Dead Jealous

by Helen H. Durrant

  “My Jess was wearing a slide in her hair,” Josie said flatly. “You know the one, Inspector. So is it her or not? You’ve seen these things, so you must know.”

  Calladine didn’t answer. He couldn’t find the words. Josie stared up at him, her face full of suffering. All those years. Once again, he was about to wreck this woman’s life and it unnerved him. He’d been to this flat many times when the case was active. Then, one day, after months of getting nowhere, he’d had to come and tell her the case was being wound down. Not shelved, it would always remain open, but they could no longer give it the same resources. Josie had blamed him. She’d flown at him, that day, fists flying. Called him all the names under the sun. Calladine had never been able to forget it. And now he was back. In many respects it was even worse this time. This time he had to tell her that there was nothing left to hope for. Her precious child was dead.

  Ruth spoke for him. “They’ve gone to be analysed by our forensic people. We’d like to take you to have a look at them. The viewing won’t take long and we’ll bring you back home after.”

  “If these things are Jess’s, what then?”

  “We’ll have the ashes tested, if that’s possible. Forensics will try to extract some DNA. If they do, we’ll match it with yours. Then we’ll know for sure.”

  Ruth had explained it so simply. Calladine felt as if he’d been struck dumb. What was wrong with him?

  Josie Wilkins suddenly realised what the ashes meant. “Someone burned her?” She jumped to her feet, and began to walk to and fro across the room. “Who could do such a thing? She was only a baby, tiny for her age. You have to find out. I need to know what happened.”

  “Let forensics do their bit first, then we’ll try to make sense of things.”

  All at once, Josie burst into tears. “I want Tracy! She’ll have to come with me. I can’t do this on my own.”

  Chapter 5

  Calladine left Ruth with Josie while he went to speak to Dolly Appleton. Ruth would ring him when Tracy turned up. With a heavy heart, he walked back down the stairs, along the deck and rang the bell. He hated this part of the job, always had. He looked around, but there was still no sign of Nigel Hallam.

  “Who is it?” Dolly called from behind the door.

  “Police, Mrs Appleton. I need a word.” He heard a key turn in the lock, and a bolt slide back. The likes of Ricky Hopwood had a lot to answer for.

  Dolly Appleton stared at him. Her eyes were swollen from crying and her face was haggard and gaunt from lack of sleep. She looked dreadful.

  “That body. It’s her, isn’t it? It is my Flora you’ve found? It’s all over the estate. You should have come and told me sooner.” Her voice shook, whether from anger or sorrow, it was hard to tell.

  Calladine nodded. “I’m sorry. I had to wait until we were absolutely sure. She hadn’t been reported missing, you see. However, this morning dental records confirmed that it was Flora. Can I come in, have a chat? I won’t keep you long.”

  Dolly moved aside to let him in. “I knew it. I’ve felt something was wrong all week. But I don’t understand what she was doing in the boot of that car! Apart from that, no one has told me anything. I don’t know what you think I can tell you.”

  They went into a small sitting room, a replica of Josie Wilkins’s.

  “Let’s start with the last time you saw Flora,” said Calladine.

  “I haven’t seen her for more than a week. A week last Friday, to be exact.” There were fresh tears in her eyes.

  “Perhaps you can tell me why she left home, and why you didn’t report her missing.”

  She sighed. “I’m going to regret that for the rest of my days. The truth is, that night she disappeared we’d had a row. Flora was in a rotten mood, she had been all day. She had a thing for this boy, and he’d let her down. They were planning to go to a music festival together. It had been booked and paid for weeks ago. Then they had an argument, and he finished it. That night, the last time I saw her, she was determined to go and have it out with him. I tried to reason with her. I asked her to stay in, to calm down, but she wouldn’t listen.”

  “Who was this boy?”

  “She wouldn’t tell me. All I know is that he’s local and probably older than her. Flora was angry. She got all dressed up, wore her leather jacket, put on make-up and did her hair. Flora could look a lot older than sixteen at times.” Dolly frowned. “She was going to that pub, the Pheasant, on the edge of the estate. I told her not to. There’s always trouble there, and I didn’t want her getting mixed up in any.”

