"I spoke to the detective in charge and he told me Dad has been accused of murder."
There was nothing but silence at the other end of the phone and I began to think we'd been cut off.
"Yvonne?"
"I'm here, Mum. I just …"
"I know, love. I feel the same myself."
"Who? And why? It doesn't make sense," she said.
"I don't know. I intended to contact Dad's solicitor, but I couldn't face it."
"Keith will do it. He understands all the jargon and procedures. He'll ask the right questions."
I'd forgotten Keith was a legal executive. He mainly dealt with residential and commercial conveyancing, but he'd have more of an idea than either of us.
"Oh, if he would, that will be a huge help."
"Did you tell Stella yet?"
"No, I've told nobody but you. I'll call her soon."
"I'll do it. You sit tight, Mum. We're on our way over."
"Oh gosh, no. I couldn't put you out like that," I said.
"Nonsense. We'll be late, but I have my key. We had no plans for the weekend anyway, so Keith can come too and then he can come home on Sunday. I'm due some time off from work and this is a family crisis. They'll be fine about it."
"Don't tell them!" I cried.
"Of course I won’t tell anybody anything. Right, is Dad's solicitor the same one he's had for years? The guy in Godalming?"
"Yes, that's right. Terry Hamlett."
"Okay, I'll see you later then. And don't worry, I'm sure this is all a huge mistake."
"I hope so, Vonny, I really do."
After hanging up the phone, I raced to Yvonne's bedroom to pull out the duvet from underneath the bed. I found it folded on top of the bed. The police must have found it during the search. They probably thought it was a child’s room, as the pink decor hadn't been changed for years. So they wouldn’t have thought it too strange to find a duvet and pillow to be made up underneath the bed.
I tidied the room and made the bed.
Back in the kitchen, I remembered Gavin's phone. I typed May Pole as the username, followed by Gavin's usual password.
It took a few seconds of a wheel spinning on the screen before it opened up to a different page.
In the top corner of the screen was a photograph of Gavin looking very handsome. The site heading caused a rush of blood to my head and made me feel physically sick.
Married Yet Bi (for guys)
Discreet site for bisexual and bi-curious married men. Giving like-minded guys the chance to connect.
Down the side of the page, there were several tags.
Profile
Images
Inbox
Search Database
Search bi men in your immediate area
I clicked on profile.
Name - May Pole (Gavin).
Age – 48
The cheeky bastard had knocked six years off his age.
About May Pole (Gavin) - I am happily married, yet I have always been aware of my bisexuality. I love meeting up with men in a similar situation for sex—NO STRINGS.
The phone beeped and I almost dropped it. The battery light flashed so I took it through to the bedroom and plugged the phone into Gavin's charger at the side of his bed.
My heart was racing. It surprised me how sneaky and underhanded I felt for prying.
The house phone rang and I ran to answer it.
"Mum, Vonny's just told me. I can't believe it," wailed my youngest daughter Stella.
"It's okay, love. Don't upset yourself."
"I'll come over, but I won't get there until Sunday."
"Stella, listen to me. There's nothing you can do. I appreciate you wanting to be here, but honestly it's just a massive expense and inconvenience that you don't need right now. Let's just see what happens next week shall we?"
"But …"
"Enough. Promise me."
"I'll wait until Monday and then if it's not sorted, I'm coming. End of story."
"We'll see." I sighed. "He might even be home by Monday."
"I hope so."
"Okay love, I'd best be off. I've got no bread or milk in for when Vonny gets here, so I'd best run to the shop before it closes.”
Chapter 21
"So what will you do?" Amanda asked, glancing over her shoulder as a rowdy gang of blokes entered the bar.
Adam shrugged. “Not a lot without evidence. It's not looking good for the guy."
"You were the only person to believe in me, even when I doubted myself, you never wavered."
"At least the evidence in your case was only circumstantial. This one has every piece of evidence neatly placed for us to find. It's too tidy, too …" he clicked his fingers three times, "… perfect."
"I'm aware you're not supposed to discuss the details, but I am a good listener."
Adam sighed. "I'm sorry, I'm not very good company, am I?"
"Don't be silly, there's a lot on your mind. It's not like you have an office job you can leave behind on a Friday afternoon and not think about until Monday morning."
Adam nodded.
"This is a man’s future we're talking about. If you didn't give a toss, you wouldn't be you, and for your information—I quite like you." She blushed, and began tapping a bar mat on the table.
"Thanks. You're not so bad yourself." Adam reached for her hand and took the mat from her fingers. Their eyes met and they both chuckled.
"What does your partner think?"
"Who, Frances? Yeah, she's a good detective, but everything is black and white with her sometimes. She sees what she wants to see—if we have the evidence and the motive, we must have the perpetrator." He shrugged. "I never take things as gospel. There are a lot of master criminals out there who go to extreme lengths to convince us of their lies and half-truths."
"You should go with your gut. If not for you, that nasty Kate King would have had me locked up for the rest of my natural life. If you say he didn't commit the murders, I believe you."
