by Sarah Hilary
Beth came to a standstill in the corridor, her eyes fixed on the windows of the interview room where Alison Oliver was sitting with her mother.
‘That’s her, isn’t it?’ she said. ‘That’s Esther Reid.’
Her stare was one part curiosity, nine parts terror.
Debbie said, ‘Come on. I’ll make us both a nice cup of tea.’
• • •
In the second interview room, Beth sat opposite Marnie. Her face was swollen by the stress of the last few hours. ‘I didn’t know,’ she said. ‘About Esther, or Terry, or the children. The dead boys … I didn’t know.’
‘We’re trying to find Terry,’ Marnie said, ‘and Clancy. And Mr Belloc, the victim care officer who was with Terry at the safe house. We need your help.’
‘How can I help?’ Beth’s voice rose in pitch. ‘I didn’t know anything! He didn’t tell me anything!’
‘It’s been very hard on you finding out like this. I am sorry.’ Marnie used her steadiest voice. ‘But I do think you can help, and we do need your help.’
Beth focused her eyes on Marnie, with difficulty. She jerked her head in a nod.
‘How was Terry when you first moved into the house? I know it was a busy time. Tommy was very little. Can you remember how Terry was?’
‘Happy. He was happy.’ Beth started to cry quietly, tears sliding from her eyes.
Marnie thought of Alison’s dry eyes in the room next door. She wondered what had attracted Matt to Esther, and then Terry to Beth. Was it simply that Beth was physically so different? Esther had been lovely once, and she was sharp, clever. Beth was pretty, but plain. Uncomplicated, at least on the surface. The two women had nothing obvious in common, other than that they’d married the same man.
‘He can’t have been happy,’ Beth said, ‘can he? That can’t have been any truer than the rest of it. He kept everything a secret from me … He can’t ever have been happy.’
‘I don’t think it was like that,’ Marnie said. ‘He’d changed his name. Sometimes that helps people to get better. You were helping him to get better. You and Carmen and Tommy.’
‘All that time he was looking for his boys …’
‘And he found them. Perhaps there was peace in that.’ Marnie picked up her mug of tea and drank, waiting while the other woman mirrored the action. It was hard to take this slowly, knowing what was at stake, but there was nothing to be gained by rushing Beth. ‘A fortnight ago, Terry heard from the police that Alison was coming out of prison.’
‘Alison. That’s what she calls herself now?’ Beth wiped at her eyes.
‘Yes. Do you remember anything that changed about Terry’s mood a fortnight ago? Was he was more … anxious, perhaps?’
‘Terry’s never anxious,’ Beth said mechanically, as if she was speaking by rote.
‘And when you were moved to the safe house, how was he then?’
She shook her head, not answering.
‘You told me Clancy was angry. Was Terry angry too?’
Beth didn’t look at her. ‘Terry’s never angry.’ Rote again.
‘Did he ever mention a man called Ian Merrick?’
‘No.’ Beth pressed her mouth shut.
‘Ian Merrick,’ Marnie repeated. ‘He built the houses on Blackthorn Road. He employed Terry as a gardener sometimes.’
‘Terry never mentioned him.’
Marnie picked up her tea. The tannin set her teeth on edge, but it was a useful prop. Beth copied her, relaxing a fraction. ‘Tell me about Clancy. When did he come to live with you?’
‘Just after we moved to Blackthorn Road. His dad’s a friend of Terry’s. They were struggling with Clancy, he was acting up at home. He’d run off a couple of times. Terry offered to take care of him for a bit, to see if he could help him to settle down. He’s so good with kids.’ Her neck stained red. ‘We were going to foster him.’
‘But you’re not fostering him at the moment?’
‘Terry said it was best to tell people that was what we were doing, so we wouldn’t be asked awkward questions. He said Clancy was unsettled enough without that and we were going to foster him. Terry had organised the paperwork and everything. That’s what he said.’
‘Did you meet Terry’s friend, Scott? Clancy’s father.’
‘No …’
‘What about his mother, Christina?’
‘I never met either of them.’
‘Even though Scott was Terry’s friend?’
