by Anita Waller
‘Did he know of the violence suffered by you and Danny?’
‘A little. Danny was quite obsessed at one point by the fact that he was thrown downstairs, and he spoke of it to Trevor. I told Trevor a little bit about her temper, but he certainly didn’t know how bad it could be.’
‘We’ve seen photographs of the bruises, Mr Armstrong. And a picture of Danny when he was about five with a cast on his arm.’
‘That was from hitting every stair on the way down. He had a massive lump on the back of his head as well. That was the day the fear took over and I contacted Ethan. Within two days we had moved in here with just a few clothes and five thousand pounds. Oh, and the trusty car. Only Ethan knew the full story. He has supported the two of us by letting us live here for free until I could build a business and begin to pay him rent. We now pay him the going rate, but he still has Trevor as my go-to aide, and the chap at the other side but not connected to my house as backup. He knows very little, and we have never had to call on him for help. He checks in once a week, just asks how I am, and that is sufficient.’
There was a long pause and it was evident to the two women that he was wondering how to say what had to come next.
‘Danny didn’t remember everything quite so accurately as he thought. Yes, he saw his mother beating me with that baseball bat, and he screamed and screamed to get her to stop hurting his daddy, but she wasn’t satisfied until I was unconscious. When I started to surface, she was all over me, couldn’t apologise enough. I think initially she thought she had killed me. She bathed the wounds, dressed them where she had broken the skin, was goodness personified. But it was too late. Danny had seen it all. He wouldn’t go near her.’
Again Adam showed reluctance to carry on.
‘I’m scared. I thought I was scared before, but it’s nothing like this. Two days after the hammering that almost killed me, Debbie came around to have a go at Nicola. There’d always been bad blood between them, both had mega problems with their tempers, but it was more or less under control with Debbie. Until that day. I had been round to her house in the morning. I couldn’t move, and one part of my back was particularly painful. I was peeing blood, and my face looked like I’d done fifteen rounds with Muhammad Ali. Her anger erupted. She stormed around to our house, and stuffed Bridie into my arms.’
He stopped again, and they knew something was about to happen, something momentous. Tessa called a temporary halt. She stopped the recording, and Hannah went to get drinks for them all. The atmosphere in the room was electric, and Adam sat, his head bowed.
‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘It’s bringing everything back, and I’m struggling.’
They resumed fifteen minutes later. Adam had recovered slightly, but wanted to get everything off his chest.
‘Debbie stormed upstairs to find Nicola, and I was at the bottom, still holding Bridie in my arms. There was some significant shouting going off, and I looked everywhere downstairs for Danny, but I couldn’t find him. Then suddenly, as I was about to tackle going upstairs carrying the baby despite the pain in my back, I saw Danny come out of his bedroom. He was shouting for his mummy, and could hear all the crashes and bangs coming from our bedroom. One of them was screaming, Nicola I think, and then there was a huge bang as the door was thrown open. Debbie came out, absolutely livid, and still yelling at Nicola. She saw Danny, picked him up and threw him down the stairs.’
Tessa held up her hand. ‘Whoa. Can we backtrack, Adam? You’re saying it was Debbie Carter who threw Danny down the stairs.’
‘I am. Don’t get me wrong, Nicola was capable of it, but it was Debbie who did it. I rushed towards Danny, who was unconscious, and I had to put the baby on the floor at the bottom of the stairs so that I could see to Danny.’
He took a deep breath. ‘This next bit is going to tell you exactly why I’ve been hidden away for ten years. I had a very brief affair with Debbie. We’d always had feelings for each other, but life wasn’t easy with Nicola, and when the bullying and physical beatings became too much, I turned to Debbie. Stupidly. We slept together twice, that was all. Then she became demanding, wanting me to leave Nicola. I couldn’t do that, I had Danny. I told her it would never happen, and she told me she was pregnant. I said no way, and she said she hadn’t been sleeping with Rob, they were going through a difficult time themselves. When Bridie was born we found out for definite, although I have to say she never doubted that Bridie was mine.’
