The Sleepover

by Carol Wyer

  ‘The tech team are checking ANPR cameras along all routes into Scarborough for Sunday. His mobile was switched off and not transmitting so we have no way of pinpointing him using cell towers. He might have deliberately turned it off so it couldn’t be tracked,’ Murray suggested.

  Natalie dropped onto her seat. Her feet had begun to ache. Another sign of getting older. ‘That’s certainly possible or, as Paul told us, it could be because he keeps it switched off most of the time. It was off when they tried to reach him about Roxy.’

  Lucy rubbed the scar across her nose in an absent-minded fashion as she sometimes did when puzzling over facts. ‘What young person keeps their phone switched off?’

  ‘Those that don’t want to be contacted or tracked,’ said Murray.

  The comms unit crackled loudly on the desk next to Murray, who responded.

  Ian, who was still in Armston, was succinct. ‘We’ve been canvassing streets leading from the bus station to Linnet Lane and I’ve found a witness who saw Cathy just after seven. She lives at Rosemary Cottage on St Mary’s Mount and was watering her hanging baskets when Cathy walked past her doorstep. She made pleasantries but Cathy didn’t respond. Said she appeared nervous and anxious. I’ll let you know if there’s anything else.’

  ‘Good job, mate,’ said Murray.

  Natalie stubbed the map on her screen with her forefinger. ‘At least we know Cathy’s location at seven o’clock.’ She traced her finger down the road where it joined with Linnet Lane. ‘How long would it take her to reach number ten, the Langs’ house – two, three minutes?’

  ‘Definitely no longer than five minutes if she dragged her feet,’ said Murray.

  ‘I have a hunch she went to their house, and we should question Gavin and Kirk as to their whereabouts yesterday evening.’

  Natalie felt her phone vibrating in her pocket. She’d forgotten to turn on the sound. She hauled it out and answered Mike’s call.

  ‘We’ve made a couple of discoveries: first, some footprints in bushes close to the bench where we believe Cathy died. We’ve taken impressions and sent them back to the lab. Should be able to give you make and size soon.’

  ‘Cheers. That’s encouraging. What else have you found?’

  ‘Cathy’s handbag.’

  Natalie’s pulse sped up at the news.

  ‘There was identification in her purse and something else. She wrote down a phone number on some paper and slid it into a credit card slot. Luckily it was still legible. It’s your number, Natalie.’

  Natalie shared the news with the team.

  Murray was quick to offer his thoughts. ‘Sounds like she had some information she wanted to share with you.’

  Natalie wasn’t convinced. ‘She could have had it for a very different reason – she could have been scared for her life and wanted our help. Right, this is how we’re going to play it. Lucy, get hold of Gavin and Kirk – I want them brought in and questioned as to their whereabouts yesterday when Cathy went missing – and then find Ellie. Murray, you and I will attempt to coax more out of Crystal.’ She was halfway out of the door before either could respond. Murray chased after her, throwing a look at Lucy as he did so. There was no slowing Natalie down when she was in such a determined mindset. They could only try to keep up.

  Crystal had one elbow on the table and was propping up her head with her hand. She shifted into an upright position, her half-red hair swinging into position to frame her face, as soon as Natalie marched in and introduced herself.

  ‘I’m sorry you’ve been kept hanging about. It couldn’t be helped,’ she said as she slid into her seat. ‘Can we get you something to drink?’

  ‘I had a tea already.’

  Murray dropped into position next to Natalie, adopting a non-threatening pose, arms loosely on the table. ‘Thanks for staying.’

  ‘Yeah, well, I was about to go, actually. I don’t think I can help you any more. I sort of wondered if you’d got any updates about Roxy.’

  Natalie spoke up. ‘I’m afraid there’s been another development, which is why we needed to talk to you again.’

  Crystal rubbed at a shiny ruby-red thumbnail. ‘I don’t see how I can help.’

  ‘You’ve given DS Anderson a statement but we were hoping you could tell us more about why Roxy was afraid when she came to you Saturday afternoon.’

