Girl Changed

by Mark Bailey

  ‘Yes, he certainly sounds like a wag.’

  ‘Aye, Milly, he’s a wag all right. The last I heard, he had moved to London.’ Milly decided she needed to turn the story back to Gus. The pieces of the puzzle were fitting together nicely now.

  ‘How long were you married, Deonaid?’

  ‘Thirty-three years. We are still married. We got married after I fell pregnant with Sim.’

  ‘So Sim was at the wedding then,’ said Milly, smiling.

  ‘I’m afraid so, but I was happy enough. It didn’t bother me, and it was no one else’s business, and we were mostly happy until Sim got older and his father declared war on him. There was Niall’s death as well … you never get over losing a child.’

  ‘No, I’m sorry for your loss. Ella Russell told me what happened. So what exactly went on between Sim and Gus?’

  ‘It’s a long story, Milly. I don’t know all of it, at least as far as Sim is concerned, and I don’t want to. I know he flies under the radar, that he is involved in things …’

  ‘Sim or Joe?’

  ‘Sim, Milly. We know Joe was a dealer, that’s why he’s in jail. Gus has implicated Sim too when he says things, sometimes when he’s been drinking … Joe has never mentioned it, and I haven’t asked. Whatever happens, they are both my sons, and I love them both … Sim is even paying my rent here. The feud between Gus and Sim has been going on for a long time, starting in earnest when Niall died. Then, later, Sim put Gus in hospital, which Gus deserved as far as I’m concerned.’

  ‘It sounds like there’s been a lot of conflict,’ said Milly. She was surprised by Deonaid’s answer; she didn’t seem to want to mention Sim and drugs in the same sentence. There was no acknowledgment that Joe was a qualified medical doctor, that he didn’t need money, that Joe might have been doing Sim a favor.

  ‘For years now, they’ve been at it. But, when I think about it, things have always been tense between them.’

  ‘It sounds like Sim doesn’t like authority.’

  ‘No, and Gus is a bad person to be around with that kind of attitude. Gus speaks quietly and comes across as gentle and kind, but he’s got a foul temper and is quick to anger. He sulks too when he doesn’t get his own way.’

  ‘Go on with you, Deonaid. A man sulking when he doesn’t get his own way,’ replied Milly and they both laughed.

  ‘Yes, hard to believe, isn’t it? I remember when Joe and Sibby announced their engagement and the Russells were considering throwing a party. In the end, they didn’t because of Gus and his moods. It has really affected me over the years. We traveled three parts of the way across America to try and save our marriage, but all roads led back to our son.’

  ‘Do you think he might have been depressed?’

  ‘Depressed? … Probably. I think I was depressed too. It was a bloody accident, Milly; even the coroner said that. Bad things happen, and now Joe is in jail. I don’t think Gus has told me everything. Perhaps I was too hard on Gus. Perhaps both my sons are bad men.

  ‘Perhaps,’ replied Milly, and they looked at each other; then Milly looked back at the photos on Deonaid’s computer. She considered that with the right approach, Gus had a good chance. It seemed Joe was the villain, Sim was playing catch-up, and Gus picked on Sim unfairly in Deonaid’s eyes. If things were to go Gus’s way and he told her what really happened, she was in for a shock.

  ‘What about Cailin Stewart?’

  ‘He was a nice enough lad, to begin with. I still can’t believe what he did to Sibby. He took an interest in Niall for a while and used to come back to our home sometimes. He was sticking up for Niall at school, at least that was my impression of their friendship.’

  ‘Did Niall confirm that, Deonaid?’ asked Milly and then she checked herself. She was starting to sound like Rob Windsor again.

  ‘No, he didn’t, but Cailin was a big lad like Sim, and Niall was soft like me ... or so they say. I just took it for granted, but I didn’t ask Niall; I didn’t want to challenge his masculinity. Cailin had a reputation as a bully himself and got in trouble with the law later, but there was never any problem with Niall. He didn’t mention bullying, and I didn’t ask …’

  ‘Like you said, you just assumed it.’

  ‘Aye, Milly, why else would Cailin take an interest in him?’

  Why indeed, thought Milly, but she played along. ‘Bravo, Deonaid, well done. I wish more parents thought like you. It would make my job a lot easier.’

