Cry From The Grave A Thrilling Psychological Crime Mystery (Harry Briscombe Book 1)

by Carolyn Mahony

  ‘And you say you had no knowledge of any of this?’

  ‘None.’

  ‘It seems hard to believe.’

  ‘Do you think I don’t know that? How stupid can a man be? I was shocked when Natasha told me she was pregnant, but I just assumed we hadn’t been careful enough. It never occurred to me that Katie wasn’t mine. And I certainly never noticed she’d changed babies on my visits home.’

  What sort of a father did that make him?

  He dropped his head in his hands and Murray looked at him for a long moment before switching his gaze back to the letter. ‘Well, this would seem to put you in the clear, Mr Campbell, but we’ll need to take a look at the journal she mentions?’

  ‘It must still be in her wardrobe. I didn’t get time to look at it before you came.’

  ‘Someone will drop around to pick it up then. Harry here will take a formal statement from you now while I go and talk to Miss Walker.’

  ‘Will I have any rights over Katie, do you think?’ Adam’s face was expressionless and Murray hesitated.

  ‘It’s a complicated one. I’d get some advice if I were you. We’re going to need to take a DNA sample from your daughter to confirm everything.’

  ‘What happens in the meantime? Katie’s just lost her mother – she needs to be in familiar surroundings with her family. If there are issues around her staying with me, I’m sure her grandmother – my mother – would be happy to look after her. I don’t want her going into care.’

  ‘I don’t think there’s any need to do anything differently right now. Not until the results come through. After that, if your wife’s story is confirmed, social services will be actively involved and it will be out of my hands. I’m afraid there’s no way we can avoid that.’ His manner eased off as he looked at the other man. ‘I’m sorry. I realise it’s a very difficult situation for you to be in.’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘When you’ve finished making your statement, Harry will take you down to the morgue and then he’ll drive you home. Please accept my condolences.’

  Adam watched the older man rise from his chair, saw him hand Natasha’s letter to his sergeant as he left, who took some time to read it. Maybe he was being kind, giving him some space. – and God knew, he needed it. None of this seemed real.

  ‘Right sir, if you’re ready?’ Harry finally said.

  ***

  Hannah jumped up the minute the inspector walked in, her eyes fixing desperately on his face.

  ‘I think you’d be better off sitting down, Miss Walker.’

  ‘Please, just tell me. What did he say? Was it them who took her?’

  Murray hesitated. ‘It’s a bit more complicated than that, but the fact of the matter is, I think it’s possible you may have found your daughter.’

  ‘Oh!’ Her hand flew to her mouth. ‘Are you sure?’ she gasped.

  ‘We can’t be a hundred per cent sure without a DNA test on the little girl. One of my officers will go over to the Campbells’ house later today to do that. I’m afraid you’ll have to be patient just a little longer before we know for absolute certain.’

  Hannah shook her head, a look of utter bewilderment on her face. ‘I can’t believe it. Why did they do it?’

  ‘It’s a long story, but I think the main thing you need to know is that Mr Campbell had no knowledge of his wife’s actions until this morning, when he also got a letter from her, admitting that she’d taken Sophie when their baby died. It was as big a shock to him as it was to you.’

  ‘But how could she do that? How could he not have known?’

  ‘He was away at University when it happened and their baby was a similar age to yours. He had no reason to be suspicious when he got back.’

  ‘That’s unbelievable...’

  ‘When you’ve been around as long as I have and seen the things I’ve seen, believe me, nothing is unbelievable.’

  He closed the file on his desk and looked at her. ‘There’ll be a lot of hoops to go through but the good news has to be that your daughter’s alive, doesn’t it? And not only that, she’s healthy and happy and has been well cared for. You can never make up for the lost years, I know, but I’m sure with time and help you can start to rebuild your lives together.’

  She shook her head, the smile on her face almost pitying. ‘You make it sound so easy. But I’ve done nothing but think about it all since I got that letter. My daughter has spent the last six years of her life being someone else’s child. How does she adapt to suddenly being told she has a new mother and being taken away from the only parents she’s known? And Ben will fight for custody when he hears she’s been found. He’s already making noises about me being an unfit mother.’

