by Black, Helen
‘No comment,’ said Chloe.
‘Are you saying you did or you didn’t?’ Jack asked.
‘No comment.’
‘It’s a big thing to be accused of, Chloe,’ said Jack. ‘I’m sure you want to tell me what happened.’
‘No comment.’
Jack feigned confusion. ‘See, I can’t understand why anyone wouldn’t give their side and I don’t think a jury would be able to understand it either.’
Lilly coughed. ‘If a jury ever watch this tape, and it’s a big if, I’m sure they will be more than capable of understanding that I have advised Chloe not to answer these questions.’ Lilly jabbed her chest with her thumb. ‘My advice. If anyone wants further information I’ll be only too happy to attend court and explain it.’
Jack stroked a finger down his tie. Lilly clearly had him on the run.
‘So you didn’t kill Lydia?’ he asked Chloe.
‘No comment.’
‘And you didn’t carve the words “Help Us” into her skin?’
Chloe gave a small groan. ‘No comment.’
‘You had nothing to do with any of that?’
‘No comment.’
‘What about the knife?’ asked Jack. ‘The one we found in your room?’
‘No comment.’
‘We know it was the one used to cut Lydia because the forensic team found traces of her blood and skin on the blade,’ said Jack. ‘Are you saying you didn’t go near that knife?’
Suddenly, Lilly didn’t feel so certain.
‘No comment,’ said Chloe.
‘Are you saying you didn’t touch that knife?’
Shit. Lilly had been too busy focusing on the sexual abuse angle.
‘No comment,’ Chloe replied.
‘Because if you’re saying you didn’t touch that knife, I’m puzzled.’ Jack whirled a finger around the side of his right temple. ‘I’m puzzled because we found your fingerprints all over the handle.’
‘No …’ Chloe’s eyes filled with tears. ‘That wasn’t a question was it?’
Chapter Seven
Case number 45701
In Luton Family Proceedings Court
Re: The Talbot children: Gigi (16), Oliver (13), Robert (11), Phoebe (6), Arianne (5), Nathalia (2) and Mimi (1).
Report of the Children’s Guardian appointed by Luton Family Proceedings Court
My name is Patricia Lyons and I have been appointed Children’s Guardian in respect of the above named family.
I have been asked to report back to the court in respect of the local authority’s application for Care Orders for all seven Talbot children.
As part of my assessment I have read the Social Services files for and psychological reports of each child. I have also read the court transcript of the criminal proceedings against George Talbot, Sinead Talbot and Mary-Ann Yates. I have spoken at length with the children and their current foster carers. I have also had numerous discussions with the lead social worker in this case in respect of the Care Plans for each child.
I have also interviewed George Talbot and Mary-Ann Yates. The court will be aware that Sinead Talbot died days after she was sentenced at Luton Crown Court.
I should also say at this point, that this is an extremely difficult case; I have rarely come across children so badly and repeatedly abused over such a prolonged period of time.
Matters are further complicated by the number of children and the wide age gaps involved.
The view of the Local Authority is that all seven children should be made the subject of full Care Orders. Thereafter Mimi, Nathalia, Arianne and Phoebe should be freed for adoption. Robert and Oliver should be placed in a long-term foster placement, preferably together. Gigi will be seventeen next week and will thus no longer be the responsibility of the Local Authority. They have, however, confirmed that they will secure a package of support for her.
My main concern with the Care Plans as they stand is that the children will be split up. It is highly unlikely that the four youngest girls will be adopted as a sibling group and it may even prove impossible to keep Oliver and Robert together. For these children, who have suffered so much, this may prove the final straw for some of them. The girls in particular are extremely close and already look up to Gigi as their mother figure.
Since their release from the family home (which was to all intents and purposes their prison) they have lived together in a foster home. Whilst this has not been without problems, the children have derived some comfort from being together.
It has been said of course that some of the behaviours the children exhibit are exacerbated whilst they remain as a unit and a fresh start will free them of the temptation to repeat those behaviours. I cannot deny that this remains a concern. Patterns of behaviour have clearly been established by the children, especially the older ones, and these ingrained patterns are difficult to escape.