‘He didn’t have time for friends,’ Beth said. ‘To spend with friends, I mean.’
‘But he had time for Clancy.’
‘He made time. He wanted to help. It’s what he does. It’s all he does.’ Beth shut her eyes. Tears ran down her cheeks. ‘He’s a good dad. He is.’
‘He is,’ Marnie agreed. ‘Everyone tells us that. I’m sure it’s true.’
‘He was good with Clancy. He tried, he really did. Talking to him all hours. Making time for him. Teaching him about the garden, helping him at school … Some days Clancy would come home in a state because of something that’d happened, a fight or just a bad day, and Terry would go up to him, spend hours giving him a quiet talk. Talking him down. He didn’t have to give him so much time. He had our two, but he was always up there talking with Clancy, till all hours some nights.’
She wiped her nose with the back of her hand. ‘I told him to give up once. I said it was killing him, giving so much time to someone who didn’t appreciate it, but Terry wouldn’t give up, not on anyone. It’s the kind of man he is. He said Clancy reminded him of himself at that age. Irresponsible, that was the word he used. He said he wanted to help him be a better person. Stronger, more responsible. It was like … a mission. I left him alone after that. I could see he needed to help Clancy, even though I thought it was a lost cause. I missed him. Terry. All the time he spent up there in the attic … I wanted him back down with us.’
She moved her hands. ‘Not that he neglected us. It was never like that. It was usually after the children were in bed. It was only him who was neglected. There was nothing left of him, some days. It was burning him up, being a dad to that boy on top of everything else.’
‘At the safe house,’ Marnie said, ‘earlier today. Did Terry tell you he was going to leave?’
‘I was sleeping. I didn’t know he’d gone until I woke up and they told me.’
‘Did you get the chance to speak with Mr Belloc, the victim care officer?’
Beth shook her head. ‘I slept through the whole thing.’ She dried her nose on the cuff of her sleeve. ‘I’m sorry. Thank God Carmen and Tommy are safe … I was so sick with worry. We both were. I’ve never seen Terry like that …’
‘Angry?’
‘Scared,’ Beth said. ‘He was scared to death, the same as me.’
24
‘Terry was on a mission to make Clancy a better person.’ Marnie held the side of her neck as if it hurt her. ‘Beth says he devoted hours to talking with Clancy about the need to be less irresponsible. Less like Matt, in other words. I think I understand why Clancy ran, maybe even why he took the children to Cole’s house. But why didn’t he stay there? If he’s scared of Terry … why didn’t he go into hiding too?’
‘It wasn’t a great hiding place,’ Noah said. ‘That close to number 14, and somewhere Terry had a key to? I’m guessing he panicked.’
‘So where is he now? Why are they both missing? And why take Ed?’
‘I know you think the Brands are a dead end, but could Clancy have gone home? They have a very secure house, with a panic room. If he was trying to hide …’
‘Would you go back there? If you’d run away, more than once? If they’d had you fitted with an alarm as their idea of security? I wouldn’t. I’d take my chances in the open air. I think Clancy’s running. What I don’t understand is why Terry’s running too. If he is …’
She shook her head. ‘Consider missing as an indicator, not just an event in itself, isn’t that what they tell us? Terry was
scared stiff when the children went missing. There’s been no activity on his credit or Oyster cards. No signal on his phone suggests he’s gone underground. Until we get a sighting of the car, our best bet is looking at the hiding places he knew about from Merrick.’ She looked at Colin Pitcher. ‘What’s Cole given us so far?’
‘Merrick has seventeen sites under development in the Greater London area. Fourteen have bunkers or tunnels, or similar. Do you want us to widen the search?’
‘Not yet. How about the security firm that was tagging Clancy? Any crossover between Merrick’s sites and the places where Clancy used to go?’
‘Possibly, but the firm won’t release the data without parental consent, or a warrant.’
Debbie said, ‘Mr and Mrs Brand aren’t answering calls.’
‘They won’t.’ Marnie studied Colin’s list. Adam had told her about the Brands. ‘They’ll lawyer up before we get within fifty feet of our first question, but there’s no reason to think they know where Clancy or Terry went, so I’m not in a hurry to waste time there.’
