Goodbye My Precious Child

by M A Comley

  Sally watched the couple’s reaction to the question.

  Louie slowly turned to face Jack. “She’s fine with it. She’s looking forward to having her first grandchild. Anyway, we don’t know if it’s going to be a boy or a girl yet. We’ll cross that bridge in a couple of months. I’m sure whatever we decide to name it, Mum will back us, she always does. She’s an excellent mother who has always put her children first, except for that night.”

  Sally couldn’t tell if she’d detected some bitterness in his tone. “Your mother was out on a date with a man at the time, is that correct?”

  “Yes. She got a child to look after us. That child left us alone the minute she got a phone call from home.”

  “Lisa’s father also died that evening, didn’t he?” Sally pressed gently.

  “Yes. It was a tragic set of circumstances that evening which culminated in two deaths.”

  “Am I right in thinking that you blame your mother for leaving you with the babysitter then?”

  He threw a hand up in the air. “I don’t know. I’ve tried to make sense of the situation in my head over the years, and none of it makes sense at all. If Mum hadn’t gone out on a date, would any of it have happened? Millie’s death and the death of Lisa’s father? Who knows?”

  “Has your mother blamed herself over the years?”

  He shook his head. “Not to that extent. She came to terms with Millie’s death quickly and moved on. Married that man, and they had another son soon after.”

  Anna had seemed pretty emotional about her daughter’s death. Was she acting? “What would be the point in your mother dwelling on the past? Over something that she couldn’t change, no matter how hard she tried? Wasn’t it her first date in a while?”

  “Yes. Does that make a difference?” he bit back swiftly.

  “Not in the slightest, I was merely stating a fact. Mr Pickrel, is there something you’re not telling us about that night?”

  He looked her in the eye, his gaze narrowing for a split second before returning to normal. “Such as?”

  “As your mother wasn’t at the premises, could she have arranged for this to have happened?” Sally had no idea where that question had come from. She felt three sets of eyes turn her way and wriggled in her seat uncomfortably. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked such a damning question.”

  Louie nodded. “No, you shouldn’t have. How can you possibly think my mother is behind this? Are you insane? She gave up her whole life to care and provide for us kids. It was her first date since she left that no-good father of mine. She had the right to go out and enjoy herself that evening. She’d done everything she could to ensure we’d had a good time at the pool during the day. Why shouldn’t she go out on a date?” His voice rose along with his anger.

  Natalie gathered his hand in hers. He pulled it away and sat back, clearly offended.

  Sally felt awful. “I didn’t mean to cause offence. I’m sorry.”

  “You’re no better than him,” Louie replied, venom rife in his tone.

  “Him? Who, the killer?” Sally demanded, offended herself to be compared to a man who could take a child’s life.

  “Not the killer, that waste of space detective who came to our house.”

  Sally shook her head. “I’m sorry you think that way. I truly didn’t mean anything by my question. Please, forget I mentioned it.”

  “That’s hard to do.” He prodded the side of his temple. “It’s already embedded up here, just like the rest of it.”

  Sally ran a hand across her face. “Sometimes I speak before I engage my brain; that’s clearly what’s happened on this occasion. I can’t apologise enough. Perhaps you can tell me how you think the intruder got in that night?”

  He remained silent for a few moments. Sally sensed he was trying to get hold of his temper. She couldn’t blame him. She hated herself at that moment.

  Eventually, he said, “I went to the toilet and when I came back the man was in the bedroom. His hands forcing the pillow over my sister’s face. She wasn’t moving; I knew she was gone. I shouted at him, asked him what he was up to. He gasped, hadn’t expected to see me there, I suppose. I chased him and he couldn’t get out of the window quick enough, I locked it in case he thought about returning, then I rang nine-nine-nine, and they helped me to perform the CPR procedure. It was difficult trying to revive her, knowing that she was already dead and I was the one tasked with trying to make her heart start again.” He paused.

  Natalie ran her hand along his forearm again.