  ‘I don’t know why she was.’

  ‘Crystal, you’re clearly a kind-hearted person. You took in a frightened young girl and gave her somewhere to stay. You wouldn’t have done that unless you knew why she was scared. You didn’t know her at all and it’s quite something to allow a stranger into your home.’

  ‘She was only a kid,’ said Crystal. The rubbing intensified.

  ‘Can you go back over what you told DS Anderson for me?’

  ‘But I already told him.’

  ‘It would help me if you could repeat it. Tell me about Saturday afternoon when you met Roxy?’

  Crystal moved onto the opposite thumbnail, making tiny circular movements over the shiny scarlet surface. ‘Sandra and I were coming back from shopping. When we got back home, Roxy was slumped against the railings close to our block of flats. She was all huddled up, arms around her knees, and she’d been crying. I asked her if she was okay. It was obvious she wasn’t. She looked… terrified. That’s the word. I couldn’t leave her there so I invited her inside.

  ‘Sandra came in with us and we chatted about what we’d bought and kept it light, so she’d open up and tell us what the problem was. She didn’t. She just kept staring with great big eyes and I was worried for her. Sandra left and I told Roxy she could tell me anything and I wouldn’t breathe a word about it. That she could rely on me.’

  Natalie waited for more but Crystal had hit a stumbling block and didn’t continue. ‘Did she tell you then?’

  Crystal studied her nail and whispered, ‘Yes, she did, and I insisted she stayed over. I offered her my spare room. It was only going to be for a night or two until we could figure out how best to deal with the situation. I showed her where everything was in the flat and left her watching television. We were going to sort everything out the following day but when I got home, she wasn’t there. I didn’t see her again.’

  ‘Did she have a bag with her?’

  ‘Yes – a plastic one.’

  ‘She didn’t leave that in your flat, did she?’

  ‘No, it wasn’t there. She left a black zip-up top behind – the one she’d been wearing when I last saw her.’

  Natalie guessed the bag had been consumed by the fire.

  ‘Crystal, we need to know what she told you. Roxy is dead. Her mother is dead. It’s now critical that you tell us.’

  Her jaw dropped at the news. ‘Her mother’s dead too?’

  ‘I’m afraid so. Her body was found earlier, so you see why I need to know.’

  The response was hesitant, the truth emerging little by little. ‘My little sister, Lida, and I went through something very similar to Roxy. I was powerless to rescue Lida, but I could try and help Roxy.’

  Natalie gave her a small smile of encouragement. ‘Help her again by telling us why Roxy was afraid.’

  Crystal dropped her hands to her lap then lifted them to her forehead, where she pressed her fingers firmly against her brow until finally she gave a sad sigh of defeat. ‘Okay. Maybe I should tell you.’

  A rap at the door interrupted them and Murray got to his feet. Crystal began rubbing her thumbnail again and Natalie hoped she wasn’t going to change her mind. An officer at the door passed a note to Murray, who glanced at it, dismissed the man and returned to the table. He gave the message to Natalie.

  Not contacted Lang brothers. Got waylaid by Cathy’s friend Megan Dickson. She is waiting in interview room A with an officer.

  She says Roxy argued a lot with family recently, especially with mother.

  Believes Roxy’s brothers bullied her.

  Roxy was upset the last time Megan saw her but wouldn’t explain
why.

  I’m now leaving station to look for Ellie.

  Lucy

  She read the contents and then, folding it back up, turned her attention once more to Crystal.

  ‘Who was Roxy afraid of?’

  Crystal wet her lips but struggled to answer the question.

  ‘I’m going to make it easier for you. Was she afraid of somebody in her family?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Was it her stepfather?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Her mother?’

  ‘No!’

  ‘Her brothers, then?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Was she was scared of all of them or just one in particular?’

  ‘One. He hurt her a few times.’

  ‘Did he break her elbow?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Did he threaten her?’

  ‘Yes. She was scared rigid he would actually kill her.’

  She lowered her voice and spoke urgently. ‘Crystal, which brother was Roxy most afraid of?’

