Hard Truth

by Jay Gill

  “There was a big search, with police and dogs and volunteers checking every inch of the area. I can still remember seeing the pictures on the news and wanting to be part of the search team.

  “For a long time, it felt like everyone was holding their breath. As the days passed, I think there was an unspoken understanding she was dead.

  “Eventually a body was found in a river just outside of town. My classmate had been tied up, raped and beaten to death.

  “While other girls in my class were scared and crying, I was angry and full of questions and desperate to know who did it.

  “A detective came to our school to talk to us all. He was accompanied by a woman, a female detective. She was smart and kind, and was part of the team looking for the killer. I desperately wanted to be like her.

  “I asked them how I could help. I asked questions, and I told them I wanted to do something to help them catch the person who did it. They didn’t laugh at me; they understood me. I answered all their questions. They took the time to explain to me the kind of man that would commit the type of crime perpetrated against my classmate. They told me the police force needed good detectives, and I should work hard and study hard.”

  Richter had returned to leaning on the bars of his cell. He listened intently, poring over every word. When Emma had finished speaking, he asked, “Did they catch the man that murdered the girl?”

  “It was so long ago, I don’t remember.”

  “You’re lying. You were doing so well,” said Richter.

  “No. I don’t think they ever did.”

  “You’re lying. Why would you lie?” Richter turned his back on Emma. He walked the length of his cell then returned to face her. “You knew the man who did it.”

  Chapter Sixty-Three

  Emma could feel her face burning. She felt the intensity of Richter’s eyes scrutinising her. He was studying her, like an entomologist studies a bug.

  “It must have been someone you trusted. You felt betrayed. You realised it could quite easily have been you he had taken. It could have been your lifeless, ice-cold, naked body they pulled from the river.

  “A teacher, father, brother, cousin, uncle, friend, neighbour.”

  Emma felt a tear swell in the corner of her eye. She brushed it away as she said, “You’re very astute. It was a neighbour. A young man I had known my whole life. We had occasionally played games together when he was a boy. He lived just a few doors down from my house. He was eighteen years old and because he had a slight facial disfigurement the local children teased him. It seems he decided he would make someone pay.

  “There. You got your answer. That incident set me on the path that has led me here. Now it’s your turn.”

  Richter took off his shirt. He was lean and muscular, and tattoos covered his arms and most of his torso. He stood close to the bars and said, “You see this here?” He pointed to a burning heart in the centre of his chest. “I see this every day. I put it there as a constant reminder of Lyle’s hatred for me. She and I go way back.”

  “Does she hate you enough to want you dead?”

  Richter laughed uncontrollably. After a few moments, he regained his composure and said, “Only if I die a slow and painful death.

  “Lyle is super-rich. More money than she’ll ever need. I had this bright idea of breaking into her home and taking a share for myself. My first mistake was not doing my homework and finding out who she really was.

  “Anyway, I recruited a couple of lads. They weren’t too sharp, but I trusted them, and I knew they’d do as they were told.

  “My idea was we’d break in, tie her up, threaten her a bit and see what we could get out of her. She was bound to have a safe full of cash and jewels. Simple.

  “Trouble was, and mistake number two, I hadn’t really planned it much beyond that.

  “We broke in at night and made our way upstairs. We found the woman alone in bed and fast asleep. We grabbed her, tied her to a chair and threatened her. We did all we could to scare the life out of her. All the while we demanded she tell us where the money, jewels and other valuables were. She didn’t tell us a thing. No matter how much we beat her or threatened her. One of the lads beat her half to death, and she gave us nothing.

  “Mistake number three was when one of the punches snapped her neck. All we could do was ransack the house and take what we thought might be valuable. It didn’t amount to much once it was split three ways.

  “What we didn’t know was the woman we killed didn’t know anything about the safe, money, jewels or the art on the walls. The woman we beat to death wasn’t Kelly Lyle. It seems our Kelly likes the ladies as well as the men, if you know what I mean. Worse than that, Kelly was in love with the woman we’d killed. I mean properly in love. We couldn’t have fucked up worse if we’d tried.”