  ‘Do you think so? As far as Cailin Stewart was concerned, like most young men, he was into things like sport and girls, and then he moved away with his family … still in Dundee … and we didn’t see him a lot after that.’

  ‘Did he get on with Sim?’

  ‘I don’t know. Sim was older and was living and working in Aberdeen by the time Cailin came onto the scene.’

  ‘Do you see Sim much now?’ asked Milly. She had to keep asking questions, she was on a roll, everything was coming together, but she needed to slow down.

  ‘Hardly ever. He calls me, though, and like I said, he pays my rent. He was coming down, helping Sibby adjust to life without Joe, and when Sibby died, he stopped coming to Dundee. Gus started making it hard for Sim when he came to see Sibby … and me; he wouldn’t leave the house.’

  There we go, thought Milly, Gus’s fault again. I wouldn’t be leaving my house either.

  ‘As far as I know,’ continued Deonaid, ‘Sim was good to your sister, and it’s quite a way to travel … sometimes he would be here weekly; at least fortnightly or when she was home.’

  ‘Yes, it sounds like he was very good to Sibby,’ answered Milly. Poor Deonaid, she thought, you need to take your blinkers off. ‘I was wondering if it’s okay if I stay with you tonight? It’s mid-afternoon; we can go for a meal somewhere if you like.’

  ‘Really? I’d love that Milly. What about the Russells?’

  ‘Don’t worry about them, I saw them three weeks ago.’

  ‘I’ll cook here. I’ve just done my shopping; there’s heaps of food.’ They looked at each other and smiled. Bugger Ella Russell, thought Milly … then poor old John, she thought. I might visit them tomorrow; there’s plenty of time, but she knew she wouldn’t. So Milly slowed down; she had all night, her questions would be slower, more measured now.

  They ate roast lamb and vegetables with more brewed coffee. They were both starving, as neither had lunch, and the roast was delicious. Milly plundered the photo gallery on Deonaid’s computer, sending emails to herself. Some were individual, some of groups of the boys together and with their father. They added to Milly’s small collection, making it larger if she wanted to add to her evidence board. She had all the information she needed and added a photo of Deonaid to her emails before she asked of her relationship with Sibby.

  ‘She was a beautiful girl, your sister. She told Joe that she wouldn’t wait for him in jail, but she told me she would,’ said Deonaid. ‘She claimed she had no choice, that she loved him too much.’

  That conflicted with Milly’s view. As far as she knew, her sister was on with Stewart again. Then she thought of her past, her sexual past. The act was nothing, it was just sex, but there was her darker side and Sibby’s too. She didn’t know her sister. She believed she was honorable, and then there were the drugs, where honor didn’t count. As for her statement to Deonaid, her future mother-in-law, about waiting for Joe, she thought of Mandy Rice-Davies: ‘Well, she would say that, wouldn’t she?’

  They talked into the evening and discussed Sibby some more and the others too.

  Before retiring early for the night, Milly called Stopford.

  ‘Hi Greg, are you still okay to pick me up tomorrow afternoon?’

  ‘Yes, Milly, I think so. It’s really hit the fan down here with that attack on London Bridge.’

  ‘No worries, mate. I feel terrible asking, but I’m wondering about those bits of information I asked you about Stewart and Joe Charles.’

  ‘Yes, Milly, I haven’t forgotten … tomorro
w or Tuesday.’

  ‘Just send them to Judas James if it’s easier and I’ll take it from there.’

  ‘Done, Milly. Promise me you will keep safe.’

  ‘I will, Greg. See you tomorrow afternoon.’

  Milly sat on the side of her bed for some time after hanging up; she was deep in thought. She still hadn’t really forgiven herself for nearly letting Nari’s details slip to Giles. Was she really cut out for this sort of caper? As for Stopford, his obvious interest in her was becoming a problem. A fling was one thing — at least that was Stopford’s hope, but was he falling in love with her? She didn’t know if she could cope with that; nor even how she felt about him. She needed a breather, somewhere to go to think things through — about Sibby, about Nari, about Stopford, about everything. It might also be wise to put an ocean between her and Nari’s killers, she thought.

  She called Theo.

  Chapter 32.

