Wild Thing (DI Ted Darling Book 6)

by L M Krier

  'Morgane, I just need to ask you once more if you know who this is?'

  'Why do you keep coming round here harassing her?'

  The father's tone was truculent, his face darkening.

  'Morgane's the victim in all of this. She's lost her mother and been frightened half to death. Yet you seem intent on interrogating her as if she was a suspect. I think it's time I called my ex-wife's law firm and had someone to represent her interests.'

  Ted gave him his most disarming smile.

  'I'm sorry if you feel that way, Mr Edwards. And Morgane, I hope you understand that I'm not in any way trying to upset you further. I'm just trying to establish facts so we can make some progress with this enquiry.'

  Kate had sat down next to Morgane, tissues at the ready, sensing that this could be a difficult interview. Clive Edwards was sitting at his work desk, his feet planted wide apart, hands resting on his open thighs. He still looked angry.

  Ted kept his voice quiet, the tone gentle, as he probed with questions.

  'My problem is this, Morgane. Your sketch is a striking likeness of Max Newman. The boy with the snake. You deny knowing him. He tells me you do know each other. That, in fact, you've been to his house. I have to ask you now if that's true?'

  Her father was clearly building up to say something, but Ted's eyes were looking at the girl intently, watching for her reaction. Slowly, her lower lip started to wobble. Fat tears appeared in her eyes. Then she threw herself sideways, burying her face in Kate's lap as ragged sobs shook her body.

  'I did go there. I did. To draw the snake. For my art project. But then he...he...he raped me.'

  Edwards sprang to his feet, covered the short distance between him and his daughter and dropped to his knees in front of her. She pulled away from Kate and flung her arms round his neck, her face against his chest, as her crying became more hysterical. He just kept repeating meaningless endearments, stroking her soft blonde hair, his own voice thick with suppressed tears.

  Ted exchanged a look with Kate and the two of them got to their feet.

  'We'll give you both a moment, Mr Edwards. It's been a shock for you. Take your time.'

  He and Kate withdrew quietly to the kitchen, where she put the kettle on.

  'Well, what did you make of that performance, boss?'

  'You think it's a performance then? You're not buying it? I must confess, I have my doubts.'

  'She must have known you would talk to Max at some point. You mentioned his name to her. One of them is lying.'

  'She's clearly highly intelligent. She must know a rape allegation is hard to prove or disprove, especially some time after the event. And she's already said she likes watching crime series. She could have this all worked out. Let's assume, just for a moment, that Max did rape her. For whatever reason, she didn't want to go to the police. She didn't recognise the person she claims killed her mother and kidnapped her. So why not set Max up for it? See him go down for something, at least.

  'Let's take these drinks through, see if she's calmed down enough to tell us her version of events. I have some updates from forensics but I'd prefer you to listen first and see what opinion you form.'

  Edwards looked up as soon as the two officers went back into the room. From his expression, he had gone up a notch from angry to fuming.

  'I'm going to be making a complaint about your conduct. It's unforgivable, treating my daughter like this, after all she's been through.'

  'That is your right, Mr Edwards. I'll give you contact details for my senior officer, of course.'

  Ted had already decided he'd put him on to Jim Baker, rather than the Ice Queen, anticipating such a move. Jim was fair, but he'd far sooner take a bollocking from him, if necessary, than the frosty Ice Queen. He still hoped he could smooth things over so it wouldn't come to that.

  Kate handed out the mugs then she and Ted resumed their seats. Kate sat on the opposite end of the sofa to Edwards, who now perched on the arm, still holding his daughter.

  'Morgane, I appreciate this is very distressing for you. I just want to make it clear that we need you to tell us exactly what happened, on both occasions, as honestly and accurately as you can.'

  She lifted her head and made direct eye contact with him. There was something in the expression of her eyes which he couldn't fathom. Something almost as unsettling as her artwork.