  “What happened?” asked Emma.

  “She came after us with all the vengeance of the devil herself. She killed the two lads easily enough; took them apart piece by piece. Somehow, I managed to stay one step ahead. That is, until I wound up here. I’m thinking it’s only a matter of time until she pays someone enough to cut my throat in the middle of the night.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “That’s the real reason I got myself out of the general population. I’m safer in isolation.”

  “Why do you think Lyle hasn’t got to you yet?”

  “That’s a good question. I suppose she knows I can’t go anywhere, and she’s a patient woman. She put me here. You know that, don’t you?”

  “Detective Chief Inspector James Hardy put you here.”

  Richter pressed his face to the bars and hissed, “He might have put the cuffs on me, but Lyle served me up to him. She couldn’t get close to me because of his investigation. The next best thing was to have me arrested and put away until she is ready for me.”

  Unconvinced, Emma said, “You make it sound so simple.”

  “Well, it’s worked out for the best. It’s not bad in here. It’s warm. I get fed. I have a routine. And to be honest, I got sick of constantly moving around, so it’s nice to be settled. That probably sounds crazy to you. But, if you learn to accept your circumstances, your mind and body can adjust.”

  He pressed a finger to his temple. “What’s in here can transport you anywhere. It sets you free. Close my eyes and I can recall the taste of beer. I can transport myself to a time when I would sit in my car, across the street so she didn’t see me, and watch my daughter walk to school. And if I try really hard, I can picture the little things, the everyday things, you take for granted. The sound of a cutlery drawer, the ping of a microwave, a pizza delivery, the smell of cut grass, the sound of a motorbike or roadworks or a bus or a train or a supermarket announcement calling for assistance in aisle three. Switching on the telly. The smell of a woman and the feel of her soft body beneath me.”

  Emma looked around as the guard approached. A voice from behind her announced, “That’s it, Richter. Time’s up. Time to go, Inspector.”

  Richter began speaking rapidly, and Emma stepped close to the bars to hear what he was saying. She could smell him now. His breath, his body odour.

  The guard’s voice came over the speaker. “Step away from the bars, Inspector. For your own safety, step away.”

  “How is Detective James Hardy? You know Lyle is obsessed with him. You know that, don’t you? That isn’t a healthy position for anyone. He needs to watch out. How are his children? Two girls, right? Alison and Faith? Are they growing fast?”

  “You know I can’t answer that,” said Emma. Where was Richter going with this?

  Two prison officers came running. Emma could see Richter had more to say.

  Richter spoke rapidly. “Hardy thinks he got a lucky break stopping me. He’s wrong. Lyle planned all of this. Be quick. Ask the right question.”

  “How do we catch Kelly Lyle?”

  “Wrong question. A better question is, ‘What will Lyle do next?’”

  A prison officer motioned with his baton for Emm
a to step away from the bars. Emma moved back, and the prison officer stepped between her and Richter.

  Richter began shouting as Emma was led away. She turned and sidestepped the officer, then ran back and stood in front of the bars.

  Richter reached out and grabbed her. Pulling her to the bars, he whispered in her ear, “Lyle will want his progeny.”

  “Progeny?”

  “If I really wanted to hurt him, I mean really hurt him, it’s what I would do. It’s what Lyle will do. Lyle thinks in terms of power and leverage. If she wants leverage over Hardy, then there is nothing he cares more about than his children. She will go after his daughters.”

  Richter let go of Emma and moved to the middle of his cell with his arms up in the air.

  Fear surged through Emma’s body. She turned to the prison officer. “I need to get to a phone. I need to make a call, now. Get me out of here.”

  Richter was yelling from his cell as Emma ran.

  No one was moving fast enough. She needed to get out. She needed to speak to Hardy.

