by Michael Wood
‘Good for you.’ Pat gave Matilda a kiss on the cheek and saw herself out.
Matilda remained in front of the fireplace. The living room was temporarily lit up as the headlights from Pat’s car shone through the windows. She turned to look at her reflection in the mirror. She studied herself, tilting her head one way then another.
‘I don’t hate myself,’ she told herself. ‘I’m just not happy.’
And why’s that? She heard James’s voice in her head asking.
‘Because you’re not here.’
You need to let go.
‘I can’t,’ she said, looking into his photograph on the reclaimed railway sleeper.
You have to. It’s going to be a long time until we’re together again. In the meantime, be happy. Have fun. I’m waiting for you.
‘I’ve forgotten how to have fun.’
You had fun in Monaco with Adele.
Matilda smiled at the memory. It seemed like a lifetime ago since Monaco. ‘But I had to come back here.’
Then move. Leave Sheffield. If it’s difficult here, go somewhere else. I’ll be with you wherever you go, but the bad parts can stay here.
Matilda blinked and felt a few tears fall down her cheeks. He was right. When she thought of Sheffield she thought of Carl Meagan, Ben Hales, her husband dying. When she was in Monaco with Adele, they had a great time. She’d laughed, danced, swam in the sea. She thought of James, obviously, but they were good thoughts. It was only in Sheffield where her mind went over to the dark side. Maybe, instead of moving to a new house, she should have moved cities.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Matilda felt positive as she walked the corridors of South Yorkshire Police HQ to the HMET suite. The team would be interviewing Oliver and Leah Ridgeway again today, which should cover more ground, and, fingers crossed, maybe the forensic team would have some results from the tests and DNA from the hair found under Serena Mercer’s little finger. By the end of today, they may be closer to a suspect, or at least have a person of interest to pursue.
Upon entering HMET, Matilda was greeted by a buzzing team. Rory and Sian were chatting loudly by the drinks station, Aaron and Ranjeet were listening to something on Ranjeet’s phone. Matilda guessed it wasn’t work related as they were both trying, but failing, to stifle laughter. Kesinka was fanning herself with a folder and looking very uncomfortable as she sat at her desk. At his desk, Scott was sitting with his head down, a heavy expression on his face. He looked forlorn. He wasn’t reading anything or doing any work, his gaze was somewhere else.
Nobody had seen Matilda enter the room. She went over to Scott and put her hand on his shoulder, making him jump.
‘Is everything all right, Scott?’ she asked.
‘Yes,’ he said quietly. He tried to smile, but nothing happened.
‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes. I’m fine. Just … thinking.’
‘OK,’ she replied reluctantly.
‘DI Brady called,’ Scott said, quickly changing the subject. ‘He said to start the briefing without him as he’s with forensics.’
‘Thank you.’
Matilda made herself a strong coffee and took a Twix from Sian’s snack drawer before beginning the morning briefing. They went through everything they knew about the Mercers so far, which wasn’t much. However, Oliver and Leah were due into the station at any moment, so, hopefully, by the end of the day, they would know more about the Mercers than they did their own families.
‘I’ve been doing an online search of the Mercers,’ TDC Finn Cotton said. ‘Most of what I can find out about Serena Mercer is her arrest for protesting about the tree felling last year. There’s a few mentions of the charities she was involved in but that’s about it. There’s nothing derogatory and she became a bit of a hero after her arrest.’
‘What charities did Serena work with?’
‘Local homeless charities, mostly. I found an interview she did with The Star in 2016. She was passionate about those who drop out of society, rehabilitating them, finding them a home and a job.’
‘What about Clive?’ Matilda asked.
‘There’s plenty about the marathons Clive Mercer ran. And he and a team of medics spent a week up a mountain with Bear Grylls.’
‘I wouldn’t mind spending a week with Bear Grylls,’ Sian said, licking her lips.
‘I can’t see you up a mountain, Sian,’ Rory said.
‘Who said anything about a mountain? I was thinking about a hotel room.’ She smiled.
Matilda tried to hide her smile and told Finn to continue.
‘There are two years between Leah and Oliver, so they finished university at different times. However, when Leah finished, she took a year out and decided to go travelling. Oliver took a year out from his studies and went with her. They joined an aid organization and helped out during the Ebola virus outbreak in Sierra Leone in 2014.’
‘Bloody hell, they really are the perfect family,’ Rory said.
‘No such thing,’ Sian said. ‘Trust me, I’ve got four kids. Each one of them has some form of rebellion in them.’
‘Well, someone didn’t think them too perfect or they wouldn’t have been killed,’ Ranjeet said.
‘And we’re no closer to finding who that someone is,’ Rory added. ‘Every bit of research just reaffirms how bloody goody-goody they were.’
‘Someone obviously found a reason to kill them.’
‘Maybe that was the reason,’ Rory said with a slight smile on his lips.
