Twisted

by Lynda La Plante

  ‘I know she has been diagnosed as bipolar,’ he said quietly.

  ‘Yes, but I am here to warn you that I do not think she will be able to handle the interview on the Crime Night show which she told me you are arranging.’

  ‘I would obviously like her to be present, but I will be guided by your advice and thankfully her husband has agreed to take part.’

  She nodded, and hesitated before asking if there had been any news of Amy’s whereabouts.

  ‘Sadly none. Did you know Amy?’

  ‘I met her briefly a couple of times when she waited for her mother. She seemed a very calm well-adjusted girl, very attractive and polite as well.’

  ‘What about Marcus Fulford?’

  Again she hesitated, then said Lena had first been brought to her by him as he had been given her name by another client. To understand Lena’s problems it had been necessary for her to speak to Mr Fulford, who said that Lena had unpredictable mood swings that had created a lot of tension in their relationship.

  Reid smiled. ‘Not easy to live with?’

  She shook her head. ‘Not at all, and for Mr Fulford, not understanding the causes and symptoms was very distressing. It was a long road, but Lena responded well to therapy, and once we got her medication right she improved rapidly. Just as she was controlling her illness, her husband asked for a separation.’

  ‘From what I have gathered it was purportedly a very amicable split,’ Reid remarked.

  ‘Lena may have acted as if it was, but mentally it was deeply depressing for her and I was very nearly back to square one with her treatment. However, she opened up another business, which proved to be successful, and in many ways she channelled the energy of her hyperactivity periods to good use.’

  Reid had carefully made no mention that he didn’t believe the separation to be amicable, both from what he had witnessed and what he now knew. Instead he asked her to tell him what she knew about Marcus Fulford.

  ‘Well I suppose I can talk about him as he was not my client. I found him to be genuinely worried about his wife’s mental state, and for him to bring her to me shows he clearly cared deeply for her. She loves him – I think she still does – and I am certain that he really and truly loved her. Before the separation he had taken a lot of abuse from Lena, and her possessiveness made his life very difficult.’

  ‘Do you think that Lena’s illness could have affected their daughter and that maybe Marcus did not work because he wanted to make sure Amy was in no danger?’

  Miss Jordan wafted her hand. ‘No, no, not at all, there was never any question of that. Lena is a wonderful caring doting mother, perhaps over-protective, and we had numerous sessions where I made her understand and accept that Amy should be allowed to spend quality time with her father.’

  As she was talking Reid wondered if Miss Jordan had also found Marcus Fulford attractive, perhaps even having a sexual relationship with him. To give himself some time he began to rearrange the papers on his desk before he asked if he could ask her a personal question. She cocked her head to one side and gave him an open smile, saying he could ask her anything he wished as long as it was not going to cross the confidentiality barriers of her work.

  ‘Did you have a sexual relationship with Marcus Fulford?’

  She gasped and leaned forward. ‘Absolutely not, though I admit he is very attractive, but there is no way I would jeopardize my position. It would be catastrophic, as my concerns are for his wife, as a patient.’

  He wondered if she was being a bit too adamant, but didn’t feel he could pressurize her further, as she was quite a formidable woman.

  ‘He told me that he had been faithful, and had not had any extramarital affairs during their marriage, but was finding it very difficult to have a sexual relationship with his wife. He also told me at length about Lena self-mutilating and causing scratches and marks on her body that she covered up and even denied the existence of. He said it was making him think about his mother.’

  Reid leaned forward, ‘His mother?’

  ‘Yes, and before you jump to any conclusions it was not anything sexual. He told me his mother had suffered from severe psoriasis all her life. It’s a skin affliction that is very painful – the skin erupts in itchy patches that can become infected and cause weeping sores. Eventually they dry out and form scabs of dry skin. He said his mother was often covered in sores and scabs and could not bear to be touched – for him it was horrible as she would even have it in her hair and would shed her skin, and he described it as like living with a human snake.’

  ‘So when Lena cut herself . . .’

  ‘He found it repellent. He said that she used to have the softest most beautiful unblemished skin, but when she was in a manic state she hated to be touched. He also started to find it difficult to live with her, so that was really the main reason he had to leave.’

  Reid leaned back, silently speculating that the large number of women Marcus was known to be involved with was more likely to be the real reason for his leaving Lena. He chose his next question carefully and asked Miss Jordan if, considering what she had just told him, there was any sexual or physical abuse of his daughter.

  She considered his question and took a long time to reply. ‘I cannot give you a direct or professional answer as I only had a few brief meetings with Amy. From my interaction with her father I seriously doubt that anything of a sexual nature would have been instigated or carried out by him.’

  ‘But it’s possible?’

  ‘In my profession I have come to learn that anything is possible, Detective Reid, but I stand by my answers about Marcus Fulford.’

  She picked up her briefcase and stood up. He shook her hand and walked her out of his office and down to the reception, reassuring her that he would obviously treat everything she said as confidential. When he returned to his office, Chief Superintendent Douglas was waiting to see him and slapping his thigh with a thick file.

  ‘Morning, sir, I thought you’d be off on a Saturday,’ Reid said with a smile.

