Bushey Fields was the Dudley Psychiatric Unit, built to accommodate the closing of mental health services at nearby Burton Road. It was attached to the hospital and consisted of five sections: three acute wards; male, female, and an admission ward. Two further wards were exclusively for older people.
‘There,’ Kim said, pointing to the building that held the Clent ward.
Each ward was housed in a separate single-storey building that looked like an oversized bungalow, and Eric Leland had been placed in the ‘Acute Male’ category.
Kim stepped into the foyer and tapped on a plate glass window. The man behind the glass slid it aside.
‘May I help you?’
‘Eric Leland, can we speak to him, please?’
‘And you are?’
She looked to Bryant, who held up his identification.
‘Wait a minute,’ he said, closing the window.
He turned his back and spoke to three colleagues, who all glanced their way before giving him a response.
Still with his back to them he placed a call to someone.
She turned to her colleague. ‘You didn’t have your thumb over the bit that says police, did you?’
‘He’s their priority not us,’ Bryant said, easily.
‘But we are investigating murder,’ she snapped. Surely that took priority over everything.
‘Yeah and I’m sure they already know that Eric didn’t do it.’
‘You know, Bryant, sometimes you are so…’
‘Right,’ he said, moving towards the inner door. ‘Sometimes I’m right.’
‘What are you doing?’ she asked, deciding to let that one pass.
‘Filling out the visitor’s book. I’d imagine they’re gonna insist whether we’re police or not.’
She followed suit and signed her name as the inner doors opened.
A woman with a shot of blonde hair wearing minimal make-up held out her hand.
‘Susan Robinson, Administrator. How may I help?’
Even though Kim was sure the reason for their visit had been relayed to her, she repeated the request.
‘May I ask why? I’m sorry but Eric doesn’t get many visitors, so I have to ask.’
‘We believe he can help us in our current investigation.’
She frowned and made no movement to let them through. ‘He’s been here for quite some time so I’m unsure how he can be involved in…’
‘I didn’t say involved, Ms Robinson. I said he may be able to help, and as we’re police officers investigating murder, we’re not in the habit of spending too much time talking to people who we don’t think can help.’
‘Does this have anything at all to do with his mother?’ she asked, cautiously.
Kim shook her head.
‘Because the last time she came to see him he damaged three tables, two chairs and had to be heavily medicated and restrained for twenty-seven hours.’
‘And other than that?’ Kim asked, as the woman swiped them into the ward.
‘Follow me,’ she instructed, heading through a spacious common area. ‘And to answer your question, Eric is no trouble at all. In fact, we rarely see him. Eric doesn’t like television, which is a popular pastime for most of our residents. He hasn’t watched a programme since he got here. He leaves his room for meals and returns immediately afterwards. He spends hours in deep meditation and listens to gentle music on his iPod.
‘Phone?’
She shook her head. ‘Just iPod.’
‘Is he heavily medicated?’
‘Not heavily. We have him on mild antidepressants and any anxious spells are usually soothed by a gentle walk in the garden. He responds well to the peace and quiet out there.’
Kim stopped walking as Susan led them into the dining room.
‘Does he really need to be here?’
There was no hesitation before she nodded yes. ‘Until his therapy works I’m afraid he does. Okay, wait here. I’m going to ask Eric if he wants to meet with you, but if he says no we’ll respect his wishes.’
She waited a second to make sure they understood.
Once she’d left the room, Bryant turned towards her.
‘You know, guv…’
‘Yeah, okay, Bryant. You were right and gloating does not look good on you.’
‘Jolly good but I was going to say that it sounds to me like Eric Leland is taking a place here that would be much better used by someone else.’
Exactly what she’d been thinking.
‘Reckon he’ll give us the time…’
Bryant stopped speaking as Eric Leland entered the room.
He wore jeans and a tee shirt with a pocket on the left-hand side. Earphones had been tucked in with a lead hanging and draping around to his back pocket.
‘She didn’t send you, did she?’ he asked, before sitting down.
Kim didn’t have to wonder for long who ‘she’ was.
She shook her head. ‘We’re here to talk about Unity Farm.’
He sat and glanced at Susan to tell her he was happy to stay.
‘I’ll be just outside,’ she said.
Kim wondered why the woman felt she needed to stay in the area.
‘Have you been?’ Eric asked, crossing his legs. ‘Have you seen Jake?’
Kim nodded. ‘Seems very nice but we’re here to talk about you. About your time at Unity Farm. Is that okay?’
‘Sure,’ he said, seemingly relaxed.
Right now, Kim was struggling to identify the man before her with the picture his mother had painted. He seemed calm, relaxed and co-operative. His sharp features were open and his long hair tucked behind his ears.
‘Eric, did you know a girl named Samantha Brown?’
He shrugged. ‘It’s hard to know everyone.’
‘Tyler Short?’
Again, he shrugged. ‘Couldn’t say.’
‘How about She—’
‘Yeah, I’m not gonna remember anyone. We don’t talk about family members to zom… people not at the Farm.’
‘But you’re no longer there.’
He smiled. ‘But I will be. As soon as I get the chance. I’ll be right back where I belong.’