It has also been said that the children’s parentage means there is no necessity to keep them together. And it is true that DNA tests have shown that the Talbot children do not all share the same biological parentage. Gigi has George Talbot as a father and Sinead Talbot as a mother. Oliver and Robert both have George Talbot as their father and Mary-Ann Yates as their mother. Phoebe has George Talbot as her father but the mother is unknown. Arianne has Sinead Talbot as her mother but the father is unknown. Nathalia has Sinead Talbot as her mother but the father is unknown. Neither of Mimi’s parents are known.
We have tried unsuccessfully to discover the identity of the unknown parents. There are no matches on the police databases. George Talbot informed me that all the adults in the house had numerous sexual partners, many of whom they barely knew. Mary-Ann mentioned a man named John who regularly visited and had sex with her but was unable to give further details.
When questioned as to how Mimi had arrived into the Talbot household, George stated that Sinead had said she was hers. Whether she did tell George this, I cannot say.
What I can say is that the mixed parentage of the Talbot children is a red herring. The bond they feel is strong and real. The fact that they are not all biological siblings is immaterial to them.
However, having balanced all the evidence, I have come to the opinion that although it is a far from perfect ending for these children, it is better if at least some of them have the chance to find forever homes through adoption.
I cannot express strongly enough that any adoption must not be closed. These children must be given the opportunity to have contact with one another. Without this opportunity it is my opinion that the Care Plans will be likely to fail.
* * *
‘You lied to me,’ said Lilly.
Jack had left the interview room looking very pleased with himself. And he had every right to be smug, didn’t he?
‘I’m sorry.’ Fat tears ran down Chloe’s fat cheeks. ‘I didn’t know how to explain it.’
‘You said you had not touched that knife.’
‘It’s complicated,’ said Chloe.
Though she was bigger than was normal, or indeed healthy, she seemed tiny, slumped in her chair.
‘Try me,’ said Lilly.
‘It was Lydia’s knife.’ Chloe wiped her face with the heels of her hands. ‘She asked me to hide it for her.’
‘When?’
‘I don’t know.’
Lilly folded her arms, hoping she looked suitably unimpressed.
‘A few days before she was killed, maybe,’ said Chloe. ‘She couldn’t take it any more. She said she’d kill anyone who tried to touch her again.’
‘So why would she give it to you if she needed it to protect herself?’
‘Elaine kept doing spot checks on her room,’ said Chloe.
‘That’s true,’ Harry interjected. ‘She had about three in the week before she died. Nurse Foley was worried about her behaviour.’
‘But not your room?’ Lilly asked Chloe. ‘Your room didn’t get checked?’
‘Hardly ever.’ Chloe looked to Harry fo
r confirmation.
‘She’s been at the Grove so long,’ he said. ‘There’ve never been any problems.’ He placed a hand over Chloe’s. ‘The worst we might find is a hidden biscuit.’
It was a plausible story. Sort of. It would certainly account for Chloe’s fingerprints being all over the handle.
‘Did you tell anyone else about the knife?’ Lilly asked.
‘No.’
‘What about Lydia?’
‘No.’ Chloe sounded certain. ‘She wouldn’t.’
Lilly thought back to her meeting with Lydia. She had been an impulsive braggart, given to self-destruction. She glanced at Harry and his face said it all. It was highly likely that Lydia had told someone else about the knife.
‘Why didn’t you tell me any of this before?’ Lilly asked.
‘Because you wouldn’t have believed me,’ Chloe wailed. ‘No one ever believes me because they think I’m mad.’
Lilly’s reply caught in her throat. Chloe was right; no one ever believed her. Least of all Lilly.
In the custody area, Chloe leaned against the sergeant’s desk while Jack charged her with murder.
‘Do you have anything to say?’ he asked.
Chloe glanced at Lilly.
‘My client would like to confirm that she did touch the knife sometime before Lydia was killed,’ said Lilly.
