In the bathroom, I splashed my face with cold water and brushed my teeth with a spare toothbrush Claudia had left out for me. The growling in my stomach was almost painful, so I padded downstairs to the kitchen. In the fridge, I found a plastic container filled with sliced ham, and before I knew it, I’d devoured the lot. I almost cried when I noticed the empty container and guiltily washed it up, hoping Claudia wouldn’t notice.
I downed a glass of water and grabbed a packet of crisps from a cupboard before scurrying back up to my bedroom. But even when I’d eaten the chips, the gnawing emptiness remained.
The single bed was the comfiest I’d ever slept in, although the bed frame clanged every time I moved. Thankfully, I managed to get a good night's sleep.
The next morning, Donna came around as promised.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea, Detective,” Claudia said. “I’m presuming the house is still in a mess.” She raised her eyebrows, nodding at me, clearly meaning Kenny’s blood.
I rolled my eyes. Claudia wasn’t the most tactful of people, but her heart was in the right place.
“I promise you, I’ll take her straight up the stairs into her room. We’ll be back before you know it.”
Claudia stomped from the room, stony faced.
“I need to have a word with you about something else,” Donna said to me when we were alone.
“What about?”
“Veronica and Valerie Simms. Kenny’s sisters.”
“Ah.” I nodded in acknowledgment. I’d heard all about them over the years, but I’d never actually met them. Kenny didn’t have a lot of time for them.
“They’ve claimed their brother’s body, but I get the impression they’re only interested in how much money they’ll be entitled to. Maggie, did your mum leave a will, do you know?”
I shrugged. “Doubt it. Why?”
“I’m pretty sure the law states you cannot be the beneficiary of a will of somebody you killed. Did you know that?”
I shrugged again. “I didn’t, but I don’t want anything of his anyway. What about my mum’s stuff, though? Can I have that?”
“It’s not up to me, I’m afraid. You need to talk to your solicitor to see what your rights are. I just wanted to warn you they were sniffing around.”
“Are they angry with me? What if they come here?”
“I didn’t get that impression. Plus, they don’t know where you are. If they do turn up and you feel threatened, call 999. I’ll tag your number as high priority.” She got to her feet. “Right, are you sure you’re up to this?”
I nodded, standing up.
Claudia came out of the kitchen when she saw us in the hall. “I’d rather you tell me what you want, and I can go instead.”
“Thanks, Claudia. But I’ll be fine.”
She rubbed my arm.
“I’ll be fine.” I smiled. “Honestly, I’ll just grab a few bits, and I’ll be back out.”
She walked us to the front door, wringing a tea towel in her hands.
I kept a smile of bravado on my face until she was out of view, but my stomach clenched as I stepped into my childhood home. Echoes of the past made me gasp as thousands of wonderful memories of my mother flashed through my mind, all rolled into one. There had been a lot of laughter. Even though Kenny had made her miserable towards the end, things hadn’t always been that way.
I turned to Donna and shook my head. “Don’t know if I can do this.”
Donna nodded. “Tell me what you want, and I’ll get them for you.”
I shrugged. “I don’t even know what I want. Just a few clothes.”
“Okay, I’ll grab what I can. Hang on there.”
I backed up along the hallway and leaned against the front door. It no longer felt like home. It was cold. Like the heart of the house had died along with my mum. The gnawing emptiness in my stomach returned, and I was unsure if I wanted to eat or vomit.
“Okay, I emptied your chest of drawers into this bag I found in the wardrobe,” Donna said, trudging down the stairs carrying a dark blue holdall in front of her. “Are you okay?”
I nodded. “What will happen with this place now?”
Donna’s eyebrows crinkled as she looked at me with pity. “You can’t benefit from his death, you do understand that, don’t you?”
“Yeah, you told me. But what will happen to it?”
“If your stepdad made a will, his belongings will be divvied up between the benefactors, I’m guessing.”
