Gaslighting (DP, DIC03)

by Will Patching

  I should have been here for you.

  ‘Oh, no. I wouldn’t do that!’ Having finished her breakfast, Nana sat back, wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing her biceps, as if the morning chill had finally got to her. She gazed out of the window, thinking. Several seconds passed before she spoke again, her voice haunted. ‘But the whispering was insistent. It felt like a demon was urging me to do it. I turned to go back to bed, I think. Then I tripped, and fell…’ She turned back to Suzie, bafflement and terror on her features, for a few beats. Then she tried to compose herself again. ‘Though…’ The word tailed off to nothing.

  ‘Though what?’ Suzie needed to know. Sat forward, as if urging her mother to speak, to spit out whatever it was that had caused her so much fear. ‘Please tell me. What happened?’

  ‘It’s so strange, and all so hazy.’ A shudder of her shoulders, and her eyes watering. The old dear was close to tears, and Suzie’s heart slipped in her chest at the look on her face. ‘I thought it was all a dream until I woke up, lying there in pain the next morning.’

  ‘It was no dream, Mum. Billy found you at the bottom of the stairs. You got off lightly with a broken wrist.’

  ‘You know I still can’t face the stairs without you or Billy helping. That’s why I can’t understand why I would go to the kitchen, alone, at night…’

  That was puzzling Suzie too. Even with the medications, it seemed weird. ‘I’m not surprised you feel that way about the stairs. It was a bad fall. It could’ve killed you.’

  ‘I know. And I try not to think about it.’ The silver crucifix at her neck received a few lingering strokes from her fingers. ‘You know I don’t really believe in ghosts and demons or anything like that. And your father would never harm me. But last night, in bed, I was reliving that night like I have done so many times since, but this time without my meds…’

  ‘And?’

  ‘Well, honestly sweetheart, take no notice of me. I’m just imagining things.’

  ‘Go on. Tell me.’

  ‘It sounds stupid, I know. But it really felt like I was pushed.’

  ***

  Charlotte Kealey shook Doc’s hand with a firm grip and he immediately thought her an impressive uniformed Inspector. Sharp eyes assessed Doc as she introduced herself when he answered the door, and he invited her in with barely a glance at the ageing female sergeant beside her.

  ‘The famous Doctor Colin Powers. Jack enjoys crowing about his celebrity friend. Nice to finally meet you in person. Sorry the circumstances aren’t more amenable.’ She dazzled Doc with a smile. ‘Jack forgot to invite me to your barbecue this weekend. Apparently’

  Doc was surprised to see his friend’s ears turn pink at Charlie’s jibes as they entered the lounge together. Without a word of greeting to Jack, she instructed her sergeant to inspect the boat. The three of them then sat by the coffee table, still bearing the bagged items Jack had discovered the night before. He launched into an explanation, but Charlie cut him off.

  ‘First, let me explain why I’m here. I know you invited me, Jack. I got your message first thing this morning, but I was already planning on visiting Doctor Powers. I was waiting for the fire officer’s interim report.’

  ‘And?’ Jack leaned forward, tapping his palms on his knees, rat-a-tat-tat, impatient to hear more.

  ‘You have it?’ Doc could see no file, and Charlie had no smartphone to hand. ‘And please call me Doc. Everyone else does.’

  ‘My sergeant has it. Before you speak with her, I’d like to confirm what Jack stated in his message to me, Doc. You didn’t make any kind of modification to the boat? Nothing at all. Please think carefully.’

  ‘Hang on Charlie. Doc’s already–’

  ‘It’s okay, my friend.’ Doc placed a hand on Jack’s arm to quieten him. Charlie was only doing her job, just as he would have done. Friend of a friend or not. ‘Nothing, Inspector. The boat’s been regularly serviced by professionals at the marina. I can provide all the receipts, and the last time was only four or five weeks ago.’

  ‘And who else has access to the vessel?’

  ‘It sits on the river, day and night. But it’s always locked and I have the keys.’ Doc shrugged. ‘My wife. Jack. A few friends… There were a couple of dozen police officers here on Saturday, and many of them had a look around the boat that afternoon. I’m pretty sure no one I know would dream of tampering with it.’

