Cold Revenge (Willis/Carter #6)(76)

‘I am no longer allowed to work in the kitchen, why is that? Necessary precautions, I was told, what does that even mean?’ he asked.

Willis stared back at him. ‘It means that it isn’t safe for you to be anywhere where the public may have access to you.’

He laughed sarcastically. ‘What’s the deal, Ebony?’

‘Address me as Detective or Willis or both, but not by my Christian name. We are not friends. We found human remains at Lambs Farm and there are still graves to be analysed.’ She put Simone Levin’s photo on the table in front of him. ‘Do you recognise this woman?’

He picked up the photo and looked closely at it for several minutes. ‘I have never seen a woman who looked like that.’

She slid the photo of Tony Poulson across. ‘What about him?’ She watched Douglas carefully. Now, with the information from Yvonne, she knew he couldn’t deny having met him, at least.

‘Never seen him before.’

‘I think you have met him. Is there anything you wish to tell me now about the death of either Simone Levin or Tony Poulson, or their burial at Lambs Farm?’

‘No.’

‘So, you didn’t pick Tony up when he was hitching, you didn’t bring him back to the bungalow on Hawthorn Farm?’

‘I don’t recall it.’

‘Really? Someone else does. Someone recalls it very well. They also remember you leaving in the early morning to go and bury Tony’s body.’

‘They must be lying because I don’t know what you’re talking about. Who is this person?’

She shook her head and showed him the photo of the plastic chest and the photo frame with the name ‘Ash’ carved into it. ‘Do you recognise these things?’

‘I know the name Ash, he was a lad who lived in the field with his mother. Maybe this is starting to make more sense then. Ash must have some knowledge of this Tony and the woman. Have you asked him?’

‘Where would I find him?’

‘He left to look after his mother. I always thought it was him who took Heather. They planned to run away together.’

‘Did you see him at that time?’

‘I can’t remember. Probably. It was a big party, there were people I hadn’t seen in ages. The whole area seemed to come together in my fields. Ash could have been there, definitely. He and Heather were always planning things together, plotting against the others. I told that to Davidson but he wouldn’t listen to me.’

‘Perhaps because Heather’s blood was found in the frame of your van door.’

‘Luckily the judge had the sense to throw that out, inadmissible evidence.’

Willis watched Douglas closely. He had a sparkle of amusement in his eyes. He was enjoying the way the interview was going so far. Willis regretted showing him the photo of the chest and the frame.

‘We are starting searches on ten of the farms that you might know.’

Willis turned the list to face him and showed him a map, which included the whereabouts of each farm. Douglas picked it up and studied it. Willis had worked on the list with Chris; they had put all his ideas together and this was the result. Douglas put the list down and looked at her.

‘You’re going to be a long time digging up all those fields.’

‘Not really,’ she lied. ‘We’re going to get a large team on it. We are re-interviewing everyone from that time. You were famous for selling drugs at your parties. The plastic chests where you hid your stash of drugs were mentioned by several people in their statements after the party. You obviously weren’t as careful as you thought you were. People are now adding to their statements.’

He flared up. ‘This has nothing to do with me. The person who killed Nicola, this is their history, not mine, these are their crimes, their victims’ bodies being dug up, their drugs stash, not mine. You find this killer and you will have answers to crimes from the past as well as the present. Who knows, you might even find Heather.’

‘Then help us.’

‘You want me to tell you the things I learnt about people back then? You want me to tell you who I think was capable then and now?’

‘That’s correct.’

‘What do I get for that?’

‘Your co-operation will be mentioned when you come up for release next year and your kitchen duties will be reinstated.’

‘And assurances that nothing I say can incriminate me?’

‘I can’t give you that; you know I can’t. If you tell me something that I can use against you, I will use it.’

‘Your priority is always to put me on trial again.’

‘Not right now. My priority at this moment is to stop this murderer. They are making it plain they know you. You must know them. I have a list of people that I would like to go through and photographs for you to look at.’

‘Wait . . .’ He held up his hand to pause the proceedings. ‘First I feel we have to get to know one another better. I have to know whether I can trust you. I have to know who you are. You have to know who I am. I want to share some moments with you.’

Willis wasn’t prepared for it. She was staring at him and getting no hint what was behind the frigid stare.

‘I was sent to a children’s home where I was abused,’ said Douglas. ‘What was it like for you?’ he asked, and then Willis realised he knew her history. She knew straight away it was the prison officer Kowalski who had provided it. Anyone who wanted to could look up her history, the story of her mad mother, they could all know that about her, but they didn’t know the half of it. No one did. She was reeling, but she was determined not to show it. She took a few seconds to answer.