by Menon, David
‘So it was you? You were having the affair with Rita?’
‘Yes, it was me.’
‘But how did that come about? I mean, the age gap for starters and she was your mother-in-law?’
‘Rita was lonely,’ said Warren. ‘So was I. I was lonely inside my marriage. Michelle was giving me a hard time over nothing one night and I stormed out of the house and got into my car. Without really thinking about it I drove round to Rita’s place. I cried on her shoulder and one thing led to another. Perhaps I should be ashamed but I’m not. If I could go back I’d do it all again. Rita made me feel good about myself again. I hadn’t known that for some time. So to be the one who discovered her body… well I’ll never forget that as long as I live.’
‘But she was expecting you the night she died?.’
‘I waited three days after discovering the body before I reported it to the police.’
‘Why did you do that?’
‘I don’t know!’ cried Warren. ‘I suppose I didn’t want people to think it might’ve been me who’d killed her.’
‘And did Michelle know about the affair?’
‘Yes, she knew.’
‘Must’ve caused something of a rift between Michelle and Rita?’
‘You could say that,’ said Warren, ‘but it drew Rita and I closer together.’
‘United against a common enemy.’
‘Something like that,’ said Warren. ‘Yes I know there was an age gap but Rita and I never noticed that when we were together. And she was still an attractive woman. At least she was to me.’
‘Warren, I think we should carry this on down at the station.’
Warren looked up aghast. ‘ You can’t think that I… that I did it?’
‘I just think it would be better.’
‘I didn’t kill her!’
‘Then you won’t have anything to fear from answering some further questions down at the station,’ said Adrian. ‘Now come on. Don’t make me have to arrest you.’
‘You can’t arrest me!’
‘Mr. Clarke, you’ve admitted to discovering the body of Rita Makin but not telling anybody about it for three days. You’ve also admitted to having been in an intimate relationship with Rita Makin. I’d say we’ve got an awful lot to talk about. Wouldn’t you? We will also need to take your finger prints and a DNA sample. It would help you ultimately if you co-operated’
*
‘Good work, Adrian,’ said Sara as they walked down the corridor towards the interview room where they were holding Warren Clarke.
‘Well I just put two and two together, ma’am,’ said Adrian.
‘Do you think Clarke is the killer?’
‘I’m keeping an open mind, ma’am, until we question him more thoroughly,’ said Adrian. ‘I don’t know if he’s capable of actual murder but then he’s covered up some important facts up till now.’
DS Joe Alexander walked up and handed Sara a file.
‘Ma’am,’ Joe began, ‘this gives details of Warren Clarke’s financial situation. He’s on his uppers, ma’am. The way things are going he’s about two months away from bankruptcy. He’s desperate for cash and Rita Makin changed her will only a week ago.’
‘Don’t tell me’ said Sara. ‘She bequeathed everything to Clarke?’
‘She did, ma’am,’ said Joe. ‘Rita Makin wasn’t wealthy by any means but she had a private pension and there was a considerable amount of equity in her house. If it had all been put together it would’ve given Clarke enough to save his business.’
‘Thanks, Joe.’
Sara turned to Adrian. ‘I’d say this changes things a little?’
‘I’d say that too, ma’am,’ said Adrian. ‘Maybe I shouldn’t have given him the benefit of the doubt. But we’ll see what he says.’
*
The tape was rolling in the interview room as Sara and Adrian, sat on one side of the desk, began their interrogation of Warren Clarke, who was sat on the other side. Warren had his arms folded across himself and he was looking away from them.
‘Mr. Clarke?’ Sara began. ‘Your prints and DNA sample match one of the traces we found in Rita Makin’s house.’
‘Well that’s hardly surprising,’ said Warren who was terrified at what was being played out. ‘I was there a couple of times a week, sometimes more. And I discovered the body.’
‘But you didn’t tell us for three whole days, Mr. Clarke.’
‘I told you before I was scared someone would think that I did it!’
‘Well to be honest that’s what I’m thinking at the moment.’