‘Security nuts,’ Ron said disgustedly. ‘But they let their only kid go missing. What’s the point in making your home into Fort Knox if your son isn’t safe?’
His phone rang and he moved to answer it.
Marnie looked at Colin. ‘How’re you getting on with Mr Cole?’
‘Very well. He’s meticulous, and he really wants to help.’
‘One thing,’ Noah said. ‘We could check the soil types at Merrick’s sites. The last time we saw Terry, he had red hands. From soil, or clay. Beth said he’d been at work, but this was after the children were first missing. His boots were stained red too.’
‘Alluvial,’ Colin said. ‘That’s reddish brown.’ He looked at the list of sites. ‘Most of the subsoil at the Isle of Dogs is alluvial. Perhaps we should start there.’
‘He’s looking for Clancy,’ Debbie said. ‘That’s my bet. He was scared stiff when he heard the kids were missing and he wouldn’t have left them at Cole’s place. He’s after Clancy.’
‘He doesn’t know,’ Marnie reminded her, ‘that we’ve found Carmen and Tommy. He’s not answering his phone, and we don’t have any easy way to get that message to him. We have to assume he’s looking for all three children.’
‘Or he’s hiding from us. He saw the photo of Esther. He must’ve known we’d find out he was Matt Reid. The secrets he kept from Beth … it’s all come out now.’
‘He wouldn’t run without knowing the children were safe,’ Noah said. ‘Not after what he went through with Esther. He must have gone looking for them.’
‘With Ed?’ Marnie kept her voice light. ‘Ed would have told him to keep his phone switched on, for news of the children. Ed trusted us to find them.’
Noah nodded, but he said, ‘We’ve got a man who lost his first family in a way that would drive anyone insane. And an angry teenage boy whose parents are obsessed with everyone’s safety but his. I wouldn’t want to bet which one’s more dangerous.’
Ron came back from his desk, bright-eyed. ‘CCTV sighting.’
‘Terry, or Clancy?’
‘Merrick. At one of the sites Cole told us to look out for, off the M25. Artificial caves. They used to take young offenders down there as part of some bollocksy programme to get them used to controlled spaces. Site’s been closed for donkey’s, but CCTV’s got Merrick heading in there at 1.35 p.m. He didn’t come back out.’
‘Good work. Noah, we’ll take this one.’ She nodded at the others. ‘Keep looking for Terry and Clancy.’
‘What d’you want to do about the press, Fletcher? He keeps demanding a fag break.’
‘He can wait,’ Marnie said. ‘We’re busy.’
• • •
‘Detective Inspector.’ Connie was in the doorway to the interview room. ‘My daughter needs a doctor. We’ve been waiting hours.’
In the interview room, Alison was sitting with her hands pressed to the table, silver patches of sweat on her face. Her eyes were fixed on the wall so intently that Noah half expected to see words written there.
‘Why does she need a doctor?’ Marnie asked.
‘Why do you think?’ Connie snapped. ‘She’s not well. Do you imagine it’s been easy for her coming here, talking about what happened? She needs to see someone. She needs pills.’
‘Is she asking for a doctor?’
‘No.’
‘Then—’
‘Don’t give me that,’ Connie said. ‘You know as well as I do that she’s sick.’ She blinked tears from her eyes, looking ferocious. ‘She’ll never ask for help, because she doesn’t think she deserves any. But I’m her mother and I’m telling you she needs a doctor.’
Marnie nodded at Noah. ‘Go. Take DS Carling. Bring Mr Merrick back here so we can ask him some questions.’
She looked to where Connie’s daughter was sitting with her face to the wall.
‘I’d better stay and deal with this.’
25
You’re crying. It’s pathetic.
You did what you had to do. You didn’t want to, but there wasn’t any other way. You’d tried everything else. Patience. Questions.
There comes a point, doesn’t there, when you have to stop waiting and hoping and biting your tongue. You did enough of that with her, and look where it got you.
Everyone said you should have been able to stop it.
