Dead Secret

by Noelle Holten

  Although it had been a tough time, Lucy was relieved to find that Ronnie was slowly trusting her and was pleased when she had asked Lucy if she could speak to Mark about the situation that had brought her to the refuge.

  Lucy heard a car approaching, looked out the window and recognized it as it pulled up to the gate. She watched and smiled to herself as Mark got out and punched in the security code. Her heart raced as she saw him waiting for the large metal gate to open. Lucy walked to the door and opened it as Mark pulled into a parking space. Ronnie had stopped when she saw the car and waved over to Lucy. Lucy waved back and Mark turned to look over his shoulder. Ronnie’s head was down so she didn’t see Mark wave and he shrugged as he walked towards Lucy. Mark squeezed Lucy’s hand and greeted her with a smile that made her stomach flutter.

  On her way around, Ronnie had stopped when she reached Mark’s car, pulling her mobile out of her pocket and Lucy watched her type. She held the phone out:

  ‘Will I make some tea?’

  ‘That’d be great. I’ll just have a word with Mark first and then you two can talk in the room I showed you earlier, okay?’

  Ronnie nodded and typed: ‘I’ll just do one more lap and then be in.’

  Lucy gave her a thumbs-up and returned inside with Mark close behind her. She led him to the communal living room and, once he was inside, she closed the door behind them.

  ‘Why do you think Ronnie has changed her mind now and wants to speak with the police?’ Mark sat facing the window and Lucy noticed the frown as his eyes followed Ronnie’s movements around the yard.

  Lucy sat beside him and tapped his leg to get his attention. ‘Why do you say it like that?’

  ‘Like what?’ Mark turned and faced her.

  ‘With suspicion.’

  ‘Well don’t you find it strange? Asking to speak only to me? Just seems so out of the blue. Are you sure that what she has told you is legit?’

  ‘Not at all. Something traumatic has happened to her – for God knows how long, she’s been keeping it inside, living with it on a daily basis. She’s not trusted anyone before – so it’s only natural that she would err on the side of caution. There’s no rhyme or reason behind when a person is ready – no time limit – and who even knows what she’ll actually disclose to you; but it’s a start and rather than questioning that, we need her to feel that it’s okay to talk whenever she is ready to, okay?’ Lucy hoped Mark could hear the disappointment in her voice. He knew all about her abusive relationship with her ex-husband and how Lucy had kept it secret for years, lying to family, friends, and even her colleagues in the Probation service.

  Mark shook his head. ‘You’re right. I’m so sorry, ignore me. I’m moody today and naturally suspicious when I really should know better.’ Mark shifted on the spot. ‘Will you be sitting in with us?’

  ‘No. I’ve told her the session would be recorded and I’ll watch from the office. I’ve also told her that she’s under no obligation to speak if she feels uncomfortable. She can share as much or as little as she wishes, and she can stop the meeting at any time.’ Lucy noticed a bead of sweat on Mark’s brow. ‘You don’t look well at all. Are you sure you’re okay?’ She reached across him and took a tissue from the box on the side table, handing it to Mark.

  ‘Yeah. I’ve been feeling a bit off the last few days but nothing I can’t handle. Must be a virus or something.’ He used the tissue to wipe the sweat away.

  Lucy shuffled away from him. ‘Ugh. You could have warned me.’ She smiled to make sure he knew she was joking – she didn’t want to have to deal with him misunderstanding her intention.

  ‘Shall we make a start then? I’ll see if Ronnie is in.’ As the pair stood, there was a knock on the lounge door. Lucy opened it and Ronnie stood with a tray of drinks. Lucy stepped aside so Ronnie could pass; Ronnie handed Mark a mug, placed Lucy’s tea on the table, and held her own, along with the tray.

  ‘Why don’t you leave the tray there and I’ll take care of it while you and Mark have your chat? Let’s get you two sorted.’

