by Emily Selby
'So what?'
'Did she marry William Dunbar before she married your father?'
"My mother was only married once, to my father,' Vera drawled.
A sudden flash of understanding hit Katie. The jigsaw puzzles fell into their places. She knew it all along! How could she have missed it?
'Well, your mother could have been married only once, but it wasn't to your father. It was to Harold Bower. Your father was William Dunbar. Your mother was pregnant with you when she married Harold'
'What? That’s ridiculous.'
'What's your date of birth, Vera?' Katie pushed, her frustration at her own inability to see how these elements fit together growing in her chest. Her face was burning.
'What does that have to do with anything?' Vera looked around, like a caged animal.
'Can you just answer the question, Ms Bower?' Jack asked calmly.
'12th of March 1958,' Vera answered, quietly.
Katie did a quick calculation 'That means you must have been conceived in May or June 1957. The banns are dated 15 of July 1957. Your mother was pregnant with you when she dumped William Dunbar. When did you mother marry Harold Bowen?'
'None of your business. Maybe I was a premmie baby.'
'Three months premmie? They didn't survive back then.' Katie gulped. She probably got carried away a little, but Vera was too ruffled to argue.
'Oh, for goodness sake, what's that all about. Why are you raking up old stuff, poking your noses into other people's business? What are you? The premarital sex police?'
'No, it's not about anybody's private lives, Ms Bower. It's about a murder. In fact, two murderers - Phyllis Dunbar and Barbara Cambridge and the attempted murder of Katie Redford.'
'Why would I do it?'
'You killed Barbara because she knew or suspected you weren't Harold Bower’s child. But she shared her suspicions with Harold Bower, who must have had his own doubts for years. You have a lot to lose if anyone can prove you're not Harold Bower's daughter. What did Harold ask you to agree to? A DNA test? Why did you kill Phyllis? You wanted to get rid of all the people and all existing evidence that shed any doubt on the fact that you were Harold's daughter, didn't you?'
Vera turned on her heels.
'I refuse to comment,' she said calmly facing Jack. 'You can take me to the cells, but I will not say another word without my lawyer present. You have to arrest me first though.'
'Vera Bower, I arrest you on suspicion of murder of Barbara Cambridge and Phyllis Dunbar, and attempted murder of Katie Redford.'
27
Even though she was desperate to learn how things had evolved, Katie took medical advice seriously and stayed off work on Friday. She was very lucky to wind up with only a mild concussion and a few stitches on the back of her head. But what weighed on her most was the stress she'd been under. After all, an attempt on anyone’s life could take a toll on even the most resilient person.
Discharged home on midday Thursday, Katie was happy and relieved to be home. Knowing that the killer was now in custody also helped her relax.
Jack called her just after she walked into her kitchen.
'Can I pop in later? Say, 2.30 pm? With Chris.'
'Sure,' Katie replied, with a hint of regret.
She liked Chris, but it would have been nice to spend quality time alone with the handsome DI for a change. Maybe smuggle in some personal questions? Oh, well, maybe there would be another opportunity. For now, she was just happy to be alive and back home with Julia.
She made a carrot cake as an after-school surprise for Julia — and to serve with coffee or tea with Jack and Chris.
They arrived at 2.30 sharp. Katie rushed to open the door. She stopped by the mirror in the hallway and tucked the loose strand of hair behind her ear. There were still slight shadows under her eyes, but her face looked much more relaxed than the previous night.
She opened the door to two smiling policemen.
Chris was holding a bunch of flowers, and Jack - a small packet.
'Got you flowers from the whole team,' Chris said, grinning. 'And a get well soon card.'
'And here are some chocolates.' Jack handed her the package. 'Celia told me you'd love them. Apparently, best in town. For the best detective on the team. I'm still quoting Celia.'
Katie's cheeks burnt. It was good to feel loved and cared about. The team at the station had been supportive before, particularly during the time when she and Barry divorced, but this was different. This made her feel like a valued member of the team.
'Thank you. Tea or coffee?'
'Eh, I'm technically off duty,' Chris said hesitantly looking at Jack. 'What about you, sir?'
