Page 124 of First Blood
‘Because, you see, sir,’ Bryant said, meeting his gaze, ‘if I think it’s you in that photo, I’ll always know that I’m keeping something from her, and if I am to remain a member of this team I want to give the DI my full support and not be privy to something about her past that she doesn’t already know. It wouldn’t be fair to her and it wouldn’t be fair to me.’
Woody nodded his understanding and took another breath. ‘It isn’t me in that photo.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Is there anything more you need from me, DS Bryant?’
‘No, sir. Thank you for your time.’
DCI Woodward watched as the door closed behind the sergeant and realised that from this point forward he had to forget what he knew of her past. He had to erase the picture of the frightened, vulnerable, six-year-old girl and replace it with the independent grown woman she had become.
He was not her father, he was not her uncle and he was not her friend.
From this point forward he would be only one thing to her. He would be her boss.
Chapter One Hundred Sixteen
Kim headed up the stairs to the executive suite, still surprised by the fact that Bryant had made it in before she had. He’d mumbled something about needing to dot an I and cross a T and that he was ready and raring to go. She’d left him filling the coffee machine in preparation for the day ahead.
She knew what this meeting was about and after much thought over the weekend she was pretty sure about her answers. Almost.
The case was complete as far as they were concerned. The interview had elicited a confession which included dates, names and methods. There was no question Nigel Hawkins was responsible for them all.
There was a part of Kim that wondered if Nigel had wanted to be caught. His determination to leave clues to the dark meanings of nursery rhymes had formed his signature. Some killers insisted on leaving a personal stamp based on a need or compulsion. Some offenders posed corpses or carved something into the flesh, inserted items or took souvenirs away with them to relive the crime. All actions to do with the personality factors rather than the tools needed to commit the murder. Nigel hadn’t needed to leave the clues to get the job done. It was something he had chosen to do to send a message.
Butcher Bill had been released over the weekend to return to his favourite shop doorway. From what she’d heard he hadn’t been all that keen to leave. She was guessing he’d be back confessing to another crime for the benefit of a bed and a meal, especially over the Christmas period.
She had eventually caught up with Carl Wickes who had sat in the interview room trembling with fear before she’d even begun to take his statement. When she’d raised the subject of Wendy Lockwood he had almost collapsed with relief and admitted that he’d had sex with more than one of the women at the shelter.
His initial reaction had set off alarm bells in her mind, as though he was more than happy to admit to a lesser charge. She’d wondered if he’d been involved in the murders somehow alongside Nigel or had at least known about them. Further probing had revealed that he and Marianne had been engaging in another illegal activity for more than two years. Blackmail.
A seventeen-page statement that she had been unprepared for had followed as the young man had unburdened himself. She had watched the real fear behind his eyes diminish as he’d listed names, dates and methods. Only this last week he had been sent to a man named Derek Hodge armed with photographs of his naked body in a hotel room after sex with Marianne, to extort funds for the shelters. He confirmed that Marianne had issued him with a second envelope that he hadn’t even opened. Because of the police presence at the shelter he’d ripped the thing up and headed into town to get pissed before explaining to Marianne that he wasn’t going to do it any more.
Marianne had been questioned on the strength of Carl’s statement and predictably was admitting to nothing while hiding behind an expensive lawyer.
Kim couldn’t help her feeling of disappointment in the woman’s methods. There was no doubt that the shelters had helped hundreds if not thousands of women recover from physical and psychological abuse over the years and Marianne’s passion for their welfare was commendable. But not when it included breaking the law, Kim reminded herself.
The case had already been handed over to another team who would investigate Carl’s claims individually and charges would be brought, a process in which Kim believed wholeheartedly. Yet, she couldn’t help but wonder what would happen to the shelters in Marianne’s absence. There was no team of directors or managers waiting in the wings to install another force of nature, no deputy manager to step up and keep things ticking over. Marianne Forbes had been a one-woman army and Kim feared for the vulnerable women in her absence.
Doctor Lambert was still in hospital and had endured two surgeries to try and put him back together. The long-term effects were not yet known, but the man was alive and for that she was grateful.
She had placed a courtesy call to Mrs Roberts to update her even though she’d never met either Nigel or Hayley but she was relieved for Mia that it was over. Kim was pleased to hear that the family were taking steps to bring Mia into their family more permanently. Kim hoped that worked out for Mia’s sake. Her foster mother loved the child very much.
Lisa Bywater had accepted the news with little emotion and a response Kim could have anticipated. She couldn’t talk for long as she was heading off to work. Kim hoped there was some part of the woman that might begin to heal now that it was over, or at the very least she received an employee of the month award for her efforts.
‘So, shall we talk about the case first?’ he asked.
‘We caught the bad man who killed six people,’ she said.
‘Is that it?’
‘We caught the bad guy even though no one believed he killed six people.’
Woody peered at her over his glasses. ‘I watched the interview. Good work getting the confession.’
She shrugged. ‘Not really. He wanted to talk. Somehow, he thinks that the more he tells people the more they’ll understand and that he’ll be back to his old life in no time. He honestly does not see himself being sent to prison.’ She paused. ‘Did you watch it all?’
He shook his head. ‘Just the confession. First twenty minutes, I think.’
