The Girls Next Door

by Mel Sherratt

  And the trial was going to be so intrusive. Lots of people had condemned her daughter even though she knew that Katie was innocent. A mother can feel it in her bones. No one would tell her otherwise. Sure, they had all been present when it happened, but it had been Nathan Lucas who had committed the act that led to Deanna Barker’s death. All three boys were aged eighteen, barely adults in her eyes. Only Katie had been sixteen and then only just.

  Her husband, Phil, hadn’t been coping well these past few weeks. They were supposed to be going to see Katie on Sunday morning, but it was looking likely that she would have to go by herself again. Phil hadn’t been to Ashcroft House to see Katie for the past month, and it had been easier to go alone rather than cause too much of a fuss.

  Even so, with everything that had gone wrong since that night, and their family being victimised constantly, at least they were all still alive. Maxine would never forget the moment when she had stood outside the church at a memorial for Deanna and Lulu, Deanna’s mum, had launched herself at them. It wasn’t their fault what had happened, but she had felt Lulu Barker’s grief as she blamed all four teenagers for her daughter’s death. Lulu had a go at one of the other mothers too: any one related to the families involved had become a target.

  Maxine picked up bread and a small bottle of milk and added them to a basket, wondering what else she needed to tide them over until she went shopping on Sunday afternoon. She doubted any of them would want to eat much that weekend. Her stomach churned at the thought of the weeks ahead. She wished she could get the trial over and done with, even if the verdict didn’t go in their favour.

  ‘What the fuck are you doing in here?’

  Maxine turned to see who had addressed her, her shoulders dropping as much as her temperature when she saw who it was. If she remembered rightly, this was Travis, Lulu Barker’s youngest son. He was tall, her head only reaching his shoulder, which gave him an intimidation win straight off. He had a tiny scar on his chin, the kind caused by accident rather than malicious intent, yet he had the remnants of bruising around his cheek and temple on one side. But it was his eyes that bore into hers, trying to send hatred to her very soul, that scared her the most.

  Maxine tried to move further into the store, but he blocked her way.

  ‘I asked you a question.’ He prodded her sharply in the shoulder.

  ‘Please leave me alone.’ She walked around him and made her way quickly through the aisles to the self-service tills. The bread and milk would have to suffice for now.

  But Travis followed her. He stood next to her, an aura of menace coming from him.

  ‘I’m coming after your little lad if that bitch gets away with it,’ he said. ‘Because she needs to be locked up for good. A life for a life, that’s what I reckon.’

  Maxine pushed her shopping into a bag as quickly as she could.

  Travis moved closer. She could feel his breath on the side of her face as he pointed a finger near to her eye. ‘Are you listening to me?’ he seethed.

  No one in the shop came to her aid. She had been condemned the same as her daughter. Guilty until proven innocent. She paid for the shopping as quickly as she could and marched out, hoping he wouldn’t follow her. If he did, she would go back inside and ring Phil. But even then it would be too late. She knew he’d be after revenge for what had happened to Deanna. She’d seen him several times over the past six months, and he’d always shouted something nasty to her but kept his distance. Now he had her cornered like a scared animal.

  Regardless of the relentless wind and rain, her steps were quick as she glanced behind her, but he wasn’t there. Her eyes brimmed with tears, and she could feel her hands shaking as she carried the bag to her car. How dare he threaten to hurt Matty!

  Taking one last look around the car park, she got into her car and slammed down the locks. She sat while she caught her breath, hands pressed to the steering wheel to stop them shaking. She couldn’t even attempt to put her key in the lock.

  Looking in the rear-view mirror, half expecting someone to creep up from the back seat, all she could see was fear reflected in her eyes. And this was before the trial started. She’d just had another taste of how intrusive, how unbearable things were going to become again.

  Maxine didn’t know which verdict she was dreading the most. There was no way she wanted Katie to be sentenced for murder. She wanted her daughter to come home. But what would happen if she was freed? What would the Barkers do then if justice wasn’t dished out to their satisfaction?

  Would they always have to live their lives looking over their shoulders?

