White Lilies

by R. C. Bridgestock

  ‘How could I have agreed for my wife and son’s bodies to be mutilated? How could I?’ he said, sobbing.

  ‘Your wife and son will probably save more than one life, maybe even another mother and child who would have died without your bravery. Bridey was obviously a very sensitive and caring person. If she signed that donor card, she has trusted you to make sure those wishes are carried out,’ John said.

  Graham, deep in thought, took a sip of tea from his cup but didn’t speak. However, obviously mulling John’s words over, he looked calmer.

  ‘The car involved in the accident was a Ford Fiesta. That car was found burnt out shortly after the accident but it was reported stolen,’ John said. Graham turned his head to look at John with red, expectant eyes. ‘Stolen?’ he asked.

  ‘Well, we’re not certain it was actually stolen, although we did find a screwdriver jammed in the ignition. A police officer spoke to the registered owner of the vehicle and his friend when they reported the car missing. We’re turning their house over at the moment and then we’ll interview them.’

  ‘Who are they?’ Graham whispered. ‘Tell me who they are?’ His voice rose. ‘I’ll get the truth out of the bastards for you,’ he said through clenched teeth.

  ‘Listen, Graham, earlier in the day we believe the pair failed to stop for a police car that was in pursuit of their car. They jumped a red light at a railway barrier, narrowly missing being wiped out by the Leeds train. At that point the police lost them. A few hours later, the car was seen again by a police patrol in the town centre as it was approaching traffic lights. The lights turned red and the police driver pulled in behind them. The officers got out and as they went towards the car to speak to the two occupants, the driver set off at speed and went up onto the pavement, which is when they hit Bridey and Toby’s pram. The officers cannot be sure who was driving the vehicle at the time though.’

  ‘Who are they? Tell me?’ Graham asked again.

  John shook his head. ‘I’m sorry, I can’t give you the names. We’ve got to ascertain whether they were driving the car first.’

  Graham Tate stared at the floor. ‘And if it is them?’

  ‘Then you’ll be told,’ John said, laying a hand on Graham’s shoulder. Graham sat up straight and stared him in the eyes. ‘Good, because once I know who did it they won’t be safe even locked up.’ he said, vehemently.

  ‘Look, I’ll arrange to speak to you and Mrs Tate’s parents tomorrow with my boss, Detective Inspector Jack Dylan,’ John said, standing up to leave.

  ‘Come on, mate, give me their names. You can’t tell me you wouldn’t want to get hold of them if you were in my position,’ Graham said, staring straight into John’s eyes.

  ‘You’re understandably very angry at the moment, but I’m sure Bridey wouldn’t want you to do anything stupid.’

  ‘She won’t know, will she? She’s not here to see,’ he replied, shrugging his shoulders. ‘So, what does it matter?’

  ‘If you need anything, here’s my number,’ John said, handing Graham Tate his card. ‘The coroner’s officer will be along to see you shortly and I’ll see you tomorrow.’

  ‘Come on, name them,’ Graham shouted after him as he walked out of the room. John didn’t look back. The door slowly began to close ‘One father to another, I won’t stop till I find them and then you’ll have two more bodies,’ he shouted. John heard a loud cry. The door banged shut.

  John walked on, not allowing the straight-faced mask of the detective to slip once, while inside, his heart ached for the young man who had lost everything.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Danny Denton and Billy Greenwood signed their release from custody forms, agreeing to be bailed. Their black Subaru stood proudly in the back yard of the police station awaiting them. The officer dropped the key fob in Danny’s outstretched hand. Danny examined the exterior carefully. The officer breathed deeply through his flared nostrils, turned and marched briskly across the parade square without a word passing his pursed lips.

  ‘Best get ourselves a new phone, Billy. It’ll be ages before they give us ours back,’ Danny said.

  ‘And two more stripes for the wing!’ Billy shouted, a cheeky grin crossing his face.

  The officer stopped momentarily in his tracks, but thought better of retracing his steps and walked on into the police station.

  The boys grinned. ‘It’s time we gave Pam a call to tell her we’ve been locked up and wrongly accused of sommat,’ Danny said, sighing dramatically as he slid into the driver’s seat. ‘I wonder if that copper’s kid Sara goes to her school? We should ask her,’ Danny said with his eyebrow raised.