  She told her story calmly and concisely. In some ways, it differed little from Max's account, except in one crucial area. Max had said she was the instigator. According to Morgane, Max had grown increasingly aroused at the sight of the snake feeding. She was sitting on the end of his bed, sketching. She could see his growing erection pressing against the tracksuit bottoms he was wearing, she told them.

  'I started to get a bit worried. I mean, I could see he was getting, you know, a stiffy, looking at the snake feeding. I thought I'd better get my things together and get out of there. I thought perhaps he just wanted to...he might just be going to...'

  She looked anxiously between the three of them, picking her words.

  'I don't know how to say it politely,' she said, making a motion with her hand as she spoke.

  'You thought his intention was to masturbate?' Ted supplied calmly. 'And what happened then?'

  'I just wanted to get out of there. I didn't want to watch that. As soon as I tried to leave, he grabbed me and threw me on the bed. He said he had a knife and would use it if I struggled. He said he'd get the snake out and it would wind itself round my neck and strangle me while he was raping me. I was terrified. So I just let him. As soon as I could, I got up and ran out. It wasn't him who killed my mother. I didn't really get a clear look at who did. But I just saw my chance to get my revenge on Max for what he did to me. I'm so sorry. It was stupid of me, I know that now. I'm really sorry for wasting your time.'

  'Morgane, this next question is very important. Did he use a condom?'

  'Yes,' she said quickly. 'That's why I didn't think it was worth reporting. He wouldn't have left any trace and it would just have been his word against mine. I'm so sorry.'

  'This has been difficult and upsetting for you, and for your father. I'm going to go now and leave you with Kate. When you feel up to it, perhaps you'll tell her any details at all that you can remember about the real person who abducted you. I'll come back tomorrow and perhaps we can talk some more.

  'Mr Edwards, I wonder if you'd mind seeing me out, please?'

  At the front door, he took out one of his cards and a pen.

  'I'm noting the contact details of my senior officer, Detective Superintendent Baker, for you. Please feel free to get in touch with him if you feel my conduct has been in any way inappropriate. It was certainly not my intention.'

  Edwards took the card and studied it.

  'So what now? Are you going to arrest this Max boy for what he did to Morgane? I'd no idea she'd been through anything like this, and now losing her mother as well. How is she ever going to get over it all?'

  By the skin of his teeth, Ted managed to get to the shop before it closed. He'd been impressed with the meal for two for a tenner deal, including a bottle of wine, which he'd had enjoyed when he'd been to Bizzie's house and wanted to get the same thing for when Trev got home. He'd have no time to cook anything himself and he didn't want Trev to have to. He added the customary single red rose, their little shared joke, so it would hopefully be a nice welcoming touch.

  He made sure he was back in good time to have everywhere tidy and the cats fed and cleaned out. Trev had only been gone overnight but he'd missed him. He needed him.

  He'd brought paperwork home with him and worked on that until he heard Trev's Triumph motorbike turn into the drive, then the sound of the garage door opening and closing as he locked his precious baby safely away.

  Ted heard him stride into the hallway. The familiar soft thud as he put his motorcycle helmet on the hall table. The sound of him slipping out of his leathers and boots as he called out, 'Hey, you. I've had the most amazin
g time. I've got some fab video to show you of me jumping.'

  He strode into the kitchen and headed straight to Ted, giving him a brief hug and a kiss. His mobile was in one hand and he was flicking the screen.

  'I'm just sending the videos to Laurence. Yet another horse-lover. You're surrounded by them. I really must teach you to ride one day, then you can join in. Here, look. I rode one of Henry's father's hunters, a big grey tank called Hector. Pulled like a train but jumped his heart out for me. You can see. Shewee filmed us.'

  Ted felt an unexpected pang of jealousy that the mysterious Laurence had seen the film before he had. He sternly told himself to stop being petty and ridiculous. Of course Trev would share it with knowledgeable horse people. Ted could only look in awe and admiration, watching Trev and the enormous grey horse hurtling over seemingly huge hedges at alarming speeds.

  'I'm glad you had fun,' he said, wondering if it sounded as lame as it felt. 'I got us a ready meal. I haven't had time to cook and I didn't want you to have to.'