  “Flora was underage. Had she been there before?”

  “I think so. She knew the landlord. Like I said, she could look a lot older. I did try, really I did, but she wouldn’t listen. Headstrong was Flora, did as she pleased.”

  “So when she didn’t come home, what did you do?”

  “I went round the next morning. I spoke to the landlord but he said Flora hadn’t been there at all. He knows her, and apparently the pub hadn’t been busy, so he would have noticed. I was worried. I was about to report her missing, but then I got the text.”

  This was news to Calladine. “Text? Show me.”

  Dolly took her mobile from the table and scrolled through her calls and texts. “Here it is.” She handed it to him.

  ‘Don’t worry, mum, I’m fine. I’m going to that festival with a mate. Cheer myself up. I’ll be back mid-week xx.’

  Calladine looked at her. “Was this normal behaviour for Flora? Had she taken off on her own before? She was only sixteen.”

  “She went to a festival last year with a couple of her friends. Flora was a sensible girl. She knew how to handle herself. There has only ever been me and her.”

  Nonetheless, Calladine thought, sixteen was a bit young to be allowed to wander off at will for days on end. “Where was this festival held?”

  “North Yorkshire, near Knaresborough.”

  “Mrs Appleton, did you hear from Flora again after this text?” Dolly’s eyes searched the room as if looking for the answer there. Then she shook her head.

  “I tried ringing her. I texted her back, umpteen times, but got nothing. I put it down to the signal being bad.”

  Flora had been dead for a week, so she’d probably never left the Hobfield. Calladine couldn’t explain this to her mother until he had the PM and forensic reports to confirm it. “Tell me about her friends. Who was she closest to?”

  “Her best friend was Isla Prentice. They’ve been close since they started school together at five years old.” She paused, and bit on her bottom lip. “But I don’t think they’ve been getting on so well of late. I suspect they’d argued about that boy Flora liked.”

  “Where does Isla live?” he asked.

  “Circle Road, number eleven.”

  Calladine made a note of the address. He gave Dolly his card. “Do you have someone who can come sit with you?”

  She shook her head. “I’ll ring my sister. She’ll come, but she lives in Newcastle.”

  “I’ll send a female PC to sit with you for a while. If there’s anything you want, or if you recall anything else, you can tell her. She’ll pass the information on.”

  Dolly nodded. Calladine decided to wait for more information before he spoke to her again.

  Ruth was waiting outside with Nigel.

  Calladine nodded at the DC. “I want you to find the three lads that found the body, and take them down to the station. Their names and addresses are on the statements. Ring Joyce, she’ll text you the info. They were holding something back last night. All three of them were very cagey. Keep it light, and make sure they know that they are not in any trouble. Organise a uniform to go with you. We need to have a word with the landlord of the Pheasant.”

  * * *

  Calladine and Ruth returned to Josie’s flat and waited outside. Calladine looked at his watch. “What’s she up to?”

  “She wanted to get dressed,” Ruth said, “so I left her to it. I also think she want
ed to talk to Tracy when she turns up.”

  Calladine shook his head. “Let’s hope we can get it over with quickly. Josie often becomes confused, what with the drink and goodness knows what else she takes. Tracy is the sorted one. She’s got a lot of influence with Josie. She’s been looking after her all her life. Even when they were kids, Tracy took charge. Their mother wasn’t up to much, as I recall.”

  “Where does Tracy live?”

  “One floor up. After what happened, she decided to stay near her sister. She’s okay. Works for Leesworth Council. It’s a good job, and I’m sure she could afford to live somewhere better, but she won’t leave her Josie.”

  “Married?” asked Ruth.

  “No.”

  “Children?”

  “No. Seeing to Josie must have put paid to a lot of things in Tracy’s life.”

  Ruth’s mouth turned down. “How was the Appleton woman?”