  Murray’s look was dismissive. ‘I heard him on the car radio earlier. It’s all talk. Anyone can see that you’re perfectly capable of being a mother to your little girl.’

  Hannah shook her head, the enormity of his words sinking in. A mother to her little girl. How she’d longed to hear those words. Yet now it was a real possibility. The thought terrified her. What did she know about being a mother to her little girl?

  She looked at him through worried eyes. ‘I wish I could be as sure. It’s all such a mess. And it’s going to be dreadful for ... him, isn’t it?’

  ‘Mr. Campbell you mean?’

  She nodded.

  ‘I’m afraid it is. I’ll tell you in confidence that we discovered his wife’s body this morning. It looks like she committed suicide.’

  ‘Oh, God, that’s awful.’

  And complicated things even more.

  Murray rose from his chair, signalling that the interview was over.

  ‘I’m afraid I must ask you not to go anywhere near the Campbells’ house for the time being. Not until we get the results through and know for sure. I appreciate how hard that might be, but I’ll see if I can speed things up and get them done as quickly as possible.’

  Hannah nodded, not knowing how she’d get through the next couple of days. ‘And after that? If it’s true? What happens then?’

  ‘That’ll be for the Children’s Services to sort out with you and Mr Campbell.’

  ‘I don’t want her going into care. They wouldn’t do that, would they?’

  He hesitated. ‘I can’t say for sure. You’d need to liaise with them directly on that one.’

  ‘It would be much better for her to stay where she is until...’

  She realised she couldn’t bring herself to say the words until she comes to me. She still couldn’t believe that possibly, perhaps, in as little as even a week or so, she might have her daughter back.

  Another thought suddenly struck her. ‘What about Ben ... her father? Will you tell him?’

  There was no way she was doing it.

  Murray’s eyes met hers calmly. ‘I don’t think Mr Short needs to know anything for the time being, do you? Far better we make sure we have all our facts right before we involve him in this.’

  Hannah’s eyes were grateful. ‘Thank you. I’d like to tell my Mum if that’s all right? She’d be very discreet.’

  ‘I’d rather you didn’t, Miss Walker. If you can possibly keep quiet for just a little longer? I realise it’s a lot to ask but it’s going to be big news with the media when it comes out. And Mrs Campbell has been somewhat economical with the truth on previous occasions. If by any chance it’s not true...’

  Not true? How could she even contemplate that possibility now?

  She shook her head. ‘I’ll try, Inspector, but it’s not going to be easy. You will let me know?’

  ‘As soon as we know, you will.’ he assured her.

  After she’d gone he looked up as Harry walked in. ‘Got Mr Campbell’s statement okay?’

  Harry nodded. ‘Yup, just waiting while he visits the gents then I’ll get him over to the morgue. We’ve also heard back from the police over in Ireland. No record can be found of Natasha Campbell having any baby over there. And no record over here of any pregnancy when she was
fifteen.’

  Murray’s eyes were thoughtful. ‘Looks like her latest confession could be the truth then. Who’d have thought it? See if you can get them to process the little girl’s DNA a bit quicker than the last lot, will you? The sooner we get this sorted the better. It’s going to be one hell of a mess to sort out. What’s happening about getting the sample?’

  ‘Someone’s going over this afternoon when she gets back from school.’

  ‘Good. Looks like we can start winding down the investigation, Harry.’

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  She just couldn’t do it. How could they expect her to?

  Twenty-four hours had gone by since Hannah had received Natasha’s letter and she hadn’t got a wink of sleep in all that time. She’d waited so long for this moment, and now the waiting was killing her. She wanted to see what her daughter looked like, hear what she sounded like. It could be several more days before the results came through.

  If she were to sneak over there and just take a peek from a distance?