Warren slammed his hand on the table. ‘You can’t! You can’t think that! I loved Rita. I could never harm her!’
‘Oh come on, Mr. Clarke! You told us that you called in on the way home that night on the way back from your parents. But seeing as your parents live twenty miles away that’s quite a detour just to claim you were passing. Then there’s the question of where you were the night you deemed to report having found Rita’s body.’
‘I just drove over there,’ Warren claimed. ‘I knew I had to do something to put things right.’
‘Classic avoidance tactic that,’ said Sara. ‘The murderer calls in the murder to the police and thinks that will insure them against any suspicion.’
‘I didn’t kill her.’
‘What was it like in those intervening three days, Warren?’ asked Adrian.
‘It was like a living hell.’
‘How did you manage to look your wife in the eye?’
Warren shook his head. ‘I don’t know! Christ, this is a nightmare.’
‘If you were brave enough to murder her mother then you were more than capable of keeping up the pretence,’ said Adrian. ‘Come on man, it stands to reason.’
‘You’re in trouble financially, aren’t you, Warren?’ said Sara.
‘What’s that got to do with anything?’
‘Did you know that Rita had changed her will recently?’
Warren looked up and paused. ‘Yes.’
‘Leaving everything to you with the proviso that you passed everything on to her grandsons when the time came?’
‘Yes!’
‘Did your wife Michelle know that her mother had cut her entirely out of her will?’
‘Oh yes’ said Warren. ‘She knew alright.’
‘How did she find out?’
‘I told her one night in the middle of a row’ Warren admitted.
‘And how did she react?’
‘She came at me with a carving knife. Look, if anyone had a motive to kill Rita it was Michelle. It’s her you should be talking to, not me. I loved Rita and I didn’t kill her.’
*
Matt wasn’t feeling particularly well disposed towards Charlie but he’d still agreed to look after the boys again. He couldn’t help it. Charlie always knew exactly what to do to touch his heart and he’d done it again. He’d just put the boys to bed when their mother Wendy rang him. He felt a bit awkward. He didn’t want to drop Charlie in it with his ex-wife but at the same time he did want to hurt Charlie for taking him for granted.
‘Hi!’ said Matt. ‘This is a lovely surprise. I haven’t heard from you in a while.’
‘I know’ said Wendy. ‘I’ve been a bit… a bit busy with stuff, which is no excuse I know but you know how it is.’
‘I do,’ said Matt, noting the edge in her voice. Something was wrong. ‘What’s the matter, love?’
It took Wendy a few seconds to compose herself before answering. ‘Oh Matt.’
‘What is it?’
‘I really need my old friend,’ said Wendy, tearfully.
‘Well I’m here but tell me what the matter is, sweetheart? Is it Neville?’
Neville was the bloke Wendy had been seeing these past few months. He was a hill farmer up in the Lake District and Matt liked him. He was so into Wendy and Matt thought he was making Wendy happy. ‘If he’s hurt you I’ll burn his fucking barn down.’
‘No,
no, it’s the other way round,’ said Wendy. ‘I’ve hurt him. I’ve dumped him and I didn’t even have the decency to give him a good enough reason. And I was happy with him, Matt. I felt happier than I’ve been for a long time.’
‘Sweetheart, you don’t dump somebody because they make you happy.’
‘I know‘
‘Look, why don’t you come over? We can talk’
‘I can’t drive,’ said Wendy. ‘I’ve already had nearly a bottle of wine already and a second one is looking very tempting at this point.’
‘Get a taxi’ said Matt. ‘I can’t come and fetch you because I’ve got the boys here and they’ve just gone to bed.’
‘You mean, they’re with you?’ Wendy questioned. ‘Again?’
Charlie and Wendy had certainly had an amicable divorce, more amicable than Charlie deserved thanks to Wendy’s strength of character and dedication to her children’s welfare. Wendy had never expected any of their friends to take sides even though she was the injured party but despite all the grown up attitudes, there were still areas of contention. Charlie and Wendy had once been in love with each other and that meant that upsets can still occur that made it difficult for those who were in the middle.
