by K Leitch
It was a wretched and bedraggled lot that staggered out of the woods a while later. The armed police team had arrived and had taken care of Rebecca, along with an ambulance and a couple of nurses from the home who had come to make sure that Agnes got home safely.
Carla, barely conscious, her whole body shaking violently, was attached to an oxygen mask and loaded up onto an ambulance. She had hardly said a word, just gripping onto Frank’s hand and staring about her, wild eyed, so terrifying had her ordeal been. Frank, who was only marginally less traumatised, was examined by the paramedics as well but had waved away their offer to take him to hospital for a check up. Instead he made his way back to his car, he needed to get back to the station and see to the arrests of Rebecca and John Sheenan and let DCI Tavener, the new chief, know what had happened.
‘Oh shit, David Wiseman is back at the bloody station as well,’ he thought. What with all the drama of this evening Frank had completely forgotten that he had arrested him earlier in the day and he still needed to interview the man.
‘Fuck it,’ Frank thought wearily, ‘he’ll just have to wait till the morning.’ He looked down at his hands which were caked in mud, as was his face which, only now was beginning to ache like mad. The events of the last few hours felt almost surreal, Carla left for dead in a shallow grave, the desperate race through the woods, the frantic digging to get her out, the relief when she finally drew in a breath….Frank leaned his head back against the headrest of his car and let his tears flow… ‘Oh thank God,’ he thought, ‘thank God.’
Carla was taken to a hospital in Sevenoaks where she was cleaned up and X-rayed, she had a CT scan to make sure that the blow to her head hadn’t caused any permanent damage, and was then given something to help her sleep.
James had arrived shortly after the ambulance, Frank having phoned him from the car, and was able to sit with her until she fell asleep.
‘There doesn’t appear to be any permanent physical damage,’ the young lady doctor told him. ‘We will need to keep an eye on the wound to her head of course and she is obviously in shock. She needs to be kept quiet for a day or two and we’ll keep her here; just to be sure we haven’t missed anything,’ she finished with a smile.
James had been frantic with worry when Frank had called him and told him what had happened to his wife and he was still shocked at the state of her, her eyes seem staring and vacant and she was still trembling all over. He’d calmed down a bit since the doctor had reassured him that she would be fine but he found himself constantly checking to make sure she was still breathing.
‘When this is all over,’ he whispered to her as he stroked her hand, ‘we are going away somewhere, somewhere hot where we can just lie in the sun or swim in the sea…would you like that my darling?’
Carla slowly opened her eyes and looked back at him without speaking, but her grip on his hand seemed to tighten, or at least that’s what it felt like to him.
CHAPTER 66
Rebecca Sheenan was brought straight to the station to be questioned and had been cooling her heels in a cell overnight until Frank, who had gone home to have a shower, some food, and a good night’s sleep, was ready to interview her.
Frank had taken some time to read a bit from the little diary that they had recovered from the bag in the shed. Along with the book, had been a knife, which Dorothy had already suggested was almost certainly the same knife that had been used on the other victims, some letters, which seemed to have been written by the same girl that had written the diary and a rolling pin. He had been horrified by what he had read, some of it had been so upsetting and graphic, that he had to put it down for a couple of minutes before starting again. It brought back so many memories that he would have liked to forget. The years of neglect from his depressive mother, her suicide, which had led to his time in care. Frank closed his eyes as he remembered how horrific those first few weeks were after his mother had died, he shook his head…those days were gone, he had been so lucky to have been adopted by wonderful people who had loved him and made sure that he had put all that behind him. Not like these poor girls, who at fourteen and fifteen were no more than children really. They’d had no one standing up for them, they’d been completely abandoned, left all by themselves to deal with the most awful torture. If this Una Flannery was to be believed, Jonas Silco had been a sadistic rapist, and probably even a murderer.
