he asked, not believing this option.
«Unlikely. Until we’ve collected everything here, we can’t say for sure. Plus, I’d love to chat with Doctor Woodruff. By the way, did you also visit him?» Tom pursed his wide, fleshy lips, which made his face look Joaquin Phoenix in Joker. William felt that the pain in his head had passed, but the nausea remained, and now this piling up of stupid images began to interfere with focusing on the circumstances of the incident. He might not have had to take that painkiller at home.
«Yes, I’d consulted with him about depression four years ago after Sofia passed. It was hard then. Carol and I would come to him since he was just an ordinary person. This is a strange situation and there are so many questions.»
«I agree completely. You will need to make a statement and describe your relationship with Carol. I don’t want to talk about it here right now but do I make myself clear?»
«Yes of course! Thanks, Tom,» William sighed and turned away from Carol’s body. «She told me she wanted a divorce yesterday evening. She said she’d work until the end of the week and then go and live with a friend of hers, Tina, initially and then with her mother, but it didn’t happen. She obviously went to the wrong friend.»
«Don’t jump to conclusions as nothing is clear here. Let’s forget what you’ve just said, I’d prefer to wait a little while. Let’s go, forensics have arrived now. It’s necessary to collate all the evidence. You’ll have to tell everything to the detective.»
«To the detective?»
«Of course. Don’t think you’ll be assigned to investigate this case, especially after she told you about the divorce last night,» The inspector raised his eyebrows, which made the whites of his eyes look even larger, as if they were painted on his face. William nodded and rubbed his forehead. Tom was probably right.
«Mister Wilson?» someone outside called to Tom. They went outside and saw several cars, from which medical experts and policemen were getting out. Sergeant Huston from their office stood nearby. «I have been entrusted with conducting this case,» he began timidly, noticing William.
«It’s quite clear, Sergeant. Lieutenant Lindstone has examined the scene and he’s ready to share his thoughts with you. I hope you know the procedure,» Tom asked rhetorically, adding: «So stay calm and do everything by the book, is that alright Bill?»
«Okay,» William doubted his own judgement, but wasn’t going to go it alone or go against the sergeant. He had an overwhelming feeling of nausea, but managed to control it. «Don’t worry Tom, I’ll be fine. Let’s go back to the car. I feel terrible and just need to sit down.»
The day had just begun and gray skies seldom signify sunny weather. The city had just awoken, but to William, an eternity had passed, and it felt as if night should soon fall.
CHAPTER 6
Sergeant Huston drafted a preliminary statement and let him go. The next day, William would have to go back to the office to give more detailed evidence. He was recorded as a witness. Everything went like clockwork, yet a black cloud constantly hung over William’s head, as if acid had been poured into his skull and burned his entire brain.
In the taxi, William felt even worse. As he sat in the back, drinking water, something hit him. He’d made a mistake. That whiskey he drank last night. The drink’s effect had continued to set in. When at home, William had wanted to find a cure against the nausea, but he ended up vomiting right into the sink. Following this, he brought an unfinished bottle into the living room and poured it, along with two others that were sat in the lower cupboard. Then, he went into the bedroom and had a lie down. Beginning to shiver, William wrapped himself in a blanket and soon fell asleep.
The doorbell rang for several minutes, but William heard nothing. It was only when someone shook his shoulder that he started to open his eyes. Memories returned, as did the vision of Thomas Wilson with them, who stood nearby. Tom looked at William sympathetically.
«You left the door open. Let’s have a chat’, he said. They went to the kitchen. «Sit down,» Tom gestured. «I’ll make some coffee. Want some?»
«No, just water thanks. I felt sick when I got home. Any news?»
«You don’t look too great now either! Are you trying to sober up? Okay, let’s talk about Carol, but it needs some perspective. What happened between you? I’ve known you forever, but I need to understand what happened.»
«She filed for divorce’, said William, rubbing his forehead. Then, he went into more detail about Sofia and all the reasons Carol wanted a divorce. Tom picked up his coffee and they went to the living room.
«I have a lot of questions, to be honest,» Tom said, taking his first sip of coffee. He leaned over and picked something up. It was a button from Carol’s blouse. He held it close to his eyes, then looked at William.
«Yes, I see it, it’s her button. It came off yesterday when she left. Tom, I know you don’t believe me, but it’s the truth.»
«The truth is irrelevant in our business, only evidence and the decision of judge and jury. The evidence doesn’t stack up.» Tom looked at his friend, noticing him tense and lean forward, clearly expecting more details to emerge. He’d seen this expression a hundred times before, especially when solving difficult cases. He knew William too well and didn’t believe Sergeant Huston’s assumption. Huston saw a motive in William’s behaviour, but Tom was more careful not to jump to conclusions.
«So what?» Lindstone finally asked.
«First, the bad news. We haven’t found Dr Woodruff yet. Don’t make that face at me, I know as much as you do. I don’t think he was alone in the house. Why? There were no sheets on the bed. They just disappeared – no sheets, no pillow cases, no duvet covers. Strange, isn’t it? Carol’s clothes don’t have a single thread from the bedroom. Secondly, only one camera spotted his registration plate on the exit to the highway at the end of the street. There’s no further video evidence yet. The pictures were enlarged, but no one else was visible in the car. Why would the doctor leave the house with Carol left inside? Was he aware that she was already dead?»
«Maybe he was taking a second corpse in the trunk or someone was hiding?» William suggested, frantically making sense of what he heard. He was immersed in the investigation and wouldn’t rest until he had answers.
«Totally agree,» Tom nodded. «I also believe someone else was in the house. Officers are already looking for patient records, despite having no warrant, but we’ll solve it. Thirdly, there’s no computer, nothing. Looks like he kept all his notes on a laptop – there’s a wireless connection and we’re checking logs by his IP address. Maybe he accidentally recorded a video at home, but we have no evidence. Did he take it with him? If so, what for? What’s hidden on it? Were there notes about you and Carol?»
«What notes? Are you joking? A list of drugs and confessions of helplessness? There must be evidence about other people on there too – it doesn’t matter if they were in the house or not, but maybe they ordered Woodruff to take the laptop for them?»
«If that person existed, then yes, it’s a possibility. Fourth, Carol’s car is in his driveway, yet she was supposed to be at her friend, Tina Laiton’s. Tina was waiting up for her. It seems Carol stopped by for a while, but we don’t know why. To me, it doesn’t appear to be an affair, but that’s my opinion. I knew a little about her, but after my divorce from Tina, I don’t want to make assumptions.»
«Don’t worry about it. Your situation was completely different,» William didn’t agree.
«Was it? You were always in the office, too, I saw it myself. Where was Carol though?»
«Do you think she could cheat on me?» – There was doubt in William’s voice.
«No, I don’t. I’m making an assumption.»
«I also