Kim was flummoxed. According to his mother Eric had been at the Farm for almost three years, but he’d been away from Jake and his influence for months. What the hell was it about the place?
‘Did the Farm help you in some way, Eric?’ she asked.
‘Err… yeah. It’s my home. Jake and the others helped me understand that I wasn’t a freak, that I wasn’t wrong.’
‘About what?’
‘My parents. See, I never liked them. Even as a kid I didn’t want to be around them. The guilt I felt for my feelings ate away at me and made me hate them even more. Jake explained that I was normal.’ He smiled. ‘Jake called it Transfamily. He explained that I’d just been born into the wrong family. It wasn’t my fault. I had no control. It was like a weight had been lifted. He told me it was time to break the chains, be my own person and start to take care of myself. He taught me how to meditate. We talked every night.’
‘Eric, did people at the Farm ever want to leave? Go back to their old life?’
He laughed. ‘Never, why would they?’
‘But what if?…’
‘They didn’t. It’s a family. You don’t leave your family.’
‘Did Jake ask you to steal from your parents?’
He wasn’t offended by the question and shook his head.
‘No, but look at it this way: if a couple divorces all the possessions are shared. Each party gets something of their own. They decide to leave the family and they walk away with items accrued during the marriage. What does a kid get if they decide to leave the family? Nothing. How is that fair? They’ve been a part of it too. They deserve something.’
Kim wondered who had planted that seed into his mind and left it to grow.
She wasn’t going to argue that with divorce each parent had likely contributed financially throughout
the marriage. Eric’s argument had nothing to do with money.
‘So, what’s this Facebook group you’ve tried to join?’
He rolled his eyes. ‘Haters, all of them. Just didn’t get what the place was about.’
‘So, you tried to join to abuse them?’
‘Put ’em right. It’s my home they’re slating.’
‘So, you didn’t appreciate your mother instructing Kane Devlin to bring you home?’ she asked.
‘The Farm is my home and the man is an idiot.’
There was no anger, aggression or hostility in his tone as he spoke of the man, more an observational amusement.
‘He didn’t manage to change your opinion of the Farm or Jake?’
Eric laughed out loud. ‘The twat needs to update his processes. I knew everything he was going to say and do. We talk about shit like that at home. He was never gonna get to me.’
Throughout their exchange Kim had wondered on what grounds this man was being kept here. Other than being biased in his devotion to the Farm he seemed perfectly balanced, rational and certainly able to lead a normal life. He seemed to be making no effort to regain control of his former life. A part of her wondered if there was something in him that needed the feeling of being institutionalised: the order, the routine.
‘So, when you get out of here you’ll go straight back to Jake and Unity Farm?’
He shook his head
‘Nah, I’ll head back to my other home first.’
Kim was surprised.
‘To your mother?’
His face hardened and Kim saw a glimpse of the person Mrs Leland had described.
‘Oh yeah, I’ll be going to slit the old bitch’s throat.’
Seventy-One
Both of them reached for their phones as they headed back to the car.
Bryant had felt his own vibrate three times during their meeting with Eric. A meeting that had confused the life out of him.
He was surprised to see that it was Travis who had been trying to reach him.
He indicated to the guv that he was going to make a call. She nodded, already speaking to someone.
He tried to call Travis back and got no answer. He tried again straight away. Travis had wanted to tell him something. Still nothing. He put the phone away. He’d try later.
‘Hope you had better luck than me,’ he said, as the guv finished her call.
‘Remains to be seen,’ she said, getting into the car. ‘Asked Myles to arrange another meeting. Kane Devlin has too many tentacles in this case. You?’
‘Travis but got no—’
The ringing of his phone cut off his words
‘Aah, speak of the devil and he will appear,’ he said, hitting the answer button.
‘About bloody time, Bryant,’ Travis said, affably.
Bryant could hear commotion in the background.
‘What the hell’s going on there?’
‘We’re celebrating and I wanted to give you the good news.’
‘Go on,’ Bryant said, feeling a knot of tension in his stomach.
‘We got him. Forensics picked up every fag end in a twenty metre radius and guess what?’
‘Jesus,’ he exclaimed as a rush of different emotions surged through him. Relief, disgust, more relief.
‘Feel free to come by later. We’re just on our way to pick him up so it looks like you were right all along.’
Bryant ended the call and after remembering the girl who had just lost her life, he really got no joy from being right at all.
Seventy-Two
Kim spotted Britney before she saw Tiff. Both were giving out leaflets on the college car park.
As they approached Kim was careful not to glance in the direction of the police officer. She kept her focus only on the redhead.
‘Hey, Britney, how are you doing?’
The girl looked surprised to see her but she wasn’t the reason they were there.
‘Just wanted to ask you another couple of… oh, excuse me,’ Kim said, as Tiffany approached, looking concerned.
‘This is my friend, Tiff,’ Britney said, with a wide smile. ‘She’s my new friend, so there’s no point asking her anything. She doesn’t know anyone.’
Kim dismissed Tiff’s presence with a glance that she made sure Britney saw.