The girl she talked about most was of course Missy Gattoré, but she also mentioned a couple of other girls, Katy Flyn, Bella O’Shea and another girl who had apparently taken over Missy’s job when she had disappeared, a black girl called Precious Freeman. Frank couldn’t help feeling a measure of sympathy for Rebecca and John Sheenan, they obviously thought they were righting the wrongs done to these girls and no matter how twisted their methods were, after reading just a fraction of the diary, he could see where they were coming from. Not however when he thought of what had been done to Carla, Frank thought shaking his head with renewed disgust.
Rebecca was resting her head on the desk in front of her when Frank and Sam entered the interview room the next morning. She pulled herself up slowly into a sitting position and stared hard at them as they introduced themselves and sat down opposite her.
‘How’s John?’ she asked looking at Frank, ‘They wouldn’t let me see him.’
John had suffered some blows to the head and had been taken to the hospital before being brought back to the station the previous night.
‘As far as I know he’s fine,’ Frank reassured her.
‘Can I see him…I need to see him, he doesn’t cope well without me…he’ll be scared,’ Rebecca said tearfully.
‘I’m sorry but that won’t be possible,’ Frank said, ignoring Rebecca’s groan of misery. ‘He’s a big boy Rebecca, stop worrying about him.’ He laid out some photos on the desk in front of her, ‘I need you to tell me what you know about the murders of Jonas Silco, Albie Wiseman and Imogen Wiseman….’
‘I did it,’ Rebecca interrupted, she curled her lip at Frank, ‘well that’s what you wanted to know isn’t it?’
Frank raised his eyebrows in surprise, ‘You are admitting to killing these people?’ Rebecca nodded. ‘You need to say it for the tape please,’ Frank said.
‘Yes…I killed Jonas Silco, Albie Wiseman and Imogen Wiseman…OK?’
‘What about John…you didn’t do it by yourself did you Rebecca?’ Sam said.
Rebecca rolled her eyes, ‘I killed them…all of them, the others just did what I told them to do, they weren’t involved in any killing that was just me….’
‘Others?’ Frank put in quickly, sharing a glance with Sam. ‘Are you talking about John, or was there someone else involved Rebecca?’
Rebecca started as if she just realised she’d said too much. ‘No…no I meant John of course, he just does what I tell him, he didn’t kill anybody.’
‘You said ‘others’ Rebecca…that suggests more than one. Who else is involved in this vendetta?’ Frank asked again.
Rebecca looked bullish, ‘Look I’ve told you what you want, I’m not saying anymore. Yes I killed them, all of them, and if you’ve read Una’s diary by now then you’ll know why.’ She turned to Frank, ‘Jonas Silco was a psychopath, he raped and abused at least four young girls that worked in the hotel, and he did it with the blessing of those bastards, or at least if not their blessing, their indifference. I can’t prove that he killed Katy Flyn or Bella O’Shea but I know they were abused and raped and I know they disappeared….’ Rebecca said warming to her theme.
Frank held up his hand, ‘Look Rebecca, I promise you that I will look into everything that you’ve told us, but I need you to be honest with me about these murders…I know you’re hiding something or someone. You be honest with me and I promise I will leave no stone unturned in finding out the truth about these girls.’
Rebecca shook her head and smiled, ‘Nice try detective…but I’ve already told you all I know.’ And with that she put her head back down on the
table.
That was all Frank got out of her, after two hours they decided to call it a day and Rebecca was taken back to the cells for the night.
‘Who’s she covering for?’ Frank was saying as they headed back to the office.
Sam groaned and ran his fingers through his hair, ‘Bloody hell I don’t know…I’ve been working on the premise that there were just the two of them, and actually it doesn’t make any sense that there’s a third person. Why would they need anyone else, John’s quite big enough to be able to subdue their victims without any help, so why risk bringing in anyone else?’
‘Unless this someone else has a vested interest themselves,’ Frank said thoughtfully. ‘Like Jacob Gattoré for instance, I mean he had good reason for making Silco pay and he hated the Wisemans, they got him sent to prison for Christ’s sake….’