  He smiled at her and placed a loving hand on her cheek. “Thank you, love. You’ve heard this story so many times since we met. I’m grateful to have you in my life and by my side.”

  “I wouldn’t be anywhere else. I love you, Louie, you’re a very special man. A woman couldn’t ask for a more loving husband. Hopefully, when the baby comes, it will help alleviate some of your problems.”

  “I hope so, too,” he replied.

  Sally watched the touching scene with a lump bulging in her throat. She coughed to try to shift it. She decided to take her time in asking any further questions, thinking it would be insensitive for her to intrude.

  “What else do you need to know, Inspector?” Louie finally asked, holding his wife’s hand tightly.

  “How difficult was it for you to remember the man’s features at the time, on top of everything else?”

  “So-so. I said I wanted to work with a sketch artist quickly before I forgot. Although, I have to say, my memory is exceptional.”

  “I can vouch for that. My husband has never missed a birthday or anniversary yet,” Natalie interjected with a broad grin.

  “I’ve always been the type to put others first. Their needs are greater than mine. That’s why I loved playing with my sister, spending time with her.”

  “I understand. What was the inspector’s reaction to the E-FIT you created?”

  He shrugged. “Nonplussed, I suppose. He said that he would circulate it amongst his men. To my knowledge, it was never mentioned again.”

  “You didn’t see it featured on the news or in the newspapers?” Sally asked.

  “Mum kept me sheltered from those, said I’d gone through enough tackling the intruder as it was.”

  Sally nodded, understanding Anna’s dilemma. Louie had been a mere child himself at the time and had suffered enough that day. “Going back to the intruder, did he say anything to you? Or did you say anything to him?”

  “I gasped when I saw him. He turned and hesitated for a moment or two, then bolted. I think he was in two minds whether to hang around and kill me as well. That’s the impression I got anyway. All I could think of was to get him out of the house, to help save Millie. Maybe if I had reacted quicker…”

  “Don’t think like that, love, you did your best,” Natalie said, picking up his hand and kissing it as if it were a treasured little kitten or puppy.

  “Natalie is right, Louie, there’s no point blaming yourself. You were a child. Children tend to react differently to adults in these situations.”

  His eyes watered. “Even so. I should’ve tried harder, sooner. That regret will always live with me. A so-near-and-yet-so-far kind of moment we all experience at some point in our lives.”

  “I get that,” Sally concurred. “It’s not helping you to get over the trauma, however, and it’s time for you to do that now that you have a child of your own on the way.”

  “I’m hoping that will be the key to my future.” He glanced up at Sally and then faced Natalie and said, “Our future together.”

  “Okay, I think we have enough to go on now. If you’re sure there’s nothing else you can recall?”

  “I’m sorry, I wish there was.”

  Sally finished the remains of her coffee and stood. Jack flipped his notebook shut and rose from his seat, too. Natalie was the one who offered to show them out. Louie’s head sank, and he stayed seated at the table.

  “Thank you for seeing us today. I know it must�
�ve been hard for you to relive what went on. I appreciate you putting yourself through such torment for our benefits. You have my word that we’ll do our very best to deliver the justice you and your mother have been seeking all these years. I apologise the original investigation didn’t run as smoothly as it should have under Inspector Falkirk’s guidance.”

  He stared at his hands and said, “All we ask is that you do your best, Inspector. We look forward to hearing from you in the near future.”

  They left the room, and Natalie held the front door open for them.

  “We’re sorry you had to hear all that. I truly didn’t want you to get upset, what with your due date being so close. Thank you for listening to Louie’s side of events and comforting him when he needed it.”

  “You’re welcome. He doesn’t talk about it much, but I often see him drifting off and I’m sure he’s constantly reliving that dreadful time in his life. Putting myself in his shoes, I doubt I would have coped as well.”

  “It takes a special person to be able to carry on after being involved in something so traumatic. I’m glad he has you by his side should he ever decide to open up and reveal his true feelings,” Sally replied.