  Throwing the paper she’d been trying to read down onto the table, she grabbed her coat and a warm scarf and headed for the door. There’d been more snow overnight and the frost bit at her hands as she tackled the white flakes and hard lumps of ice on the windscreen. She stamped her feet and climbed into the car shivering. It was seven forty-five in the morning and she was undoubtedly a little mad. But if she was patient, maybe she’d catch a glimpse of her daughter when she left for school? That was all she wanted.

  The closer she got the more difficult it was to contain herself. What would she look like? She had blond hair – she knew that from the sample that had come through the post. But would she look anything like Hannah?

  She drew up a little way from Adam’s house and tried not to look conspicuous as she sat and waited in her car. Half an hour went by and she was just beginning to wonder if the snow meant the school had been closed, when the front door opened and a middle-aged woman came out of the house, followed excitedly by a little girl wrapped so efficiently in her hat and scarf that it was absolutely impossible to get even a hint of what she looked like. Without even realising she was doing it, Hannah got out of the car and started to walk.

  ‘Katie!’

  Hannah stopped abruptly as Adam suddenly came into view behind them and bending down on his knees, he opened his arms to the little girl. ‘You forgot my kiss.’

  Immediately she was running back up the path and flinging herself into his arms. ‘Look at the snow!’ she shrieked. ‘Can we build a snowman later, daddy? Can we? And use coal for his eyes and a carrot for his nose?’

  He hugged her tight and Hannah couldn’t hear his answer. But his expression as he stood up said it all. He looked like a man who’d lost everything, his shoulders hunched, his eyes haunted as they followed her right up until she disappeared around the corner out of sight. He turned slowly to go back into the house, but then he halted and she realised with a shock that his gaze had settled on her, recognition dawning slowly on his face as she found herself unable to look away from those tortured eyes.

  For a long moment, they simply stared at each other. Then Hannah found herself moving slowly towards him, her gaze locked with his, looking for any sign of rejection that would halt her in her tracks. But it didn’t come.

  When she stood in front of him her eyes were swimming. ‘I’m so sorry.’ she whispered.

  ‘You shouldn’t be here.’

  ‘I know. I just had to see her ... I’m sorry.’

  She turned away and heard his frustrated sigh as he said abruptly. ‘Oh, what does it matter? What does any of it matter? You can come in if you want to?’

  She hesitated, knowing that DCI Murray would have her guts for garters, but she followed him quietly into the house.

  He led her through into the kitchen. It was warm and smelt of toast reminding her that she hadn’t had any breakfast.

  ‘There’s a radiator there if you want to take your coat off and warm yourself,’ he said, putting the kettle on.

  ‘Thanks.’ She draped her coat on the back of a chair and went and stood by the window. She shouldn’t be here. If the police found out...

  She watched as he pulled a couple of mugs from the cupboard.

  ‘I’m sorry about yesterday,’ she said, ‘– going for you like that.’

  He shrugged, setting the mugs down on the counter. ‘You’ve nothing to be sorry about. It’s me that should be apologising to you for what my wife has put you through these last few years.’

  ‘The police told me you didn’t know?’

  ‘No. It doesn’t seem possible, I know. But I didn’t.’

  He poured two coffees, then moved slowly over to the table and sat down. The only sound to be heard for several moments was the scraping noise of his teaspoon as he stirred his drink carefully.

  ‘I got a letter from Natasha too yesterday. It told me everything.’

  ‘Is that why you were down at the police station?’

  ‘No. I was down there to identify my wife’s body.’

  ‘Oh … I’m sorry.’ But Hannah was looking confused. ‘I don’t understand though. Why did the Inspector look so shocked when I showed him the note Natasha sent me? Hadn’t you already shown him your letter?’

  ‘No.’ Adam’s tone was abrupt. ‘It was such a shock to realise that Katie wasn’t mine, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him straight away. I needed time to adjust.’

  Hannah’s voice cooled as the implications of that sank in.

  ‘So, you knew but didn’t say anything?’

  ‘Yes.’ He sighed. ‘I know how it sounds…’

  ‘Do you?’ She was shocked by the sense of betrayal she felt. ‘And do you have any idea how it feels? That knowing what I’m going through, you chose to say nothing? Maybe you’d never have said anything if I hadn’t got a note too?’

