Cold Justice (Willis/Carter #4)(87)

‘Especially Kensa?’

‘I’m very fond of Kensa, but I don’t feel any more than that,’ replied Cam.

‘But she thinks you do, did you know that?’ asked Carter. ‘She thinks you’re getting married.’

‘I’ve never given her hope of that. She lives in a fantasy world. I’ve always been honest with her.’

‘In your opinion, is Mawgan an honest person?’

‘Yes, I would say so.’

‘It’s just that she hasn’t been completely honest with us about the day of the funeral, the day Samuel was abducted in Greenwich,’ Carter said. ‘At first Mawgan said she went up and back by train and then she changed it to going up by train and coming back with Kensa. You also say you went up by train, is that still correct? You want to think if there’s anything here you need to amend? Because while we are spending valuable resources on scouring all the CCTV footage of passengers coming and going at stations, a little boy is dying somewhere.’ Willis passed Carter a photo from her bag and Carter slid it across the table.

‘Is this a photo of you and Mawgan in Greenwich on the Monday of the funeral?’

Cam stared at the photo for a few minutes and then he nodded. He took a drink of water. ‘Okay, I’m sorry. Mawgan phoned me in a panic. I wasn’t going to go that day and then Mawgan said Kensa had her car and intended to go and talk to Toby. I drove her up there. We went up in my car. We went to make sure Kensa was okay.’ He shook his head. ‘That’s all it was. Trouble is it coincided with the little boy being abducted. I didn’t want us to get blamed, or mixed up; I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m sorry, really sorry.’

‘Why did you think you’d be blamed?’

‘I thought Kensa would. I didn’t want to admit seeing her there or going near Greenwich.’

‘So you made all of this up as soon as you heard about Samuel’s abduction?’ asked Carter.

‘Yes, I heard it that evening on the way home, on the news.’

‘Why didn’t Mawgan come back with you?’

‘Because Kensa was in a state and very unstable,’ Cam said. ‘Mawgan had no choice.’

‘Did Mawgan ask you to lie for her?’

‘No.’

‘Did you see any of the other people from Penhal while you were in Greenwich?’

‘I saw Raymonds.’

‘Did he see you?’

‘I’m not sure.’

‘Mawgan is someone you love, I think you’d lie for her.’

‘Not in this. Not to help her or Kensa or anyone else abduct a little boy.’

‘Mawgan’s had a tough life, hasn’t she?’ asked Carter.

‘Yes, farm life is hard round here.’ The sweat had gathered on Cam’s upper lip. He wiped it with the back of his hand.

‘You grew up on a farm next to Stokes’ place?’

‘Yes, we were neighbours.’

‘And Kensa?’

‘We were great friends when we were kids.’

Willis looked at Cam’s face – there was a hint of something in his eyes. There was a touch of dread and sadness at the line of questioning.

‘Did you get on with your father?’

‘Not too well.’

‘And Stokes?’

‘No. I didn’t like Martin Stokes.’

‘Why was that?’

‘He abused children.’

‘You?’

‘Yes, me and the girls.’ Cam took another drink of water.

‘What are we saying here, Cam?’

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. ‘Martin Stokes abused his kids and me and my sister on a regular basis. My father allowed it and participated in it. We lived in constant fear for our lives. What else is there for me to say?’ He blurted it out and then sat back in his chair and tapped his palms on the table as he looked towards the door.

‘I’m sorry, Cam.’ Willis studied Cam for signs of lying; there were none. He looked straight ahead and said it matter-of-factly but at the same time he sounded like he was trying to swallow something stuck in his throat.

‘Have you ever talked about this before?’ Willis asked. He shook his head. ‘Was there anyone else involved in this abuse apart from the two men?’

‘No.’

‘Did Raymonds know about it?’

‘I think so.’

‘Kensa told us she gave birth in the caravan. Must have been a tough thing, seeing your friend go through that?’ asked Carter.

‘I’m . . . sorry.’ Cam took another drink of water and a moment to gather his senses. ‘I’m truly sorry about that day. I have agonized over it and tried to make sense of it time and time again. Replayed it in my head. But, I was a minor. I was not in any position to question Sergeant Raymonds’ actions. I was so totally out of my depth. I have spent years regretting not helping her more.’

‘What could you have done?’ asked Willis.

‘I could have stayed with her that morning. I used to go and see her every day on my way to school. That day she was uncomfortable. She was restless. She kept moving around the van. I should have known something was wrong, but I didn’t, she wasn’t due for a month.’