  Richter’s voice echoed down the corridor after her. “Tell Hardy to watch over his kids. Tell him I’ll see him soon. I’ll be getting out one day. And when I do, I’ll be going to pay him a visit. A visit he’ll never forget.”

  Chapter Sixty-Four

  I arrived home and was greeted by Faith as she came running up to give me one of her super-squeezy hugs.

  “Daddy, you’re back. I missed you.”

  I picked her up and swung her around and said, “I missed you more.”

  “I missed you more,” insisted Faith, and she filled me in on the day’s events without pausing for breath. “Nana Hardy was here, but she’s gone home now. Alice is still at a sleepover with her new friend. Monica said I can have my favourite tuna pasta for dinner and stay up late. Sandy dug up some more daffodil bulbs, and she chewed my Barbie’s leg. Monica and I are in the garden – come and see. I’ve been painting her toenails, and she did my fingernails.” Faith held up her hands and showed me her fingernails, which were bright pink with sparkles. “Can I do yours, Daddy?”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “Your nails are beautiful, honey. Though I’m not so sure pink sparkly fingernails are a good idea for me. Maybe another time or a different colour. Let’s go and see how Monica’s toenails look.”

  Faith put her small hand in mine and took me through to the garden. Monica was sat in a garden recliner with her feet up on a chair. Beside her was an array of nail polishes and lipsticks.

  Leaning over, I gave Monica a long, lingering kiss.

  “Hello, stranger,” she said. “You missed all the action, you know. We’ve had a busy day, haven’t we, Faith?” She squeezed my hand. “How are you holding up?”

  “I’m okay. I’ve missed you all.” I wanted to stay upbeat, so I said, “Yes, Faith was just telling me all about it. It sounds like you’ve been having fun.”

  Monica looked radiant and happy. I could feel my body relaxing. Being home and around those I love is always good for my soul. I swooped in and gave Monica another kiss.

  Faith’s hands were on her hips, and she gave us both a look that said No more mushy stuff. She levered us apart and insisted I examine Monica’s toenails. “That’s enough kissing, Daddy. Look, I’ve done her toenails different colours. Each one is different.”

  Faith proudly lifted Monica’s foot so I could see.

  “I’ve been really pampered,” said Monica with a smile.

  I chuckled encouragingly. “They look wonderful. You know, now I’ve seen Monica’s toenails, I’m not so sure I want to miss out. Maybe you should do mine. What do you think?”

  I was about to ask whether there was any news on how Alice was getting on at her new friend’s sleepover when there was a knock-knock-knock at the front door, followed by the doorbell ringing repeatedly. Monica looked at me quizzically.

  “Who can that be?”

  I opened the front door to a woman I’d never seen before. She looked pale and scared out of her wits. My first thought was that she was ill or had been in a traffic accident.

  Monica pushed past me and looked behind the woman. “Janice, what is it?” she demanded, her voice full of concern. Then to my horror, she said, “Alice? Where’s Alice?”

  I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I was catching up quickly. I knew Alice was at a sleepover and I guessed this was the mother of Alice’s new school friend.

  “Please tell me Alice is here,” said Janice frantically. “My Chloe told me Alice went with a policewoman. The policewoman said she worked with Alice’s father, so Alice went with her. Please tell me she’s okay.”

  I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. My whole body went cold. I took the woman by the arm and brought her into the house, where I sat her down. “My name is James Hardy. I’m Alice’s father. Tell me exactly what happened. Where’s your daughter?”

  “Chloe is fine. She came home and told me what happened. They were at the sweet shop on the corner, near our house. It’s only a hundred yards away. Chloe goes there all the time on her own. I can see the shop from my house; it’s not far. They went together. It was a little treat for them to go and get sweets. Chloe came home alone. She said the policewoman was in uniform and wearing the hat and everything. She showed them her warrant card.”