  It was late. Pam’s mobile phone vibrated.

  ‘Hello,’ she said in a whisper from under her duvet as she answered the unknown number.

  ‘Pam, Danny. We got pulled by the cops.’

  ‘Oh my God,’ Pam said.

  ‘Don’t panic, we’ve done nothing wrong. But they’ve took our mobiles off of us, so we’ve had to get a new one.’

  ‘Are you alright?’ she said.

  ‘Yeah, course. Tell you all about it tomorrow,’ he said, grinning over at Billy as he turned the wheel and revved the engine to take the next corner at top speed.

  Pam sighed with contentment and plumped up her pillow. How awful, she thought, snuggling down under her duvet, to be locked up for something you hadn’t done. Why didn’t the police leave Danny alone? She couldn’t wait for tomorrow. She closed her eyes, turned over and willed herself to go to sleep, for the sooner that happened, the sooner it would be morning.

  Before she knew it, Pam heard the distant cries of her mum and dad calling her. In the transitional state between wakefulness and sleep she heard the front door slam and the house shake.

  Pam yawned and stretched. Her eyelids shot open. She jumped out of bed and raced to the window to watch her parents drive away.

  Outside, leaning against a black, shiny new car, was Danny. She stood statue-like as she watched him look both ways up and down the road and then walk up the driveway, Billy in his wake. She heard Danny’s knock at the front door. Frightened, but also excited, she hid behind the bedroom curtain not sure what she should do. Her heart hammered in her chest. How long had he been there? The knocks got louder and were followed by shouts of her name. She ran down the stairs, pulling her dressing gown over her shoulders. She’d have to answer the door before the pair drew attention to themselves.

  ‘What’re you doing here?’ she said with a grin that filled her flushed face. Danny stood leaning against the doorjamb, a cigarette hanging from his mouth.

  ‘Thought you might want a lift to school in our new wheels.’

  ‘That’d be great but I’m not dressed. Look, I won’t be a minute. Come in, before someone sees you,’ she said, pulling Danny in by his hoodie. She waved Billy in behind him and then popped her head around the door and glanced around to see if anyone was watching.

  ‘Can I use your karsie?’ asked Billy, as she shut the door.

  Pam frowned.

  ‘Your bog,’ Danny said.

  ‘Top of the stairs,’ she said. Distractedly, she pulled her dressing gown tightly round her.

  Danny and Pam watched him run up the stairs, two at a time.

  ‘He’s not the only one who’s desperate,’ Danny said with a grin as he reached out for her. He pulled her towards him. With two arms he held her tightly around the waist. ‘But not for the…’ Danny pulled her to him and kissed her roughly on the lips.

  Pam’s heart pounded. She could hardly breathe. This is how she had dreamt it would be to be loved by Danny Denton. He expertly untied the knot in the belt of her dressing gown and it fell open to reveal her pyjamas. He leaned forward and she dropped her head as he pulled the straps to one side and rained kisses on her neck. She closed her eyes. Her legs felt like jelly.

  Billy searched quickly and quietly through the bedrooms, he pocketed the small amount of cash and jewellery that he came across. Inside the small draw
er of the dressing table he could hardly believe his eyes, when staring up at him were keys tagged and labelled with the shop, surgery and house details. He put them in the breast pocket of his jacket and zipped it up, patting it gently. Grinning at his reflection in the mirror, he turned and headed for the door to the landing and shut it behind him with a bang.

  Pam pushed Danny away. He moaned and tried to hold onto her by sucking hard on her neck. She heard the toilet flush, Billy’s footsteps on the landing and then him running down the stairs.

  ‘I’m gonna be late for school if I’m not careful,’ she said, with a grimace as she released herself from Danny’s hold and ran past Billy on the stairs. Billy winked at Danny.

  Pam stood before her dressing table mirror and inspected her blotchy neck. Damn it, she thought, that always happened when she got excited. Then she saw the love bite. How on earth was she going to explain that to her mum and dad. She grabbed a scarf from the door handle as she hurried out. Good job these things were in fashion, she thought. She was pleased with how organised she had been under the circumstances. That was what being grown-up was all about, wasn’t it?