'I'll have a coffee, please.'
'Was going to ask for a beer, but can't do it now, with him drinking a coffee. A tea for me, milk and sugar.'
Once the drinks were on the table, the cake displayed proudly in the middle, and the best chocolates in town beside it, Katie sat and wrapped her hands around the steaming mug. Her green jasmine tea smelled delicious. She didn't need any more caffeine and probably wouldn’t for another few days. The adrenaline and excitement had covered this!
'What's new?' she asked, excitedly. 'Where’s Vera?'
'Arrested. We're working on it,' Jack said.
'Come on, boss. She deserves a bit more. Don't be so chary. She practically cracked the case.'
Katie smiled at Chris. At least he was on her side.
'Chris's right. Your help in solving the case was crucial. Thank you, Katie. And I must say I promise I'll be more accepting of, er, less logical evidence in the future. What do you want to know?'
'Has she said why she killed Phyllis Dunbar?'
'Well, first of all, she's been denying any involvement in any of those crimes, except, stealing the box from your room. We found the other box in her house. She ripped it open using pliers. The box is damaged beyond repair, but we found a beautiful ring inside.'
'Oh, Roy's mysterious emailer will be devastated.'
'Probably, when, or if, he learns about it. Roy was devastated the box is damaged. It was a beautiful box for sure.'
Katie nodded. 'What a shame.'
'But back to Vera,' Jack continued. 'She has a family lawyer, but it doesn't look like she will be able to use his services for long.'
Katie's eyebrows shot up.
'Why so?'
'I don't think her daddy, or shall I say, Mr Bower senior, will be happy to pay for it. Regardless of the paternity test.'
'Has he demanded a paternity test?'
'That's the village gossip,' Chris added.
'Whoa! The news spreads quickly here!' Katie shook her head.
'Tell me about it.' Jack sighed. 'Anyway, she still denies killing Phyllis, but we've rechecked her alibi. You know that little corner shop at the new housing estate she popped into on her way back from Phyllis'?'
'Yeah, the one with a big cuckoo clock.'
'That one. He'd given us a precise time, but we've asked him to cross-check it with the cash register on the day. Apparently, she bought a bottle of milk, and the only purchase of that type was captured by the till at 2.51 pm, fifteen minutes later than the time she'd given us. The shopkeeper vaguely remembered this might have been one of those days when his clock was playing up.'
'Wasn't Vera's watch playing up that day as well? I wonder if she'd helped both...'
'Very likely she had it planned and the little lies about the watches and fiddling with clocks might have been on the menu.'
'As you know, her alibi is very thin for the night of the workshop break-in and the assault on Barbara as well as the attempt on you.'
'She's assaulted people before,' Katie said, thinking back to the conversation with a nurse in Willow Park.
'Indeed. We've checked her records. There was an incident in the nursing school, many years ago, but it was hushed-up by her father, or rather, Mr Bower,' Chris added. 'By the way, I'm mates with her brother, Michael, and he's fuming. Vera has alway
s been a black sheep in that family. He thinks she doesn't deserve any money, whether or not she is Harold's real daughter.'
'I've been thinking about it a lot since last night.' Katie said slowly.
'Hey, you were supposed to rest!' Jack protested.
'I did. And then, with a fresh head I had some extra clarity. Here’s what I think happened'
Both men watched her intently.
'I think it all started with Barbara, who had been secretly in love with William and hated Phyllis. When Phyllis was going on and on about William's talent, Barbara must have had enough. She made that comment to Phyllis about William not being a model husband, remember? Mrs Lee told us about the argument.'
The men nodded.
'Barbara was raging. I've heard from many people she could be vindictive and bear a grudge for years. I think, for the same reason, she visited Harold Bower and suggested Vera might have not been his daughter.'
'I don't know if it made much difference to Harold Bower's feelings for her,' Chris remarked. 'He's always felt she wasn't his. Taken too much after her mother. At least, that's what Michael keeps saying.'