‘That would make sense; he would be very keen to see justice done,’ Sam said eagerly, but then he shook his head. ‘I don’t know though, I mean if he was working with the Sheenans why did he tell us about the letter…in fact why would they send him the letter. No I’m not sure about Gattoré guv, but it could very well be someone else that knew about the missing girls, a relative maybe?’
‘Well I’m still not convinced about Gattoré’s innocent in all this,’ Frank said getting his coat from behind the door. ‘It seems to me that he has got more reasons to want these people dead than most….’
‘Well it wouldn’t do any harm to get Mandy to look into the other girls mentioned in the book would it, see if she can find us a relative that is desperate to be avenged, you off to see Carla?’
Frank nodded, ‘Yeh, James called this morning, said she seems a bit better today so I thought I would pop over. Might look in on Agnes Cray while I’m in the area, see if she can shed some light on anything.’
‘Ha! Good luck with that,’ Sam laughed, ‘Midge said she was rambling on like a mad woman when he was waiting at the shed for the back up to arrive…I don’t think you’ll get much sense out of her.’
Frank just smiled and waved a hand as he left the office. He had to be back later to interview John, but that had been delayed while they tried to track down someone who could sign and read sign language. And of course there was still the matter of David Wiseman. He had been in terrible state when Frank had picked him up the day before. He had just heard the news of his mother’s death and had been so obviously upset by it that Frank had actually felt like a heartless bastard arresting him for Brenda Marsh’s murder.
Unfortunately for Mr Wiseman, things were going from bad to worse for him. The image of the man in the Aston Martin, that had previously been thought to have been Luke, his twin brother, had been enhanced and it had become obvious that it was definitely David that had been driving the car. This had been confirmed by the huge solid gold Rolex watch that he always wore, which could clearly be seen on the CCTV footage. With that and the evidence of embezzlement and the photos and letters, they had a pretty good case against him.
‘Anyhow he can wait,’ Frank thought as he drove once again through the pretty Kent countryside. He needed to speak to Carla, to let her know what Rebecca had said about there being another person. She may have some ideas about who it could possibly be, and he wanted her advice about how to question John.
Sam was a good officer, definitely sergeant material, but he wasn’t Carla… and right now Frank needed Carla.
CHAPTER 67 - ACCIDENTAL CAULDRON MEETING
Laseby ward, St Swithen’s Hospital, Sevenoaks, Kent.
‘And he had the cheek to say he couldn’t make it because he was washing his hair,’ Tracy said laughing. ‘He was joking of course, although I wrote back that he should try my nan’s hairdressing method, she just drops hers off in the morning and they send it back to her, washed and set, in a jiffy bag later that day.’ Maggie and Helen fell about laughing and even Carla cracked a smile.
‘He couldn’t let me have the last word though,’ Tracy went on. ‘He wrote that he is cultivating his nose and ear hairs so that he can lay them flat over his head to cover his bald patch, so I said oh I know, and wasn’t it a shame he’d inherited Mum’s pathetic hair genes.’
‘Oh blimey you didn’t,’ said Helen shocked, ‘I’ve always thought that Paul had a bit of a hang up about his thinning hair…wasn’t he offended?’ They were talking about Tracy’s younger brother Paul, who Tracy had been inviting to the up and coming wedding.
‘No, not at all,’ Tracy said laughing, ‘in fact he wrote back a few minutes later saying yes but it seemed a bit unfair that he hadn’t inherited Mum’s thick moustache genes.’ Maggie let out a shriek of laughter at that which earned them a frown form the ward sister, who had been reading quietly at her desk.
Tracy lowered her voice as she went on. ‘Anyway then I said, “no, Auntie Flossy got that, and that it had cost her fortune the last time she’d had her back sack and crack done”. And so he said “Yes but at least she can support her large family with all the money that she earns with the circus.”
All the girls including, Carla fell about albeit as quietly as they could with their hands over their mouths.