  Milly flew into Heathrow Monday afternoon, and Stopford picked her up as promised.

  ‘You’re late, Greg,’ she said, getting into his car.

  ‘I know, it’s been bedlam, but things are starting to settle a bit now.’ He went on to relate the story of the London Bridge attack, how security had changed with armed soldiers now on the streets, and then the conversation turned to her time away.

  ‘What happened, Milly? How did it all go?’

  ‘It went very well. The people were good, the countryside magnificent,’ and she smiled and grabbed his hand in reparation for admonishing him for being late, and his face suddenly looked flushed as he began turning red.

  ‘Feeling a bit frisky, are we?’

  ‘No, Greg, I just appreciate everything you’ve done for me.’

  ‘I’m glad I could be of service, ma’am,’ he replied, smiling. ‘I’m sorry I was late; it won’t happen again.’ Then he thought of their conversation, of getting into her pants — could this be my lucky day, he wondered? But he tempered his thoughts as he drove on to Watford; he’d been let down in the past, so he wouldn’t get his hopes up. ‘Come on, Milly, some information please.’

  ‘As you know, I flew into Edinburgh. The flight schedules suited me better, and I wanted to take the drive across to Glasgow to look at the countryside and do the touristy bit. My appointment with Joe wasn’t until 3:00 in the afternoon.’

  ‘I was wondering why you flew to Edinburgh when you had an appointment in Glasgow.’

  ‘I eventually got hold of Gus Charles. It wasn’t planned, but I wanted to see him and ask a few things, so … I did. Next, I went and saw Joe in Barlinnie Prison, and after that, it was getting on, so I decided to stay in Glasgow for the night instead of driving straight to Dundee. Then Sunday morning I drove to Dundee and called Deonaid Charles, not expecting anything there either, but I got to see her as well. After a long day, I ended up stopping at her place last night, instead of the Russells, which wasn’t my original intention in flying to Scotland and the reason for driving to Dundee.’

  ‘I see, Milly,’ said Stopford as he grabbed Milly’s hand back and drew it over to him on the driver’s side placing it near his — then he hesitated — on his leg. She looked down at her hand as it was claimed and dragged across, and then lifted her gaze, staring into his eyes. He found it difficult to look romantic and drive at the same time. He had a stupid look on his face; it glowed crimson red, and it wasn’t the only thing glowing, thought Milly.

  ‘Don’t push your luck, mate,’ she said, and she snatched her hand away, and they burst out laughing.

  ‘You haven’t got a cold spoon with you, Milly? It’s just lucky I’m not an old man with a weak heart.’

  Milly smiled and looked out the passenger door window. ‘I found out why they call him Daggy.’

  ‘Who told you that, Milly?’ blurted out Stopford. His tone sounded slightly menacing, forgetting his role as star-crossed lover, returning to U.K. detective.

  ‘Slow down, Greg, all in good time. As I said, I had very interesting conversations with Gus and Deonaid Charles, some of it confirmed by Joe,’ she replied as they pulled up in Saint Albans Road. ‘I already knew a lot of what they told me, but they supported my thoughts on the Scottish side of the investigation.’

  ‘So the trip to Scotland confirmed what you already suspected?’

  ‘And some. I’ll give you a quick rundown, Greg, but I can’t tell you everything … not until we get the information we discussed on the phone last night on Stewart and Joe.’

  They walked into Milly’s unit, and the evidence board immediately arrested Stopford’s attention. One photo caught his eye.

  ‘Alright, Greg, sit down …,’ and Milly proceeded to fill in a few of the gaps. She told him of meeting Sim and Naomi at Perth airport and then discussed Sim Charles’ new job in his business development role. He was working for one of the wealthiest families in Australia, whose patriarch had just landed himself an eight-year gig in Casuarina Prison in Perth for cocaine possession and trafficking.

  Then she told him about Daggy Kerford, how the Russells and the Charles knew him … he was flabbergasted. She related John Russell’s take on the Daggy legend and then laughed as she told him Deonaid’s version of it. ‘Apparently, legend has it that Daggy was answering nature’s call. He had been holed up for most of the day on a run where he knew red deer stags were crossing to feed.’

  ‘What’s a run, Milly?’

