Then She Vanishes(99)
He pats my hand, which still rests on top of his. ‘I’m sorry. And I love you, you know. Just,’ he winks, ‘not like that.’
A lump forms in my throat. ‘I can’t believe you’re leaving. You’re my only friend in Bristol.’
‘You have Heather now.’
That’s true. All this time I’d wanted to believe my old friend was innocent and now I know she is we can move on, resume our friendship as women.
‘And Rory. He’s a good bloke.’
‘I know,’ I say, taking my hand from his and picking up my sandwich. ‘I’m lucky to have him.’
‘You’re lucky to have each other.’ He pauses as he takes a bite of his sandwich. ‘You know what really pisses me off?’ he says, his mouth still full. ‘I could have had that fucker Finn but I didn’t hit him back, even when he punched me in the face and in the ribs.’
‘That’s because you’re a million times the person he is,’ I say. ‘I wish you’d told me.’
His eyes are downcast, as he says softly, ‘I was ashamed.’
‘Oh, Jack. He should be the one who’s ashamed.’ Then: ‘Can I come with you?’ I say, the idea popping into my head. ‘To Brighton? Do you think they have a job going for another reporter?’
Jack stares at me. ‘I can find out, if that’s what you really want.’
I fidget in my seat. Is that what I want? A new place to live? A new start? But I’d be running away. Again. I’ve moved around so much there’s never been enough time to put down roots. But now I have Heather and Margot and Flora, as well as Rory. I don’t need to be afraid that I’ll lose the people I love, or that I don’t deserve to be happy. Margot’s strength all these years has inspired me. She didn’t run away when Flora disappeared or when everyone thought Heather had killed the Wilsons.
‘Don’t get me wrong,’ Jack says, wiping some chutney off his chin with the paper napkin, ‘I’d love to work with you in Brighton. But your job. Ted. Rory. You’re living virtually rent-free here, and Brighton is expensive.’
‘Actually,’ I say, taking his hand in mine, ‘I’ll miss you tons but I want to stay in Bristol. Make things work with Rory.’
He places his hand on top of mine. ‘You’re a big softie at heart, aren’t you?’
‘Don’t underestimate me. You always said I was as hard as nails, remember?’
He takes his hand away and resumes eating. ‘I never for a moment thought that was true. I could see right through you, Jessica Fox,’ he says, his mouth full of bread.
‘Well,’ I sit back in my chair, ‘I’ll tell you this for nothing, Jack Renton. You might not want to report your nasty ex for beating you up, but I’ll be watching him. And if he takes one step out of line I’ll be on to him. I can promise you that.’
53
Jess
BRISTOL AND SOMERSET HERALD
Friday, 23 March 2012
TILBY MURDER VICTIMS RESPONSIBLE FOR MORE DEATHS
by Jessica Fox
Police are looking into the possibility that Clive and Deirdre Wilson, who were murdered in their own home earlier this month, are responsible for the deaths of two young women.
The body found in the basement of their Bristol property has been identified as missing teen Stacey King, who disappeared from her home in 1991 when she was seventeen.
Stacey, from Clevedon, lived with foster-parents at the time of her disappearance and was described as ‘troubled and vulnerable’.
A forensic pathologist who conducted an autopsy on Stacey stated that the cause of death was a heroin overdose and he believes she died around 1993. She was found buried beneath a false wall in the basement.
Police are now reopening the case of teenager Marianne Walker-Smith, who was found dead on Clapham Common in London last year of a suspected heroin overdose, as they look into claims made by witnesses who saw her with Clive Wilson before she disappeared.
Clive, along with his mother, Deirdre, was shot dead in Deirdre’s Tilby home earlier this month. As yet, the police haven’t charged anybody with their murders.
Clive’s brother, Norman Wilson, has been questioned by police as to his involvement in the kidnapping of Flora Powell and the murders of both Stacey King and Marianne Walker-Smith.
The police have only ‘scraped the surface’ of what they believe is a drug and kidnapping ring in Bristol, with connections in Reading and London.
Norman’s daughter, Lisa, said: ‘There is no way my dad is involved. We didn’t see much of my uncle or my grandmother over the last ten years and we never visited their Bristol home. I’m not saying my dad was always a saint, and he spoke openly of his battle with drugs when he was younger. But he has been clean for years. I believe him when he says he knew nothing about it.’
Dylan Bird, who was Flora Powell’s boyfriend at the time of her disappearance, has also been released without charge.
He told the Herald, ‘Norman Wilson supplied me and my mates with drugs in the early 1990s but we lost touch after that. I cleaned up my act and I’d heard that Norman moved away and settled down with a wife and kids. I don’t believe Norman had any involvement in the abduction of young girls. Unfortu nately his brother and his mum used Norman and myself as bait to lure my beautiful girlfriend into their trap. I’ll never understand how Deirdre Wilson could have stood by and allowed it to happen.’