‘What about the neighbours?’ Matilda asked ignoring Rory’s comments. It was good to see the old fun-loving, joke-making Rory back, but there was a time and a place for that sort of thing. ‘Surely there has to be dispute over how high the trees were growing in their back gardens, fence boundaries or where they put their bloody bins.’
‘I was looking through the statements this morning,’ Aaron said. ‘Most of the neighbours we spoke to all said how lovely the Mercers were, how shocked they were by what happened. However, I think we should go back and talk to them again. The news will have settled by now. Maybe we’ll get something else from them.’
‘Good thinking, Aaron. Take Ranjeet with you and dig a little deeper. We need to know if they overheard any arguments coming from their home, who visited them, did any of them say anything about unwanted attention, work problems, money worries, that kind of thing. I’ve also been told of a rumour that Clive wasn’t Jeremy’s real father. Can we get that confirmed and if it’s true, who was his dad?’
‘Where did you hear that?’ Sian asked.
‘A little bird told me.’ Matilda turned to the murder boards and looked at the smiling faces of the victims in happier times. ‘I refuse to believe this was a random murder. Nobody kills in this way on a whim.’ She turned to Aaron. ‘While you’re chatting to the neighbours, try and find out who Serena’s best friend was.’
‘Will do,’ Aaron said, quickly scribbling in his notebook.
‘Who is talking to the colleagues?’
‘We’ve been through the house,’ Sian began. ‘And we’ve found out exactly where Clive, Serena and Jeremy worked. I’m going to send a team around to the hospitals today and have a chat with their co-workers. Jeremy worked in Liverpool at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, and I happen to know a sergeant working in Liverpool …’
‘Why do you seem to know people all over the place?’ Rory interrupted.
‘I’m very popular and friendly.’ She smiled.
‘You bribe them with your snack drawer, don’t you?’
‘I don’t care what she does, providing it gets us some answers,’ Matilda said. ‘Sian, I’ll leave you to contact Liverpool and get them to find out about Jeremy Mercer. Who knew he was going to be in Sheffield for the wedding? Who did he live with in Liverpool? What do his colleagues say about him? Again, any money worries, relationship problems, that kind of thing. I want to know who the intended target was, why they all had to die, and why Rachel Mercer was left a
live? Any word on her, by the way?’
Kesinka waved to get Matilda’s attention. She had her mouth full of crisps and quickly swallowed. ‘Sorry, can’t seem to stop eating at the moment. I phoned the hospital this morning. Rachel woke up a few times in the night screaming. There’s a family liaison officer in the room with her. Apparently it took them ages to calm her down last night after she’d screamed at Leah and Oliver coming into the room.’
‘Why did she do that?’ Matilda asked, more to herself than anyone else.
‘According to the FLO, Leah didn’t want to leave. She was in floods. Oliver practically had to drag her out of the hospital room,’ Kesinka continued.
‘I bet that didn’t help Rachel much. Is she physically well enough to leave hospital?’
‘I believe so, yes.’
‘Then I want her brought here and interviewed. Kesinka, you can do that.’
‘Won’t we need an appropriate adult present?’
‘We’ll see if Leah is up to it. The way she was yesterday, she’ll do more harm than good. If not, call social services.’ Matilda clapped her hands together. ‘We all have tasks to do. By the end of the day, I want us to know the Mercer family inside out. I want a person of interest named and I want an arrest imminent. Understood?’
‘And I want Mila Kunis in my bed by ten o’clock,’ Rory said, nudging Scott who didn’t react.
‘Ma’am, Leah and Oliver are here,’ Kesinka said, putting the phone down.
‘Thanks. Right then, Rory, you’re with me, Scott, you’re with Sian. Let’s see what the newlyweds have to say.’
As they filed out of the room, Matilda pulled Sian to one side. ‘Ask Oliver what he really thought of his in-laws. He might open up more with his wife out of the way. Really get under his skin.’
‘It’ll be a pleasure.’ She smiled.
‘When you’ve finished, take Scott out for lunch and have a quiet word with him. I don’t care what he says, something’s bugging him, and it’s starting to bug me.’
‘Can I claim the lunch back on expenses?’
‘As long as it’s only a three quid meal deal from Boots.’
‘I was hoping for three courses in Strada.’
‘I’m not that concerned.’
Matilda’s mobile started ringing. The display told her DI Christian Brady was calling. ‘Christian, you were missed at the briefing,’ she said, a hint of humour in her voice.
‘It was worth it. We’ve got a match from the hair found under Serena Mercer’s fingernail.’
‘Excellent. Who?’
‘Keith Lumb. He’s got form, and, get this: he’s on the run.’
Chapter Twenty-Three
Christian’s revelation would have to wait. Matilda told him to get as much information on the suspect as possible and meet her back in the HMET suite in an hour or so. Leah and Oliver needed to be interviewed separately and now was the perfect time.