  Within minutes, they were in the car and on the way to school.

  ‘The car is amazing, Danny,’ Pam said, admiringly stroking the leather seat.

  ‘Special, in’t it? Cost us a pretty penny, didn’t it, Billy?’

  ‘Sure did,’ Billy said, turning around to wink at her.

  ‘Ever thought of skiving off one day?’ Danny asked as he made eye contact with her in the mirror.

  ‘I’ve never had reason to,’ she said shyly.

  ‘Well, what if I asked you to? Good enough reason?’

  ‘Yeah, it is,’ she grinned, shyly.

  They were at the school gates and as she leaned forward to get out of the rear side door Danny leaned over. ‘I’ll text you later, but think about what I said.’

  Wow, she thought, staggering up the school’s driveway in a dream-like state. The smile on her face reached from ear to ear. Now she sighed, a sigh of pure contentment.

  In the classroom it mattered not what the lessons were, all she could think about was the impending day out and where they might take her. Dreams really did come true if you wanted them to, she sang in her head.

  ‘Pamela, Pamela. Are you paying attention?’ The teacher’s voice broke her thoughts but only for a moment. ‘You’ll wish you’d listened to me one day, girl,’ she went on.

  ‘Yep,’ she replied, scrawling Pam Loves Danny on her notebook.

  ‘Well, sit up and try to look as if you’re listening. Sex education is important. Even if you think you know it all at your age,’ the angry teacher said crossly.

  Chapter Twenty

  Danny stopped the car in the car park. Billy tore a can of lager from the four pack and handed it to Danny.

  ‘So, what did you get Billy?’

  ‘A ring, a couple of watches and fifty quid,’ he said, emptying his coat pockets onto his lap.

  ‘That all?’ exclaimed Danny, holding his hand out, palm up. Billy hit it with his before reaching into his breast pocket. Danny frowned.

  ‘Ah, but there’s more,’ Billy said, as he pulled out a bunch of keys. To his friend’s delight he read the tags. ‘House, Shop and Surgery,’ he read, beaming.

  ‘You’re a fucking star, you are,’ Danny whooped with delight. ‘Times are good.’

  ‘How did you get on with her? Get a feel, did ya?’ Billy asked with a sullen face as he pulled the ring-pull on his can. ‘I would rather have been snogging her than thieving.’ He took a long swig.

  ‘Woah, she’s really up for it. No doubt about that. She’s hot,’ Danny said, laughing. ‘You’ll get a go, don’t fret. Let’s go for a drive, eh? Give the car a spin and see if we can sell that jewellery on over in Lancashire,’ Danny said, pointing to the ring Billy had placed on his finger. Danny turned the key in the ignition and revved the engine. Music blared out, disrupting the quiet tranquillity of Dean Reservoir as he reversed back at speed, skidded and pulled the steering wheel to do a ninety-degree spin.

  Dylan was due to meet with Graham Tate and Bridey’s parents, Ronnie and Rose Carter. He sat at his desk and tapped his teeth with his pen as he pondered the meeting. He wished he had something positive to tell them, but all he could do was fill them in on what the investigation team knew so far, and assure them of their commitment to finding those responsible for the deaths of their daughter and grandson. He scratched his head and rubbed his eyes. A knock came at his office door and, without preamble, in walked John Benjamin.

  ‘I’ve offered to collect the Carters but they’re gonna make their own way here. They should be with us in about ten minutes, boss. You still okay?’

  ‘Yeah, arrange some coffee, will you? And put the Do Not Disturb sign on the door. I was just sat here thinking about them.’

  ‘It’s difficult knowing what to say, isn’t it? Apart from the shock of the two deaths, they’ve had to deal with their son-in-law agreeing to the organ donation.’

  ‘Mm,’ Dylan said, nodding his head.

  The first to arrive was Graham Tate and John introduced him to Dylan. They shook hands. Graham had a fierce grip. His face was blotchy, his eyes puffy and he looked fatigued, which was understandable under the circumstances, but he definitely hadn’t lost his strength, Dylan noticed.

  ‘Please take a seat,’ Dylan said. ‘We’ll just wait for Bridey’s parents to arrive before we begin. How did they take the news about the organ donations?’