‘Oh I’m so glad they can come,’ Maggie said, ‘I haven’t seen Paul for ages…I must admit I am really looking forward to this wedding, I think it’s just what we all need.’
Helen grabbed Maggie’s hand, ‘How’s Dom doing love? she asked.
Maggie rolled her eyes, ‘Well he has good days and bad days I suppose,’ she said, ‘but little Jukie has really helped, he’s such a happy little thing and it’s really hard to carry on being miserable when he’s around,’ she finished smiling fondly. ‘I think the thing that upset him the most, was finding out how incredibly shallow and selfish she was, I mean we could all see it, but he was completely taken in by her….’
‘Love is blind,’ Carla croaked nodding her head and then wincing at the pain of it and putting a hand to her head. ‘It always amazes me what people will do in the name of love, and what they will put up with.’
‘Well, I think it’s fair to say that we’ve all been taken in by love at some point in our lives,’ Maggie said sadly. ‘Just think about me and Greg…and Thomas, what a fool I was not to have seen what a bastard he was….’
‘And me with Wills,’ Helen added. ‘It’s always hardest the first time it happens though…poor Dom, I hope he starts to realise soon what a lucky escape he’s had.’
‘Oh I think he already knows that,’ Maggie said with a smile, ‘Jed has made it his business to point it out to him at every opportunity.’
Helen turned to Carla, ‘I hope you’re going to be home in time for the play Carla, Rosie will be gutted if you’re not there to see her in her first big part.’
Carla smiled, ‘Don’t I know it, she is so excited. I think they’re letting me home tomorrow, so by hook or by crook I will be there,’ she rasped.
She had to wait until the doctors declared her fit, the only lingering effects of her terrifying ordeal was a huge lump on her head, and a very sore throat.
‘How lovely that Andy has got a part Helen,’ she said smiling at Maggie who had handed her a drink.
‘Oh my God he is over the moon,’ Helen said with a laugh, ‘I mean it’s a shame that Joey Finch came down with chicken pox of course but I can’t tell you how glad I am that he did, this is just what Andy needed to take his mind off his mum….’
‘Ooh yes what’s happened about her Helen?’ Tracy asked, helping herself to a handful of grapes from the bowl of fruit on Carla’s bedside table.
Helen sighed. ‘Well as far as I know, and I don’t know much because no one will tell me anything, she has been remanded in custody until her trial and goodness knows when that will be, which is good for us, because it means that we can relax in the knowledge that she can’t get to Andy. How he feels about it I can’t say,’ she finished shaking her head.
‘Surely he must have seen her for what she is though?’ said Tracy.
Helen nodded. ‘Yes
…I think he did and that was what upset him the most, the realisation that she was never going to be this lovely mum that took care of him and met him from school etc.,’ she rolled her eyes, ‘Blind love again…it’s a bugger….’
‘Oh Helen I know what I wanted to ask you,’ Maggie interrupted, ‘is Mark Stevens going to make it to the performance, I know Livy found him but….’
Helen beamed. ‘Yes he should be there, I got a call from Livy yesterday actually and they are travelling down from Scotland on the Friday so he can come to the play on Saturday. It’s such a shame Imogen didn’t get to meet him, it was all her doing after all.’
Carla snorted and shook her head, she had been reading Una Flannery’s diaries while she’d been bedridden and her opinion of Imogen Wiseman or Ingrid Delaney, as she had been known, was that she was a nasty piece of work.
She said as much to Helen. ‘I could hardly read this poor girl’s account of what she’d suffered at the hands of that animal Jonas Silco, but according to Imogen, he was a highly respectable man and an exemplary manager. This poor girl…Una, she actually went to Imogen and asked her for help, but the woman just called her a slut and kicked her out….’
‘She didn’t deserve to die though Carla, you can’t think that?’ Helen said bristling.
‘No of course she didn’t deserve to be murdered, I’m not saying that,’ Carla said, ‘I just don’t think the woman deserves any more of our time, that’s all,’ she finished slumping back against her pillows.