  Katie – April 2015

  Dear Mum,

  I thought I would be coming home today. I wanted to say sorry to Deanna’s family for what happened. And I have to tell you too. I haven’t had time to go through it all properly with you, and I need you to understand so that you can help me.

  I wished I’d never gone out that night. I should have been with Jess, but you know she was poorly, and she had Cayden to look after her. Now I have blood on my hands.

  I ran away because Nathan Lucas threatened to hurt me, and you and Dad and Matty. I couldn’t chance that. When I reached the end of our street, I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what you would say. I knew you would be angry that I hadn’t stayed behind to face the music, like you always taught me to do.

  I came straight home, but I couldn’t go in. How could I tell you what had happened, what I had been witness to? No, what I had been involved in. What if you didn’t believe I hadn’t done anything? Nathan could say it was me. He’d probably lie to save his own skin. But then I remembered there would be cameras. CCTV would show what really happened.

  I never thought that would go against me.

  Trouble had been brewing between some of the boys for ages, Mum, because of the Barker brothers. It was only a matter of time before something like this happened. But someone dying hadn’t been part of the plan. Cayden told me to play the game, but I didn’t want to pretend that Nathan was my boyfriend. I didn’t like him that much. I tried to explain to Jess and Cayden how much he frightened me, but neither of them listened.

  Every time I squeeze my eyes shut I can still see Deanna’s face, blood pouring from her mouth before her eyes glazed over and her chest stopped moving. I keep seeing Nathan pushing the knife in, pulling the knife out. I didn’t know he was going to do that, I swear. I didn’t know they were going to jump Travis, not that it makes a difference really. Deanna was wearing her brother’s hoodie. But I had no idea they were going to attack anyone that night.

  The judge said we are all evil. I’m not evil, am I? They were waiting for Travis, Mum. They had it all planned, but I didn’t know. I stayed on the top of the grass verge because I was thinking I might just go home. The mood wasn’t good and I didn’t want to be with them all night. Not without Jess.

  But then I saw them laying into Deanna. You taught me that three on one isn’t fair. I couldn’t stand and do nothing. So I ran down to them. I pushed them all off – you believe me, don’t you? I wasn’t goading them like the judge said. I didn’t panic when it all went wrong. I didn’t know it was going to happen. I swear.

  Nathan backed off, but he kept on waving the knife around. No one dared go near him. And then I saw it was Deanna, Mum. She was hurt real bad – her face looked a right mess. They were all like animals. I rang for an ambulance and as soon as I saw the paramedics running towards Deanna, I ran too.

  She was dead before they got there. I held her in my arms, Mum. She didn’t die alone.

  I’m in a dream, aren’t I? I’m going to wake up any moment and be safe at home in my bed. Deanna Barker will be alive and Nathan Lucas will have played a trick on me. Because I can’t believe what’s happened. It isn’t real, is it?

  This is a mistake. I am not guilty of murder. I have to come home. I can’t bear to think of having no life beyond living here. I have to be cleared at the trial. They can’t find me guilty. There isn’t enough evide
nce.

  You have to get me out of here, Mum.

  I miss you so much.

  Love you loads,

  Katie x

  Chapter Eleven

  At her desk, Eden was familiarising herself with her paperwork for court on Monday morning. Before the death of sixteen-year-old Deanna Barker, there had been five children in the Barker family. Now there were four brothers between the ages of seventeen and twenty-two. The eldest two were serving time in prison, both for armed robbery. The younger two, Damien and Travis, were living off the family reputation while gaining ones of their own.

  Eden had been the first on scene at Deanna’s murder. Over the next few days, working as part of the murder investigation team, she had been appalled at what she had learned, how Deanna had been kicked and punched with a pack mentality that was usually seen only on screen.

  She still wasn’t sure of the extent of the involvement of sixteen-year-old Katie Trent, but CCTV footage clearly showed the young girl standing back and doing nothing for a while as the boys laid into Deanna. Even though she had pushed them away shortly afterwards, and stayed with Deanna until the paramedics had arrived, it hadn’t gone in her favour. A case of mistaken identity hadn’t washed with the judge.