'You're probably right, Chris. That's why I think Barbara was the real killer. Vera did it with her own hands, but Barbara's poisonous comments caused so much pain and unhappiness.'
'Old sins cast long shadows,' Jack said quietly.
'And money can make people crazy,' Katie added. 'I meant Vera with that last comment. For Barbara, I don't know. She was probably so bitter, so disappointed with life, she didn't care much for others. I think Phyllis died because Vera told her about the suspicions that she was William's daughter. And knowing Phyllis, she would have checked if this was true. Now, Vera had to kill Phyllis. Otherwise, everything would come to light and Vera would lose her inheritance.'
'You're right. The more money there is at stake, the fewer morals people have,' Jack said. 'I guess, Vera had a lot of money to lose. '
'The Bower estate is worth millions,' Chris added.
Jack sipped his coffee. Katie sighed. The atmosphere was heavy. She shuddered.
'Cake anyone?' she offered, to change the subject.
'What's next?' She asked once everyone had a slice on their plates.
'We need to conclude the investigation. Hopefully, she'll cooperate.' Jack added between the bites. 'Delicious cake, by the way.'
Katie smiled. 'You're very welcome. What's going to happen with Roy?'
'He's still in hospital. His burns are healing nicely. I think we can clear him. What do you think, boss?' Chris asked.
'I told you I'm not your boss. I'm just a guy on loan from the city.'
'Yeah, right,' Chris snapped. 'You almost feel like a local now. Just ditch that posh accent.'
'And the tie,' Katie added and covered her mouth. 'Oops!' She gave a short laugh.
Jack touched his tie. 'What's wrong with my tie?'
'It's a bit too stiff, sir.' Chris grinned and drained his tea. 'We're missing you at the station, Katie. Get well soon!'
'What? Is there a pile of unopened mail and has the fax machine got jammed again?' Katie laughed.
'And that as well.' They both laughed.
'I'll be back on Monday.'
Jack was still discreetly checking the knot on his tie.
'Oh, come on, Jack. Leave it. Just dress casually to work next time.' Katie waved at him.
It was good to be part of this team, Katie thought. It would be even better if Jack became a permanent addition to the team. Not that she wanted any more murders in Sunnyvale, of course.
Jack's phone rang. He hesitated for a couple of seconds. 'I'm on duty,' he said after the third tone. 'Sorry guys.'
'No, no, go on.' Katie waved at him.
Jack moved to the hallway to answer the call.
He was back in a few minutes, smiling.
'Guess what? The lawyer rang and said Vera's pleading guilty.'
'That's a change!' Katie exclaimed. 'What's happened?'
'The brother pulled the plug on the legal support, is my guess,' Chris said.
'Probably as well. We've had the results from the lab. The traces of blood found on her clothes were matched with Phyllis'. If Vera had left the house, as she claimed before Phyllis was murdered, there was no way Phyllis' blood would have gotten onto her clothing.'
'Oh! You never said you had forensic evidence for the case!' Katie felt a pang of reproach.
'Sorry, it's just arrived. Her alibi had been too strong to do anything, we got a warrant to search Vera's flat yesterday morning.'
'Of course, there had to be blood on her clothes.'
'It was her scarf actually, and just a few dried drops. She probably didn't notice.'
'Yes, Vera's famous large wrap-up scarfs.'
'And you were right, Katie. It looks as though Vera killed Phyllis because she had told her too much and she didn't know how to undo it. Apparently, Vera asked if Phyllis knew anything about William and Margaret's engagement, which is what Vera must have heard from Harold. Phyllis, being her exact and fair self, rang her solicitor to ask if Vera would be entitled to any inheritance from William. Vera overheard the conversation, but since the solicitor wasn't in and Phyllis didn't want to leave any message, Vera felt the information didn't leak out. As a result, killing Phyllis seemed like the best option to stop the information spreading.'
'Do you think she was planning to kill Barbara at that time as well?'
'No idea. But Vera says she wouldn't have killed Barbara if she hadn’t started meddling into her affairs. My understanding is she was referring to Barbara checking on what was happening in the workshop, when Vera was there on the night of the fire.'