  ‘Of course. I just wanted to be sure.’ She threw him another brilliant smile while ignoring Jack. ‘The fire officer’s report recommended we get our divers out to recover the missing parts of the fuel tank. I didn’t want to do that if you could tell me something that would explain why it exploded.’ She paused, the smile switched off like a light. ‘Have you been putting additives in the fuel?’

  ‘What?’ Jack gave them both a baffled frown, but Doc had been thinking about the explosion and was not surprised at the question.

  ‘No additives, Inspector. Are you suggesting they found traces of unusual chemicals in what was left of the fuel tank?’

  Charlie nodded. ‘Some pretty exotic chemicals, Doc. A mixture that reacted with the petrol.’

  Jack interjected. Excited now. ‘Is that what caused the explosion, Charlie?’ Her eyes remained on Doc, so Jack demanded to know, voice fierce. ‘Chemicals in the fuel?’

  ‘The fuel tank vent had been sealed. Deliberately from the look of it, gummed up with filler. According to the fire chief, the traces of chemical compound they found would’ve become effervescent in petrol, producing bubbles of gas, creating high pressure inside the tank. Water sprinklers or even foam would’ve been unable to extinguish the resultant fire. The analysts reckon it had its own supply of oxygen, thanks to the ongoing chemical reaction.’

  Doc scratched his head, visualising the green flames in the fireball. ‘So it exploded from the pressure?’ That wasn’t right. ‘I thought it was Felix turning the ignition key that triggered it.’

  ‘The fire officer said it still needed a spark. The pressure inside the tank was insufficient to cause an explosion. He likened it to the compression that occurs in a piston engine combustion chamber, but can’t understand how a spark could be introduced inside a sealed tank. Airtight, pressurized like that.’ With a twitch of her shoulders, she added, ‘I had hoped you’d be able to give us an explanation, but now I think I need to call in the divers and officially make this a suspicious homicide investigation.’

  ‘I’m on holiday, but I’d like to help.’

  She finally addressed him, her voice formal. Frosty. ‘Wasn’t the chap who died your daughter’s fiancé, Jack?’

  ‘Yeah. And Doc’s my mate. So what?’

  The smile flickered on, uncertainly, but her voice was firm. ‘I’ll keep you in the loop but neither of you can be involved in the official investigation.’

  ‘Come off it, Charlie!’ Jack was half out of his seat, his face red, and Doc realised how close to exploding his friend was again.

  ‘Jack, calm down, please.’ With his backside still hovering over the armchair, Jack visibly bit his tongue, then sat back down on the cushion with a defeated thump. She continued, words silken and soft now. ‘You of all people should know how precious detectives can be, and this case will be out of my hands well before lunchtime. Meanwhile, we’ll need written statements from you both.’ She smoothed the thighs of her uniform trousers with her palms, then stood. ‘Now, excuse me. I have to make some calls. Sorry, Doc. You’ll be answering many more questions when my plain clothes colleagues get here.’

  Charlie joined her sergeant, leaving Doc in the lounge with Jack fuming.

  ‘Dammit! I hoped we could be involved, that Charlie could get us in. Not shut us out.’

  ‘Mmm. There’s nothing stopping us doing our own investigation, Jack. I want to speak to Billy Leech. And his mother.’

  ‘Me too… Charlie didn’t seem too interested in this stuff, either.’ Jack gesticulated at the bags on the table with a sullen look on his face. ‘And she
was very offhand with me.’

  The sergeant appeared at the patio doors before closing them behind her. Charlie was still outside, standing by the salvaged boat parts with a phone pressed to her ear.

  ‘The Inspector asked me to have a chat with you, Detective Carver. And you, Doctor Powers, if you don’t mind.’ She gave them several looks each, her head switching from side to side, a robin hunting worms. Then smiled at them. ‘Off the record.’

  ‘Really? Sit down, please.’ Doc realised then. ‘You work at Thatcham, don’t you, Sergeant? You compiled a list of attacks on animals and property in the local area. And you suspect Billy Leech was involved. Correct?’

  Jack murmured under his breath. ‘Ah! Charlie, I get it now.’