  “I’ll be here for however long it takes. I think the baby will change a lot when he or she finally enters this world.”

  “Take it easy until they make an appearance. Thanks, Natalie. We’ll be in touch if we have any news for you.”

  Natalie closed the door gently behind them. As she walked down the path, Sally looked over her shoulder at the house.

  “What’s up?” Jack asked.

  “I don’t know, I got the impression that the house is full of anguish. I hope that alters now that he’s spoken with us, for the baby’s sake.”

  “A terrible situation to find themselves in. I dread to think how I’d feel if anything happened to either of my two, or my granddaughter come to that. It’d likely destroy me.”

  Sally patted him on the back. “You’re a good man, Jack, deep down.”

  “Hmm…meaning what? That I’m generally a bastard?”

  Sally chuckled. “There you go again, twisting my damn words. You said the B word, not me.”

  They were back at the car by now.

  “Open the damn door,” he grumbled.

  She swallowed down the laugh that was desperate to escape and slipped behind the steering wheel.

  Attaching his seat belt, he asked, “What now? It’s not as if he told us something we didn’t already know.”

  “That’s true enough. Back to the station and put our heads together, I suppose. I’m going to ring Simon. He mentioned last night that he was going to check the PM report for me, see if anything shows up there. Apart from that, I’d say we’re screwed. We’ve questioned everyone we can think of who was connected to the case and come up with a big fat zero.”

  Jack was silent for a few moments. Sally placed the car into first and drove back to the station.

  “There’s one person we haven’t spoken to yet,” Jack said, a few minutes into the journey.

  “Who?” Sally asked, her forehead furrowing.

  “The guy the mother went on a date with that night.”

  Sally chewed on her bottom lip and then nodded slowly. “You’re right. Let’s see if we can track him down and rectify that.”

  “Want me to ring Joanna? It’ll save us trawling all the way back to the station.”

  “Good thinking.”

  Jack used his own mobile to contact the station. Joanna managed to locate Dean Sutton’s address, virtually straight away.

  “Get a place of work as well, Jack, just in case.”

  Joanna heard without Jack having to repeat the request.

  “Brilliant, thanks, Joanna. We’ll head over there now and then back to base. Everything all right at that end?” Jack said.

  “Put it on speaker, Jack,” Sally instructed.

  “Everything’s fine here. Stuart and Jordan are on their way to the prison to interview Mick Barratt, so I’m here alone and enjoying the peace and quiet.”

  “Good. We shouldn’t be too long, Joanna, we wouldn’t want you getting used to the solitude,” Sally replied, laughing.

  “No fear of that, boss. Ugh…I can’t find where he’s working on either of the systems, sorry.”

  “Don’t be, it was a long shot. We’ll drop by the house, see if anyone is at home. If not, we’ll see what the neighbours can tell us.”

  “Okay, good luck.”

  Jack ended the call. The address Joanna had given them turned out to be ten minutes up the road. They pulled up outside the executive home, and Jack let out a whistle.

  “Bloody hell. There’s some wealth around here, looking at these pads.”

  “You’re not wrong. I’m trying to think back to what Anna said about his job. He was a colleague of hers, I remember that much.”

  Jack shrugged. “Can’t recall, sorry. I’m guessing he’s done pretty darn well for himself.”

  “Let’s take a punt, see if he’s in.” Sally exited the car and joined Jack on the wide path that led through the beautifully manicured front garden which had box-hedge knot gardens on either side. Sally rang the bell. No answer, so she rang it again. It was promptly opened by a young woman in her early thirties, wearing a grey pin-striped suit.

  “Yes, can I help you?”

  Sally held up her ID. “DI Sally Parker and DS Jack Blackman. And you are?”

  “Katherine Sutton. What’s this about?” she demanded abruptly.

  “Nothing to be worried about, Mrs Sutton. We’re actually after your husband.”

