A Good Girl's Guide to Murder(12)

Ravi:

Yeah, they were Dad’s. He was taking phenobarbitals for his insomnia. He blamed himself afterwards. Doesn’t take anything any more. He just doesn’t sleep much.



Pip:

And had you ever before thought that Sal could be suicidal?



Ravi:

Never, not once. Sal was literally the happiest person there was. He was always laughing and messing around. It’s cheesy but he was the kind of person that lit up a room when he walked into it. He was the best at everything he ever did. He was my parents’ golden child, their straight-A student. Now they’re left with just me.



Pip:

And, sorry, but the biggest question then: do you think Sal killed Andie?



Ravi:

I . . . No, no I don’t. I can’t think that. It just doesn’t make sense to me. Sal was one of the nicest people on the planet, you know. He never lost his temper ever, no matter how much I wound him up. He was never one of those boys that got in fights. He was the greatest big brother anyone could have and he always came to my rescue when I needed it. He was the best person I ever knew. So, I have to say no. But then, I don’t know, the police seem so sure and the evidence . . . yeah, I know it looks bad for Sal. But I still can’t believe he had it in him to do that.



Pip:

I understand. I think those are all the questions I need to ask for now.



Ravi:

(Sits back and lets out a long sigh) So, Pippa —



Pip:

You can call me Pip.



Ravi:

Pip then. You said this is for a school project?



Pip:

It is.



Ravi:

But why? Why did you choose this? OK, maybe you don’t believe Sal did it, but why would you want to prove it? What’s it to you? No one else in this town has trouble believing my brother was a monster. They’ve all moved on.



Pip:

My best friend, Cara, she’s Naomi Ward’s sister.



Ravi:

Oh, Naomi, she was always nice to me. Always over at our house, following Sal around like a puppy. She was one hundred per cent in love with him.



Pip:

Oh, really?



Ravi:

I always thought so. The way she laughed at everything he said, even the unfunny stuff. Don’t think he felt the same way back, though.



Pip:

Hm.



Ravi:

So you’re doing this for Naomi? I still don’t get it.



Pip:

No, it’s not that. What I meant was . . . I knew Sal.



Ravi:

You did?



Pip:

Yeah. He was often over at the Wards’ house when I was too. One time, he let us watch a fifteen film with them, even though Cara and I were only twelve. It was a comedy and I can still remember how much I laughed. Laughed until it hurt, even when I didn’t quite get it, because Sal’s laugh was so contagious.



Ravi:

High and giggly?



Pip:

Yeah. And when I was ten, he accidentally taught me my first swear word. Shit , by the way. And another time, he taught me how to flip pancakes because I was useless at it but too stubborn to let someone do it for me.



Ravi:

He was a good teacher.



Pip:

And when I was in my first year at school, these two boys were picking on me because my dad is Nigerian. And Sal saw. He came over and just said, very calmly, ‘When you two get expelled for bullying, the next grammar school is half an hour away, if you even get in. Starting from scratch at a completely new school, think about it.’ They never picked on me again. And afterwards Sal sat with me and gave me his KitKat to cheer me up. Since then, I’ve . . . well, never mind.



Ravi:

Hey, come on, share. I let you have your interview – even though your bribery muffins taste like cheese.



Pip:

Since then, he’s always been a hero to me. I just can’t believe he did it.





Pippa Fitz-Amobi EPQ 08/08/2017





Production Log – Entry 5


I’ve just spent two hours researching this: I think I can send a request to the Thames Valley Police for a copy of Sal’s police interview under the Freedom of Information Act.

There are certain exemptions to disclosing information under the FOIA, like if the requested material relates to an ongoing investigation, or if it would infringe on Data Protection laws by divulging personal information about living people. But Sal is dead, so surely they’d have no reason to withhold his interview? I may as well see if I can access other police records from the Andie Bell investigation too.

On another note: I can’t get these things Ravi said about Jason Bell out of my head. That Sal first thought Andie had run away to punish someone and that her relationship with her father was strained.

Jason and Dawn Bell got divorced not long after Andie’s death certificate was issued (this is common Little Kilton knowledge but I corroborated it with a quick Facebook investigation). Jason moved away and is now living in a town about fifteen minutes from here. It wasn’t long after their divorce that he starts appearing in pictures with a pretty blonde lady who looks a little too young for him. It appears they are married now.