  Douglas had no time for pleasantries. ‘What the fuck do you think you were doing at the bloody forensic lab? It was a shambles of whores and girlfriends and screaming wives. I want an explanation because I need to know just what the hell you think you are playing at!’

  Reid sighed. ‘I realize it all went a bit pear-shaped, sir, but I was trying to save time and money on expensive forensic work.’

  ‘Don’t give me that crap. You went against normal procedure and should have informed me of what you were going to do. Whether it was naïvety and inexperience, or just plain stupidity, is debatable.’

  It took Reid a considerable amount of time to calm Douglas down and explain the reasons for his actions and that they were waiting on the DNA results. By the time he had gone through all his reasons it was coming up to twelve. Douglas was still uptight and was convinced that it had been unnecessary to subject the mother of their missing girl to a confrontation with Gail Summers, a woman who had betrayed her trust, not to mention that she had slept with her husband.

  ‘Some of the underwear belonged to her, sir, as well as to two prostitutes. Marcus Fulford also liked to wear it and masturbate.’

  ‘Sick bastard. Was Amy stealing the panties of these women from her father?’

  ‘Well her father said they were kept in his room, so either Amy stole them or someone else put them in her room.’

  ‘Why would she take women’s underwear stained in semen from her father’s room?’

  ‘Only Amy knows the answer to that, but it could be connected to him abusing her. Until the profile of his and Amy’s DNA comes through I’ve no strong evidence to really question him on.’

  Douglas shook his head, flicking through one report after another. It took another three quarters of an hour as he gradually digested the amount of questionable sexual activity in the case, not only concerning the girl’s father, but also the fact that Amy had been caught on CCTV trying to pick up punters. Eventually he stood u
p.

  ‘You know what this tells me?’

  Reid gave a quizzical look as Douglas tucked the file under his arm.

  ‘She’s simply run off and is shacked up with some bastard. Jesus Christ, I have a daughter almost the same age, but this girl is a modern-day Lolita. Plus she obviously likes to sell her body for sex.’

  ‘We don’t know that for certain, sir.’

  ‘She’s got plenty of money, her mother’s loaded, so soliciting must be like some sort of hobby to her.’

  Reid thought it best not to argue the point as Douglas had formed his opinion and wasn’t likely to be budged on the matter.

  Douglas clicked his fingers and then pointed towards Reid. ‘What about that Simon Boatly character – you tracked him down yet?’

  ‘No, sir.’

  Douglas yanked open the door. ‘Get onto it; my money is on him. He’s close to the family, and loaded, and Amy likes the high life.’

  ‘We believe he’s still in the Bahamas, sir . . .’

  ‘Believing is not the same as proving it. If he’s abroad, or in this country, track him down and bring him in.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  ‘Get the parents to do the Crime Night appeal.’

  Reid interrupted him to say that Lena Fulford was probably not going to be fit enough.

  ‘What the hell is the matter with her? Her daughter’s been missing for nearly a week, and what, she’s lost interest in helping us find her?’

  ‘I’ll talk to her, but her therapist said she was very distressed.’

  ‘Therapist, I’ll be bloody needing one after this load of shit. Just see if she’s capable of shedding a few tears. We need to get a result on this, Reid. At the moment it’s like a steam train running out of coal.’

  Douglas slammed the door shut after him and Reid slumped down onto his chair. He was loath to think like his boss, or describe the situation as preposterously, but the truth was, the more they uncovered, the more it was starting to look as if Amy Fulford had multiple reasons to disappear.

  Chapter 23

  The Crime Night producers had agreed to do the filming on the Saturday afternoon for release on the Sunday evening. The surprise was that everything went smoothly. Marjory Jordan accompanied Lena, who wore a demure dress and her hair drawn into a chignon, and looked very elegant. Marcus Fulford appeared to be more nervous than his wife as they sat apart in the waiting room. The producer had spent time with them, going over procedures and explaining there would be a short interview with them before the footage of their daughter was shown. They would then interview DI Reid, who would make the request for anyone with information to please come forward or phone the incident room.

  At this, Marcus became emotional, but Lena remained downcast and silent. The only time she showed any tension was when she watched, on the screen in the waiting room, the footage she had provided them with from the family tapes. It was not the content but the fact it was so short, literally only one and a half minutes. Everyone involved, from camera crew to sound and lights, could not help but be moved by the stunning young teenager, and the director had chosen a section when Amy was on the beach smiling, and wearing the bikini, but without the sunglasses and large straw sunhat.

  At one point the producer took Reid to one side, asking if there was also footage of their missing teenager taken by the vice squad. Reid curtly refused to answer but was unpleasantly taken aback that someone had leaked the fact that it existed.

  Sunday evening proved to be exactly as Reid had feared. The office phones were ringing virtually nonstop from directly after the programme had aired, and he had nothing but gratitude for his dedicated team who had volunteered to work for no extra pay but a day off in lieu.

  The majority of calls were a waste of time, but everything had to be checked out and logged. The programme had also brought about a new round of press interest and the station was inundated with requests for more photographs, as the journalists began to describe Amy Fulford as a Lolita because of the glamorous footage from Crime Night.