‘Funny how she didn’t mention that before,’ he said.
‘Well I’m mentioning it on her behalf now,’ Lilly answered and turned to the sergeant. ‘Bail?’
‘Not a chance,’ he said.
‘Come on,’ said Lilly. ‘She lives in a mental hospital, she can hardly abscond.’
The sergeant shook his head and his careful comb-over began to separate. ‘I’m not going to make that call.’ He smoothed the greasy strands of hair back into place, putting Lilly in mind of Arthur Scargill. ‘Leave it to the court, first thing in the morning.’
Lilly sighed and put an arm around Chloe’s shoulders. ‘Sorry, love, you’ll have to stay here tonight.’
The look that crossed Chloe’s face was easy to recognize: relief.
* * *
When they reached the narrow lane, Lilly pointed to her cottage. ‘That’s me,’ she said.
‘How utterly charming,’ Harry replied and pulled over.
Lilly smiled. It did look chocolate-box perfect covered in snow, icicles hanging from the roof of the porch. Underneath was a less appealing assortment of cracked tiles and peeling paint.
‘Hungry?’ she asked.
‘Famished,’ Harry replied.
‘You’re welcome to stay for dinner,’ she said. ‘If you don’t have to rush back home.’
Harry smiled and slid out of the car. ‘I think the cat can manage without me.’
Once inside, they were greeted by a scarlet-faced David frantically rocking Alice who was howling like wolverine. Lilly took her from him and reached over to the dimmer switch; as the room darkened, Alice began to calm.
‘I think she’s part vampire,’ Lilly laughed.
When David had recovered himself he raised his eyebrows at Harry.
‘Oh, sorry,’ said Lilly. ‘This is Harry. He works at the hospital where my client was killed. Harry, this is David.’
Harry held out his hand and David quickly checked his own and wiped it down his jumper before taking it. Posh boy meets posh boy, thought Lilly.
‘Pleased to meet you,’ said Harry. ‘You must be Lilly’s husband.’
‘Ex-husband,’ said Lilly.
‘Ah,’ said Harry.
Lilly heard herself explaining the situation. ‘He’s staying here for a few days. While he sorts out somewhere to rent.’ Clearly, Harry’s opinion of her mattered.
David bobbed his head from side to side. ‘All a bit complicated.’
‘Not really, Dad.’ Sam mooched into the room holding a sandwich so big he needed to tilt his head to get purchase. ‘Your girlfriend kicked you out ’cos she thinks you’ve got a bit on the side.’
‘Thanks for that, Sam,’ said David.
Lilly fought back laughter and nudged her son with her hip. ‘Plate.’
Sam cupped his free hand under the hunk of bread as a makeshift crumb-catcher.
‘Is it like this in your house?’ Lilly asked Harry.
‘Sadly not,’ he replied.
She led Harry through to the kitchen, leaving Sam and David playing on the Wii. With Alice under one arm, she foraged in the fridge.
‘Can I help?’ Harry asked.
Lilly gestured towards a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon on the counter. ‘Why don’t you pour us both a glass?’
She pulled out chicken, yoghurt and a fat green chilli pepper from the fridge and plopped Alice in her high chair with an obligatory breadstick.
‘You don’t mind spice?’ she asked.
Harry pulled the cork from the wine bottle with a flourish. ‘The hotter, the better.’
‘Do you want a glass of vino, David?’ she called into the sitting room.
David let out a grunt Venus Williams would have been proud of. Sam was no doubt thrashing him at virtual tennis. Honestly, it was impossible to say which one of them was the more mature.
‘In a sec,’ he shouted back.
Lilly pulled out the coffee grinder and threw in ginger, shallots, coriander, cumin and half the chilli. Then she whizzed it all to a paste. When she removed the lid, the air filled with the smells of South East Asia.
Harry handed her a glass of wine and took a sip of his own. ‘Just what the doctor ordered.’ He grinned. ‘After a day like today I think we deserve it.’
‘Abso-bloody-lutely,’ said Lilly and took a huge glug.
