The Birthday: An absolutely gripping crime thriller (Detective Natalie Ward Book 1)

by Carol Wyer

‘Whoa. Where are you off to?’ she shouts, leaping up from the bed of pansies where she’s been gardening and waving a trowel at him.

  ‘Just for a ride,’ he says, hoping she doesn’t notice the plastic bag containing the doll hanging from his handlebar. He blocks it with his body. ‘I won’t go far. Only to the park.’

  She looks doubtful. His father speaks to her and she shakes her head then shouts, ‘Promise you won’t ride in the road. You’ll stick to the pavements.’

  ‘Promise,’ he yells and pedals off before anyone can call him back.

  Sherry lives close to the village green on a cul-de-sac, which is a French word for a road that’s a dead end so you can only come out the way you go in. His teacher told the class that when they were all asked about where they lived. He lives in a terraced cottage, which doesn’t sound anywhere near as nice as a cul-de-sac, but that’s where he’s always lived.

  It takes six minutes of hard pedalling to reach Sherry’s road, St Catherine’s Close, and he’s out of breath and a bit sweaty from the exertion. He soon forgets his discomfort as he sees Gail disappearing into Sherry’s house. She’s carrying a wrapped present. He’s on time.

  He dismounts his bike and wheels it up to number 12 and lets it rest on the grass outside. There’s a glass porch in front of the main door and he has to ring the doorbell on it. He plasters on his best smile and holds the plastic bag containing Sherry in front of him. He spots movement behind the frosted glass of the main door and his heart thuds against his ribs. The door opens and Sherry stares at him with the biggest eyes he’s ever seen. She’s in a bright yellow dress with yellow ribbons in her hair and her lips are red with lipstick like the colour his mother sometimes wears. She’s wearing white ankle socks and patent leather black shoes and he’s so pleased. She looks as pretty as a daffodil or one of his mother’s yellow pansies, and just like the gift he’s brought.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ she gasps.

  ‘Happy birthday,’ he stutters.

  A gentle voice comes from behind Sherry and a woman appears. ‘Who is it, Sherry?’

  ‘A boy,’ she replies. ‘I didn’t ask him to come. He’s the boy from my class.’

  He waits, his hand outstretched. Sherry retreats behind her mother, who has the same colour hair as her daughter but hers is coiled in a huge bun. She’s in a blue shift dress with flowers on it. Her eyes aren’t the same shade of blue as Sherry’s. They’re deeper, like a clear sky on a perfect summer’s day.

  ‘Why are you here?’ she asks, her voice not unfriendly.

  ‘I brought Sherry a present. I’d like to come to the party.’

  She gives him a gentle smile and crouches so she is face to face with him.

  ‘That’s really nice of you,’ she says, ‘but there aren’t any boys at the party. It’s only for girls. I’m sorry but you can’t join in.’

  She actually looks sad and he doesn’t know how to reply. He hears whispers behind the door and knows Sherry and her friends are listening to the conversation. He has to get away and quickly.

  ‘Oh, okay,’ is all he can say. His mission has failed but he can still win Sherry round. ‘Will you give her this please? It’s a special present from me. I hope she likes it.’

  He shoves the doll at Sherry’s mother.

  She regards the plastic bag with narrowed eyes and shakes her head. ‘I don’t think so. Do your parents know you’re here?’

  His cheeks burn. He can’t respond.

  ‘I thought not. It’d be best if you went home and please don’t come here again. If you do, I might have to say something to your parents.’ The sad look has turned stern. He nods a response and still clutching the bag containing the doll, races off back to his bike. He picks it up, jumps on it and pedals away as fast as he can.

  Twenty-Four

  FRIDAY, 28 APRIL – AFTERNOON

  The office was uncomfortably warm and Natalie conducted the briefing with her sleeves rolled up past her elbows. Thanks to Lucy and Murray, they had a picture of the route Rainey had taken from school and a rough idea of when she was attacked. They also knew Bruce Kennedy was unlikely to have been behind the assault. Although his path had taken him past the entrance to Monks Walk, he had not had time to locate Rainey, kill her and dress her in the yellow dress before meeting Effie Downing beside the library.

