by Peter Martin
‘I told you this wouldn’t get you anywhere – so what’s the point of causing us all this distress,’ Bob shouted.
But the Chief Inspector took no notice and said instead, ‘Right, I’d like to speak to you both. Firstly, I’m sorry for the disruption we’ve caused you, but everything we’ve done this afternoon was necessary, acting on information received.’
‘Oh come on, talk sense, will you? We’re innocent – and that’s been proven. How dare you persecute us like this - you should be out looking for our son, and the person who took him. Well whatever information you have isn’t reliable. It’s preposterous. Who are these witnesses and what is this video?’
Leaning forward, obviously not impressed the Chief Inspector said, ‘That, I’m not at liberty to divulge. Now like I said, there are certain things I need to discuss with you. How well did you get on with your son, sir?’
‘Very well. As we’ve always said he wasn’t the perfect son, but for ninety-nine per cent of the time we never had any trouble with him. He was happy, well adjusted, with lots of friends and interests. And until recently was doing well at school. Look at his reports and you’ll see what we mean.’
‘I see. Mrs Shepherd, would you agree with everything your husband has said?’
‘Yes of course. We love him and can’t understand why he’s gone missing. That’s why we thought he’d been abducted. But where has this stupid video come from? Who would do this to us? I’m at my wit’s end.’
‘Perhaps he wasn’t the perfect son you’d have us believe. Several witnesses recall many rows you had with him on a regular basis. Raised voices were heard, and loud bangs. How do you explain that?’
‘They’re lies, all lies. We never had any rows with him. Whoever’s making these allegations is lying,’ Maria said looking up through tearful eyes.
‘Are you going to tell us who’s been making these accusations?’
‘I’m afraid not, but as it’s more than one person saying the same thing, it looks feasible – don’t you think?’
‘It isn’t the truth! If it was, you’d have found something?’ Maria screamed at the man.
To which Bob added, ‘Do you have any idea what we’re going through? This is everyone’s worst nightmare – and yet here you are with your false accusations based purely on hearsay and an obscure video. What sort of people do you think we are?’
‘You say you had a good relationship with your son and knew everything about him. Well, if that’s true, do you expect us to believe you knew nothing about him playing truant? You’ve got to admit it’s hard to swallow.’
‘We didn’t. We knew nothing about it– or about those forged sick notes?’
‘Then you did everything you could to control him, didn’t you? But you couldn’t. And had a huge row which must have played a part in your son’s disappearance. Come on Mr Shepherd, why not make it easier on yourself and come clean?’ The police officer suggested.
‘I don’t think so. We’re not going to admit to something we didn’t do!’ Bob insisted watching Maria shaking her head in denial.
‘Someone tipped you off, didn’t they? That’s why we couldn’t find the body. So what have you done with the body, Mr Shepherd? Where did you move it to?’
‘No, no, no,’ Maria shouted.
Bob vigorously shook his head. He squeezed his fist together, finding it so difficult not to punch the policeman in the face.
‘We’ll find out – forensics are going over this place meticulously and the garden too. We’ll get to the bottom of this – it’s only a matter of time. Why not tell us the truth and save yourself a lot of hassle?’
‘We are telling you the truth. Why won’t you believe us?’ Bob held out the palms of his hands to the policeman in desperation.
‘Come on, just admit it and tell us where the body is. A confession will make the judge go a little easier on you – you’ll get a lighter sentence.’
‘Neither of us will confess to a fairy story concocted by you guys,’ Bob said. ‘And now if you’re finished, before you leave, I’d be grateful if you’d put everything back as you found it.’
‘We will put it right, but first you are to accompany us to the station to help us with our enquiries. Perhaps you’d like to get your coats.’
‘You can’t do this, it’s not right,’ Maria shouted.
‘Oh yes we can. You’re not being charged with anything; not yet anyway, we just want to question you.’