  Reid was under mounting pressure, as all of this activity had still not brought any further leads, and so he was immensely relieved when DS Lane received a call from Simon Boatly’s lawyers. They had been able to contact Boatly and confirmed that he was out of the country when Amy disappeared, but nevertheless he would be willing to speak to the investigating officers. Boatly had agreed to return to England a week ahead of his schedule, and would make himself available as soon as he arrived. They now had a new mobile phone number for him and an address in Henley where he would be staying.

  It was early Monday morning when the forensic tests finally came in. There was a DNA match to Marcus Fulford from semen on the underwear belonging to Justine Hyde, Gail Summers and the prostitute Tanya. There was no DNA from Marcus on any of his daughter’s panties, clothes or bed sheets. A profile from Amy had been raised from the hairbrush in the overnight bag, and matched menstrual blood and faeces on her school cotton knickers.

  Reid felt it was dead end after dead end with Marcus Fulford: now there was nothing from forensics to support the idea that he was abusing Amy. Wey had also double-checked and confirmed his alibi for his movements over the weekend Amy went missing. Reid knew the evidence suggested Marcus couldn’t have murdered Amy, but there was still the possibility that she might have run away because she was being sexually abused by him.

  As the calls still continued to come, with many apparent time wasters, he was certain that if Amy Fulford were still alive she would have made contact. Even if Amy herself had not wished to come forward, if she were with someone who knew who she was, surely they would have been in touch. An alternative of course was that she had not run away but had been abducted by someone. If that was the case then all the publicity surrounding her disappearance might mean it was too much of a risk for an abductor to keep her alive.

  Reid had spoken with Chief Superintendent Douglas who, after much deliberation, had agreed to give him one more day before calling in the murder squad. Reid protested, demanding to know why he couldn’t work the case with his team, but Douglas said he wanted the case cleared up once and for all and it would be done a lot quicker by a bigger, more professional and experienced team from the murder squad.

  Now Reid sat in a sullen mood, sifting through the mass of data that had been accumulated, returning to day one in his notes. The good news was that Simon Boatly was at last available and Reid decided he would drive out to speak with him later that morning.

  But first he drove to the Fulford house, where Agnes had the front door open even before he’d managed to park. Harry was outside with the Lexus, waiting to take Mrs Fulford to her warehouse.

  Agnes rang through to Lena’s office upstairs and then showed Reid into the drawing room, pursing her lips. ‘She is being a bit difficult at the moment,’ she confided, ‘although it’s understandable in the circumstances. It’s good that she found Amy’s journal, as maybe it will help you find out what’s happened to her.’

  At that moment Lena walked in and heard what Agnes said, realising immediately that her housekeeper had seen the journal. She had not intended to tell Reid about it, but knew she had to now. ‘Thank you, Agnes, I am quite capable of informing the inspector about the journal.’

  Agnes scuttled out, shutting the door. Lena looked rested, and immaculate as ever, as she gestured for him to sit down. Waving her hand, she said that she was concerned about the contents of the journal, but nevertheless if he gave his word that none of it would be made public he could have it.

  ‘I just need to read it, Mrs Fulford, and I will return it as soon as possible.’

  ‘I don’t want any copies made. It is a very personal journal and after reading what some of the press are saying about her, describing Amy as a Lolita, it has made me feel very anxious and obviously distressed.’

  He gave her a polite nod. She walked out and after a moment returned.

  ‘Here it is,’ she said, handing him a manila envelo
pe, her name and address printed on it in red. He took it and, eager to leave, moved to pass her. She rested a hand on his arm.

  ‘I hope you don’t feel that I should not go into work, but I have to deal with finding a replacement for Gail Summers. The stupid girl has left a large consignment for John Lewis in the warehouse and it should have been delivered last week.’

  ‘I think it is probably best to keep busy,’ he said, thinking it sounded lame under the circumstances.

  Her hand still on his arm, she moved closer, looking up at him, and he could see her pupils were enlarged, the dark black making her irises very blue. ‘Has there been anything from the programme? I had hoped you’d call, and all the press – surely someone must know something?’

  ‘We’re still hoping, but sadly often these programmes create a lot of wasted time, with wretched people ringing in with sick false information, but every call has to be checked out.’

  ‘How awful that people use such heartbreak to concoct lies.’

  He felt uneasy with her being so close and her hand on his arm was awkward. Eventually he gently patted it. ‘Don’t give up hope, Mrs Fulford; maybe we will get a call from someone that has seen her or knows where she may be.’

  ‘Oh I hope so, the house feels so empty all the time, and I miss her – I cry myself to sleep because it’s been over a week now. Have you ever had a case where a missing girl has been gone for so long?’

  She finally moved her hand from his arm, and he lied, telling her that often it had been many months. She held the door open for him and he could not bring himself to say that a murder team would be brought in to review the case, as hope was fading for her daughter to be found alive. He didn’t want to admit it, even to himself, but for no one to have seen or talked to Amy since that Saturday afternoon compounded his worst fears that she was dead.