  “Dean? Why? What’s he supposed to have done?” She folded her arms and scowled.

  “Nothing. We’re conducting general enquiries into a previous investigation.”

  “You are? As far as I know, my husband has never been involved in any investigation. You’ll have to enlighten me.”

  “We’d much prefer to speak to your husband in person. He can relay the information to you if he wishes.”

  “Good luck in finding him then.” She started to close the door in their faces, but Jack was quick to react and stuck his foot in the gap. “Get away from my house. I know my rights. You need a warrant to come in this house.”

  “Please, Mrs Sutton, all we’re requesting is the address of where your husband works so that we can visit him, today preferably.”

  “I won’t tell you that until you’ve told me what your visit is regarding.”

  Sally blew out an exasperated breath. “Very well. It’s to do with an investigation that took place nearly twenty years ago.”

  “For Christ’s sake, why didn’t you just come out and say that? Why did you have to go out of your way to get me worked up?”

  “I wasn’t aware that I said anything to warrant you getting uptight, Mrs Sutton. Now, if you’d just tell me where your husband works, we’ll let you get on with your day.”

  “I’ll get you one of his business cards.” She left the door open and went back in the house, returning a few moments later to hand Sally a card.

  Sally read the address and nodded. “We know where that is. Thank you for your help, Mrs Sutton.”

  “You’re welcome.” She shut the front door again.

  “Bloody rude cow,” Jack grumbled on the way back to the car.

  “I suppose it was a shock to find two coppers standing on her doorstep. She was dressed in a business suit. Perhaps she was on one of those conference calls. Maybe she works from home and we disturbed her.”

  “Whatever, there was no need for her to be rude.”

  Sally sniggered. “You are funny when you’re angry. A little tic goes off near your right eye, did you know that?”

  “Bollocks, it does not.”

  A few minutes later they arrived at the industrial estate, situated out in the middle of the countryside. Sutton Systems was the first unit they saw as they entered the site. They walked into the reception area and a slim blonde, with spectacles perc
hed on the end of her nose came towards them.

  “Hello, can I help you?”

  Sally and Jack produced their IDs. “Is Mr Sutton available for a quick chat?”

  “Oh, yes, I believe he’s free right now. Just a second, I’ll check if he’ll see you.” She tottered on five-inch heels to the back of the reception area and disappeared out of sight. She returned with a suited man in his early fifties.

  He strode past the receptionist and approached them. “I’m Dean Sutton. What can I do for you?”

  “We’d like a quiet chat, Mr Sutton,” Sally said, looking over at the receptionist and then back at Sutton.

  “You’d better come through. Would you like a drink?” He opened the hatch in the reception counter, allowing them access.

  “A coffee would be nice, thank you,” Sally replied, speaking for both of them.

  “Candice, can you sort two coffees out for me? Make it three, I have a feeling I’m going to need one. Come into my office. You’ll have to excuse the mess, I’m in the process of searching for a lost invoice.”

  He stepped into the office and motioned for them to take a seat in front of his desk. There was no floor space to be seen as it was littered with paperwork.

  “Oh dear, you certainly have a daunting task on your hands, Mr Sutton.”

  “Yep, beginning to regret volunteering to find the invoice myself. Thought I’d have it done and dusted within thirty minutes. This is the result, four hours later.”

  “I don’t envy you. Nine times out of ten that type of thing is under your nose.”

  “I was due to take a breather. I’ll go over things again once our meeting is over. May I ask why you’re here?”

  Candice walked into the office with a tray of mugs and placed it on the edge of his desk. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted milk and sugar.”

  “Thanks, Candice, we’ll sort it from here. Shut the door on your way out, please.”

  Once the door had shut and Dean had distributed the mugs, he sat back and asked, “Have I done something wrong? Sorry, I didn’t catch your names.”

  “I’m DI Sally Parker, and my partner is DS Jack Blackman. No, I want to reassure you from the outset that this is a general enquiry, sir, nothing to be concerned about.”