“So, not only will Kenny’s nasty sisters inherit my mum’s house, but they’ll get all her things too?”
Donna shrugged. “It’s nothing to do with me, I’m sorry. You’ll need to ask Matt.”
I took the holdall from her and threw the straps over my shoulder. “Thanks for this.” I managed a smile.
We headed back next door.
Donna left soon after, and I went up to my room to call the solicitor.
“Hi, Matt. It’s Maggie Simms.”
“Hello, Maggie. I was just about to call you.”
“Really? What about?”
“I’ll need to go through your statement and get everything clear in my mind. Do you want to come into my office, or shall I meet you somewhere?”
“I’ll come to you, if that’s okay?”
“Perfect. Shall we make it for, say…one p.m.?”
Yes. That’s fine – where are you?”
“Mercury Lane in the city. We’re on the third floor of the huge green building opposite the gym.”
I nodded. “Great, see you then.”
Now, all I needed to do was arrange to actually get there.
Claudia insisted on driving me, saying she needed to do some shopping anyway, but I knew she was pretending. I did appreciate all her help, although I was under no illusion things couldn’t stay this way for long. I had no choice but to find a job – and soon.
6
Claudia dropped me off at the front doors, and I followed the signs for Wells and Butterworth on the third floor. I gave my name to the receptionist and took a seat on a plush brown sofa while I waited. Matt Pierson appeared a few minutes later and shook my hand enthusiastically before leading the way to his small, tastefully furnished office.
“Okay, Maggie. How are you feeling today?”
I nodded. “Fine, I suppose.”
He folded his hands in front of him on the desk. “I guess you saw last night’s Manchester Evening News?”
“Yeah. Claudia tried to hide it from me, but I insisted she let me read it. She treats me like a kid, but I’m nearly seventeen, you know.”
“I’m sure she was just trying to protect you. So, how did it feel, reading all the things they’re saying about your stepfather?”
I shrugged. “I expected it. Those people didn’t know what he was really like. He had a lot of fake friends.”
“Fake friends?” Matt tilted his head as though confused.
“Yeah. You know, the type who pretend to be your best mate, but only when they want something. Kenny was an accountant and would always help these people out with their tax returns and stuff. To them, he was a great bloke.”
“I see. Chances are a lot of these so-called mates will probably speak up for him in court. And although, in my opinion, this case is cut and dried, witnesses of their calibre will have a lot of clout.”
“You mean the judge will believe them?”
“There’s no way of knowing. That’s why we need to have all our i’s dotted and t’s crossed, just in case.”
“I wanted to ask you something. How can I pay Claudia for having me? How am I supposed to support myself? I don’t have a job. I’m still in school, officially.”
“I’m sure Social Services will be in touch with Mrs Green. She’ll be able to claim a benefit for having you stay with her.”
“She won’t want to be lumbered with me forever, though.”
“Did she say that?”
“No. But it’s obvious, isn’t it? You wouldn’t wa
nt a sixteen-year-old rocking up to your doorstep and staying forever, would you?”
“Depends on who it was. Mrs Green was close to your mother, by all accounts.”
“That doesn’t mean she wants to be responsible for me.”
“No, I know that, but I think you need to give her the chance to make up her own mind.”
“The detective told me I wasn’t able to claim any of my mother’s things because I killed Kenny.”
“Yes. The law is in place to stop people getting tired of waiting for their inheritance and bumping off their benefactors. But it’s not very helpful in a case like this, I’m afraid. Who’s your mother’s solicitor? Do you know?”
I shook my head. “All I want are a few of my mum’s things – they’ll mean nothing to anybody else.”
“I’ll make a few calls – find out some more details. But I think you need to prepare yourself for bad news, I’m afraid.”
I nodded and looked down at my hands, a twisted mass of fingers, on my lap.
Matt opened up a file on his desk and asked me things about my family. I told him all I’d told Donna, in detail, and he wrote it all down.
