Their Lost Daughters (DI Jackman & DS Evans #2)(82)

‘Helped?’ Marie’s eyes widened.

Hewitt looked tired. ‘You know what a copper’s instincts are like, Sergeant Evans, you get a feel for something. And there was something not right when we walked into Alderfield that day.’ He heaved a sigh. ‘Not that I could ever prove it, but everything was wrong. The bodies, the children, the gun. It was all there, just as you’d expect, but . . .’ He gave a shrug. ‘I wasn’t the only one to think this, I was just the only one stupid enough to say it.’

‘Say what?’ asked Gary slowly.

‘Some of us believed that the children, having witnessed their mother’s death, might have been instrumental in killing their father.’

‘The children?’ Marie felt slightly dizzy.

‘Who else? And could you blame them? That monster had six children, and he abused every single one of them.’ Duncan suddenly stood up. ‘I’ve got something, if you’d like it? I call it my memory box.’

In the sunny conservatory Marie felt a chill seep through her body. She hadn’t imagined this. Worse still, she had no idea what any of it meant in relation to Fleur, or to the deaths at Windrush.

Lost in thought, she hardly noticed Hewitt return. He handed her a large cardboard box. ‘Here you are. It’s all yours, Sergeant. My diaries, my notes, a few illicit mementos, all those interesting little things I just couldn’t throw away.’ He drew in a long breath. ‘I hope they help you, but be warned, they do not make good bedtime reading. Oh, and I don’t want them back. I was going to burn them, and if you don’t take them, I still will.’ He looked at her solemnly.

‘And I’d rather you didn’t come back, because with that box gone, I intend to put the Mulberrys behind me, forever.’

Clutching the box, Marie stood up. ‘The senior police officer involved with Mulberry, who was he?’

Hewitt swung the door open. ‘I value the few years of life that I still have left to me. And as his seed still flourishes within this fertile land, I won’t be sharing that information. Goodbye, Detective Sergeant Marie Evans, and good luck.’

*

Jackman called the team together in his office and Marie told them what Hewitt had said.

None of them spoke immediately. Then Rosie said, ‘James Cade comes from a family of police officers, doesn’t he?’

‘Maybe that’s not an avenue we should be pursuing. Let’s work on what’s at hand, that can wait until the time is right.’ Jackman sounded serious. ‘Now, forensics stated that Fleur had been terribly abused, and because of the close proximity of the disused graveyard at Alderfield, one would assume that she was the Mulberry girl.’

Gary flipped through DI Hewitt’s notebook, ‘But that’s not possible. The only girl was taken into care, and her age is wrong.’

‘What were their names?’ asked Rosie.

Gary shook his head. ‘We only knew of them as Child 1, Child 2 etc. Unless Duncan knew differently?’ He took another notepad from the box, and opened it.

‘I can find out,’ said Max eagerly. ‘Can I use your computer, sir?’

Jackman stood up. ‘Help yourself.’

Max dropped into Jackman’s chair, and they all watched his fingers fly across the keyboard.

‘Weird.’ He glared at the screen, and typed in more commands. After a few moments he grunted, ‘This isn’t right, boss. “Access Denied,” on a simple birth registration? Why?’

‘Because I fear we have wandered into dangerous territory. Max, close the computer down. Where the Mulberry case is concerned, I think we need to be canny from now on.’

‘No problem, sir. There are other ways, now I know to tread carefully.’

Gary looked at Max with interest. ‘That sounds promising.’

Max grinned. ‘I love a challenge.’

‘His hacking skills are legendary,’ added Rosie. ‘But don’t tell a soul, or he’s stuffed, as far as his job is concerned.’

‘I always knew this team was different,’ said Gary. ‘In fact—’

There was a loud knock.

‘DI Jackman!’ Clive leaned around the door. His words tumbled out. ‘Sir, the duty sergeant says could you go downstairs immediately. Someone has just come in and he says he’s responsible for the findings beneath Windrush.’

*

Jackman and Marie went immediately to the custody sergeant, who told them that the man had been cautioned and arrested, and they could see him as soon as they wanted.

Jackman paused for a second before entering the interview room. He turned to Marie and said, ‘Watch him carefully. See what you can pick up from his body language.’

Marie nodded. She opened the door and they went inside the gloomy room.

Jackman made the introductions for the tape.

Philip Groves was dressed in neat, casual country clothes. ‘I would have come sooner,’ he said. ‘Only I had to make arrangements for my animals. I know I won’t be going home again.’ His voice was soft and cultured.

‘Mr Groves, you have stated that you are responsible for . . . for what exactly?’

‘The Children’s Ward is mine.’

Jackman swallowed hard. Other than the police and forensics, no one had been informed of what lay beneath Windrush. He asked Groves to tell them what he knew about it.