‘Just wondering if you’d remembered Sammy Brown yet or Tyler Short. Oh, and we have another name to run by you: Eric Leland?’
‘Is he dead?’ Britney asked before she could stop herself.
‘Oh, so you do remember Eric?’ Kim asked, stepping closer.
To her credit Tiff was adopting a decent bewildered expression as she looked from one to the other.
‘The name rings a bell,’ Britney said, backtracking.
Kim tipped her head. ‘You see, Britney, what I don’t understand is how you cannot know the names of your family members. I mean, clearly you’re not as close as you think you are.’
‘Oh yes we are,’ Britney said as the colour flooded her cheeks. ‘We all put family first. We take care of each other. We are loyal to…’
‘But, what if someone chooses to leave?’ Kim asked. ‘Are you still loyal then?’
‘Well, of course not but no one really wants to leave.’
Yeah Kim was hearing that a lot.
‘So, you say. Okay, Britney, nice talking to you again. We’ll be in touch.’
Kim didn’t even glance in Tiff’s direction as she turned to leave.
She just hoped Bryant had managed to get the girl’s attention while she had been baiting Britney.
Seventy-Three
Tiff had mixed feelings as the boss and Bryant walked away.
Part of her wanted to walk away with them but her friend was visibly shaken by the exchange.
For a few minutes, at least, she had to play along.
‘Hey, Brit, don’t let her get to you. You know what it’s like at the Farm, so why would her opinion matter? Looks like a proper hard-faced cow anyway.’
Brit smiled.
‘You get it, though, don’t you, Tiff? You see how great it is? How we’re lucky to have such a wonderful family? Outsiders just don’t understand how bonded we are. Hurt one of us and you hurt us all.’ She sighed. ‘See that’s what’s missing out here. There’s no love left, no cohesion. It’s all take, take, take, all the time.’
Tiff couldn’t help think about the money that had gone from the tin, but she pushed the thought away.
‘I get it, Brit. It’s a special place to be,’ Tiff said, patting her on the arm.
Brit’s smile widened as she took Tiff’s hand and held it tightly. ‘I knew you’d get it, Tiff. From the minute I saw you yesterday I knew you were special.’
Jeez, had it only been the day before that they’d met for the first time? She really felt that she’d known Brit for years.
‘Of course, I get it,’ Tiff placated, removing her hand. ‘Now I need to pop inside to the loo, so I’ll get us a drink from the vending machine while I’m there.’
‘Want me to?…’
‘No, Brit. You carry on spreading the word.’
This time she really needed to go alone.
Seventy-Four
‘Jeez, Tink, you took your time.’
‘She was almost in tears, boss,’ Tiff said, as they sidled to the far end of the loos.
Kim took out the smallest phone she’d been able to find and placed it in Tiffany’s hand.
‘Don’t care where you keep it but have it on you at all times. If we lose communication again we’ll just pull you out. Got it?’
‘Got it, boss,’ she said, slipping the phone down the front of her jeans.
‘Just text, okay?’
She nodded. ‘Listen, I’ve not got much time but the place is amazing. Everyone there seems happy, but food is controlled and seems to be both a punishment and a reward. Jake Black is held in godlike regard by everyone. He wants to talk to me when we get back.’
‘About what?’
‘Family and stuff,’ she said, dismissively. ‘But they send people out to do all kinds of things and the folks who have few skills go out and beg. They’re dropped off and collected by minibus.’
‘Do you have any names?’
Tiff shook her head. ‘I’ve not been out of Britney’s sight yet, and they get suspicious if you ask too many questions.’
‘Have you met Sophie yet?’
Tiff shook her head. ‘That’s why I want to stay again tonight. I’m hoping to give Britney the slip and speak to some other people later.’
‘Okay, but stay…’
‘Hang on, that’s not all. I think they target old folks with no family. We visited a lady this morning. Brit was dead helpful, did her shopping and offered to massage her feet. She was lovely, but I think she took some money too. There’s great value on what you can bring to the Farm.’
Bryant made a note as Tiff recited the address and the woman’s name.
‘Look I’ve got to get back. I’ll text more as I find it.’
‘Tiff, are you okay?’ Kim asked. ‘They’re not getting to you, are they?’
Part of her wanted to keep Tiff talking for as long as she could.
Tiff laughed. ‘Of course not. I know what I’m there to do and I’m absolutely fine. I promise.’
She gave a small wave as she headed out the door.
Despite the words of reassurance Kim found herself unconvinced.
Seventy-Five
Britney stood just outside the entrance doors to the college for two reasons: the first being that she’d been banned from going inside; the second was because there was a sensation in her tummy that wasn’t feeling so good.
The visits from the police officer unnerved her. The woman kept asking about people who were once part of the family. She didn’t seem to understand that once they were gone they were dead to the family and never spoken of again. To leave was the worst betrayal to Jake and everything he did for them.
But there was something else, a tension that had fallen around them once Tiffany approached. She suspected what they were trying to do. They wanted to take Tiffany away from them.
Killing Mind: An addictive and nail-biting crime thriller (Detective Kim Stone Crime Thriller Book 12) Page 19