Chapter 69
SIXTY-NINE
‘Why the second visit?’ Jack asks, eyeing DI Blake quizzically as he walks across the lounge towards her, Evie a step behind him.
‘We’d just like to have a chat with your daughter – if that’s okay with you, Evie?’ DI Blake’s gaze travels to her.
Evie glances at me uncertainly and I give her a small smile of encouragement, though inside I’m screaming.
He didn’t push her. He would never have lied about that, tried to blame Evie.
He just wouldn’t. Try as I might, though, I can’t convince myself I didn’t hear him asking her to lie for him.
He had the locket. My breath catches as the image from my nightmare flashes starkly into my mind: Jack standing immobile, a gold chain dangling from his hand as he stares down at his wife being swallowed by the sea.
Natalia had told him he would have custody of Evie over her dead body. Had that been like a red rag to a bull?
‘Would you like to sit down, Evie?’ DI Blake asks, snapping my attention back to her. ‘I realise you’ll be feeling extremely upset, but I have a couple of things I’d like you to help me clear up, if you could. It shouldn’t take long.’
Evie does as she suggests. Sitting on the edge of the sofa, her body tense, her hands tucked under her thighs, she begins rocking to and fro, something I’ve noticed she does whenever she’s overemotional.
DI Blake sits in the armchair opposite her. ‘It’s about Imogen,’ she says, looking at her thoughtfully.
Evie’s gaze shoots to her dad.
He shakes his head almost imperceptibly, his eyes cautioning her to be careful.
I don’t want to think it, but isn’t this subtle coercion?
Is he trying to protect Evie? Or himself?
My hand strays to my tummy and the child I know I would instinctively kill to protect if I had to.
Was that what Jack had done? Had he acted impulsively?
Or was he as cold and calculated as Natalia had insisted?
‘So, Evie,’ DI Blake says, ‘can I ask if you understand what CCTV footage is?’
Evie nods. ‘Video recordings taken by overhead cameras, like road cameras and stuff,’ she answers.
‘That’s right.’ DI Blake gives her a brief smile. ‘The cameras are used for monitoring and security purposes, often in public places.’
Evie answers with another small nod.
‘We have such footage of you and Imogen in Worcester on the evening she died,’ DI Blake goes on, all the while studying her carefully. ‘From the animated body language it would appear that you were arguing.’
Jack steps forward. ‘What’s this about exactly?’ he asks, his tone agitated. ‘Are you accusing my daughter of something?’
DI Blake keeps her gaze fixed on Evie. ‘Were you arguing?’
Evie’s gaze is fixed on her knees.
‘I think that’s enough,’ Jack grates, glaring at PC Patel as the man moves towards him. ‘Evie, you don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to.’
DI Blake shoots him a warning glance and then looks back to Evie. ‘What were you arguing about, Evie?’ she asks.
Evie shrugs. ‘Just a boy.’ She repeats what Imogen had told me when I drove her home. ‘Immy was trying to get off with him.’
‘And this is a boy you were keen on?’
She nods reluctantly again.
‘I see.’ DI Blake smiles understandingly. She pauses for a moment, then, ‘Did you argue about your father, Evie?’ she asks. ‘Did Imogen say something that upset you?’
Jack rakes a hand furiously through his hair. ‘Evie, don’t answer that.’
Evie doesn’t acknowledge him, keeping her gaze firmly down instead.
‘Evie?’ the detective urges. ‘You should know we have a witness statement confirming that you did.’
Evie drops her gaze lower. ‘She said they had sex,’ she whispers. ‘But she was lying. She was trying to wind me up,’ she adds quickly, her panic-stricken gaze shooting again to Jack.
‘Jesus Christ, you can’t do this. You’re putting words into her mouth.’ Jack moves towards them again, only to be blocked by PC Patel.
‘It might be an idea to calm down, sir,’ the officer says. ‘Unless you would prefer we talk to Evie at the station?’
Jack eyes him with ill-disguised disdain. Then, ‘Fuck,’ he curses. ‘You’re questioning her without legal representation.’ He looks back to DI Blake, his eyes filled with tangible fury.
And something else, I notice, my stomach turning over. Fear. The knot of fear in my own stomach tightens as I wonder whether it’s Evie he’s frightened for, or himself.
‘She doesn’t need legal representation,’ DI Blake responds calmly. ‘Currently.’
‘Meaning you have no evidence other than a witness statement that implicates Evie in what happened to Imogen that night,’ Jack surmises. ‘In which case, we’d like you to leave.’
DI Blake appears to ignore that. ‘Do you own a pair of Nike trainers, Evie?’ she asks.
‘For Christ’s…’ Jack intervenes. ‘There must be thousands of kids who own Nike trainers.’
DI Blake concedes the point with a small nod.
‘We can identify specific markers on a particular pair, Mr Conley,’ she says, ‘plus they appear to be a UK size five. If your daughter doesn’t take a size five, that should clear things up.
’ She turns back to Evie. ‘Evie, would you mind telling me what size your trainers are?’
Evie doesn’t look up. ‘Five,’ she says, her voice barely audible.
‘And are they here?’ DI Blake presses her.
‘Upstairs,’ Evie mumbles. ‘In my wardrobe.’
DI Blake exchanges glances with DI Patel, then nods him that way.
‘Wait.’ Jack is a step behind him. ‘You can’t do this.’
‘Jack, stop,’ I implore him. ‘You’re not helping.’
‘They need a fucking warrant, for Christ’s sake!’ He looks at me with a combination of disbelief and disappointment, as if I should be backing him up. How can I?
‘We can have a warrant in a matter of hours, Mr Conley,’ DI Blake informs him. ‘It might be better if Evie comes in voluntarily and offers any further information she may have.’
Jack looks at her in bewilderment. ‘What information? She doesn’t have any information to offer, other than what’s she’s already told you.’
DI Blake holds his gaze briefly and then turns her attention back to Evie. ‘Did you threaten to kill Imogen, Evie? Think carefully. You were overheard making that specific threat.’
Evie looks up sharply, her eyes wide and terrified. ‘I didn’t mean it,’ she cries, her gaze pivoting to Jack and then to me. ‘I thought she was trying to split Dad and Kara up. I like Kara. I don’t want her to leave like Mum did.’