He stopped to gather his thoughts. ‘After throwing Danny down the stairs, she followed his route and stood beside me. Her words that day put so much fear into me, I actually rang Ethan from the hospital while they were fixing Danny’s arm. She said she hoped Danny would die, because then she could have me, but she also said that if I told the police the truth about Danny’s fall, she would make sure Bridie suffered the same fate. Only Ethan knows the story, the full story. He wanted to get me out of there the next day, but they kept Danny overnight, so it had to be the day after. Nicola went to the hairdressers, and we drove away. Ethan met us at the house, introduced us to Trevor, and we’ve been there ever since.’
‘So why do you think Debbie is trying to find you? And why does Danny think it was his mother who threw him down the stairs?’
‘I couldn’t let Danny think it was Debbie; if he’d ever said anything to anybody in authority, there was nothing to stop Debbie carrying through her threat to get rid of my other child, Bridie. And I think Debbie is trying to find me to kill me. It’s as simple as that. She attempted to murder Danny. I’m a witness, the only witness because I brainwashed Danny into believing it was his mother who threw him. You think I’m soft, unmanly, for not sticking up for myself?’
‘Not at all,’ Tessa reassured him. She could see he was becoming distressed. ‘You’re not the first man I’ve interviewed who has suffered domestic violence from their wife, and you won’t be the last. It’s just not talked about in the way it is when the positions are reversed. So let me get this straight in my mind. Debbie threw Danny down the stairs, intending to kill him and punish you, because you wouldn’t leave Nicola. Then she threatened to kill your daughter if ever you spoke of what she had done. Where was Nicola while all this was happening?’
‘She was still in the bedroom. I handed Bridie back to Debbie, and Debbie went home. Her words as she went out of our door were, “Sorry for the accident. Let me know if there’s anything I can do”.’
‘Was Nicola injured?’
‘Her pride certainly was. Debbie had gone for her with a pair of scissors, not to stab her, but to chop off her hair. That was why she was at the hairdressers when we left. She had scratches all down her arms and the beginnings of a black eye, but nothing to compare with either mine or Danny’s injuries.’
‘And Danny has never queried why his mother threw him down the stairs?’
‘He didn’t at first, it was only when he reached about eight or nine that he started to mention it, and ask why it had happened. I said Mummy was poorly and didn’t know what she was doing, and that’s why we left. He seemed to accept it. He never queried where Aunty Debbie and Uncle Rob were, in fact he seemed to forget our previous life very quickly, unlike me. It’s as clear today as it was ten years ago. I actually thought, hoped, that the police would think Nicola had killed us, and she would be arrested for murder. I know there have been cases of successful prosecutions when there is no body. But it didn’t happen, and we continued to live in Cromer, hearing nothing, or very little, until Ethan rang to tell me that Nicola was dead.’
‘And what will you do now? Will you go back to Cromer, or move into your home in Baslow?’
‘The first thing I have to do is find Danny. Once I’ve spoken to him, we can make decisions together. I’m certainly going to need his help, I struggle with going out, as you know, and if Danny won’t come home, I would be better off staying in Cromer where I have Trevor.’
36
Tessa turned to Hannah. ‘Contact social services – I want those two child
ren cared for while we bring her in for questioning. And I want a safe house setting up tonight for Adam and Trevor. Adam, thank you for this. I need to check in with my team at Chatsworth, I’ve had them tracing that fair where we’re hoping Danny is, so I’ll be back in a few minutes. Would you like a drink?’
‘Water will be fine, DI Marsden, and thank you. Is Trevor okay?’
She smiled. ‘He’s good. And a brilliant friend. We’ve fed and watered him, so he’s probably asleep in reception, waiting for you. I’ll find him and tell him about arrangements for tonight.’
They stopped the tape and Hannah disappeared to follow Tessa’s instructions. They had certainly been fooled by Debbie Carter, but it was retribution time.