  ‘Just a place, usually marked by a worn track, where deer cross on a regular basis. It’s often where a fence is situated separating feed from the bush, where they stop and mingle and socialize and look for mates. So, there he squats, a mere slip of a lad in the early throes of puberty, answering nature’s call when he shoots a record-breaking red stag.’

  ‘And his overalls too, Milly, by the sound of it,’ replied Stopford laughing.

  She continued talking. She told him of Simone and her role in it all and her best friend Dannii, emphasizing the Australian link and Sim Charles.

  ‘Is Cailin Stewart involved, other than murdering your sister?’

  ‘I think so.’

  ‘And Gus Charles?’

  ‘Yes.’ Then Milly brought up Sibby’s diary.

  ‘We had a look at that,’ admitted Stopford, ‘and it just looked like the ravings of some drugged-up psycho lunatic.’

  ‘Be careful, Greg, you are talking about my sister. I have the diary here, and I believe it holds a clue to resolving this,’ said Milly holding it up. ‘Where are you up to in the investigation into Nari’s murder?’

  ‘We’re not far past where we were on Friday, when I dropped you at the airport, although we are working on a theory.’

  ‘What’s that?’

  ‘The “Nari opening the door to Hanni and Kerford” theory.’

  ‘Is there any D.N.A. or other evidence supporting that Greg?’

  ‘Yes, Dasti’s fingerprints are in the flat on the dining room table, and there is other D.N.A. there … behind the door, from Likely 1.’

  ‘Kerford’s?’

  ‘No. Well, I should say we don’t know. He’s not in the U.K. database anymore. I noticed you have a photo of Kerford on the board, the same as the one I sent to Scotland for you.’

  ‘Yes, Greg, and before you ask, I kept a copy of Kerford’s D.N.A. profile you mistakenly sent me to the Russell’s place in Dundee. I made a copy of your copy before I gave it back to you.’

  ‘Brilliant, Milly, it will save us a lot of time.’

  ‘Could he be Likely1.?’

  ‘He could be.’

  ‘I thought you said it was illegal.’

  ‘Strictly it is because we shouldn’t have it. We can use it to see if any of the D.N.A. matches up with the D.N.A from Nari’s apartment. We won’t be able to use it in evidence or to seek any warrants or even charge him, so we’ll have to work out another way to get his D.N.A.’

  ‘By charging him with murder?’

  ‘Or just asking him to volunteer a sample, but that’s a long way off in my opini
on. Having his D.N.A. in the database already would be easier, though.’

  ‘Back to the deer shooting, I will explain its importance as it pops up from time to time in this narrative later, Greg.’

  ‘So it has a place?’

  ‘Yes, definitely in my opinion. Do you think Dasti has the fortitude to stand and watch a body being cut up?’

  ‘She’d do or say anything for money or to save her own neck. Remember she stole jewelry from your dead sister.’

  ‘Well, the plot thickens. I think we need to arrange a meeting when I get my information on Joe and Stewart and I’ll present it to you … to you and Cosmo at least, and anyone else if you like.’

  ‘I’ll have to think about that one, Milly.’

  ‘If you want, you can present it. It would look good for you, not least with Rob Windsor if you can get him to attend.’

  ‘No, Milly, I appreciate the offer, but this needs to come from you. Rob already knows you are involved and helping. There are a couple of other things I’ve meant to ask you, though. Now don’t get me wrong … tell me if I’m being too personal.’

  ‘Yes, D.I. Stopford,’ interrupted Milly, sounding serious.

  ‘The news online reported you were left twenty-five million dollars by a rich uncle. Is that true?’

  ‘Don’t be so silly, Greg. I was left the equivalent of £500,000. You know what tabloids are like.’

  ‘That’s still a hell of a lot of money, Milly.’

  ‘Not if I buy a house with it, it’s not.’

  ‘Yes, well, that’s a point.’

  ‘It just means I’ll have extra money each week because I won’t be paying off a mortgage or paying rent.’

  ‘True, Milly.’ Stopford was quiet as he thought for a moment; it made sense. It was more a head start in life than truly life-changing. ‘The other thing I wanted to know concerned our discussion of P.I. work … a business of some kind.’

  ‘Let’s do it,’ said Milly.