Cold Revenge (Willis/Carter #6)(18)

‘We’re not here to make any trouble for you, we just want justice for Millie and to find out who killed her.’

Yvonne looked close to tears as she picked up the photo and looked at it.

‘Millie got this man to take the photo as he was walking past and we were having a drink together. How did she die?’

‘We believe she went with someone into Lee Valley Park and she was killed there. Is that a place she ever mentioned to you?’ asked Carter.

‘No way. Millie was really paranoid about getting in the car with punters, she preferred them to come to her flat. If she didn’t like the look of someone she’d let them pass. Millie would never have gone to some park for sex or anything else, no matter how much they offered.’ Yvonne bounced the child on her lap, chewed the inside of her cheek.

‘Who did Millie consider a friend?’ asked Carter. ‘Would it be someone from the past or present?’

‘No one from the present. Millie’s life was a mess. She was about to lose her flat because she hadn’t paid the rent. She had tried to get money from her dad but he wouldn’t give her a penny. She was desperate. Millie had no friends but me and I said I couldn’t see her any more. She was just a liability; she even tried to tap me for money. I have to do everything to hang on to Bonny. I can’t risk it. Shit . . .’ She wiped her eyes on her T-shirt.

‘We understand,’ said Carter.

‘Was this about Douglas?’ Yvonne looked at Carter as though she was dreading his answer.

‘We don’t know, Yvonne. We don’t know anything at this point.’

‘I told her not to tell people. They didn’t need to know. Millie thought the punters would pay more. She told them who I was as well.’ Yvonne made it sound as if she had gone along with it.

‘That time seemed to be still really important to Millie,’ said Carter. ‘She had a lot of photos from Hawthorn Farm in her flat, so she obviously looked back fondly on that time?’

‘I don’t know why she did. It ruined both of us.’

‘I see you don’t have your tattoos any more, Yvonne?’ said Willis.

‘No, I don’t want anything to do with it.’

‘But you have never offered to make a statement about your time in the bungalow, about what might have happened to Heather Phillips?’

‘We were advised to say nothing at the time and I never knew what happened to Heather. I was friends with her; I’d never have hurt her. Me and Millie, we always kept an eye out for her. We were victims, Millie and me; our lives were ruined there. Look, I can’t talk about this any more,’ she said, agitated. ‘I’m trying my best to put the past behind me. I’m struggling here. I don’t have enough money to keep the heating on for my kid. I am trying really hard. It’s just me and Bonny now. I have to make it for her; I can’t let her down again. I can’t let her go through what I did. I’m going to be a good mum.’

‘What about Bonny’s father?’ asked Willis. ‘Do you get any help from him?’

‘No, we were never together.’

‘When was the last time you saw Millie?’ asked Carter, sensing that their time talking to Yvonne was running out. She put the child to lie down on the sofa and started cleaning up the dishes. She was becoming more distracted. She turned to them and he realised she was very scared.

‘Are we safe, me and Bonny?’

‘Have you ever felt threatened because of your association with Douglas?’ asked Willis.

‘Many times, in the beginning, but not for a few years now and, with him coming out soon, I thought it would disappear altogether. Have you seen the others? The other disciples?’

‘We’ll see Gavin. Do you think you know who killed Millie?’ asked Carter.

She shook her head. ‘All I can tell you is that Millie would never have gone to some park with a punter.’

‘Do you think Millie’s death had something to do with Douglas?’ asked Carter.

‘I don’t know but she talked a lot about it in the last years or so, about what she thought they owed her.’

‘Who?’ Carter pushed.

‘The others: Gavin, Cathy and Stephen.’

‘Did she ever see any of them?’

Yvonne hesitated. ‘Look . . . she got money out of them sometimes, a handout. When the news breaks about Millie, will we be safe here?’

‘People might recognise you, Yvonne,’ said Willis, ‘but there’s nothing we can do about that. We cannot be sure what photos the press will come up with. Do they know your real name around here?’

‘No, they call me Donna.’

‘You should be okay.’ Willis tried to reassure her.

‘Do you have addresses for the other disciples?’ asked Carter.

‘No. I saw them when I was with Millie a couple of times, that’s all. I wouldn’t go out of my way to see them again. I’m not answering any more questions. I want you to leave now. I have to get to my cleaning job.’

‘What about Bonny? Is she going with you?’ asked Willis, not meaning to sound accusing.

‘Bonny stays with my neighbour, I wouldn’t just leave her, you know? I’m a good mother.’

‘Of course. I can see you are,’ said Willis.