Reluctantly realising he had to comply with the police’s wishes, Bob got his overcoat, and Maria’s warm green coat. They were driven to Dexford police station, where they were ushered to separate interview rooms. Bob wasn’t comfortable and feared Maria would go to pieces. So to get them out of police custody he phoned his solicitor, only to find that the police were allowed to question a suspect for a period of twenty-four hours, after which they must either charge or release the suspect. That made Bob breathe easier, but twenty-four hours seemed like forever to him.
Maria had been shaking like a jelly ever since her separation from Bob. They took her to an interview room that contained a table and two chairs, and in the far corner a television and video. She was given a cup of tea and left with one police officer standing guard by the door. The tension in the room seemed oppressive, and she was beside herself. After what seemed like an eternity the door opened, and in walked Gail.
‘Hallo Mrs Shepherd, Maria,’ Gail said smiling, before coming to sit opposite her. ‘I’m sorry about what’s happened – I expect it’s the last thing you want or need.’
‘When do I get out of here?’ Maria had trusted her, but now a sense of foreboding hung in the air.
‘Soon, but first we have to go through a few formalities for our records.’
‘For God’s sake - whatever for? Don’t tell me you think we murdered our own son. I can’t understand what’s got into all of you.’
Evading the question Gail said, ‘We need you to write down exactly what happened on the day Tim went missing. Can do that for me Maria?’
‘I suppose, but I can’t see why, since we’ve already told you and made a statement.’
‘I want you to do it again from the time you got up until the point when you phoned us to report he was missing. It needs to be a chronological account of what happened – all right?’ Gail then handed her an A4 writing pad and a pen and continued in a condescending tone of voice saying, ‘There’s nothing for you to worry about I’m sure.’
Maria nodded, realising she had no choice. And set about writing her account of what happened on that fateful day.
For the best part of two hours, in fact until her hand ached, Maria wrote. Having completed this, she signed it and handed it over to Gail.
‘Thank you. I’m glad that’s out of the way. Now we can get down to the rest – all right?’
Maria nodded nervously.
‘Right, first I’d like to show you the video taken of your back garden on the night Tim was reported missing. As you will soon see, a tall dark haired man is digging a large hole and then put’s what looks like a body into it.’
Maria started to tremble at the very thought of what she was about to see. She was outraged that Gail could consider either her or Bob were caught up in this.
The police officer at the door then pushed the trolley containing the television and video player in front of them and slotted the video into the machine and pressed play.
At first the screen was a little fuzzy, but as the tape ran on it became clearer, and did indeed show a back garden much like their own. There was a large lawn bordered by conifer trees, to the side was a patch of soil planted with flowers and what looked like fruit bushes. And it was in this area where a hooded figure appeared in the picture, wearing a coat not dissimilar to one Bob owned. The figure was carrying a spade and just before he reached the area of soil under the conifers he stopped and looked around. Then he began digging a hole.
Maria watched with fascination. She guessed it had been
filmed at dusk and she couldn’t quite make out who it was. From a distance, she had to admit, it looked like Bob, but she knew emphatically it wasn’t him. Then a smaller person, a woman, maybe, came into view. She had shoulder length hair and wore a long coat, funnily enough like the one she was wearing at the moment. They were obviously discussing something and then the tall figure slammed the spade into the ground and moved away. Within a minute or so he returned carrying what seemed a weighty bundle wrapped in a blanket. After looking around he placed what he was carrying into the hole and began pushing the loose soil over it. Finally they both started to smooth the ground down. Then the video came to an abrupt end.
Maria was stunned. ‘Who took that?’
‘Sorry Maria, but we can’t tell you that.’
‘It doesn’t prove anything,’ Maria insisted. ‘You can’t even be sure who it is; it’s too obscure to see properly. This whole thing is farcical. It’s a setup, pure and simple. Someone with a sick sense of humour.’
‘We’ve blown up a few of the images as best we can, and they do look like both of you,’ Gail said.