  Trev flopped down in a kitchen chair.

  'I'm still stuffed, to be honest. I've been very well looked after. A huge breakfast before we rode, and an enormous lunch afterwards, which went on and on. Oh, and Shewee did brilliantly in the match yesterday. Scored a couple of goals. I was really proud of her. I've got some film of that here.'

  At that moment his phoned pinged with an incoming text. Trev looked at the screen and laughed delightedly.

  'Laurence. Green with envy.'

  His fingers flew expertly over the keyboard as he fired off a rapid reply, smiling to himself as he did so. Then he looked up at Ted and asked, 'So how has your weekend been?'

  Ted sat down next to him, pulling his chair closer, needing the warm presence of his partner to bring some normality back into his life.

  'Oh, you know. Playing mind games with a teenage killer. Same old, same old.'

  Trev reached out and took hold of his hand, giving it a sympathetic squeeze, just as Ted asked, his tone anxious, 'We are all right, aren't we? You and me?'

  'Of course we are! For goodness sake, Ted, why do you keep asking that? I've been having fun, doing the kind of stuff I like. I know it's not your thing and that's fine. We've never been joined at the hip. You've got your Krava Maga and your work. I've got my bikes and my horsey stuff. It's always been like that.'

  'I just worry, you know, that I'm a bit dull for you. You've been having some fun, then you have to come home to me being preoccupied with work, as usual...'

  'I don't have to come home. I come home because I want to. I understand about your job. I've been with you long enough. I can appreciate you may feel anxious when I'm away. But if every time I go off and have some fun I'm going to come home to a police interrogation, it takes the edge off it. We're fine. At least, I think we are. If you have to keep asking if we're all right, then perhaps it's you that doesn't think we are.'

  'I'm sorry. Really. It's a difficult case. I know it's not easy living with a copper.'

  'I didn't walk into the relationship with my eyes closed. I trust you. All these long hours you put in, it never occurs to me that it's anything other than work. You weren't my first, not by a long chalk, and you know that. But none of them ever loved me like you do. Which is why I trust you.'

  They'd always been honest with each other about their previous liaisons. Trev had told Ted his first time had been with a much older spy-master friend of his parents. A real screaming old queen in a Cashmere overcoat, as he described him, with a penchant for innocent, unspoilt boys, the younger the better.

  'You're acting suddenly as if you're jealous, and I don't understand why. I came back from France with an all-over tan and you behaved as if you thought I'd been taking part in wild naked orgies or something. Surely the fact that the first thing I wanted to do when I got home was to rip the clothes off you should tell you that wasn't true. Now I go away for one night and it's the same again. What do you think I did, jump into bed with Henry to help him decide on his sexuality?'

  Trev was starting to sound angry and that was unusual. He had one of the sunniest natures of anyone Ted knew, except where his parents were concerned.

  'Why don't you tell me what's really bothering you?'

  The ideal moment. Perfect timing for Ted to ask the question which was burning a hole in his guts, tearing his heart out of his chest. But how to ask a question to which you feared the answer?

  'I think our relationship is wonderful. The sex is amazing, and you're my best friend. I've never cheated on you, Ted, and I never would, if that's what's worrying you. But it hurts me, more than you can imagine, that you might even think that.'

  Trev stood up, pushing his chair back with a clatter on the kitchen tiles. Queen, in her familiar place on the table, arched her back and hissed warningly, not appreciating the raised voice. Barcelona, the most timid of the cats, shot out through the cat flap like a small, black, ballistic missile and didn't stop running until she reached the sanctuary of the thick bushes at the bottom of the garden.

  'I'm sorry,' Ted said again, aware that it sounded even more empty after so much repetition. 'I trust you. Of course I do. Come on, sit down, let me make you some tea. Or a glass of wine, perhaps?'

  'Oh, I need more than wine. I'm going out. I've no idea how long I'll be. I shall undoubtedly get thoroughly pissed so don't wait up. I'll sleep in the spare room tonight.'