  I looked at Monica, who was sitting in an armchair. Faith sat on her lap, staring at Janice and squeezing Monica. Her face was full of fear. Monica looked pale and was trembling.

  “I need to speak to your daughter, immediately,” I said to Janice. “I need to get a full description of the policewoman, in her own words. I need to know precisely what happened.”

  I hugged Faith and Monica and told them I’d be back soon. I assured them Alice would be okay and that this was some sort of mix-up. I prayed to God I was right.

  I went with Janice to her house and met Chloe. She was the same age as Alice. She was a pretty girl who looked older than her years. She was a little taller than Alice, had dark hair and wore braces on her teeth. Her brown eyes were puffy from crying. Her hands were clenched as she dabbed her nose with a tissue.

  Despite how I felt inside, I spoke softly and slowly. “Hello, Chloe. As you know, I’m Alice’s dad. I am also a police detective.”

  Chloe nodded.

  I said, “You’re not in trouble, let me assure you. Nobody blames you. You did nothing wrong, okay?”

  Chloe smiled a little and nodded.

  “How about you start at the beginning, Chloe? It would be helpful if you tell me exactly what happened. Tell me in your own words, carefully and slowly.”

  Chloe explained how they had finished buying their sweets in the little shop. When they came out, a policewoman was waiting for them.

  Chloe said, “She seemed to know about Alice. She knew all about you, Monica and Faith as well. She knew about her grandad dying and everything. The policewoman said you are friends. She told Alice things that you had told her. How your house looks, what Alice’s bedroom looks like and her toys and favourite colours, things like that, so we believed her.”

  Chloe started to sob. Between tears, Chloe described the policewoman, then said, “Alice went with her because the policewoman told her it was what you wanted. Alice wanted to call you, but the policewoman insisted there wasn’t time. You’d be cross, and she was putting everyone in danger if she didn’t get in the police car straight away.”

  Chloe finished her story and looked at her mother. Her mother nodded, and Chloe put out a trembling hand to me. As she opened her fingers, I wanted to fall to my knees. I felt like my body had been cut in two by a terrifying bolt of lightning. I didn’t want to believe what I was seeing. No, not my Alice.

  Chloe’s open hand revealed a Scrabble piece. The letter R.

  “The policewoman gave me this. She told me that you would know what it meant and that I was to give it to nobody else but you.”

  I knew what it meant, and I didn’t want to believe it. My precious little
girl was in the hands of Kelly Lyle.

  Chapter Sixty-Five

  The woman had brought Alice to a farmhouse, surrounded by fields and opposite a wood, where she had told her that her dad, Monica and Faith were waiting for her. It was a lie. The woman had tricked her, and now Alice sat at a kitchen table in a cold, smelly and run-down farmhouse.

  Alice stared at the woman sitting opposite her.

  The woman watched her.

  “My name is Alice Hardy, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll take me home right now.”

  The woman said nothing. She blinked her eyes and continued watching.

  Alice repeated herself with more determination. “My daddy works at New Scotland Yard. Have you heard of the Metropolitan Police in London? He is one of their best detectives. He catches people that nobody else can. He will catch you. But it’s not too late for you. Just take me home and we’ll forget any of this ever happened, okay? Last chance.”

  The woman continued to say nothing. Alice found this frustrating. She didn’t let it show.

  Alice tried a different approach. “We used to live in London but recently moved to Dorset. It’s really nice now, as I get to see my dad more often. Our house is close to the beach, and we play frisbee and catch with our dog, Sandy. My favourite colour is turquoise. I like watching musicals. I don’t like cartoons much, though I do like Disney cartoons. What’s your favourite colour?”

  Silence.

  “My new teacher’s nice. Her name is Mrs Beecroft. My new school has its own swimming pool. I like swimming. Do you like swimming?”

  Silence.

  “My favourite food is spaghetti Bolognese. I don’t drink fizzy drinks; only water. What’s your favourite food?”

  Silence. Then clapping, slow clapping.