She scraped the aromatic paste into a hot frying pan and began chopping the chicken. The knife needed sharpening and it took some effort to cut the whole way through the raw flesh. She banished all thoughts of Lydia’s injuries from her mind.
‘I’m going to say this now, while I’m still sober and you don’t think it’s the alcohol talking,’ said Harry. ‘You were fabulous today at the police station. The way you handled the interview was better than watching the telly.’
Lilly pushed the meat into the hot spice mixture and stirred. ‘It wasn’t entirely successful, was it?’
‘Not your fault,’ he said.
Lilly supposed he was right, but it didn’t make her feel any better about what had happened.
‘What about tomorrow?’ he asked.
‘The Magistrates’ Court has no jurisdiction over murder cases so it will be transferred to the Crown Court.’ The chicken had browned nicely so she opened a can of coconut milk and poured it in. The sweet, oily scent was heaven. ‘The most important thing for us tomorrow is the question of bail.’
‘Will Chloe get it?’
‘She’s got a pretty good chance.’ Remembering cardamom, Lilly tossed two pods onto the chopping board and reached for a potato masher. ‘If you can give me as many details as possible about security at the Grove, how few patients have managed to escape and what have you.’
She smacked the pods with the masher and Alice screamed. Harry leaned over and cupped his hands over her ears. Lilly gave another whack but this time Alice only whimpered.
‘She has your eyes,’ said Harry.
‘And her temper.’ David strolled in and poured himself a glass of wine. ‘Something smells good.’
‘Malay curry,’ Lilly told him.
David patted his stomach. ‘If I stay here any longer I’ll be the size of a house.’
‘You know where the door is,’ Lilly replied.
An hour later, everyone had had at least two platefuls of curry and rice and Sam and David sloped off for a round of virtual golf.
‘They shouldn’t leave you with the mess,’ said Harry, collecting up the plates and scraping the almost non-existent leftovers into the bin.
‘I’m just glad to see them getting on so well,’ said Lilly. ‘There was a time when his dad was so caught up in his new
relationship Sam hardly got a look in. I think David’s learned his lesson.’
‘I’m impressed with how healthy things are between you and David,’ he said.
‘Healthy?’ Lilly began filling the dishwasher. ‘Bonkers more like.’
Harry slid a plate into the same rack as Lilly and their fingers brushed. ‘If you saw how I got on with my ex-wives, you’d know the real definition of bonkers.’
‘Not good?’
Harry laughed. ‘To put it mildly. Then again we didn’t have any kids to bind us together. Having Sam and Alice must be a huge driver for harmony to reign.’
Lilly was about to tell him that Alice wasn’t David’s, but stopped herself. He might ask who Alice’s dad was and then what would she say? Oh, you know that nice copper you met earlier … she settled for a smile and diversion.
‘Something that has occurred to me about Chloe is that even if I do get bail for her, she won’t want to go back to the Grove,’ she said. ‘Given what she’s told us, we couldn’t put her at risk, could we?’
Harry nodded. ‘I’ve been thinking about that too. I could put in place a closed facility.’
Lilly shrugged to show she had no idea what that was.
‘Nice word for keeping her locked up,’ he said. ‘She would be moved to a secure room, accessed only by a code. I would ensure that only an extremely small and select group had the code. Staff who I would trust with my life.’
‘Sounds like it could work,’ said Lilly.
‘We tend only to use it for dangerous patients, but there’s no reason I can’t implement it for Chloe if she agrees.’
‘Twenty-four bang up,’ said Lilly. ‘Not much different from prison.’
‘Oh, I won’t keep her a prisoner,’ he said. ‘If she wants to attend therapy sessions or eat in the dining room or just hang out with her friends, I’ll personally supervise her.’
‘Isn’t that a huge commitment?’
Harry nodded gravely. ‘Frankly, Lilly, I’ve already let Lydia and Chloe down so badly that right now nothing is too much trouble.’
I watch Jack slurp a bowl of tomato soup, blowing on each spoonful before gulping it down with undisguised relish. He loves the stuff.