Their Lost Daughters (DI Jackman & DS Evans #2)(81)

She finally decided on a detective to detective approach, throwing him enough tempting little tasters to make his natural copper’s curiosity kick in.

And somehow it worked. Ten minutes later, she and Gary were sitting in cane armchairs and sipping strong tea in a neat little hexagonal conservatory.

‘I swore I’d never talk about it again,’ said Hewitt. ‘But,’ he gave a gruff sigh, ‘The damned memories never leave me be, so what the hell?’

‘Our own case is harrowing,’ said Marie with feeling. ‘A body count of thirteen young women.’

Duncan Hewitt whistled through his front teeth. ‘That is bad. So, what can I tell you?’

‘What really happened in Alderfield, sir?’ Gary spoke softly.

Hewitt gave a snort. ‘I’d love to know!’ He placed his mug on the cane table and sat back. ‘I’ll tell you what we saw, and what I suspect, and what you do with the information is up to you — except,’ and he stared at Marie, ‘it never came from me. Is that understood?’

Marie and Gary nodded.

‘Alderfield was a good-sized country house with quite a few acres of land. When we got the call, we weren’t sure what we’d find, because it was one of the children who dialled 999.’ Hewitt swallowed. ‘We found Simeon Mulberry in the entrance hall, a double-barrelled shotgun beside him. His wife, Charlotte, was lying at the bottom of the stairs. They had both been shot in the head. The gun had discharged both barrels, and two shell cases were found close by.’

‘And the children?’ asked Marie, not sure if she really wanted to hear the answer.

‘They were all there. Silent as the grave. White faces, and terror in their eyes. Some had blood on them.’ Hewitt looked into the distance, as if he were back in that old house and seeing it all afresh. ‘It freaked us out, Sergeant Evans. Totally freaked us out.’

‘How many were there?’

‘Six children — five boys and a girl. The oldest was in their late teens, and the youngest little more than a toddler.’

‘So does anyone know what caused Simeon to snap and murder his wife?’

‘Maybe I should tell you about that man before we go on.’ Hewitt's eyes darkened. ‘To the outside world, Simeon Mulberry was an astute businessman with the Midas touch, and he was clever enough to make friends with a lot of important people. But in truth, he was a perverted sadist who hid his vile activities behind an elaborate fa?ade.’ Hewitt stared at them. ‘Simeon was the most evil man I’ve ever had the misfortune to meet.’

‘You actually met him?’ Gary sounded shocked.

‘Oh yes, at some of the formal functions we have to attend as part of the job. He was handsome as a movie star and could charm the birds from the trees, but he had a heart as dark and cold as a frozen cesspit. I’m just sorry that he never came to court, or went to prison, because in prison he would have been justly punished for his actions. The other inmates would have seen to that.’

Marie suddenly had a vision of blood-spattered children. ‘What kind of sadist?’

Hewitt’s face was full of disgust. ‘The worst kind. Beneath the house was a basement room with bars at the small high windows, and locks on the door that would have withstood a mad bull. We found a row of purpose built cages, Sergeant.’

Marie felt sick. This was like listening to a synopsis of some ghastly horror film. But Hewitt had more to say.

‘The children themselves never spoke about the abuse that they suffered, but their scarred bodies said it all. At the hands of their own father they had suffered every kind of mistreatment in the book. It was hard to assess the depth of their trauma. On the surface they were remarkably well-adjusted and very intelligent, with the exception of one boy, who had sustained a head injury in early childhood, probably at his father’s hand.’

‘What happened to them?’ asked Gary. ‘We were never told anything.’

‘They were taken away and protected for a time, then given new identities and new lives. I’m told that they had psychiatric monitoring and support for years, but eventually they went on to lead their own lives.’

Marie stared out of the window, across the acres of farmland. This was not the end of it.

Duncan Hewitt gave her a knowing smile. ‘You’re waiting for the next instalment?’

Marie nodded. ‘You should never have been railroaded out of the county, just for doing your job, so it makes me think it has something to do with all those “important” people that you mentioned? The ones that Simeon cultivated.’

‘Well done, well done! Oh yes, there were politicians, councillors, barristers, financiers, and policemen. Simeon had sucked them all in. And exposing him as a monster would have been horribly embarrassing, and very dangerous, for some people in important positions.’ His voice was bitter. ‘I have to say, the cover-up was a masterpiece of skilful manoeuvring. I believed then, and I still do, that I was close to uncovering a connection between Simeon Mulberry and one of our own top brass.’ He looked at Marie grimly. ‘There was something rotten within our ranks, and my keen nose was getting a little too close to the source of the stink.’ Hewitt pulled a face. ‘So I was got rid of. But that was not the whole reason. I was the only one to voice an opinion to my commanding officer that Simeon’s “suicide” was nothing of the sort. He was “helped,” as sure as we are sitting here.’