  Of more immediate concern was Carl Sawyer, Ava’s father, spotted in the same vicinity at around the time Rainey would have appeared in Monks Walk.

  ‘He has a motive,’ said Murray. ‘His daughter disappeared during a birthday party. He might harbour a grudge against those children who attended the party.’

  ‘It’s certainly possible but why wait until now to attack them?’ Ian asked. It was the same question Lucy had asked in the car.

  ‘His daughter’s body’s just been unearthed. I’d say that’s reason enough. It’s brought it all back to him. His daughter was found on Tuesday. Since then two girls have been murdered. It’s logical to think it could be him,’ Murray suggested.

  ‘It certainly looks like this is all related to Harriet’s birthday,’ said Natalie with a slight shake of her head, ‘and yet I’m still not a hundred per cent convinced.’

  ‘Even with the whole yellow dress thing going on?’ Murray sounded indignant. ‘It screams retaliation to me.’

  ‘I agree,’ said Ian. ‘It seems too staged. Besides, the dresses Audrey and Rainey were wearing weren’t like the one Ava wore.’

  ‘Oh, come on!’ Murray was incredulous.

  ‘That’s why I’m slightly dubious. A tiny part of me wonders if maybe somebody wants us to believe it’s to do with the birthday, but it isn’t.’ Natalie folded her arms. She wasn’t going to exclude any other possibilities. She wasn’t going to mess up by only exploring one avenue. ‘First things first. Interview Carl. There might be an innocent explanation as to why he was there. We also can’t ignore the fact all three girls attended the dance academy. We might have run into a wall with Bruce Kennedy but there could be somebody watching the place and choosing victims who attend or attended the classes. We also can’t ignore the fact all the victims were in the same class at school. Check out their form teacher, Jennifer Collinswood, and anyone she is living with.’

  Ian looked like he wanted to speak again but caught the look Murray threw him and remained quiet.

  ‘Get a list of all of the people who rent allotments and see if anyone was at their plot yesterday afternoon.’

  Murray nodded at the request. He’d already tracked down somebody at the council who might be able to help.

  ‘I don’t like the fact we’ve drawn so many blanks with Audrey Briggs, either. I’m going to request a dramatic reconstruction of events as well as an appeal for witnesses. Somebody must have seen her. I refuse to accept she left her house and vanished in a park where other people were walking dogs, riding bikes, playing or just wandering about, even if she was found in a less populated area. We’ve got lots going on and I’m grateful to you for giving your all. I understand this isn’t an easy investigation and I needn’t tell you that I’m concerned we’re dealing with a child serial killer. Let’s get this clear: I haven’t discounted the idea that the perp is hunting down girls who attended Harriet’s birthday. It would be foolhardy to do so. However, I’m concerned the assailant will act again. At this stage, we need to notify the parents of the remaining girls who attended that party in 2015 and ensure those children don’t go off alone. I believe they’re in no danger if they stay with adults or other children. Finally, the yellow dresses. Any news from that website?’

  Lucy shook her head. ‘I’ll send another email to the Etsy vendor.’

  ‘Etsy?’ Ian’s brows furrowed.

  ‘Online shops where people sell home-made stuff,’ Lucy explained.

  Natalie ended the meeting, and as everyone went about their business, she took Murray to one side.

  ‘I have to go out for an hour. Can you keep on top of everything here and ring me if you need
me?’

  ‘Sure.’

  ‘Thanks. Appreciate it.’

  ‘Have you spoken to him about it?’

  ‘I tried but he ended up yelling at me and saying I didn’t understand. Of course I fucking understand.’ David’s face was dark with anger. ‘I was more pissed off with the headmaster’s attitude than anything. You’d think Josh had filmed the bloody sex scenes himself rather than watched them.’

  ‘Where’s Leigh?’

  ‘She went home with Kelly. She’ll be dropped off about six. I don’t think she’s got any idea of this.’

  ‘Good. We need to let him know it was wrong but for the right reasons.’

  ‘What reasons? He’s growing up and he’s curious. He watched some porn. It’s not the end of the world, is it? It’s only natural he’s curious about it. I was at his age.’