‘He had something on tonight, Wendy,’ said Matt, lamely.
‘That’s more important than maintaining a relationship with his children?’
‘I don’t know what to say, Wendy,’ said Matt.
‘I know,’ said Wendy. She had absolutely no problem with Matt looking after the boys but Charlie seemed to dump them on him all the time which wasn’t right. Charlie was their father. He should be using the time to maintain his relationship with them. ‘I wouldn’t expect you to, Matt.’
‘I know that,’ said Matt, ‘now are you going to get that taxi?’
‘Have you got plenty of wine in?’
‘Is the pope German?’
Wendy laughed. ‘Silly me for asking. Alright, I’ll ring for that taxi. But I warn you, it’s not good news I’ve got to tell you.’
‘I didn’t think so,’ Matt replied, ‘so it’s a good job I’m not a good news only friend.’
‘You’re much more than that’ said Wendy. ‘Always have been.’
‘Then get that taxi booked and get over here.’
‘I look a mess’ said Wendy, ‘I didn’t put any make up on today.’
‘Well I think I’ll let you off’ said Matt. ‘And bring an overnight bag. I may as well do breakfast for all three of you’
Less than an hour later, Wendy turned up on Matt’s doorstep. Her auburn hair rested gently on her shoulders and though she wasn’t wearing any make-up, she still looked every inch the woman in her late thirties who shouldn’t have to prove herself.
‘I’m so glad to see you,’ she said as she fell into Matt’s arms and he held her tight.
‘Sweetheart, whatever is it? I’ve never known you like this. You had some dark days when you and Charlie split up but nothing compared to this. Please, Wendy, tell me, what is it?’
‘Are the boys asleep?’
‘Dead to the world’ said Matt, ‘ I checked on them a couple of minutes ago.’
‘Can I just go in and see them?’
‘You’re their Mum,’ said Matt, ‘why ask?’
Wendy went in to see her boys, her two beautiful boys and managed to kiss them both without stirring them enough to wake them.
‘They look like they’re at home in there,’ said Wendy as she walked into the kitchen where Matt was waiting. He’d opened a bottle of Rioja and poured them each a glass. He handed one to her.
‘They seem relaxed with their Uncle Matt.’
‘They are,’ said Wendy, ‘and thank God for you.’
‘Wendy…’
‘…I’m dying, Matt. I’ve got cancer. The latest prognosis is not good. There’s nothing else they can do.’
Matt almost coughed his wine back up. ‘What do you mean there’s nothing else they can do? How long have you known this?’
‘A long time,’ said Wendy, ‘please don’t be angry with me, Matt. I couldn’t bare it if you were angry with me.’
Matt took her in his arms again and hugged her. ‘I’m not angry with you, Wendy. I could never be. But what are we going to do?’
‘I don’t know’
‘I take it Charlie doesn’t know?’
‘No’ said Wendy, ‘I’ve arranged to meet him next week but I just had to tell someone before then. You were the only one I could tell.’
‘So your parents don’t know?’
‘No,’ said Wendy, ‘apart from my doctors you’re the only one who knows. And there’s something else.’
‘Christ, Wendy, what more?’
‘I’ve had a letter form a firm of solicitors in Wilmslow.’
Matt had a sinking feeling about where this was going. ‘Go on?’
‘Matt, Charlie wants to re-open our divorce settlement,’ said Wendy before breaking down. ‘His submission says that I’ve taken too much of an advantage of his financial means and that I could contribute more.’
Matt could barely control his anger. ‘Well we both know who’s behind this,’ he said ‘It’ll be Natasha.’
‘Matt, tell me what to do?’
‘You’ve got to tell Charlie you’re ill, sweetheart,’ said Matt, holding her tight as she cried on his shoulder. ‘Maybe then he’ll drop the case.’
‘Do you think?’
‘Well if he doesn’t I’ll bloody flatten him.’
‘Why is all this happening, Matt?’