  Lucy walked down the hall and pushed open the door to one of the interview rooms. She had wanted a less formal space in the house, so this room was filled with four comfortable chairs and a small coffee table in the middle. ‘If you want to get settled, I’ll go into the office – you’ll see when I’ve started recording because a red light will appear in that corner.’ Lucy looked up and pointed to the camera just above the door. ‘Did you understand what I said?’ She looked at Ronnie, who nodded. ‘Okay. Remember what I told you – you can stop the conversation at any time.’ She put her hand on Ronnie’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

  Lucy turned and left the room; the door was on a hydraulic hinge and closed behind her with a swoosh. She went back to the lounge, collected her tea and the tray, which she left in the kitchen before she went to her office, and observed the interview.

  Lucy observed Mark explaining things to Ronnie – what to expect, reassuring her that if she felt awkward or uncomfortable, they could move on to another question or stop altogether. He explained that he’d begin with some easy questions and then move on to the night in question, but Ronnie should feel free to be herself and not worry about what her revelations would lead to, as they would do all they could to protect her. He took a sip of his tea and then took out his notebook.

  ‘Do you have any brothers or sisters?’

  Ronnie typed into her phone. ‘One sister.’

  ‘Do you talk to your sister a lot?’

  ‘I wasn’t allowed.’

  ‘Are you married?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Do you have a partner?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Boyfriend or girlfriend?’

  Ronnie paused at this before answering. ‘Boyfriend.’

  ‘Does he …’ Mark coughed. ‘Excuse me one sec …’ He took a large gulp of tea before continuing. ‘Does he stop you from talking to your friends and family?’ Lucy thought it sounded like Mark was slurring slightly. She watched as he pulled on his collar.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘How long have you been deaf?’ Mark’s head was down when he said this, and Lucy frowned. What was he playing at?

  Ronnie had been about to type something but stopped and Mark looked up at her. ‘Sorry, do you need me to repeat the question?’

  ‘What do you think?’

  A flash of anger crossed Ronnie’s face as she pointed at the hearing aids. Lucy’s phone rang and she turned away to answer it. When she turned back to the screen, Mark was slumped over in his chair and Ronnie was crying and waving at the camera.

  ‘Oh my god!’ Lucy pushed the chair back and raced into the interview room.

  Mark was sweating and his breathing seemed laboured. Lucy looked at Ronnie and shouted, ‘What happened?’ She tried to get him into a sitting position, but he kept slumping over.

  Ronnie backed away into the corner. She was crying. Lucy dialled 999 on her mobile. Her hands were shaking.

  When the call handler answered, Lucy explained to him that Mark was diabetic and was currently unconscious. He seemed to be having trouble breathing and was sweating profusely. Lucy didn’t hear the next question, as Mark started convulsing.

  ‘Oh God. You need to get here quick. Please!’ she pleaded down the phone.

  ‘The ambulance will be with you shortly. Please stay on the line.’

  Lucy dropped the phone as she moved the table and chairs out of the way. Mark had fallen to the floor and she placed him in the recovery position. She heard the sirens and turned to Ronnie. ‘Go and unlock the front gates.’ Ronnie stared at her. ‘Ronnie … I need to stay here. Open the gates now!’

  Ronnie ran out of the room as Lucy whispered to Mark. ‘Please be okay. I need you to be okay.’ Tears streamed down her face. Minutes passed and finally the paramedics were in the room. Lucy stood back and watched as they stabilized and placed Mark on the gurney. ‘Can I go with you?’

  ‘Sure.’

&
nbsp; She followed them out to the ambulance. Ronnie was standing outside – dazed.

  ‘I’m going to the hospital. Lock the gates behind us. I’ll call Vicki and ask her if she can come around.’

  There was no reaction from Ronnie, but all Lucy could really think about was making sure that Mark didn’t die.