  ‘Oh, come on. It’s not like it was in your day, looking at pictures of naked women in copies of Playboy or whatever you kept hidden under your bed. These sites contain seriously degrading images of both women and men.’

  ‘He was trying to learn more about sex.’

  ‘But this isn’t the way to do it. You know what’s on those sites: sexually explicit scenes, degrading stuff like fantasy rape scenes, fetishes, molestations. And there’s the advertising that flashes up from time to time. It’s not healthy for a young mind to watch that crap. I want him to end up in a wholesome relationship not re-enacting sexually explicit scenes he’s watched online.’

  ‘He’s not stupid. He won’t think that’s how people behave.’

  ‘That’s exactly the point I’m making. He’s young. He will think that’s how ordinary people behave. It’ll have a bearing on how he perceives sex. He needs to be made aware of the difference.’

  ‘How do you suggest we deal with it, then?’

  ‘We don’t lose our rags for one thing. Keep it calm. He knows he’s done wrong but maybe he doesn’t really understand why, or why we’re concerned. You should talk to him again.’

  ‘No.’

  ‘No?’

  ‘It’s all very well you racing home and telling me how to look after our children but that’s not how I want to play it. You’re rarely here, Natalie. I am. I’m the one who has to sort them out in the mornings and listen to them bickering in the car and make sure they eat the right food, or drag them away from their iPads and social media and tell them to get on with their homework. Have you forgotten what that’s like? They’re teenagers. They don’t like being bossed about and I’m the one who’s been tasked with that ever since I lost my job and you got promoted in yours. I’m permanently playing the role of bad cop around here. You waltz in, ruffle Josh’s hair, watch movies with Leigh and can do no wrong in their eyes.’

  Natalie put her head in her hands. ‘We’ve talked about this. I’ll make more time once this investigation is over.’

  ‘You always say you will and you do for a while, then another case comes along and you’re out all hours. I don’t want to have a heart to heart with Josh about the wrongs of downloading and looking at pornography.’

  ‘Why? You of all people ought to be able to talk to him frankly about sex. You’re close to him.’

  ‘Exactly. You try and tell a teenager you want to talk to him about porn and see what reaction you get. I don’t want to fall out with him over this. I want him to be able to come to me and not think I’m some sort of prude.’

  Natalie was astounded. ‘David, it isn’t about being prudish. There’s evidence to suggest that porn has serious effects on teenagers’ psychological health. It promotes unrealistic attitudes to what constitutes consent, and unwholesome views about sex and relationships. All I’m suggesting is that you chat to him about it. Maybe he has some questions about sex he’d like to ask you. You know how low his self-esteem is at the moment. This won’t help it.’

  David pursed his lips and released a hiss of air. ‘You sound like a bloody counsellor.’

  ‘I’ve seen what can happen thanks to exposure to pornography. I’ve come across rape victims and abused children and other sights I wish I’d never seen. I believe pornographic sites foster an unhealthy attitude, that’s all. I’m only being a parent – hopefully a good parent. There is no ideal way to deal with this but I think treat Josh as an adult and we’ll be doing the best job we can as parents.’

  David sighed wearily. ‘Okay. I get it.’

  ‘Did he show you the pictures?’

  ‘The head teacher confiscated the phone, and when he passed it to me, I didn’t really look closely at them. Josh was sat there, head down. I didn’t want him to have to suffer the indignity of me scrolling through them.’

  ‘Did he tell you how he came by them?’

  ‘A friend of a friend got them off a site on his dad’s computer and messaged them to Josh and a few others. They’ve all been suspended. The school has a no tolerance policy on the matter.’

  ‘I’ll have a quick word with him and get off. You’ll be fine. It won’t push you apart. If anything, it’ll prove you’re a good listener and the sort of dad he should go to when he’s in trouble.’ She took his hand. He didn’t pull away.

  ‘You reckon?’

  ‘Yeah. I reckon.’

  Josh was hunched over the kitchen table, staring at a chemistry textbook.

  ‘Hey!’

  He grunted a response.

  ‘Look, we’re not angry with you,’ she said.

  ‘You’re not?’ Josh looked up in surprise.

  ‘No. However, it doesn’t mean it’s okay.’