  The fact that Katie had run away had gone against her too. The judge, sending her to a secure unit until the date of the trial, questioned whether she knew exactly what was going to happen, had stood by and watched it and then panicked when it had all come to fruition.

  ‘You two haven’t had many run-ins with the Barker brothers yet, have you?’ she asked, looking at Amy and then Jordan.

  ‘No,’ they replied in unison.

  ‘I had to interview Katie Trent, and her story of events was different from the judge’s interpretation,’ Eden explained. ‘Katie said she’d been scared of Nathan Lucas and the boys and had frozen when they had started to attack Deanna, who at the time she had thought was her brother, Travis.

  ‘When she saw the knife go into Deanna’s stomach, Katie reacted and pushed them all off. But by then it was too late. I asked why she ran, and Katie said through fear of what Nathan would do if she spoke out about it, threatening her and her family. It had all been captured on CCTV anyway, although Tom Cartwright had given us Nathan’s name, stating that he was the ringleader.’

  ‘Do you really think they’ll cause any trouble?’ Amy’s hand had moved towards the box of Jaffa Cakes again. ‘I know I wouldn’t want to mess with their mum, if I were either Travis or Damien.’

  Eden sniggered. Lulu Barker did have a worse reputation than her boys at times.

  ‘I know so,’ she replied. ‘The word on the street is there will be trouble if the verdict doesn’t go in their favour.’

  ‘But joint enterprise is hardly cut and dried, Sarge, is it?’ Jordan joined in, sitting back in his chair to stretch out his legs under the desk.

  Eden shook her head. ‘In some cases I agree with it, but others? Never judge a book by its cover.’

  ‘Surely just being in the wrong place at the wrong time when a crime is committed isn’t sufficient for a murder charge?’ queried Amy.

  ‘It’s an old law that doesn’t fit in modern society,’ said Jordan.

  ‘Being in the wrong place at the wrong time is only part of it. And not necessarily a chargeable offence.’ Eden looked at Amy. ‘The law of joint enterprise is when there isn’t sufficient evidence to say what or who dished out the fatal blow. Anything those kids said could have goaded Nathan Lucas into attacking Deanna Barker with a knife.’

  ‘But he was the one who was holding the knife, Sarge,’ said Amy, wiping her hands of cake remnants. ‘I just don’t understand how they can all be guilty of murder.’

  ‘It’s a tough law,’ agreed Eden, ‘but it stands, and it will have to be abided by. I just hope the jury sees sense, and that there is enough evidence, or lack of it, to get Katie Trent off. We don’t want the judge to make an example of her. It would devastate Katie and her family.’

  ‘Like you said, though, Sarge,’ said Amy, ‘if she’s guilty then it’s up to the jury to find that out.’

  Eden sighed. ‘I’m not looking forward to giving evidence, put it that way.’

  Amy stretched her arms above her head and yawned loudly.

  ‘Go on then, bugger off home, you two,’ said Eden, sounding more like their mother than she had intended.

  As they pulled their coats from the back of their chairs, Eden glanced at a pile of paperwork on her desk. She ran a hand through her short blonde hair. There were only a few staff left in their office now, Friday night calling to them. She sighed loud and long, knowing that she should at least tackle some of it before leaving.

  ‘Are you coming too, Sarge?’ Jordan asked, as if to rub salt in her wounds.

  ‘Not yet.’ Eden pointed to her in tray as she read from her computer screen. ‘I need to catch up on a few things first. Oh, damn!’

  ‘What’s up, Sarge?’

  ‘Maxine Trent has been threatened by Travis Barker in Shop&Save. He’s saying he’ll harm her son if things don’t go his way next week.’ She looked up at them, knowing that she needed to delegate this despite wanting to be reactive herself. ‘Sorry, but one of you needs to go and visit. Any takers or are you drawing straws?’

  ‘I’ll go,’ said Jordan. ‘I can catch up on my drinking time.’