‘Come on, that’s ridiculous. How can you believe that? We’d never kill the son we love more than life itself – and this all on the evidence of one shoddy video. And now on the basis of that you’re accusing us of murder.’ By this point Maria was screaming.
‘It’s more than the video; we have two independent witnesses as well. We have all we need to charge you – I’m afraid, Maria.’
‘No, no this is madness. Without anything concrete you can’t do a thing. What are you trying to do to us?’
‘All we want is the truth, and I believe you can help us get it. We know there were loud noises and shouting heard before your son had been reported missing. I’m suggesting to you, that you and your husband accidentally killed your son after a massive row –’
‘We didn’t have a row!’
‘I realise how difficult this is for you but if you tell us what really happened, and where you’ve hidden the body, it’ll be so much easier for you at the trial. With good behaviour you might be out of prison for as long as you think. That might seem forever, but consider the alternative – life with no chance of parole. But the choice is yours.’
Maria closed her eyes, screwed her eyelids together, but tears still managed to get through. Unable to believe how Gail and the others had turned against them without a shred of conclusive evidence. She broke down and wailed, and this time Bob wasn’t there to console her.
Chapter 9
Bob sat in a similar room to his wife, guessing his interview had gone along much the same lines as hers. First he wrote a statement detailing the events of that terrible day when Tim hadn’t returned home.
Next they showed him a video, of them supposedly digging a hole and burying something. As he observed the actions of the hooded figure on the screen, he sniggered at the absurdity of the situation he was in. But, Andrew who was conducting the interview failed to see the funny side.
‘This is no laughing matter Bob. We’re talking about someone’s life here, namely your son’s, whether it was an accident or not.’
‘As a matter of fact I don’t find it funny at all! It’s just the idea that you take this video seriously is preposterous. What kind of people do you think we are? We’re a respectable family, never been in any trouble before, and neither has Tim. And yet you accuse us. You deal with the scum of the earth in your job, don’t you? Can’t you tell the difference?’ Bob paused for breath. His heartbeat quickened, but he went on, ‘Ok the garden looks a little like ours and the man and woman are wearing similar clothes, but that doesn’t mean it is us; even when you blow up the pictures it’s still impossible to recognise who the people are. Some obnoxious person is trying to cause us more grief and how you guys can be taken in so easily, is beyond me.’ He shook his head as if to emphasise his point.
‘We know it’s you and Maria, Bob. We’ve got two separate witnesses, who heard you arguing with your son, and noises that sounded like you were having a fight with him the night you reported him missing. That’s conclusive – wouldn’t you say?’
‘No, I bloody well wouldn’t. All you have is a dodgy video and two unreliable witnesses who’re lying through their teeth. So where’s your proof?’
‘We are bringing in experts to go through the video frame by frame which will enable us to categorically pinpoint who the persons are in the film. You could however, own up to what really happened.’
‘Well I take it you can’t charge us with anything at the moment. And for that matter you’ll never be able to – because we didn’t do anything. You’ll never get a confession - our son disappeared as we’ve already stated.’
Andrew gritted his teeth, Bob felt he’d got the upper hand and was determined not to make this interview easy for the policeman. He hoped Maria could stand up to the treatment she would be getting in the other interview room.
Then Andrew said, ‘Look, I know what it’s like to be the parent of a difficult teenager. It can be hell – I’ve got two of my own. Tell us what it was like for you, what he did and how you flipped? I realise it’s hard, but I promise you’ll feel better for it. Get it off your chest, once and for all. Do it to free yourself of the guilt.’
‘Go to hell! Say what you like, but unless you produce some evidence like a body, heaven forbid, it means nothing. Either charge us or let us go.’
There was a knock at the door and in strode Gail. She leaned over and whispered something in Andrew’s ear, to which he nodded, before she left the room.
Slowly looking up, with a smug look on his face, Andrew said. ‘Your wife has just confessed.’