  ‘Seth.’

  Seth, the brother who had been quick to get away as soon as the news broke about Roxy’s death, who’d displayed the least emotion and who’d claimed to be in Scarborough when Cathy was wandering the streets in Armston.

  ‘Why didn’t she want this to get back to her mother?’

  ‘Her mother doted on him and wouldn’t stand up for Roxy. Seth had been getting increasingly aggressive and her mother wasn’t able to calm him down or control him any longer. That’s all I know. Honestly, that’s all. I ought to leave now.’

  ‘Thank you. I appreciate your help. I’ll arrange for somebody to take you home. Could you stay with Sandra or somebody else for the time being? We’ll need to arrange for a forensic team to check out your flat, especially the room she stayed in, in case there’s any evidence she was taken from it against her will.’

  ‘Really? How long will they be? I have to go out tonight. I need my clothes and make-up and all sorts of things.’

  ‘Where are you going?’

  ‘To work.’ She dropped her gaze.

  ‘To Extravaganza?’ Natalie asked and immediately knew she’d crossed a line. Crystal’s concern for Roxy had been born from personal experience in a similar situation, but asking about the club was a different matter and off limits. Crystal’s demeanour changed instantly and she was once again the tough young woman with attitude.

  ‘I don’t have to agree to this. I haven’t done anything wrong. I’ve even helped you out with your investigation, and I didn’t have to. You can have the top she left behind but I don’t want anyone in my home. Got that?’

  ‘You were one of the last people to see Roxy alive. We have to examine your flat. You don’t want to be implicated in her death, do you?’

  ‘That’s crazy talk! Why would I come here and tell you all this if I knew anything about how she died? This is utter shit. I wish I’d never come.’

  ‘But you did and you helped us. Now you have to do the right thing again and grant us access to your flat. There might be a clue as to why she left it while you were out. Come on, Crystal, you’ve seen it through to this stage. You want to know you’ve helped us find whoever is behind her murder, don’t you?’

  ‘No. I don’t. If you want to get into my flat, you’re gonna have to get permission. This is the last time I help you out.’ She stood up in one swift movement and stalked to the door. ‘And you can’t stop me leaving. I haven’t committed any crime.’

  ‘Crystal—’ Natalie began in vain. The door slammed shut.

  ‘There must be something in her flat that she doesn’t want us to find,’ said Murray.

  ‘It looks that way. She’s probably on her way back now to hide whatever it is. I hope she doesn’t screw up any evidence. Give me a few minutes to arrange a search warrant and then we’ll talk to Megan.’

  ‘Sure. I’ll wait in the corridor.’

  ‘While you’re there, think about this, will you? Why did Cathy protect Seth and allow him to hurt Roxy? Why didn’t she step in or at least make him pay for his actions? I can’t get my head around that.’

  ‘Favouritism? Scared of him herself? Maybe Seth hit her too – that would explain the screaming that was reported back in 2016, and Cathy’s injuries to her face that she said she caused herself.’ He paused for a second then added, ‘If I had to place a bet which one was the more aggressive brother, I’d have put it on Charlie. He’s got more physical presence, he’s more muscular and he looks like he’s spoiling for a fight all the time. Still, they say you should watch out for the quiet ones, don’t they? Maybe Seth’s just very good at hiding who he really is.’

  Natalie thought briefly of David and his attempts to cover up his deceit. It was a woeful fact that people were capable of enormous duplicity. ‘Yes. I think that’s quite possible.’

  Fifteen

  Monday, 2 July – Late Afternoon

  Natalie held her wrists under the tap, allowing the cold water to cascade over them. She was hot and bothered and the investigation was getting to her. Megan was in the interview room, awaiting her arrival, and Lucy was out looking for Ellie. Forensics were on their way to Crystal’s flat and Ian was still in Armston, making door-to-door enquiries. On the surface, it seemed as if they were closing in on a suspect – Seth – yet Natalie was unsure he was the perpetrator. Plus, Roxy being scared of her brother wasn’t reason enough for them to arrest him. There were too many other factors that didn’t add up: why Roxy had left Crystal’s flat on Saturday night to go to Linnet Lane; how she’d got into the house; why, if she’d been as terrified as she’d made out she was, had she not kept her head down and stayed in the flat. Then there was the question of Seth’s connection to the Lang brothers – he didn’t seem to have any, so why burn down their house?

