Murder Club - Mark Pearson [88]
‘What did happen then, Caroline?’ pressed Sally Cartwright.
‘We were both in a play the church was putting on that Christmas. Part of the celebrations for the week.’
‘Go on.’
‘It was a play he had written. Kind of a religious pantomime, I suppose. The girls were dressed as Herod’s serving women. I played Salome.’
‘And he made you take off your seven veils?’
‘No. Not in the play at least.’
‘But when you were alone.’
‘Not really. It wasn’t like that.’
‘What was it like?’
‘He had put a clothes rail up and hung blankets to make a changing area for us girls. There was a gap and he would peek through when we were changing.’
‘And you reported him.’
‘The other girls didn’t know. But Susan caught him one day. It was just the two of us. He was touching himself.’
‘And your parents put a stop to it?’
‘No. It was all Susan’s idea. She said he could continue but he had to do it in front of us. And pay us. We were fifteen. We thought it was funny. He gave us fifty quid each.’
‘How many times?’
‘Six or seven. Susan’s parents found her money and all hell broke loose. But you can’t tell anyone about this. I’m a school teacher.’
‘He was still to blame, Caroline. You were fifteen years old.’
‘I know. We weren’t exactly virgins, though. But I can’t have my husband knowing. The man was sick. A Peeping Tom. But we shouldn’t have done what we did.’
‘Like I say, he’s guilty under the law. I can’t make you bring charges,’ said Delaney.
‘It’s too late. What good would it do anyway? Susan and I will never say anything in court. You can understand why.’
‘How many others were there, though?’ asked Sally. ‘How many other children did he peep on, abuse, maybe assault?’
‘We were nearly sixteen, Detective Constable. We weren’t children.’
‘Yes, you were,’ said Delaney.
‘You said he was very ill?’
‘He is.’
‘Then maybe he is being punished. Maybe it’s enough.’
‘Maybe somebody didn’t agree with you, Caroline. Maybe somebody at the time wanted to punish him more. Someone whose body we may just have found in his back yard.’
‘I can’t tell you that, Detective. All I can say is that I have forgiven him, and that I have forgiven myself too. ‘Sometimes that’s all you can do.’
Delaney looked at her for a moment. ‘Sometimes,’ he said. Sometimes we can do a little more.’
The woman would have responded, but at that moment her husband came into the room.
‘Darling, you haven’t even offered the officers a cup of tea.’
‘I did do, darling, but they are just leaving.’
‘That was quick. Did you get everything sorted?’
Caroline looked over at him and smiled. ‘Yes, I think we know where we all stand now.’
‘So you’ll be giving a talk to the school next term, Inspector?’ her husband asked.
Caroline looked at Delaney, her eyes pleading with him. Delaney smiled. ‘Something along those lines. Thank you. I think we have all we needed here.’
‘Excellent, excellent. Well why don’t you come along and have a look at Sammy?’
‘Sammy?’ asked DC Cartwright.
‘Sammy the snowman. I just need a carrot to finish him off.’
He hurried out of the room as Sally and Delaney stood up.
‘Let’s just hope it’s for his nose,’ Delaney muttered to Sally.
61.
DETECTIVE INSPECTOR EMMA ‘Catwalk’ Halliday wasn’t exactly drunk, but she wasn’t exactly sober either.
She was on her third medium-sized glass of wine. Sauvignon Blanc, after declaring her mulled wine undrinkable. Tony Hamilton was on his second pint of Abbot, but had barely touched it.
‘I don’t know how you can drink that stuff,’ said Emma.
‘It’s natural. Nutritional, no chemicals added, just barley, hops and water.’
‘Still tastes like pond water.’
Hamilton laughed. ‘Maybe it’s an acquired taste. Some things are.’
‘Are you hitting on me, Tony?’
‘No. Sorry – don’t do the work/personal thing. Gets too messy.’
Emma Halliday raised her eyebrows. Not sure if she was relieved or offended. ‘I wasn’t saying I wanted you to, Tony.’
‘That’s okay then.’
‘Yes.’
‘What about you?’
‘What about me?’
‘You ever had a relationship with a fellow officer?’
‘Once.’
‘Didn’t work