Kate King had been DI when Adam first moved to London. He initially worked for the missing persons department, having had his fill of homicide. He met Amanda whilst searching for her father, Dennis Kidd, and was subsequently roped into the murder investigation. Kate had been medicalled out after a leg injury and Adam took her job.
"Thanks, Mand, I appreciate your confidence. Now, I just have to convince everybody else."
Adam sat up straight and shook his head and shoulders. "Right, enough of this, let's change the subject. How's the family?"
He felt guilty. They'd planned to go for a bite to eat and then on to a show. However, when they arrived in the West End, Amanda picked up on the fact that Adam wasn't in the mood and insisted they go for a quiet drink instead. The last thing he wanted to do was bore her rigid with his work woes, but he couldn't get Gavin May out of his head. He hated it when a case got under his skin like this one had, making it impossible for him to function normally, no matter what he tried to do. He should be making an effort with Amanda—after all, he'd been waiting all week to spend his night off with her.
"They’re good, except Emma has been a little tyke recently. She's too clever for her own good, and a real little madam. I'll be glad when she's in full-time school, maybe she'll calm down a bit if she's tired."
Adam chuckled. "I wonder who she gets that off," he said, shaking his head and holding his hands up in a shrug.
"Cheeky." Amanda swatted at his arm. "I wasn't a bit like her growing up. I had to be a well-behaved little girl, and wouldn't dream of answering back." Her smile faded and then dropped.
Adam knew she was remembering her own childhood. He placed his hand on her thigh. "Does the fact they're all dead make things a little easier?"
She shrugged one shoulder. "In a lot of ways, yes. I'm not as paranoid anymore. I can pretend I'm normal, but every now and then, a word or a smell will trigger a memory and I'm right back there, a petrified little girl."
The mood had well and truly dampened down.
Adam had an idea.
"What time do you need to be home by?" he asked.
Amanda laughed. "I'm not on a curfew."
Adam rolled his eyes. "I meant, what time does Sandra expect you back?"
"I know what you meant.” She smiled. “Sandra's staying over."
Adam raised his eyebrows and then wiggled them.
"Why?" she asked, still smiling.
"Fancy grabbing a takeaway and going back to mine for a while?"
"I'd love to. I have a confession to make …" She screwed up her face. "… I'm not really into going out all the time. I much prefer snuggling up on the sofa with a glass of wine and some nice company."
"We'll stop at the off-license on the way. And if we play our cards right, we could be snuggled on the sofa watching the 8-o'clock movie."
"Oooh, heaven," she giggled.
***
Amanda leaned over the top of the handbrake, kissing Adam on the cheek. "Thanks for a lovely night," she said. "You'd best get home, or you'll be dog tired tomorrow." She found the spicy mixture of his aftershave and natural manly scent intoxicating, and would love nothing more than to drag him down the path and up the stairs to her bed.
"And we’ll all know who's to blame when I fall asleep at my desk." He laughed.
"Don't go blaming me, you cheeky bugger." She gave him a playful tap. "I told you hours ago we needed to call it a night."
"I was enjoying your company too much. Do you know, you're the first person to visit the flat since I moved to town?"
"Really?"
"Yeah, why sound so surprised? I only go back there myself to crash out."
"It's very tidy, considering you're never home. I'm impressed."
"Don't be. I pay the old woman next door to clean for me once a week. What? Don't look at me like that." He snorted, his hands in the air.
"Bugger! I think we’ve been busted." Amanda stared at the house.
Adam turned as the bedroom curtain closed. "Ooh! You're in big trouble now."
"Right you, scram." She straightened her cobalt blue sweater and opened the door. "Call me," she whispered before scurrying up the path.
The night air seemed much milder than earlier, yet Amanda shuddered. The feeling of being watched was much stronger again lately. She wasn't frightened like she used to be—she knew Andrew meant her no harm. It never failed to amaze her how she could sense him like this, but not have a clue where he was hiding.
She opened the front door and waved to Adam, who drove off down the street at a crawl.
Chapter 22
I woke with a start, disorientated. Then my eyes began to make out the shapes in the lounge. My heart hammered in my chest. What the hell had woken me?
"Gavin?" I called, my voice was wobbly and weak.
The lounge door burst open and my stomach lurched. Yvonne and Keith bustled into the room, their arms laden with bags and coats.
"Oh, Mum. You didn't need to wait up for us."
"I wasn't, I must have fallen asleep." I jumped up and helped them with their things. "Jesus, Yvonne, how long are you intending to stay?"
"For however long you need me." She met and held my gaze.
I almost protested. Instead, my eyes filled with the first tears of the day.
"Oh, Mum!" Vonny dropped everything and pulled me into her arms, where I allowed the tears free reign.
Keith looked embarrassed and clearly didn't know what to do. So he did what all English men and woman seem to do in a crisis—went to brew a pot of tea.
After a few minutes, I regained control and between us, Vonny and I organised the pile of stuff they'd brought with them. Two suitcases were placed next to the staircase ready for them to take up when they went to bed.
The rest of the things were for the kitchen, bags and bags of groceries. I presumed Stella told Vonny I didn't have anything in as she’d never brought groceries before. The house was usually well stocked, always had been.
