Chapter 45 – Telling the Story
Two weeks after the coroner made his findings Anne was contacted by a leading commercial TV channel. It wished to do a ‘Lost Girls Mini Series’ run over three nights, telling the story of her investigation.
It was to be a story in three parts, the first the tale of Mark, beginning with his troubled childhood up until the events of the first two ‘lost girls’, for whom he clearly had great affection. It was a story of a man seeking to rise above adversity yet endlessly caught up in tragedy.
The second part was a story with a dark heart, the man who had become a wilful murderer, killing with no apparent remorse, as if in the possession of a dark or evil spirit.
The third part was Susan and Cathy’s stories, where still some hope remained but the hope was only slim. Each of these told a story where elements of friendship, hope and love re-emerged, despite the destructive forces still at work.
This part would end up as a testimony of hope for continued life of these final two brave girls and with it a second appeal for more funds to keep searching for these and other lost girls from across the country.
It was to be followed by a memorial ceremony where plaques were placed for these missing girls and for others that the public at large were still searching for.
Anne rang all the girls’ parents. All agreed to the story being told despite further distress to have to relive the pain in public, it was an important story and, if it helped find others, that was reason enough.
The TV channel promised that the stories would be sympathetic to all girls and that each girl’s parents would have a right to veto of any private information that they found distasteful before it went to air. The TV station did not need this permission about information that was already in the public domain, but it agreed that it was in everyone’ interest that the story be tasteful and sympathetic.
So Anne found herself as principal narrator of this bizarre and awful series of events. At times she found it so distressing that the cameras had to stop as she recomposed herself. But she stuck at it over six weeks of filming, two weeks per episode and, finally, it was done, She had put her heart and soul into the search, now she put her heart and soul into telling the story, hoping through it to reach someone, anyone who knew a fact that was real and new and which would help bring closure.
After the story was made it went into two weeks of editing and she was consumed by the pre-publicity. She became an instantly recognisable film star with her flaming red hair and photogenic husband. Together they captured the public heart of Anne’s new country.
Already the story had been syndicated to the UK, France, Sweden and Canada. Negotiations were advanced for the USA though Amanda’s story was the hardest to tell in a way that evoked public sympathy. But here the Professor was her firm ally, having agreed to give unlimited access to his experience with this girl who, despite bad things she had done, also had redeeming features that he described with clear affection. So somehow it worked, giving Amanda a kinder side while keeping faithful to the facts.
At last it was done. Anne came home and collapsed into bed. David pampered her for the final three days until the first show went to air.
For three nights they sat at home watching and reliving, with tears in their eyes. She was surprised that, even though she knew it all, it moved her beyond words. She prayed something good would come of it.
Lost Girl Diary Page 49