  ‘Christ, Hannah, of course I would. But try and see it from my point of view, will you? I love Katie. I’ve spent the last six years bringing her up as my daughter. All that doesn’t just blow away because I find out she’s not genetically mine. Can you begin to imagine how I feel, knowing she’s probably going to be taken away from me?’

  ‘I think I have a fair idea.’

  ‘Shit. That was a stupid thing to say. Of course you do.’

  He buried his head in his hands for a brief moment before looking up again, his eyes mirroring his frustration. The look he gave her, though, was conciliatory, rubbing the edge off some of her anger. ‘I’m sorry. I really am. I was always going to tell; I just needed some time to adapt. And some time with Kate.’

  Her anger seemed to dissipate as quickly as it had arisen. How could she blame him? He’d only done what any parent probably would have done, given the same circumstances.

  ‘It’s a mess, isn’t it?’

  ‘Yes, it is.’ He looked her straight in the eye across the table. ‘I love Katie. I don’t want for us to fall out, but you might as well know; I’ll be asking for some sort of access to her.’

  His words hung between them. A comfort or a threat?

  A comfort, she realised. For both Katie and her.

  ‘I wouldn’t want it any other way,’ she said quietly. ‘However things get worked out, as far as I’m concerned, you're Katie’s father and she’ll need you more than ever now. I won’t come between you.’

  She saw relief flicker briefly in his eyes, some of the anxiety dispelling. ‘Thank you.’

  He hesitated. ‘I heard your ex on the radio yesterday, and he was on television last night. You know he’s going to fight for custody when he finds out?’

  Hannah nodded.

  ‘Is it true what he said about you having a breakdown?’ He paused sensitively, but she knew what he was really asking and he’d tapped into her deepest fear.

  ‘No. I didn’t have a breakdown, but I was on tranquilisers for a while,’ she answered. She found she couldn’t meet his eyes. ‘But who wouldn’t be in the circumstances? He’s tr
ying to build it into something more than it was. He scares me though. He sounds so plausible when you hear him.’

  Adam’s eyes darkened. ‘The thought of someone like that bringing up my daugh ... Katie,’ he amended stiffly. ‘

  ‘I won’t let it happen,’ she said. She clasped the hot mug tightly, wishing she could sound more convincing. Her eyes followed Adam’s gaze to the special Barbie placemat at the end of the table. Katie’s mat.

  ‘I can’t imagine life without her,’ he said, staring at it. ‘How’s she going to cope with losing both of us?’

  He buried his head in his hands again; his elbows on the table, and acting on impulse, Hannah scraped back her chair and moved over to comfort him.

  ‘It’ll be okay. We’ll work things out,’ she said, patting his shoulder awkwardly.

  He looked up at her, his eyes bleak. ‘Will we?’

  ‘Yes,’ she said firmly. ‘Because we both want what’s best for our daughter.’

  It felt strange saying that, creating a bond between them that didn’t really exist. Yet, how else could she describe it? Adam had been far more of a father to Katie than she’d been a mother all these years – and a better father than Ben could ever be.

  ‘We’ll work it out,’ she said again. ‘You’ll see.’

  She became conscious of the hard, rippling muscle beneath her hand, the waft of aftershave that drifted lightly in the air between them. It made her aware of him in a way she shouldn’t be, and she made to release her grasp, feeling suddenly awkward. But his hand, coming up to cover hers, stopped her.

  ‘Thanks,’ he said, squeezing her fingers. ‘You’re right. If we have the will to work it out, we can.’

  His grasp was warm and strong, and she was aware of an inappropriate desire to hold onto it.

  ‘I should go…’

  ‘Of course…’

  He scraped his chair back and stood up, the action bringing him so close to her that she could have reached up to touch the lines of stress on his face. His deep brown eyes were looking at her in a way that made her realise he wasn’t immune to her either, and it shifted her universe, the breath catching in her throat as she stared back at him.