  ‘That’s right, Doctor. I knew his father and uncle when they were teenagers. They’re a bad lot, the Leeches. Believe me. I could tell you some tales about that family that would make your toes curl…’

  ***

  On the way to the clinic, Suzie, feeling naked without her usual disguise, tried not to think about her son and all the dreadful things she once again suspected he was responsible for. Her mother’s latest tale had set her mind spinning, though she had tried to consider everything as dispassionately as she could.

  The problem was one of her own making. The months and years that had passed by, with her oblivious to all that was going on around her. She did her chores in the morning, kept the house clean, cooked for her family, did whatever shopping they needed, but always with her mind dulled by chemicals. That morning Billy had roused her, shouting about finding her mother at the bottom of the stairs, should have been a wakeup call for her in more ways than one.

  They had driven to the hospital, and returned home with Nana’s plastered arm in a sling, but all the while Suzie had been selfishly thinking about the hassle the incident had caused. The inconvenience of it all. Had berated her mother for her stupidity. Shown zero sympathy. Scolded her and told her to ask for help the next time she wanted to get up or down the stairs. And the poor old dear had pretty much confined herself to her room ever since.

  I’ve been so horrible. No wonder Billy calls me selfish.

  Nana contradicted the thought. ‘You know, I’m so glad you and Billy are living with me. Since your dad died, I would’ve been all alone in that big house full of memories.’ Her fingers stroked the back of Suzie’s hand as it rested on the gear stick. ‘Thank you, love.’

  ‘For what?’

  ‘For not moving out as you originally planned.’

  ‘Don’t be so daft – we should be thanking you for making us so welcome. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you. After everything that happened to Billy and me.’

  Billy. I want to know what lies you’ve been telling.

  The terrible prospect that he might have been responsible for shoving her mother down the stairs was one she could barely face, especially after accusing him of trying to poison her.

  Falsely accusing him.

  Maybe…

  Right now, his justification for drugging her seemed less likely than it had last night. Regular doses of sedatives mixed with alcohol were probably just as damaging as drinking more alcohol with no additives. Given Billy’s comprehensive knowledge of chemistry and biology, he would be fully aware of the consequences of mixing them, and what that would mean for her liver over the months he had been dosing her.

  Years?

  As they pulled into the clinic car park, the other ugly suspicion reared up in her mind. She was sure her son had been starving her mother, though had yet to hear his explanation for that, and wanted to find out if he had been drugging Nana too.

  With every passing hour, her mother had become sprightlier, more cogent, more aware.

  Just like I have…

  There was a simple way to find out. This clinic, just south of Oxford, specialised in blood screening for a range of ailments, but also had a lucrative sideline in forensics. Specifically, the identification of illicit drugs, testing blood samples for substance abuse, and checking for chemical contamination of food and drink. Nana gave Suzie a black look when she hoiked the carrier bag from the passenger footwell and the bottles clinked inside.

  ‘You can’t drink and drive, my love. I know you find it difficult to face people without your dark glasses and–’

  ‘They’re empties, Mum. I want the lab to test them for something.’

  ‘Oh!’ Relieved. ‘Let’s get inside then. I want to get this over and done with. Can they really tell if I’ve got dementia from my blood?’

  That was the excuse for today’s outing, although Suzie was uncertain if the analysts could, as she had forgotten to ask when she called to arrange the appointment – her mind being preoccupied with other more immediate concerns. She would find out today, but her mother would remain in ignorance as Suzie had warned the staff not to discuss any of the tests with ‘the old dear’ as she was ‘easily confused’.

  ‘I’ve heard they can analyse your genes here, check to see if you’re at risk. And they do all sorts of other tests too. You don’t have to worry. They only take a little blood, and I’m having mine checked too. I want to get healthy again.’

  ‘Really?’ A delighted smile accompanied the word as Nana pushed her way into the revolving doors of the clinic. Suzie followed.

  ‘Really. I’m off the booze. And like you, I want to cut out medication if I can. We’ll do a deal. We’ll look after each other, and do it together, eh Mum?’