  With that, he slammed out of the house, sending the rest of the cats, even Queen, scurrying for cover.

  In a rare loss of self-control, Ted slammed his fist into the kitchen door, punching with such force that the panel splintered. He was too hyped up even to feel the pain, but the blow split the skin on his knuckles. He lifted the hand to his mouth, licking the blood away.

  He didn't know what to do with himself. Had no idea what he could do to make things right. He felt a desperate urge to seek out a partner for some violent, uncontrolled Krav Maga, but he desperately wanted to be in when Trev got back. He was in his sweats, so he took himself out into the back garden to start on a vigorous karate kata, hoping that would work it out of his system. But nothing seemed to help.

  He went back into the house, picked up his mobile and called a number.

  'Mam?'

  Ted had never called his mother anything since she'd come back into his life. Certainly not that.

  'Mam, can I come round and talk to you, please?'

  'Oh, Teddy, bach, of course you can. You don't have to ask. Come now, bach, I'll put the kettle on.'

  He stopped only to drape a towel around his neck. Then he ran flat out all the way to his mother's house at the most punishing rate he could set himself. He arrived feeling his lungs were on the point of exploding and his heart was in overdrive.

  As a child, after she'd left, he'd spent endless nights crying himself to sleep for his mother. Now, suddenly, she was the one person he wanted to be with, to talk to.

  It was late when Trev finally rolled in, very drunk. Ted was sitting at the kitchen table, paperwork spread out in front of him. As soon as he heard the front door, he went out into the hallway.

  'Don't start, Ted. Just, you know, don't. I'm going to bed. In the spare room.'

  He turned to start lurching up the stairs but Ted went to stop him.

  'Let me sleep in the spare room. That bed's far too small for you. You take our bed.'

  Trev whirled back to face him, almost falling over with the sudden movement.

  'For God's sake, Ted, will you stop being so bloody reasonable. I'm the one who's completely pissed. I'll sleep in the bloody spare room. And don't wake me up in the morning.'

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Trev groaned loudly from under the covers as Ted sat on the bed next to him and gently shook his shoulder.

  'Sod off, Ted, it's the middle of the night.'

  His voice was muffled as he pulled the duvet further over his head.

  'I'm sorry to wake you early when you said not to. I behaved like a complete pr
at last night and I just wanted to make it right before I go to work. I brought you some coffee.'

  Trev was trying to burrow back down into the bed. It was too narrow for him to sleep as he usually did - spread out, with his long limbs everywhere.

  'If I say I forgive you, will you go away and leave me to die in peace? I have the hangover from hell.'

  'I brought you some water, too. I thought that might help. And some wholemeal toast, in case you wanted something to eat.'

  More low moaning, but slowly Trev lowered the duvet from his head and opened one cautious and bleary blue eye.

  'Sadist! Do you want me to throw up?' but at least his tone was mellowing, less hostile.

  'I just want you to know how sorry I am that I pushed you to it. I've got one hell of a morning in prospect. I've got to sell Jim an idea that'll probably see him put me on restricted duties. But I promise that, as soon as I possibly can, you and I are going to do something together, something really special. Just to show you that I know I'm a right pain.'

  Trev's long sigh turned into a wince as he tried to sit up, blinking rapidly.

  'All right, all right, I forgive you. Now give me the coffee and go.'

  Ted bent down to plant a kiss on his cheek, then stood up to go.

  'God, you haven't even shaved. It's like being kissed by a hedgehog. Watch out for the Ice Queen, she'll have a hissy fit if you go in like that.'

  Then, as Ted reached the door, smiling again now that things seemed to have been smoothed over, Trev added, 'I know you love me, Ted, and I love you. Just please don't smother me.'

  His words preyed on Ted's mind as he drove in to work. His mother had said something similar to him the evening before and he knew it was true. He was a mass of insecurities. He couldn't help himself. But he made a mental promise that he was going to change. He'd start by going back to Carol for some more counselling sessions to help him. That would please Trev. It would show he was committed to getting their relationship back on track.