Everything put away and the tea made, we sat at the kitchen table.
"Keith managed to get the day off on Monday so he can go to court," Yvonne said.
I nodded. "Thank you." I glanced at him.
"No problem." His smile didn't reach his eyes.
"We'll get to the bottom of this, Mum. There's got to be some mistake and the police will realise that."
I shrugged and looked away.
"Mum? What are you not telling us?" Vonny grasped my fingers on top of the table.
"Not now. I'm exhausted. I promise I'll explain everything in the morning."
"But …"
Keith got to his feet and shook his head, cutting her off.
"Come on. It's late," I said, standing up.
I spent a few minutes washing the cups and straightening the cushions on the sofa before heading to my room, exhausted.
I climbed onto the bed, needing to crawl underneath instead, but paranoid Vonny would march in, in the morning, and catch me out.
I lay in the dark, my mind retracing every little thing over and over, eventually getting to the phone and Gavin's profile and my stomach turned in on itself.
What a fool I'd been for all these years.
I remembered I hadn't checked the message, too distracted by all the other information on the site.
I rolled over to Gavin's side and switched on the lamp. Then I unplugged his phone from the charger. My fingers were shaking so I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself.
Moments later, I'd logged into the site. A number 2 was flashing next to the message icon. I tapped the icon.
The inbox opened up. The first one said Karravella has sent you a message. I pressed my finger against the message and it too opened up.
Hi Gavin,
I'm in your neck of the woods again on Tuesday evening if you want to meet up? I won't have much time as the wife and kids will be at her parents, but I should be able to wangle half an hour or so.
We could meet at the same place at seven o'clock. Please confirm.
Brett
A sudden rage bubbled up within me—a seething hatred directed towards this man and the easy going way he tried to organise a sexual encounter with my husband. His poor family were probably already infected if they'd been meeting up often as the message insinuated.
I needed to know where they met, but couldn't ask Brett directly, it would surely set off warning bells.
I went back into the inbox and scrolled through heaps of messages until I found another from Karravella. This one was pretty much the same as the last so I continued searching and bingo!
Hi May pole,
I’ve read your profile and like what I see. I am interested in meeting up next Tuesday if you're available. My window is very tight (pardon the pun) as I'm only in the area for the evening while we visit family.
I could make the toilet block in Parswood Park at six o'clock.
Please confirm.
Brett
My stress levels hit amazing new heights. Gavin had told me he'd been careful and choosy. Meeting strangers in toilets didn't sound any of those things to me. It was sleazy and sordid.
I found my way back to the most recent message and hit reply.
Hi Brett,
See you there.
Gavin
Whether or not I would turn up was anybody's guess, but I had almost four days to decide.
***
Completely drained, I didn't have the energy to check the second message. My whole nervous system jangled, I felt I was close to toppling over the edge.
I put the phone back on the charger and snuggled down under the duvet, shutting out the world.
Feelings from my childhood returned with a vengeance as I thought about ending it all, about closing my eyes for the last time and not having to deal with any more of this shit.
But then, images of Vonny and Stella swam into my mind and I knew I'd never put them through that. The truth about their dad would soon be made public and I needed to be there for them.
I slid off the bed and crawled underneath dragging the duvet with me. I craved sleep. My brain needed to switch off before my head exploded and then I would be no use to anybody.
"Mum?" Vonny called from the bedroom door.
I held my breath and waited for her to leave.
"Keith! Mum's not here." Her voice sounded close on hysterical.
The door opened wider and Keith entered the room. I could see his tan sheepskin slippers.
"She can't be far, her handbag's here."
"Mum?" Vonny's voice now came from down the hall.
Keith followed her.
I eased myself out from underneath the bed and padded down the hallway behind them, past the lounge, through the kitchen and out of the back door. I sat on the doorstep.
Moments later I heard someone at the kitchen sink. I opened the door and entered, shivering.
"Oh, there you are," Vonny said, placing her hand in the centre of her chest.
"Why? Where did you think I was?"
"I didn't know. I searched the house and couldn't find you."
"I popped out for a bit of fresh air, but it's freezing out there." My teeth chattered. The weather had been mild for the time of year, but today, the icy chill in the air felt like snow.
"Fancy going out in your night dress. Come and sit down, I'll make you a cup of tea and then you can tell me what's been happening."
"I'll have coffee, please, and then a shower. Believe me, what I've got to tell you can wait."
"For God's sake, Mother. I didn't sleep a wink thinking about what you had to tell me. The truth can't be any worse that the things I've imagined all night."
"We'll see about that, shall we?" I muttered.
Yvonne placed a cup of coffee in front of me and eyeballed me.
"What's that look for?" I snapped.
"You're not being fair. You need to tell me, Mum." Her lips were in a tight pout.
I took a deep breath and gazed at the ceiling as I exhaled in a controlled blow. Where should I begin?
"Things haven't been right for a while now."
"How'd you mean?" she said.
Keith walked into the kitchen and stopped. "Do you want me to leave?" he asked.
Psychological Thriller Series: Adam Stanley Boxed Set: Behind Shadows, Positively Murder and Mind Bender Page 34