Tessa took out her phone and rang Ray at Chesterfield.
He answered immediately. ‘Was just texting you, boss, to say we’ve tracked down that fair to Sunderland. I asked the local coppers to pay a visit and get Danny for us, but according to the owners he’s not been with them for a couple of months. Told them he was going home to his dad.’
‘Unless Adam Armstrong is bullshitting us, he didn’t go anywhere near his dad. Okay, thanks, Ray. I’ll see what Adam has to say in response to this bit of knowledge. I’ve got an urgent job for you. I want you to go to Debbie Carter’s house in Eyam, and bring her in for questioning to Chesterfield. Social services have been advised. She has two children. If they don’t get there in time, leave Fiona and Penny there to wait with the children.’
Tessa’s mind was reeling as she walked back down to the interview room. She paused to look through the one-way mirror, and Adam was sitting with his head forward on his arms, which were resting on top of the table. She delayed going back in, and went to grab a coffee, while she waited for Hannah to get back to her.
‘Done all that, boss,’ Hannah said, and Tessa turned around, a coffee in each hand.
‘Let’s have these before we go back in. It seems Danny left the fair a couple of months ago to go home to his dad. Think he did? Think Adam’s been lying to us?’
‘No I don’t. I can tell when people are lying, especially when you’re asking the questions, and whatever he’s said today, he believes it to be the truth. Everything he’s done for the last ten years has been done to protect not only Danny, but Bridie as well. I suspect Danny just got fed up with the fairground life in winter, and took himself off to find something else.’
‘Thank heavens you’ve said that, because I don’t believe he’s lied either. I think he forced himself to come here today to tell the truth. He’s afraid for Bridie because he knows everything is likely to come out and Debbie could continue with her threat.’
‘Social services said they would get the necessary paperwork and go round there. I said it had to be now, one of the children in particular was in grave danger. I also said social services in Chesterfield would be plastered across every newspaper, on every television station, and on every Facebook account if anything happened to Bridie Carter. I think it was the Facebook account bit that swung it. They’re on their way. I’ve told them to ring me when they’ve got the children.’
‘Brilliant. Thanks, Hannah.’
‘You’re welcome, boss. I gave your name as the authorising officer.’ Hannah grinned.
Hannah logged them back in, and immediately began to speak of Danny. ‘We’ve tracked down the whereabouts of the fair, it’s currently in Sunderland.’
‘Is he safe?’ Concern was reflected in Adam’s face and his tone of voice.
‘We don’t know. He’s no longer with them, left a couple of months ago. Can you think of anyone in that area where Danny would be? Any relatives? Friends?’
‘We don’t have friends. We can’t have friends, and I don’t believe we have anyone north of here. All our relatives think we’re dead anyway.’
‘We’ve sent someone to bring Debbie Carter in for questioning, so her children will be temporarily in the care of social services. I believe we need to make sure Danny is safe, and that’s a priority. We’ll use the media, see if that will bring him forward. When you changed your names, I know Danny didn’t like it so you stuck to Danny, but what name is on his documents, his birth certificate and suchlike that I’m sure you’ve no idea how you obtained?’
‘I do know how I got them. I bought them from a bloke in a pub.’
‘I’m glad to know it was nothing to do with Ethan King, because forgery is a crime, you know.’ Tessa’s voice was dry, but she received no response from Adam.
‘All his stuff for starting school, taking exams, everything like that, is in the name of Davy Owen. He’s never used it though. Told everybody at school his dad called him Danny, and that’s how he wanted to be known. I called him Davy, because it was the closest I could get to Danny, but he wouldn’t have it.’
Tessa opened her file and flicked through it. She ran her finger down one page, and looked up at Adam.
‘He’s using it now, Adam. DI Marsden and DS Granger leaving the room.’ She switched off the recorder. ‘Adam, in view of this news, I’ll have to ask you to remain in this room. We’ll let you know what’s happening as soon as we can.’