You were in charge, you should have been in charge.
You were trying too hard to be gentle, considerate.
That’s not what a man is. You needed to take charge.
Man up.
You did what you had to do.
You shouldn’t be snivelling about it.
You should be glad.
It’s done.
26
‘Your mum thinks you need to see a doctor.’ Marnie sat across from Connie’s daughter. ‘Is that something you want?’ She waited for a response. ‘Alison?’
‘It’s Esther.’ The same cracked, thirsty voice as before, but now it came from deep inside the woman’s chest. ‘My name’s Esther. Let’s bypass the bullshit, shall we?’
‘Do you want to see a doctor?’
‘No.’ She stared at the wall as if she believed she could break it with her stare. Or burn it. Burn a hole right through the station wall, into the world outside.
Marnie had told one of the desk officers to take Connie to get some fresh air. She’d wanted time alone with Esther Reid.
‘We found Carmen and Thomas. Terry’s children. They’re safe and well.’
Esther turned her head at that, dragging her stare to Marnie’s face. ‘You’re lying.’
‘Why would I lie?’
‘To make me feel better.’ Her lips thinned. ‘Or to make me feel worse.’
‘It’s impressive,’ Marnie told her.
‘What?’
‘Your self-loathing. Your determination to be a monster. It’s impressive, but it’s getting on my nerves. You could be helping, if you weren’t so busy chasing after punishment.’
‘How could I help? You said you found them.’
‘I said we found Carmen and Thomas. Matt’s missing, and so is Clancy, who was living with the family. He’s fourteen years old. We don’t think he and Matt got on very well. We think it was Clancy who took the children and hid them, because he was scared of Matt. He saw a side of Matt that no one else saw. And it scared him.’
She stopped, holding Esther still with her stare. The woman’s eyes wouldn’t keep quiet. It was like trying to hold a boulder in one hand.
‘You can understand that, can’t you? How Matt might be frightening to a teenage boy. You were right when you said they looked alike. Matt said Clancy reminded him of himself at that age. Irresponsible. That’s the word he used. He was trying to teach Clancy to be less irresponsible. He’d made it a mission.’
Esther pressed her lips together, not speaking.
‘Every window in the house was nailed shut. Every one. Matt nai
led the windows shut and he ripped out the locks in all the doors inside the house. Even the bathroom door. There was nowhere in the house where anyone could be private, or alone.
‘You think you belong in a prison. Matt was living in one. He built one, to keep his new family safe. To make sure nothing terrible could happen to them. But it had already happened, hadn’t it? They weren’t living with Terry Doyle, they were living with Matt Reid.
‘I think Clancy saw Matt. I think he’s Matt’s mirror, the way you say Matt is yours. And Matt saw himself in Clancy. It scared the pair of them, to death.’
Esther said, ‘No.’
‘No?’ Marnie echoed. ‘No what? No, he didn’t build a prison? He didn’t rip out the locks and nail the windows shut? No, he wasn’t Matt when he was trying to be Terry? He wasn’t scared to death? No what?’
‘No, I can’t help you.’ Her voice was buried behind her teeth. ‘I can’t.’
‘You can tell me what you think Terry would do to a teenage boy who took his children and hid them.’
‘He’d kill him. I think … he’d kill him.’ She clenched her face. ‘It’s what he should’ve done to me.’
‘Murder’s not that easy,’ Marnie said. ‘Not for most people. You, for instance. You’d never have been capable of it if you hadn’t fallen sick.’
‘I …’
Marnie leaned closer to the woman. ‘You would never,’ she repeated, ‘have been capable of it if you hadn’t been sick.’
Esther shut her eyes. Her shoulders shook. ‘I want to tell him,’ she said. ‘Matt. I want to tell him about the boys. How it happened, what their last days were like …’
‘You said you didn’t remember.’
‘I don’t remember enough. But I can give him something. Not the nightmares. The stories I read to them, the games we played in the dark, how they laughed when I tickled them … the way they looked sleeping. Their courage. I want to give him that.’
‘You can,’ Marnie said. ‘You just have to help me find him.’