  Josh wrapped his arms around his body, his mouth turned down.

  ‘We’re not going to preach to you but we’d like to have a chat about it.’

  ‘I don’t want to talk about it.’

  ‘How about you and Dad go for a burger, and if you feel like talking to him, you can?’

  David spoke up. ‘Come on. Leigh’s out and there’s no decent food in the house. What have you got to lose?’

  ‘I suppose,’ Josh said, scraping back his chair. ‘I’m going to get changed first.’

  ‘Sure,’ said David.

  Natalie looked him in the eye. ‘You okay about this, then?’

  ‘Looks like I’ll have to be, doesn’t it?’

  ‘I’m not making you do this. I just think it’s the best way.’

  ‘If he clams up, I’m not going to force the issue.’

  ‘Fair enough.’

  ‘And for the record, I don’t like being manipulated into these awkward situations.’

  ‘I know. I promise I’ll talk to Leigh about it. Make sure she has all the facts. How about that?’

  He nodded a response. ‘You going back to the office?’

  ‘Got to talk to the parents of the latest victim and then I’ll go back.’

  ‘I’ll stay up. Let you know how it went.’

  ‘Thanks. I’ll try not to be too late.’

  Natalie waited until they’d driven away before leaving the house. David had touched a nerve. She wasn’t fulfilling her role as a good parent at all. It was true that ever since she’d accepted the promotion, her family had had to get on without her. Was Josh beginning to rebel because of the situation? Part of her couldn’t shake the feeling she was at fault. Finding a work–life balance was horrendous. Mike hadn’t managed. She hoped she could. She had too much to lose if she couldn’t.

  Twenty-Five

  FRIDAY, 28 APRIL – LATE AFTERNOON

  The Kilburn family lived on the enormous Hounton Park estate in one of the first houses to have been built during the 1980s. Since then, the development had grown to such proportions it had become a suburb of Uptown with its own community centre, shopping precinct and various pubs.

  Donald Kilburn came to the door using a pair of walking sticks. He was large-framed and towered over Natalie.

  ‘Come in,’ he said in a gentle voice that seemed at odds with his appearance.

  His wife, Paula, was puffy-faced through crying. She stood in the
middle of the kitchen, clutching a tea towel. Tanya Granger was sitting on a stool.

  ‘Put that down, pet,’ Donald said. ‘The detective wants to talk to us.’

  Paula ignored him. ‘I have to dry up these cups first,’ she insisted. ‘I’m making Tanya a cup of tea, aren’t I?’

  Tanya shook her head. ‘I can sort out the tea. Why don’t you sit down? I’ll bring you yours. You take one sugar, don’t you?’

  Paula nodded and pulled out a box of teabags, dropping them in front of the kettle.

  ‘She’s been like this all morning,’ Donald whispered to Natalie. ‘Can’t get her head around what’s happened.’

  He shuffled onto a stool. ‘Do you want a drink?’ he asked Natalie.

  ‘No, thank you. I won’t stay long. You’ve been through enough.’

  Tanya busied herself with the kettle. Paula edged towards Natalie, tea towel still in her hands.

  ‘We have and it’s not over yet,’ he replied.

  ‘I really am most sorry for your loss,’ said Natalie.

  ‘Aye.’ Donald’s eyes misted for a minute, and he wiped them with the sleeve of his sweatshirt.

  ‘Are you feeling up to a couple of questions?’

  His head moved up and down imperceptibly.

  ‘I understand Rainey used to take ballet classes at the dance school in Uptown.’

  ‘She did. Gave them up though. Two left feet.’ Donald sniffed back a smile. ‘She tried, mind. Bless her heart. Her friends were doing ballet and she wanted to do what they did. In the end, she preferred swimming. She was like a little fish in water. Much better choice of activity for her.’

  ‘She didn’t go back to the dance academy once she gave up lessons?’

  ‘No.’ Paula’s voice was even quieter than her husband’s. ‘She loved swimming though.’

  ‘Where did she go swimming?’

  Paula waited while Tanya placed a cup of tea in front of her and continued, ‘Leisure centre next to the school. She went Saturdays along with a couple of others in her class.’