minute,’ Leo said. ‘You said he was attacked on Christmas Day. It’s now the twenty-eighth. Why didn’t anyone call Pauline and tell her what happened?’
‘Ah. Well. Like I said, I wasn’t here.’
‘But you’re in charge of the section where Anthony is being held. You just said that. So, who was in charge while you were away?’ Leo asked.
‘That…’ Deirdre began to look uncomfortable. ‘That is something we’re looking into?’
‘You mean, you weren’t here and there was nobody in charge?’
‘I’m sorry, you are…?’
‘I’m Leo Mulligan. A very close friend of Pauline and Anthony’s.’
‘Look, I am very sorry about what happened to Anthony. Like I said, we are investigating—’
‘Can I see him?’ Pauline interrupted.
‘That’s not possible at the moment, I’m afraid.’
‘Why not? What’s happened to him?’
‘Mrs Winstanley, your son is fine. He’s conscious and he’s healing well. He’s in the hospital wing merely for his own protection.’
‘Protection?’
‘Mrs Winstanley, your son is accused of raping and murdering a vulnerable young woman. There are people in here, hardened criminals, who take exception to that kind of crime. We’re currently trying to find the best solution to keep Anthony safe.’
‘The best solution is for him to come home. He’s innocent, for crying out loud!’ Pauline wailed through the tears.
‘That’s not my decision to make. Look, I do apologise for the lack of communication. I promise I will telephone you the moment you can come and visit. At present, it just isn’t logistically possible. I am very sorry you’ve had a wasted journey.’
With that, Deirdre Abbot stood up, and left the waiting room.
It was a while before either Pauline or Leo spoke.
‘What do you want to do now?’ Leo asked. His voice echoed around the empty space.
Pauline took a deep breath. ‘I want to see Jennifer Ripley. She needs to get Anthony out of here today.’