‘You’re lying, trying to get me to admit to something we didn’t do, and all because you incompetent bastards aren’t getting anywhere and you’re desperate to pin this on someone – and anyone will do. I don’t believe my wife would admit to doing something she hasn’t done. You’re pushing hard, but it won’t work.’
‘Have it your own way – you want Maria to take this all by herself. As I’ve already said, I could charge you here and now, but it would be better if you came clean yourself.’
‘Oh, don’t you have all the information you need from Maria, seeing as she’s freely told you everything?’
‘She says you wouldn’t say where you buried him, only that you took the body somewhere in the boot of your car. So, it’s over to you.’
This was getting beyond a joke – that’s why he couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation.
‘This is your own son, for God’s sake. Why do you find it so amusing? You ought to be showing some remorse.’
He looked at the policeman with contempt and in a determined voice Bob said, ‘I’m sure Tim is out there somewhere alive and well – and if he is dead it’s not at my hands or his mother’s.’
Andrew glared again at Bob, willing him to look away, but he didn’t.
Finally the PC said, ‘This interview is now at an end. I want you to take stock of what’s been said, weigh up your options, and if you wish to speak to me, just tell my colleague here.’ He nodded to the other PC in the room, turned and left without another word. Bob shrugged, he’d originally considered both Andrew and Gail as friends, but now the tables had turned and they were firing accusations at both of them. He had to hold his nerve and get through this, after all even if they charged him, it would be thrown out of court through lack of evidence.
And as for this supposed confession, he couldn’t see Maria owning up to something she hadn’t done, but then perhaps it was just a ploy on their part to get him to admit he’d committed a crime.
The time passed slowly, it was late, he was getting tired, and the police officer at the door was fighting off boredom by yawning.
‘How much longer do I have to stay here?’
‘No idea sir. I’m only here until somebody takes me off in two hours’ time.’
‘Well, they can’t keep me here indefinitely. I hav
e my rights the same as anyone else.’
‘I agree, but that’s up to the gaffer mate, not me.’
Bob sighed, but said nothing – content to let them make the next move.
Sometime later the interview door opened and in strode both Gail and Andrew. They sat down in front of him, both of them staring at him.
‘Right,’ Andrew said. ‘Had any more thoughts about your son?’
‘I haven’t stopped thinking about him since the day he went missing.’
‘You mean since the day of the disagreement?’
‘I mean we didn’t have a disagreement and I haven’t killed my son, and I don’t imagine Maria has confessed to you either. But do what you like, eventually you’ll have to let us go.’
‘All right – lock him up for the night. Let’s see how he feels after a night in a police cell!’ Gail banged her fist down on the table. Meant to startle Bob, but he just frowned. One night in a police cell would never make him admit to something he hadn’t done.
‘Ok, take him away,’ Gail ordered, waving her hand towards Andrew and the other police officer. Bob was taken down to the row of police cells at the end of the corridor. Andrew unlocked the door, allowing Bob to go into the sparse cold room of his own accord.
‘Give us a shout when you want to talk. We’ll be only too pleased to listen to your confession,’ Andrew grinned before clanging the door shut.
Bob kicked the door hard with his foot, trying to rid himself of all that pent up frustration. He sat down then, and head in hands, wondering how Maria was bearing up. He guessed not well. They should have allowed them to be together. To split them up was a ruse by the police to break the couple’s spirit. Bob felt betrayed by everyone except for his immediate family. Why were the police still persisting with this line of enquiry? He’d never admit to anything that wasn’t true, and he prayed Maria had the same determination.
Maria couldn’t remember feeling so depressed. To have her son disappear was her worst nightmare, but to be accused of murdering him by the same police officers enlisted to find him, was too much to take. They’d tried to make her confess, but she shook her head and said nothing. Only the thought of Tim being out there somewhere, and needing her, kept her sane.