Cold Justice (Willis/Carter #4)(57)

‘Who were they?’

‘Marky, Jago, Towan, a few more. They were the lads that lorded it over everyone. They were allowed to do what they wanted. They started really bothering Kensa and me. Marky really liked Kensa. It was obvious he didn’t appreciate her going with me. They got physical with her and Ella. Ella was a year older than us, she was sixteen; she’d dated Towan for a short while but he was one of the worst among them that night. We decided to leave the beach and go back to mine to get away from them.

‘I remember feeling so tired, like my legs were giving way, even on the way back from the beach. It seemed like I just couldn’t make it up the hill but I had to help Kensa. She was almost asleep. We weren’t drunk, we’d only had a couple of beers.’

‘Do you think your drink was spiked?’

‘Looking back, I think it must have been.’

‘What can you remember about your time when you got back to the house?’

‘Kensa was asleep on the sofa. I remember saying to Cam, “I’m sorry, I have to lie down.” I heard Ella scream and Mawgan was swearing at her brother. Suddenly there’s Towan in the house and dragging Mawgan out. I heard Marky and Jago threatening Cam. There was screaming and someone pushed me and that’s all I know. The rest is gone from my memory. I woke up in a police cell with such a banging head and I was so thirsty. I kept asking Sergeant Raymonds about Kensa and the others; he told me I’d attacked Kensa, raped her. That the others had seen me do it. They had proof. There was absolutely no doubt. My father came and got me out. We drove straight back up to London. We hardly spoke on the way up; he said he would handle it all. He never really wanted anything to do with me after that.’

‘Did he never discuss it with you?’

‘No, I didn’t know what happened to Kensa. I never found out about that night. I never went back to Kellis House.’

‘She is still living in Penhal.’

‘Oh God, poor Lauren, now she has this as well as everything else. She must really hate me. She must think I’m a freak. I am a monster.’

Toby stood and walked into the lounge. He stood by the window as if he wanted to jump off the balcony beyond. The Thames had taken on the colour of the blue sky. It could have been summer by its colour but it was a bitterly cold day in February.

Toby spread out his hands on the cold glass behind him.

‘Toby – please – this is all about Samuel. No one is accusing you of anything. Kensa never pressed charges.’

Toby shook his head. He panted with fear.

‘Toby, please . . .’ Jeanie held out her hand. ‘You’re okay. Please come and sit over here.’ Jeanie smiled and he took one backward glance before allowing himself to be led over to the sofa. She sat next to him and took his hand.

‘This all matters because somehow, some way, this may have something to do with Samuel going missing. Did your father ever say what he saw when he got back that evening?’

‘No. I don’t think he even realized I was in the house. It was as if I hadn’t been. It was all of it like a bad dream from the moment things went wrong on the beach.’

‘Listen, Toby, what if Kensa wanted to see you?’

He looked at Jeanie as if she was making a bad joke.

‘I can’t see her now. I can’t take any more. I’d rather stay here. I feel like I’m falling apart.’

‘Toby, at some time you’re going to have to face it.’

‘Believe me, I would never have hurt Kensa. I loved Kensa.’





Chapter 27


‘Lauren needs me, guv.’

‘Okay, I’ll drop you back at the house,’ said Carter. ‘I’ll talk to the shopkeepers down there.’

‘What shall we do about this new information and Mawgan Stokes?’ Willis asked.

‘You go and see her. Go carefully with her, but make sure she knows this is her chance to tell us the truth before she’s arrested. I don’t want anyone making a rash move where Samuel is concerned.’

Jeanie phoned them as they were driving back.

‘I think this rape allegation is remarkable, to say the least,’ she said over the speaker phone. ‘Toby was fifteen at the time, a virgin, probably more gay than straight, and it’s more than likely his drink had been spiked.’

‘Yeah, the only versions we have of the story are Raymonds’ and Toby’s, so we need to ask around.’

‘He’s listed a few people that were there at the time,’ Jeanie said. ‘Jago, Marky, Mawgan and a few others. Those were some of the funeral-goers, weren’t they? He also mentioned a male called Cam. I don’t remember seeing his name on the list of funeral-goers.’

‘Raymonds mentioned his name – we’ll look into it. Thanks, Jeanie.’

Carter dropped Willis at Kellis House and then he turned back to park at the car park behind the shack.

The shack was open, Marky was putting stock on shelves behind the counter. He turned, saw it was Carter and turned back to continue his task. Carter browsed among the rows of expensive fleeces and tried on a few sunglasses. The Beach Boys were playing in the background. Carter looked around. The cabin had an expensive feel to it, and someone had spent a lot of money on the build.

‘Thought you surfers took off to do a bit of snowboarding this time of year?’