  They went arm in arm to the reception desk and completed registration details. They were then escorted to two adjacent treatment rooms where a nurse took blood from each of them. Once out of her mother’s earshot, Suzie took the opportunity to confirm what additional tests were to be undertaken on both blood samples, and agreed to pay extra to expedite the results. The nurse didn’t bat an eyelid when Suzie handed her the empty bottles for analysis too.

  Thirty minutes after arriving, they were back on the road.

  ‘Let’s go to Wallingford and have lunch by the Thames.’ Nana delved into her handbag for a compact, and powdered her face as she continued. ‘There’s a nice pub near the bridge, and I haven’t been there since before your dad died.’

  ‘Sounds nice, Mum.’ Suzie had her smartphone in her handbag, and reckoned she would receive the results soon enough. The clinic had promised that a hard copy would be in the post tonight, but she’d asked them to email her as soon as the information was ready and hoped it would be in her inbox by the time they had eaten. Maybe then she would get to the truth regarding her son’s machinations.

  Please God. Don’t let my son take after his father and uncle. Please let him be innocent…

  Innocent?

  No. Not likely.

  After his display of sheer malice at breakfast?

  Suzie swerved as his face loomed before her, as if reflected on the inside of the windscreen.

  Billy. Snarling, angry, bitter.

  Malevolent.

  Like the demon that had pushed her mother down the stairs.

  ***

  ‘Bloody politics. Makes me sick.’ Jack grumbled as he drove Doc into Pangbourne village, his morose mood further soured by Charlie’s visit. ‘At least she’s on our side.’

  ‘Yes… It’s not surprising we’ve been given the official cold shoulder. In many ways, we’re both suspects.’

  ‘Suspects?’ Jack had been so focussed on Billy Leech he had not really considered himself in that light. It made sense though, and any decent detective would have him pegged as a likely contender for blowing up the boat. The questions Charlie had asked earlier had suggested the fire officers thought Doc might be liable, but given Jack’s animosity for his future son-in-law, he was certain to be on the investigators’ radar. He snorted in disgust. ‘I s’pose so. Especially as we’re the only witnesses to the dead pets.’

  ‘You’re the only one who saw lemon boy too, Jack. And you went alone to inspect the site. They only have your word for it you found tho
se bolt cutters and so on… I think your lady love has been very helpful in the circumstances.’

  ‘Lady love! I wish.’ Jack had missed a trick with her. Why on earth hadn’t he thought to invite her to his celebration do on Saturday? Crazy. ‘Charlie’s a doll. I do like her. When this is all over I’m going ask her on a proper date. Not sure I can remember how to do all that romantic bollocks, though. Maybe you can give me some tips. Here we go.’ Jack swerved into the parking bay opposite the station, with the minicab office adjacent, but was in no hurry to get out of the car.

  ‘I’m no expert. Unless you’re planning to sit by a hospital bed and then help your paramour through rehab and recovery for several months after.’

  ‘Mmm.’ Jack changed the subject, his fingers tapping a tattoo on the steering wheel. ‘What did you think of that sergeant? She’s really got it in for the Leech clan, hasn’t she?’

  ‘I can understand why, though. It was good of Charlie to bring her along. And she could’ve insisted we stay and wait for her colleagues instead of letting us gallivant off this morning.’

  ‘I wasn’t planning on hanging around, waiting for some bumpkin detectives to get their arses into gear. I can’t believe Reading nick hasn’t sent a team out already. Dithering like that.’

  ‘They need to be absolutely sure it wasn’t just carelessness on my part before allocating resources–’

  ‘It’s bleedin obvious this was deliberate.’ Despite his objections, Jack was well aware of the reasons why the local force was not on the case already. ‘We’ll just have to do our own investigation for now. Bit like old times.’ He threw Doc a mirthless grin, but Doc was deep in thought and continued staring out of the windscreen.

  ‘Let’s hope Charlie’s divers find enough to confirm our suspicions.’ The police underwater search team had arrived as Jack and Doc departed. ‘Do you want me to come in with you?’

  ‘Nah. I’ll only be a few minutes. You can wait here and flex that giant brain muscle of yours while I’m doing my first interview as a DCI. Unofficially, of course. At least I look the part this morning.’ The jacket, shirt and tie Jack had selected from Doc’s wardrobe made him feel more business-like too.