  “Devastated, as you would expect. Turns out she thought Flora had gone to a music festival. And she had a boyfriend, although Dolly doesn’t know who he was. We’ll talk to the best friend later. Hopefully we’ll glean more from her.”

  The minutes passed. Calladine paced up and down with his hands in his pockets. He knew the Jessica Wilkins case inside out. There had been no mention of any Beardsell Terrace, so why had her remains ended up there? He made a mental note to look for a connection with any names in the file as soon as he got back to the nick. The idea of finding something they’d missed at the time terrified him. He racked his brain. He was certain nothing had slipped through the net, nothing important anyway. He’d been there. They’d done everything, gone over every scrap of evidence several times. Anyone of any interest had been thoroughly checked out.

  Calladine would never be able to forgive himself if they’d overlooked something vital. The idea made him feel sick. He’d lived through Josie’s horror, every second of it. He’d seen the look on her face today. The glimmer of hope smashed to bits when Ruth told her what had been found. This visit to the Duggan wasn’t going to be easy.

  “If this is right, if you have found Jess, she won’t cope.” Tracy Wilkins strode towards them. She was a tall, slim woman with dark hair that bobbed on her shoulders and framed her elfin face. “I’m telling you now, it’ll finish her.”

  Calladine gave her a weak smile. “Thanks for helping, Tracy.”

  “I’m not doing this for you. This is for Josie. She’s delicate, needs careful handling. I just hope this isn’t some wild goose chase.” She gave Calladine a warning look.

  He inhaled. “I don’t think it is. Only forensic tests will give us the definitive answer, but I think what we’ve got is the real thing.”

  Tracy pushed past him and went into the flat.

  Ruth studied the closed door. “Knows her own mind, that one.”

  “Always has, Ruth. Tracy was the sensible one.”

  “Josie is in her late thirties. How old is her sister?” Ruth asked.

  Calladine shrugged. “I’m not certain, but I reckon she’s a couple of years older.”

  The door remained closed. “Very alike, aren’t they?”

  “Except that Tracy has taken care of herself. She holds down a responsible job. After what happened, Josie went into a downward spiral that she’s never escaped from.”

  “I can understand that.” Ruth shuddered. “I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to Harry. I can’t imagine how people live after stuff like that. The horror of wondering what might have happened to your child. How they died, what was done to them. It’d kill me.”

  After another few minutes, the two women appeared in the doorway. Josie Wilkins was in jeans, battered trainers and a sweatshirt that had seen better days. Her arms were folded against her body, as if to hold herself together. In contrast, Tracy was dressed in a skirt and a smart jacket. She’d obviously come from work. As Ruth had noted, the two women were alike, but the trauma of losing Jessica had ravaged Josie’s looks. She didn’t seem to give a damn what she looked like. Tracy, on the other hand, evidently took pride in her appearance.

  Ruth nudged his arm. “We should get going.”

  * * *

  Josie Wilkins clung to her sister’s arm. Head down, she shuffled along the corridor to the room where Professor Julian Batho was waiting for them. Ruth led the way, with Calladine following in their wake.

  Tracy patted her hand. “You’ll be okay, Josie. Take your time. I’m with you.”

  Ruth opened the door and stood aside for the two women. She and Calladine followed them into the room. The little pink blanket and hairslide lay on a table — small, insignificant items that had the power to tear apart what was left of Josie’s tattered life.

  She gasped. Her hands flew to her face and she cried out. She reached forward, picked up the blanket and held it to her chest, weeping. In silence they watched her caress the appliqued gold teddy bear.

  “It’s Jess’s!” she howled. “I’d know it anywhere.”

  Julian coughed. “It has been a long time. You are quite sure?”

  Josie Wilkins regarded him with cold eyes. “You have never raised an infant or you wouldn’t ask that. You have no idea how important a small piece of fabric like this could be to a child. It’s a comfort thing. My Jess wouldn’t go to sleep without it.”

  Calladine moved forward to stand beside her. “And the slide? What do you think?”

  “Yes! Yes! They both belonged to Jessica.” She looked at Calladine. “I want to see her!”