  There was another angle they needed to look at: the nightclub. Both Sandra and Crystal went to Extravaganza regularly – they were clubbers and lap dancers there. Vice squad were certain prostitution and drug dealing were taking place there. Further searches on Crystal had revealed she too had been charged in the past for soliciting. For a brief second, Natalie chewed over the prospect that somehow Roxy had become involved in either prostitution or drugs. Anything was possible. She turned off the faucet, her wrists now numb, and shook her hands dry. She was feeling cooler and more in control.

  Back in the corridor, she instructed Murray to bring in the Lang brothers rather than join her then headed to interview room A to speak to Megan. Cathy’s friend was loud, brash and very upset.

  ‘What are you doing to find her killer?’ she demanded as soon as she set eyes on Natalie.

  ‘We’re all doing everything we can to find out what exactly happened to Cathy. We aren’t certain yet how she died but we’re examining several possible lines of enquiry.’

  ‘That’s police talk bollocks. Tell me straight. Do you think she was murdered?’

  ‘I can’t answer that until I’ve read the pathologist’s report.’

  ‘Crap! You know she was murdered, don’t you?’ Megan was on her feet. ‘She wouldn’t have killed herself. Cathy was strong and stood up to people and she loved her kids – all of them. She was a bloody warrior.’

  ‘You voiced concern about her state of mind when we spoke earlier,’ Natalie said.

  Megan’s brows lowered. ‘I was confused when we spoke. Roxy had died in a fire and Cathy was missing.’ She put her hands over her face and breathed in several times. When she pulled her hands away, her face was damp with tears. ‘What the fuck is going on? First Roxy and now Cathy. What’s happening?’

  Natalie encouraged her to calm down. ‘Come and sit down, Megan. There’s a lot for you to take in.’

  Megan returned obediently to her chair. ‘God, I wish I’d gone round to see her last night as soon as she rang me about Roxy. What a horrible mess this is.’

  ‘Have you any idea who Cathy might have gone to meet last night?’

  ‘No.’ Her head moved slowly side to s
ide.

  ‘Do you think there’s any chance she was seeing somebody on the side?’

  ‘Cathy? Absolutely not. She loved Paul. He turned her life back around after Aidan walked out on her and the children.’

  ‘Would you say Paul is a good father?’

  Megan lifted her head. ‘Yes, I would. He’s been terrific with all of them. Gets on so well with them.’

  ‘What about Roxy?’

  ‘All of them,’ she repeated. ‘Roxy too.’

  ‘You told DS Carmichael that Roxy argued a lot with her family.’

  ‘She was always sassy, even when she was a little kid, but she got worse as she got older, and recently…’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Cathy said it was down to hormones but she was always a handful. She didn’t see eye to eye with anyone.’

  ‘Do you happen to know how she broke her elbow in 2016?’ Natalie asked.

  ‘She fell off her bike.’

  ‘Is that what she told you?’

  ‘It’s what Cathy told me and I had no reason to doubt Cathy. Roxy tried to copy her brothers a lot and was a right tomboy when she was younger.’

  ‘Yet you believe Roxy was bullied by her brothers.’

  ‘Bullied, picked on… teased. I might have used the wrong word.’

  ‘Then can you explain what you meant?’

  ‘Seth, Oliver and Charlie were such a tight band – really close. They always hung about together and excluded Roxy. A couple of years ago she became argumentative, which only made the boys behave worse towards her. In their minds it was horseplay, but some of the things they did really upset her, like the time they tied her to a tree and left her there for hours until Cathy managed to get it out of them where she was.’

  ‘They didn’t do anything more sinister to her?’