  Chapter Fifty

  Maggie had spent the day following up on minor leads that the field team had been passing to them since the investigations had started. Calls and messages from members of the public purporting to have seen or heard something, but so far, none of them had panned out. On one of the messages, an officer had written ‘psychopath’ and then crossed it out and added ‘sociopath’. There was nothing else on the paper. Maggie had her own thoughts but knew who would be better placed to clarify things, and before she left the office, Maggie messaged Kate to set up another Skype call.

  Saying goodbye to her colleagues, Maggie packed up and headed to the train station.

  Once inside the door, Maggie kicked off her shoes and fed the animals before making herself a sandwich and cup of tea. She’d eat while she chatted with Kate; otherwise, she probably wouldn’t eat at all. She headed to her office space in the dining room and sat down, not even bothering to change.

  ‘Thanks for agreeing to this at such short notice. I know I shouldn’t be bothering you, so feel free to tell me to bugger off if you want.’

  ‘Not a bother at all. So, what exactly were you wanting to know? I have about an hour before my parents call for me. We’re on a relative round.’

  Maggie raised a brow. ‘Relative round?’

  ‘Yes. Where we go and see every relative within a 20-mile radius and fill up on tea and cakes.’

  Maggie laughed. ‘Okay. Let’s get to it. Your parents hate me enough as it is. I had a curious note left on my desk and basically, I wanted to know your thoughts on whether the person committing these killings is a sociopath or a psychopath. I have my own thoughts, but I think the team would benefit from your expertise on the subject.’

  ‘This is why labels are so dangerous and I’m surprised that you of all people are quick to jump on that bandwagon.’

  Kate’s head tilted to the left, almost goading Maggie in a playful way to try and get out of the situation with her beliefs intact.

  ‘Oh, low blow, Doc.’ Maggie smiled and raised her hands in defeat. ‘But I’m not afraid to admit when I’m wrong. I think we’d have a better chance of catching the killer if we knew more about what is going on in their head.’

  ‘In the clinical sense, there’s really no difference between a sociopath and a psychopath. Both are often used when describing people with Antisocial Personality Disorder. However …’ She raised a finger for dramatic effect. ‘A psychopath can also describe a person who’s physically violent or puts others in danger.’

  ‘Yeah – that’s what is confusing me. With both being dangerous and capable of murder … well it is more of a challenge to get things right.’ Maggie rested her chin on her hand.

  ‘Well, yes – but there are small differences. Sociopaths can be dangerous; they are often consumed by their need to be in control – for power. They have absolutely no feelings of guilt or remorse. But contrary to popular misconceptions, they’re not inherently evil, and some are highly productive members of society. In fact, you probably work with a few yourself.’

  Maggie looked up at the ceiling. She probably could name a few sociopaths if she tried hard enough and laughed inwardly when she began to wonder if she herself could be one. ‘I hear you.’ She shook her head – she needed more, though, to ensure her own thoughts were on course. As if reading her mind, Kate continued with her explanation.

  ‘Breaking it down even further then, in my experience, a sociopath is generally a person who might find that within their lifetime, they’ll have committed minor crimes that don’t cause serious harm or distress. But a psychopath will have been described by people close to them or a therapist as someone who’s physically violent or puts others in danger. Both also fall under the characterizations of Antisocial Personality Disorder and those in the field of psychiatry will have differing views. For me, a psychopath is the more dangerous one. They are often narcissistic and selfish over a long period of time and simply don’t give a shit.’

  Kate tugged her ear.

  ‘We all can have a selfish streak though. I guess if we recognize when we’re selfish, and adapt our behaviour, that’s what would distinguish us from being a sociopath. But a psychopath wouldn’t care at all and just carry on with that behaviour – do whatever it takes to get what they want? Is that what you’re saying?’ Maggie took a sip of her tea. She was beginning to see things in a different light and realized that it was probably a psychopath they were dealing with in the murders. Did DCI Hastings fit that profile?

  ‘Impressive! Have you been taking some psychology courses while I’ve been over here – you’re not planning on switching careers, are you? I’m still after that consulting job if it’s available.’ Kate laughed.