'How on earth Vera knew there was something in the workshop?'
'Vera says Phyllis suggested something to that effect. Apparently, Vera had asked if Phyllis had any evidence of William's relationship with her mother. Phyllis denied it, but then she mentioned that if her husband had anything to hide, it would be in the workshop.'
'And how would she know where to look for it?'
'She didn't. Remember, it was Roy who started knocking on the walls.'
'Yes, you're right. So, Vera just went there hoping to find the evidence?'
'Apparently so.'
'Yes, that'll be an arson charge,' Chris chimed in.
'That's right. She still denies doing anything to Barbara, but we're looking at CCTV footage from the hospital. It'll take some time as they only have cameras at the main entrance, not on the wards.
'I bet she just turned up on the ward, in her uniform, as if she was working there that morning. Nobody would have noticed, like when she entered my room.'
'She is quite smart.'
'Yes. And agile. The window climbing all makes sense now. She worked in a circus for a while when she was younger,' Katie supplied.
'For sure,' Jack agreed. 'She left the toilet window open planning to go back inside. She went outside, spoke to Roy, convincing him it was earlier than it was to create an alibi. Then she went around the house and climbed back in by the window. She says her plan was to get Phyllis to fall asleep and search the house. She put Lorazepam into her tea and washed the cups. But Phyllis, probably well used to this kind of drug, didn't quite fall asleep. So, Vera had to up the ante. Drugged, Phyllis didn't put much resistance, and it was easier to-'
'That's just awful,' Katie interrupted.
'Sorry for the gruesome details, but I'm just relating what Vera said.'
"Poor Phyllis.'
They sipped their drinks in silence. Katie thought of the fragility of life and how some people had so much evil in them. And how some people could hold grudges. She shuddered. Sunnyvale was such a great town to live, she was happy that it had one less poisonous person, and one murderer soon to be transported out of town.
'Right, lass. We've got to go.' Chris stood. 'I've got to get home and collect my kids, so do you, I guess.'
'I don't have any children to collect, but I'd better go back to th
e station to wrap this case up.' Jack climbed to his feet. 'At least, I'll get to go home tonight. I'd rather not have to come back on Monday to finish stuff off. Not that I don't like your team, but all that driving back and forth over the past ten days has exhausted me.'
Katie raised her brows in surprise. 'Where do you live?'
'Half way between Sunnyvale and Carlisle.' He replied. 'A twenty-minute drive. I'm living with my dad in a little cottage in a tiny village. All this village life is a bit new to me.' He laughed.
If he lived with his dad, he probably was single, Katie couldn't help taking note.
'You've done a lot of driving,' she said thinking of all the late-night journeys he’d made over the previous week or so.
'I listen to the music or audiobooks, so it's fine. But the worst is when you have to return to work shortly after you've got home and gone to bed.'
'I hope you have some positive memories from Sunnyvale...' Katie said, smiling. She really hoped he did, because... because... It would have been awful if he didn't. He deserved to have some positive experiences. He was a good man, Katie concluded.
'I have, thank you. Your cake was lovely. And the team is awesome, too. 'He turned to Chris. 'Let's go. Katie needs to get her daughter from school, too. I bet the little one misses her mum.' Jack smiled warmly. Kate's knees went all weak, just the way they had when she first saw him. Only ten days ago. She would have never thought that ten days later...
Oh well. Life.
'Hey, Katie, almost forgot.' Chris turned around at the door. 'I've got that ring for you.'
'What ring?'
'The ring from the box Vera smashed.' He pulled a matchbox from his pocket.
'But- it's Roy's,' she protested. After all the effort Roy had expended in finding it, Katie couldn't take it away from him. 'What if the man contacts him again?'
'Roy says it's yours. I'm just passing it on. You can argue with him later. He'll be out of hospital on Monday,' Chris said.
Both men waved and left.
Still clutching the matchbox, Katie stood on her doorstep watching the men climb into the police car and drive away. She opened the box a little, just to have a look. The light glimmered on the smooth, opalescent surface. Intrigued, Katie slid the lid off completely.