Hannah’s foot was pressed hard down on the accelerator all the way to Chatsworth.
PC Kurt Wentworth had been sent to the kitchen where the estate workers took their breaks to check on Davy’s whereabouts, and found he had been in the glasshouses all day, transplanting. Kurt was currently pretending to look at the plants already in the vegetable gardens, but keeping a much closer eye on the young man inside the glasshouse. Harry Hardy was with him, although he seemed to have adopted a supervisory role as he hadn’t done anything to any plants as far as Kurt could see.
Marsden and Granger walked through the entrance way towards the glasshouses and the young PC met them. ‘He’s still in there, boss, along with Harry Hardy. You need me there as well?’
‘Yes please, Kurt, in case he tries to run.’
Tessa led the way into the glasshouse, taking the left-hand path towards where Davy and Harry were standing at the central plant bench. Hannah went up the right-hand side, and Kurt stood in the doorway.
Davy looked up and grabbed hold of the slim almost-pointed tool he had been using to help with the transplanting.
‘Daniel Armstrong? I am arresting you on suspicion of the murders of Nicola Armstrong and Olivia Fletcher. You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.’
Danny lunged with the dibber towards Harry, but it wasn’t sharp enough to pierce the heavy waterproof coat he was wearing. Harry stepped backwards to avoid the thrust and his weight sent Tessa and himself crashing to the floor. Danny jumped up onto the plant bench and ran, heading for the door. He didn’t make it anywhere once he reached it; Kurt Wentworth wasn’t moving at all, and he held Danny while Hannah locked on the handcuffs.
Tessa dusted herself down, helped Harry get back to his feet, and went down the glasshouse towards Danny. ‘You may live to regret that,’ she said in the quiet tone she always used to great effect when she really meant what she was saying.
‘Let’s get him back to the station. We’ll sort out a responsible adult and a solicitor when we get there.’
Tessa broke the news to Adam first. He looked grey. He couldn’t look at her, until she said his name, forcing him to respond.
‘I’ve worked it out,’ he said. ‘It’s Danny, isn’t it? It’s Danny who killed his mother.’
‘Not just his mother, Adam,’ she said, trying her best to break the news gently to a broken man. ‘He also killed Olivia Fletcher to stop her going to the police. I’m going to leave you with Hannah to give your statement, then we’re going to take you and Trevor to the safe house. I’m not convinced you’ll need it, but it’s organised so we’ll make use of it. Danny has a responsible adult with him, and a solicitor is on the way.’
‘And this is all because I tol
d him a lie. I told him his mother had thrown him down the stairs, which has left him with pain ever since. His arm never healed properly, and that’s partly because I couldn’t take him to the hospital. By the time I could, it was too late, there was too much nerve damage.’
‘Whatever the reasons, Adam, murder doesn’t solve them.’
Danny denied everything until Tessa showed him a picture of Olivia Fletcher. He had, up to that point, said no comment to every question, but when he saw Olivia lying on the ground in the glasshouse, he looked at his solicitor and said, without flinching, ‘I shouldn’t have done it, not to Liv.’
Two hours later he was formally charged with both murders, his statement had been taken, and he was locked in a cell until transport could be arranged to take him somewhere more secure, and suitable.
Adam and Trevor had their request to see him denied, and it was as they were leaving to be taken to the safe house that Debbie arrived, escorted by Ray Charlton and Fiona Ainsworth.
They stared at each other, then Debbie held up her hand as if to touch him. He flinched and moved away from her. Adam couldn’t speak, not even to Trevor. The child he had done everything to protect was in police custody charged with murder, with matricide. And until Adam had seen DI Marsden’s face when he said Davy Owen, he hadn’t considered the possibility for one minute.
He watched as Debbie disappeared down the corridor to the cells, where he knew she would have to wait until DI Marsden had finished interviewing Danny. He guessed she would be there for some time.