“Was your mum aware of what he was doing to you, Maggie?”
I gasped and whipped my head up to stare at him, trying to steady my raging heartbeat. “No. Why would she? She was dead.”
Matt lifted his eyes to mine and placed his pen on top of the file. “Maggie. I need you to trust me. Do you think you can do that?”
I gulped, and tears pricked at my eyes. I couldn’t bear the thought of the world finding out my dear mother knew what the rotten bastard had been doing to me. I’d take that part to the grave. And besides, I only had Kenny’s nasty insinuations to go on. They were probably lies. But I needed to tell Matt something. He knew I was keeping something from him, and would just continue to hound me if I didn’t tell him more.
I shook my head, poking my fingers at the corners of my eyes. “She didn’t know anything. I kept it from her.”
“But it had happened before?”
I nodded.
“When did it begin?”
I opened my mouth to speak, but instead, deep sobs escaped me, and I doubled over and allowed myself to cry. I was just sixteen, my mum had died, and I’d been charged with killing my stepfather. I had no money and no family and no prospects, so the tears didn’t need much coaxing.
After a few minutes, I fought to get myself under control. I wiped my eyes and my nose on the sleeve of my jacket and nodded. “It started around four months ago, after Mum became sick.”
Matt got to his feet and came to my side, handing me a wad of tissues. “It’s okay, Maggie. It’s okay.” He rubbed my shoulder gently. “Kenny was a despicable human being for preying on an innocent child.”
“But I’m not a child. Not according to the law. I’m sixteen, and therefore legally allowed to have sex.”
“But you didn’t have sex, did you? He raped you. That’s illegal, no matter what your age.”
“He said I egged him on. That it was all my fault.”
“Listen, Maggie. That’s what all rapists tell their victims. They try to justify their actions, minimise the severity of the attacks. They’ll try to make you believe the way the victim may have dressed or behaved was to blame.”
“That’s what he said to me. I knew everyone would believe him – he was good old Kenny, after all.”
“So, what made you…?”
“What made me kill him?” I sobbed. “Because it was never gonna end. I let him use me when Mum was alive to stop him from hurting her. But when she was gone, I didn't have to do it anymore. But instead of him finding himself a new wife or girlfriend, he said we could be together properly. He even wanted me to do it in her bed. And he was rough, too. Really rough.”
“It was clear he raped you in your bedroom, but how did you end up in the kitchen?”
“I managed to get out of bed when he fell asleep. I needed my inhaler. I’m asthmatic, you see. The next thing I knew, he was behind me, in the kitchen. Ready for round two. I was terrified. I opened the drawer and grabbed the first knife I could find.”
Matt noisily sucked in air over his teeth. “So, you could see no way out?”
“No. None.” I retrieved my inhaler from my pocket and took two deep pulls on it.
“Is that better?”
I nodded. “For now.”
Matt was seething as he listened to Maggie’s heart-wrenching confession. But he wasn’t surprised. This kind of thing was becoming more common nowadays. He’d done some research into Kenneth Simms, and he was, by all accounts, a stand up, likeable guy. The write-up in the paper had several prominent businessmen singing his praises and condemning Maggie for what she’d done. But the bastard deserved everything he got, in Matt’s opinion.
“I think you’re extremely brave, you know? And I promise to do all I can for you.”
“But I can’t pay you. I’ve got nothing.”
“Don’t worry about that for now. I’ll do all I can on legal aid, and if it won’t cover it, I’ll speak to my bosses. We do several pro-bono cases a year.”
“I don’t know what that means?”
“It means non-profit. I would represent you for free.”
When Maggie had left, Matt made a list of people to visit. The closest person to the family as far as he could tell was Mrs Green. Then, there were Maggie’s schoolteachers. He wanted to see if they could shed any light, or if they’d suspected anything was going on. He knew they needed to balance the scales – several well thought of teachers standing up for Maggie wouldn’t hurt her case.
