But we will. I’ve already got two officers on the case.’
‘What about the other one … William Aitken?’
‘He’s being pulled in even as we speak. I’m on my way back to the station now.’
When the conversation was over, Tom went down to the hotel bar, where he ordered a whisky short. Sitting quietly at a corner table, he mulled over the events of the past few days.
After a while, when he began to grow lonely, his thoughts turned to Kathy.
He decided to give her a call.
With that in mind he went back up to his room and dialled the caravan site. This time it was the manager who answered. ‘You’ve just missed her. She and Rosie aren’t working this evening – they’ve gone off together … things to do and all that. I’m sure you understand.’ He lowered his voice. ‘Rosie’s been a godsend. I thought it only fair to give her a night off, since it’s quiet.’
‘Thanks,’ Tom said. ‘I’ll try her tomorrow.’ Replacing the phone, he mused aloud. ‘Rosie’s been a godsend.’ He wondered about that. ‘Hmh! Strange thing to say.’ He knew Rosie was a good friend, and he supposed what with him being here and Kathy being there, she was feeling every bit as miserable as he was, but it sounded … Oh, maybe he was being over-analytical about everything at the moment. He shook himself. ‘I’m glad Rosie’s keeping her company. But it should be me!’
He wished with all his heart that he was back there, with Kathy.
He reminded himself that he had a job to do. After it was over, he and Kathy would have all the time in the world. The rest of their lives together. Yes! That was worth waiting for.
He decided to try Dougie’s number again, but there was no answer.
Disappointed, he rang the station. The officer at the desk knew him straight away. ‘I’m sorry, Mr Arnold, but the inspector is busy, and he’ll be busy for some time yet. Look, if you want to leave a message, I’m sure he’ll ring you back when he’s finished interviewing.’
Tom pounced on that particular remark. ‘So, have they brought the young man in? William Aitken, the one who worked at the breaker’s yard? Is he the one being interviewed?’
‘I’m sorry, Mr Arnold, sir, I can’t give out that kind of information.’
‘For Chrissake, man! You know what it’s all about. I’ve been with the inspector for most of the day. I already know they were onto Aitken. All I’m asking is for you to confirm that they’ve got him.’
The officer’s voice took on an officious tone. ‘Sorry, sir. I’ll tell him you called.’
The conversation was abruptly ended.
Frustrated, Tom paced the floor. ‘Jesus! I’ll go crazy if I have to sit here waiting!’
In minutes he was out of the door and into a taxi, heading for the station, all the while keeping his eyes peeled for a sight of Lilian or Dougie.
Some way across town, the police were cruising the streets, searching for the woman who was to be taken in for questioning. They had her description; they knew she had been arrested once before for causing a public nuisance, and, having been given a detailed description, they would recognise her if they saw her. So far, though, they had seen neither hide nor hair of her. But they wouldn’t give up. This was a murder hunt. She must be found, and taken in for questioning.
Oblivious to the fact that she was being tracked down, Lilian strolled along the street, talking to Dougie, pouring out her heart. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I’ve been a real problem to you.’
‘You’re not a “problem”.’ Dougie was surprised at how much she now meant to him. He smiled. ‘Well, maybe just a little “problem”.’
She laughed.
Serious again, she confessed how it had been with Tom. ‘From the first minute he walked through the door of the office, I loved him. He’s such a fine man … so caring. When my mother was taken ill, he was wonderful … both him and Sheila.’
She paused, thinking of Sheila and the children, and of what she had done. ‘I hurt them … Sheila and the children. I shouldn’t have done what I did,’ she whispered. ‘That was so wicked of me.’
Dougie had heard her say that over and over, and yet she would not admit to what she’d done. ‘Do you want to talk about it?’ If he was to help her, he would have to know.
She opened her mouth to speak, but then shook her head. ‘I can’t. But if I tell you something else … you won’t tell Tom, will you?’
‘Not if you don’t want me to.’ He was shocked to learn how obsessed she had been with Tom. He had seen a side to Lilian that frightened him, and yet at heart she was just like a small child, needing love and reassurance.
She went on. ‘I used to go and see his family. I took a lot of pictures of Tom; he didn’t know I was taking them. And when I was invited to his home, I took pictures of his children, and his wife.’ Frowning, she momentarily lapsed into a deep, thoughtful silence. ‘Sheila was a really good friend to me.’
‘I know.’ That much, at least, he had been aware of.
‘She was a lovely person, so kind … so pretty.’ Her face hardened. ‘Tom adored her.’
He nodded, a hard expression shaping his homely features. ‘I know that, too.’ He smiled encouragingly. ‘But go on … you were saying … about the pictures?’ Now that she was beginning to open her heart to him, he needed to keep her talking.
‘Well, Sheila invited me over a lot, and once I even went away for the weekend with them.’ It gave her pleasure to explain. ‘I became almost part of the family. There were so many photographs, you see. I put them on my dressing table, and on the doors of my wardrobe.’ She gave a nervous little laugh. ‘I even put them all over the walls. I needed to see him all the time … before I went to sleep, and when I woke up, I needed him to be there!’ Tears of anger clouded her vision. ‘I loved him so much.’ Quickly, impatiently, she wiped away the tears.
‘Lilian?’
She turned. ‘Yes?’
‘What did you do to Sheila and the children that was so “wicked”?’
She shook her head. ‘I can’t tell you.’
‘Do you still love him?’
‘NO!’ Vigorously shaking her head, she told him through gritted teeth, ‘He’s ruined my life. I HATE HIM!’
‘Do you hate him enough to kill him?’
She turned to stare at him; in the growing twilight he imagined he saw the glint of madness in her eyes. ‘You’re trying to trick me, aren’t you?’
‘No.’ He realised he would have to tread very carefully if he was to regain her trust. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘I want to go home now.’
‘That’s where we’re headed.’
‘Will you stay with me?’
‘If you want.’
She slid her hand into his. ‘I think you’re like Tom.’
‘In what way?’
‘You’re kind. You take the time to listen.’
‘But you haven’t told me anything yet … not really.’
‘Only because I don’t want you to feel bad towards me.’
For the umpteenth time, the police car nosed its way down a side street. ‘Look!’ The officer pointed ahead, where Lilian and Dougie were strolling away from them. ‘Isn’t that her?’ He checked his description.