  Julian shook his head. “I’m sorry, but that is not possible.”

  “She’s my child! I insist on it! I have the right.”

  Tracy Wilkins looked at them, and then took her sister’s arm. “They are not being unkind, sis. There is nothing to see, really. Ashes, you said when you phoned me. You don’t want to see that. It’ll stay with you forever.”

  Josie was screaming now. “What will happen to her? My baby! I want to stay near my baby!”

  Julian looked at Calladine and Ruth. “I’ll organise some tea.”

  Calladine nodded. Julian was floundering. All he’d be wanting now was to get out of that room.

  “You can wait next door,” Julian told them. “I’ll arrange for some tea to be brought through.”

  “When will I know if the ashes are really hers?” Josie asked. She seemed a little calmer now.

  Calladine looked at her. “It will take a while. The tests are not as simple as with . . .” He’d been about to say blood or tissue, but swallowed his words.

  “You will be reopening the investigation, Inspector?” asked Tracy.

  “Depending on what the DNA throws up. But since Josie has positively identified the two items, we will do a thorough search of the place where they were found.”

  Tracy looked at him. “Where was that?”

  “I can’t say,” said Calladine.

  “Local?”

  Calladine turned away, avoiding her penetrating gaze. “Here’s the tea.”

  * * *

  Josie rode home in a daze. Everything had happened so fast, and so completely out of the blue. Had they really found her Jess? She could hardly believe it. Her head was in a whirl, her mind filled with images and half-understood conversations from that time. There was such a lot she couldn’t work out.

  “He was right, that copper. The truth needs to be told.” Josie looked at her sister, tears in her eyes. “This has brought it all back. I keep seeing things, hearing words in my head, people shouting.” She sighed heavily. “You should have told them what really happened.”

  The look her sister gave her was chilling. “If we were going to do that, we should have done it seventeen years ago. We can’t say anything now. It’d be us behind bars for withholding evidence.”

  Josie shook her head. “It was you that clammed up. Besides, what evidence? I still don’t understand. What didn’t we tell them? I keep getting flashbacks, but none of it makes any sense.”

  “You were off your head
on smack and booze. What do you expect?”

  Josie started to sob. “I lost my little girl, and I can’t remember how. But then I start to think that I didn’t lose her at all. That it wasn’t my fault. I remember other things too, strange things, stuff that doesn’t add up.” She stared at her sister with anxious eyes. “Sometimes I think I wasn’t even in the bloody park that afternoon.”

  “Now you’re being stupid. Of course you were. You’re upset. You have a rest, and then everything will seem clearer.”

  “You would tell me, wouldn’t you, Trace, if there was something else? When I think back to that day, all I remember is shouting, people drunk in my flat. I don’t know what was real and what wasn’t.”

  “There you are then. You were ill. You’d had a lot of treatment for drug addiction. You were taking pills and the like. Your head was a mess back then, Josie. Accept it and stop stressing.”

  Chapter 6

  It was late afternoon when Calladine and Ruth returned to the station. The first thing they heard was laughter. Nigel Hallam had left the three lads unattended in a small anteroom. Calladine knew from their statements that they were all over eighteen. They should know better than to behave like little kids.

  Heaving a sigh of frustration, Calladine stuck his head around the door. “Keep it down,” he ordered sharply.

  One of them called back, “I’m done here. We’ve been hanging around this dump for ages.”

  The voice belonged to Kyle Logan. Calladine knew the lad by reputation. He’d been in trouble a couple of times for fighting, but so far had managed to get off with warnings. From the look of him, he’d learned nothing. He had a black eye, which had faded to a lurid shade of yellow. He lived with his father, Bernie. Bernie Logan was a waster who spent most of his time and money in the local betting shop.

  “Believe me, lads, I’m not in the mood. You’ll be in and out of here just as soon as we get to the truth.” Calladine turned to Ruth. “Bring me the statements from the office.”

  “I’ve got work soon,” Kyle shouted. “And if I’m late, there’ll be hell to pay. Mark’s got a short fuse.” He rubbed his injured eye.