7
A few days later, I was surprised to receive a call from Matt.
“Hi, Maggie. Are you home?” He sounded really happy.
I looked up at Claudia, who was sitting across from me, sewing, and I nodded. I still couldn’t get used to calling the house next door to mine ‘home.’ “Yes. Why?”
“I can’t tell you over the phone. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
“That’s odd,” I said, placing the phone on the coffee table between us.
“What is?”
“Matt, my solicitor, is on his way over. He sounded like he was going to burst with excitement.”
“Let’s hope the charges against you have been dropped. It’s a bloody outrage.”
Claudia had been fuming since I told her everything on the way home a few days earlier. I figured it would all be out in the open soon enough anyway and needed to give her the option to ask me to leave beforehand. I needn’t have worried. In fact, she’d been more supportive than I’d expected and was livid Kenny had gotten away with everything for so long.
We heard a car pull up in the street. A familiar tightness took over my chest. I reached in my pocket for my inhaler and sucked on it.
“It’ll be all right, duck. Don’t get yourself all wound up.” Claudia folded the tablecloth she was embroidering and got to her feet. She straightened her pale blue dress and headed to the front door.
Matt was alone, and he still had the air of someone who might burst a blood vessel if he didn’t blurt out what he had to say. He sat beside me on the sofa.
“Do you want me to…?” Claudia pointed at the kitchen.
“It’s up to Maggie.”
They both looked at me. “No, don’t be silly. I’ve got nothing to hide.”
Claudia smiled and returned to her seat.
“I’ve got some fantastic news, Maggie.”
“Okay.” I was feeling light-headed and held onto the seat cushion to steady myself.
“I checked into your stepfather’s estate, and it seems all his belongings will go to his sisters.”
“Yes. I guessed that.”
“So, I checked into your mother’s will, hoping she would have left you something specific.”
Bubbles of excitement began in the pit of my stomach, and I shuffled in my seat, hardly able to contain myself.
“I discovered y
ou were left all her personal belongings to do with as you wish.”
My heartbeat thudded. “Really?”
He nodded. His eyes sparkling.
“So, the law won’t prevent me from inheriting off her?”
“No. Your mother had already passed, and she’d made this will years ago.”
“I never thought she’d have done a will.”
“But there’s more.” He grinned.
“Really?” I shook my head, hardly able to take it all in.
“It seems your grandparents left the house and twenty thousand pounds in your name when they died fifteen years ago.”
“I…I don’t understand.” I looked at Claudia, who was staring at us both, her mouth open.
“The house never belonged to your stepfather. It never even belonged to your mum.”
I couldn’t believe it. “Why didn’t she tell me?”
“Who knows? Maybe she was waiting until you came of age.”
“And I have some money too?”
“Yes. But it’s in a trust until you reach your twentieth birthday, although, if you needed to, you could ask the trustees to release some of the funds for certain items in the meantime.”
“I can’t believe it.” I shook my head.
“I think it’s a marvellous result,” Claudia said. “We just need you to play a blinder and get these charges dropped now, young man.”
“Believe me, Mrs Green, I’m doing all I can. But in the meantime, I could murder a cup of tea.”
Claudia chuckled and got to her feet. “Your wish is my command.”
I was still in shock. So, I wasn’t homeless or penniless after all. Had Mum even told Kenny he wouldn’t inherit everything? I doubted it, as he’d definitely have had something to say. Maybe I could continue my education after all. Claudia had already made an appointment with somebody to apply for some money. She said she didn’t mind me staying as long as I wanted, but maybe that would all change now she knew I wasn’t as badly off as we’d all thought.
The next day, while helping Claudia transfer groceries from the car, a blue four by four pulled up. I ignored it, grabbed several bags, and followed Claudia inside. It was when Claudia went back out for the last of the bags that I heard raised voices.
Maggie: a gripping psychological thriller Page 4