‘I don’t know, my love,’ said Matt, who was ready to burst into tears himself. A mixture of pain and anger ran through his soul. Pain at the terrible illness Wendy was going to have to face up to and anger at what Charlie was threatening to do to her financially. If Natasha was standing in front of him right now he’d fucking well kill her. ‘This isn’t fair, this isn’t fair at all but I’ll be there for you throughout everything. I promise you.’
Wendy cried out ‘Oh Matt, what’s going to happen to my boys? My beautiful, beautiful boys’
*
The next morning Matt saw that Wendy was okay and took the boys to school before heading into work. He checked with the receptionist that Charlie didn’t have a patient with him and then he marched up to his door and burst into his consulting room before slamming the door shut behind him.
‘What the hell’s wrong with you?’ asked a startled Charlie.
‘What’s wrong with me? I’ll tell you. I used to know someone called Charlie Baxter and he would never have put the mother of his children under the pressure of having to re-negotiate his divorce settlement!’
‘Ah’ said Charlie as he put his pen down on his desk. ‘ Wendy’s told you.’
‘How could you, Charlie?’
‘Matt, I’m making a new start with Natasha and I need to sort out my old life before I can do that.’
‘I’d never have heard that from your lips before Natasha came along.’
‘But that’s part of what love is about! Someone comes along and points out where you’ve gone wrong. I wouldn’t expect you to understand that.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well you’ve never known the kind of love that I’ve got with Natasha or, for that matter, that I had with Wendy. You don’t know what it’s all about, Matt, because you’ve never experienced it or anything like it.’
‘You utter bastard.’
‘I’m sorry,’ said Charlie, ‘but I’m not going to let you keep me on the receiving end all the time.’
Matt was floored by what Charlie had said but he did manage to have the last word before he left to go to his own consulting room.
‘One day Natasha will have dug out all of your pot of gold and then she’ll dump you for someone with an even bigger pot. And when that happens, and I know it will, don’t bother to come running to me to get you out of it like you normally do.’
CHAPTER ELEVEN
When Matt got home he
was in a heavy, foul mood. He put his key in his front door, stepped through and kicked it shut with the heel of his foot, walked straight through to the kitchen, threw his bag down on a chair, went for a bottle of his favourite French Bordeaux, opened it and slugged down a whole glass before filling it up again. He loosened his tie, tossed his jacket over the back of a chair and then thought about getting himself something to eat. He couldn’t believe what Charlie was doing to Wendy. He couldn’t believe how Natasha had changed Charlie. The old Charlie would never have been so cold. But he could handle all that. He could face both Charlie and Natasha down despite what they were going to do. But what he couldn’t fight was Wendy’s illness. He’d deliberately avoided ringing his Mum today. He didn’t want her trying to claim that Wendy’s illness and the fact that she was going to die and leave her sons behind was all part of God’s fucking plan.
He had some spinach and ricotta cheese ravioli which he boiled in a pan of water to which he’d added some salt and olive oil. He emptied a jar of spicy arrabiatta pasta sauce into another pan and heated that up and turned his oven on high to bake some garlic bread. By the time it was all ready he’d drunk half the bottle of wine but he didn’t care. When it was gone he’d open another one. He thought about taking it easy considering all he’d got on his mind but then he told the thought to get to fuck. He needed comfort tonight and if he found that in a bottle of wine then so be it.
He was halfway through his dinner when the doorbell rang. He cursed. He really wasn’t in the mood for any visitors tonight but as he walked down the hallway and saw the outline of who it was through the patterned glass panels in his front door, his face broke out into a smile. It had been some time.
‘Well’ said Matt after he’d opened his front door. ‘Detective Sergeant Adrian Bradshaw. To what do I owe this honour?’
‘I know it’s been a few weeks, Matt,’ said Adrian who knew he didn’t deserve to expect anything from Matt. ‘What can I say? I’m a bad boy.’
‘Then it’s a good job I like bad boys’ said Matt who thought Adrian looked great in his grey suit, white shirt, and dark purple tie. He had one hand in his pocket and was holding his car keys and his mobile in the other. His dark eyes were bearing down intensely into Matt’s and he knew what that meant. ‘Come in.’