  Maggie shook her head. ‘Don’t worry, I prefer my job – I’d rather keep out of the minds of these people – it’s bad enough having the little glimpses I do have. I don’t know how you do it on a daily basis.’

  ‘Hang on a minute.’ Kate stood and walked away, returning with her large sheets of paper. She tacked the blank pieces up on the wall behind her. ‘Can you hear me okay still?’

  Maggie nodded.

  ‘Looking at the similarities between the two, these are the key traits that sociopaths and psychopaths share, and this is just off the top of my head so there could be more, okay?’

  She held a green marker in her hand and began to write on the paper:

  A disregard for laws and social practices

  A disregard for the rights of others

  A failure to feel remorse or guilt

  A tendency to display violent or aggressive behaviour

  ‘So, while I am writing these down, have a think about your persons of interests and where any or all of them may fit … I’ll break down characteristics for sociopaths first …’

  She carried on making notes and reading them aloud as she wrote:

  Make it clear they do not care how others feel

  Behave in hot-headed and impulsive ways

  Prone to fits of anger and rage

  Recognize what they are doing but rationalize their behaviour

  Cannot maintain a regular work and family life

  Can form emotional attachments, but it is difficult

  ‘And now we can look at psychopaths a little more closely.’

  She picked out a red marker and began writing.

  Pretend to care

  Display cold-hearted behaviour

  Fail to recognize other people’s distress

  Have relationships that are shallow and fake

  Maintain a normal life as a cover for criminal activity

  Fail to form genuine emotional attachments

  May love people in their own way

  ‘Many in the field suggest that sociopathy is more likely the product of childhood trauma and physical or emotional abuse and this is because sociopathy appears to be learned rather than innate; sociopaths are capable of empathy in certain circumstances and with certain individuals, but not others. So, I guess you could say that psychopathy is rarer than sociopathy and is considered to be the most dangerous of antisocial personality disorders. Not surprisingly, many serial killers have been labelled as unremorseful psychopaths. Do you watch that programme Killing Eve?’

  ‘Yes. I love Villanelle!’ Maggie exclaimed.

  ‘Well, Villanelle would be classed as a psychopath – she uses people as a means to an end, lies easily, and has absolutely no remorse for her actions.’

  ‘You should have said that at the start, would have saved you writing all that other stuff down.’ Maggie burst out laughing as Kate crinkled her nose.

  ‘Cheeky cow! I can take some pics of these and send t
hem over to you. Your colleagues might appreciate my efforts.’

  ‘That would be awesome. You know I was only pulling your leg, right? One quick question and then I promise to let you get off. The news is throwing around the serial killer label, but that niggles at me and I can’t explain why. Any thoughts?’

  ‘I guess, from the public’s point of view, there is someone murdering people, but with only two victims – I wouldn’t be so quick to jump on the serial killer bandwagon. From what you’ve told me so far, there seems to be a personal connection – even with Tim Griffiths. Don’t ask me why, but I’d bet my career that he’s connected to the victims and the killer. You just have to find out how.’

  Maggie could hear Kate’s mother calling out to her in the background. ‘On that bombshell, you’ve given me a lot of food for thought. Thanks. I’m sure the team will be grateful for your input.’

  Kate waved to the screen as Maggie ended the video call. Maggie leaned back in her chair and stretched her arms. Was Tim Griffiths the key to solving the murders and abduction? Maggie wasn’t so sure, but a good night’s sleep might put everything in perspective.

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Maggie had arrived at the office early in the hopes of getting her head around all the information Kate had provided her with last night. To her surprise, everyone else seemed to have had the early start idea too. She waved at Kat and Bethany before sitting down and booting up her computer.

  Once she had logged in, Maggie opened up the Word document where she was putting together some notes on the case; she was planning to share this information with the team when she worked out all the kinks. An email pinged and was marked as URGENT. When she opened and read it, she looked over at her colleagues. ‘Anyone know what the email is about?’