  ‘Anyone ever tell you that you’re a diamond?’ Amy grinned widely.

  ‘All the time, honey.’ Jordan’s tone was ironic.

  Eden nodded. ‘Thanks, Jordan.’

  Once they’d gone, Eden sighed again, into the quiet of their corner. While she enjoyed looking after staff, she also appreciated time alone. She sent a quick text message to her sister to see if Sunday lunch was still on before staring at the paperwork in her in tray again. With a grimace, she went to make a coffee before sitting down to tackle it.

  Chapter Twelve

  Ruby Peters sat in the bus shelter waiting for her friend Stacey to turn up. After receiving a message to say she was on her way, Ruby had legged it out of the house. She’d been trying to get out for ages, but her mother wanted her to watch Dean while she sorted out her Avon orders.

  She checked her watch, wondering whether to have the cigarette she’d pinched before she’d come out or to wait until Stacey arrived so they could share it. They shared most things: clothes, taste in music, even the odd boyfriend or two, although never at the same time.

  She glanced down the street, but she couldn’t see her friend. Stuff it. She got the cigarette out of her pocket and lit up. Then she stood up, sucking in and blowing out the smoke as she looked up and down the street to see if she could see anyone.

  It was only just after 6.30 p.m. yet everywhere seemed deserted. Even though it was Friday evening – no school in the morning – there was no one around because of the drizzling rain being swept along by the howling gale. As her olds would say, it wasn’t fit enough for a dog to be out.

  A noise behind her made her jump. It sounded as if someone had thrown a pebble at the glass. She turned to look but could see nothing but dark shadows in the hedges. The bus shelter backed on to a playing field that led across to the shops that they would be going to once Stacey showed her face.

  She sat down on the tiny bench again. All that could be seen in the darkness was the lit tip of the cigarette glowing redder and redder as she inhaled. She’d started smoking when she was fourteen. When she could afford to buy a packet she would, but the majority she either pinched from her mum or her nan – or she begged off other people. Although nowadays not as many people smoked. It wasn’t seen as being cool any more, and Ruby was desperate to give up. She wasn’t trying those e-cigarettes though. Not until there was more evidence on the damage they might cause. Everything alien to a body would do more harm than good, even the lesser of two evils, in her opinion.

  Another noise.

  ‘Stacey, is that you?’ She stood up, dropping the cigarette butt into the bin before blo
wing out the remaining smoke. ‘Stacey? Stop pissing about.’ She stepped out onto the pavement again.

  Two figures came from the bushes, dressed in dark clothes and wearing balaclavas. Ruby screamed as they each grabbed one of her arms and pulled her behind the hedge.

  They pushed her to the ground, one with his hand over her mouth as she tried to scream. She kicked out as the other straddled her torso, his knees holding down her upper arms, while the first held her hands together above her head.

  She tried to see the eyes behind the balaclava, but she couldn’t. She was sure they were men as she bucked underneath the one straddling her, the horror of assault going through her mind. She was metres away from the road and they could do anything.

  With fear mounting, she heard tape being pulled from a roll and ripped off. A piece was pressed hastily across her mouth.

  Then, without a word, the person on top of her drew out a large pair of scissors from his pocket. He pushed her cheek into the wet grass. Ruby tried to resist but, with a few swift cuts, he hacked at her hair, chopping it off on one side to just above the ear. Ruby sobbed, struggling for breath beneath the tape as he moved across to the other side and did the same.

  By the time her attacker got off her, the majority of her hair lay on the grass either side of her.

  She heard laughter. It was definitely male, but she couldn’t tell who it was. Then they were off, running across the field. Ruby lay there for a few moments, paralysed with fear. Urine soaked through her jeans.

  And then she was ripping the tape from her mouth, big gulping sobs escaping her the whole time, tears pouring down her face. When she looked down there was a note pressed in the band of her jeans.

  KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT.

  She pushed herself up to standing and staggered back towards the road. Why would anyone want to do that to her? Neither of the people who had attacked her had spoken, so she was unsure who they were, but she could hazard a guess.