  Graham put his hand to his brow before running his fingers through his hair. ‘Not good,’ he said, taking a deep diaphragmatic breath. ‘But it was Bridey’s wish, not mine. What was I supposed to do?’

  ‘I’ve got to tell you, I’ve nothing but admiration for you,’ said Dylan with feeling. ‘It was not only a courageous decision but an unselfish one, too, that’ll no doubt save, or dramatically improve the quality of a number of lives. Bridey would be very proud of you, I’m sure,’ he smiled, reassuringly.

  ‘So people keep saying,’ Graham said with a wan smile back at him.

  The sight of Ronnie and Rose Carter at his door stopped Dylan from saying more. John escorted them in. Graham and Dylan stood and John introduced Bridey’s parents to Dylan.’

  It was apparent the atmosphere between the relatives was cool as they nodded briefly in acknowledgment of each other’s presence, but avoided eye contact. Vicky brought in warm drinks on a tray and they sat with the mugs cupped tightly in their hands. Dylan started by telling them how sorry he was for their loss in such horrific and tragic circumstances. He outlined slowly and gently to them what had happened, according to what the investigation had uncovered and what witnesses had told them.

  ‘I want to reassure you that the paramedics did all they could at the scene but unfortunately they couldn’t save Bridey or Toby,’ Dylan said, watching the numbed expression on their faces. ‘I don’t know if you were aware, but your daughter carried an organ-donor card and authority was given for her wishes to be carried out very bravely by Graham at the hospital, which must have caused him the most unimaginable grief,’ he said with a sigh.

  Dylan saw the tears well up in Rose’s eyes and she turned to Graham, took his hand in hers, and smiled weakly at him. Dylan noted the gesture and decided to go on. ‘That unselfish act in these terrible circumstances needs to be made instantly. The poor lad was put into a situation that, let’s face it, no one would ever want to be in. Like I said to you earlier, Graham, your courage at that time will no doubt have saved lives. And, you not only had to make that decision once, but twice. I’m sure, Mr and Mrs Carter, you understand what a terrible predicament he was put in.’

  Rose Carter sobbed into her handkerchief and looked across at her husband for support.

  ‘We can’t bear to think about it,’ he said, downhearted.

  ‘That’s understandable. And, I’m sure it was just the same for Graham when he had to make the decision to respect Bridey’s wish
es,’ Dylan said.

  Detective Sergeant John Benjamin watched and listened in silence, with great admiration for Dylan, as he carefully created the opportunity for them to discuss the situation with each other.

  ‘It was Bridey’s wish, not mine. I could never have…’ Graham managed to blurt out as he struggled with the lump rising in his throat. ‘It’s what she … she said she wanted me to do if anything … I agreed at the time. I never thought anything would … and at first, I said no to the doctor. I couldn’t bear to think … But then I remembered why she had signed that donor card and I had to allow it to happen, for Bridey.’

  ‘I’m sure she’d want you all to be together on this. It was her wish, like Graham said, no one else’s,’ Dylan added, gently. ‘And I don’t know if you’re aware but no one has a legal right to veto Bridey’s wish.’

  ‘Thank you, Inspector, we agree with Graham,’ Rose Carter said with a stronger voice. ‘Don’t we, Ronnie? We’re just in shock,’ she sighed, looking at Graham. ‘Graham’s like our own,’ she said, turning back to Dylan as she reached out and squeezed Graham’s hand.

  ‘You did what you had to do, lad. I can see that now. Let’s concentrate on finding out who did this to her and Toby,’ said Ronnie, nodding at Graham.

  ‘I think you need to leave that to us, Mr Carter. When we know who did it, we’ll let you know,’ said Dylan.

  ‘Oh, don’t you fret, Ron. I’ll find out who did it,’ Graham said, through gritted teeth. ‘And when I do…’ His face screwed up and he gulped back the tears.

  ‘Look, at the moment, you can’t put the blame on the lad who owned the car because he had reported it stolen. I’ve explained that to you. Him and his friend are telling us the same story. We did find the car ablaze on the moors with a screwdriver stuck in the ignition and they still had the car keys in their possession, which convinced our officer of their innocence and he had to bail them. There may be some truth in their story,’ said John. ‘And until we can prove otherwise…’