‘I’m sorry. I can’t seem to stop crying,’ Leah said, dabbing at her eyes.
They were sitting in interview room one. Leah on one side, Matilda and Rory on the other. On the desk between them were three mugs of tea and a packet of biscuits. Neither had been touched. Leah’s expensive-looking handbag was on the seat next to her. She kept reaching inside it for a packet of tissues when the one she was using was saturated with tears. She looked as if she had aged ten years overnight. Her face was red with constant crying. Her shoulder-length hair was lifeless and lank. Her clothes were creased, probably pulled straight out of her suitcase. She should have been in Paris right now, lounging in bed with her new husband, in a haze of sexual glow, not sitting in a police interview room with an underlying smell of stale sweat and cold coffee.
‘I can’t believe any of this is happening. It doesn’t feel real. I keep picturing us leaving. Everyone was smiling and waving. Mum was crying. She gave me a hug, told me to enjoy myself. Dad wasn’t much of a hugger but he gave me a kiss on the cheek. I could tell he had tears in his eyes. Jeremy hugged me too. I threw the bouquet. Rachel caught it. She looked so …’ her words were lost to tears.
Rory and Matilda exchanged glances.
‘Leah,’ Matilda said after clearing her throat, ‘how many people were at your parents’ house?’
‘I’ve made a list,’ she said, wiping her nose and rummaging through her bag. She pulled out two sheets of A4 paper. ‘One hundred and fifty were invited to the church service, and about a hundred came back to the house.’
‘That’s a lot of people in the house.’
‘We had a marquee. I’ve highlighted the ones who came to the reception.’ She smoothed down the pages and pushed them across to Matilda.
‘Thank you. That’s a great help.’
‘I’ve put their phone numbers down too. There may have been a few others who turned up to the house; I wasn’t really paying much attention. I’ve hardly slept. I knew you’d probably want a list of people who came. It gave me something to do.’
‘I appreciate it, thank you. We’ve managed to identify many of the guests from the digital cameras on the tables. There are a few people we still haven’t been able to put a name to. Would you be able to go through them with one of our detectives?’
‘I think so, yes,’ she said, wiping her sore nose.
‘Thank you. Now, how long were you at the house until you left?’ Matilda asked.
‘We got back at about four o’clock. Me and Oliver left about seven.’
‘Was the party breaking up by then?’
‘No. It was going to go on until late.’ She reached for her cup of tea and had a sip. It must have tasted horrible as she pulled a face. ‘Everyone was having such a wonderful time. Even I didn’t want to leave.’ She tried to smile but couldn’t.
‘Leah, I know this is difficult, but can you think of anyone who would want to kill your family?’
Leah screwed up her face at the mention of the word ‘kill’ and began crying again. ‘I was thinking of nothing else all night and the answer is no. You can ask anyone who knows my mum and dad; they were well liked.’
‘What about your brother?’
‘Jeremy was the best brother I could have asked for. He was intelligent, a loving father to Rachel. He’d do anything for anyone.’
‘Leah, I don’t mean to sound disrespectful, but your family sounds whiter than white. Surely they couldn’t get on with everyone.’
‘That’s just it, they did. Mum and dad were very busy people. They worked a lot, but always had time for family and friends. The people they did know they held in great regard.’
‘Did your parents have any worries?’
‘Like what?’
‘I don’t know. Money worries?’
‘No.’
‘Any rows?’
‘No. Mum and dad got on so well. They were together for a long time. They loved each other. Why are you looking at each other like that?’ She almost shouted. ‘Don’t you believe me?’
‘Leah, people don’t get killed for no reason. Nothing was stolen from the house, that we’re aware of, so robbery was not the motive. That makes us believe they were targeted. The killer believed they had a genuine reason for doing what he or she did. That’s what we need to find out.’
‘I can’t help you,’ she said, sitting up straight and wiping her nose.
‘Whatever you tell us will be private. You won’t be harming your parents by revealing any family secrets.’
‘We didn’t have any family secrets,’ she said, annoyed by the constant haranguing from Matilda.
‘Leah, we’ve heard rumours that your father may not be Jeremy’s father.’
‘What?’ she asked, her eyes widened. ‘Who said that? It’s a lie. I can’t believe this,’ she sniffled. ‘My family have been murdered and people are spreading such vicious lies. My mum would never have cheated on my dad. They loved each other far too much.’
‘OK. I’m sorry, I had to ask.’
‘Mrs Ridgeway,’ Rory began, ‘would you
like to tell us about the three occasions your father faced a hearing at the GMC?’
‘Jesus!’ She threw her tissue on the table. ‘Why are you bringing this up? It was ages ago. That’s all you lot do though, isn’t it, rake up everything from the past, no matter how meaningless, just so you can add your own sordid twist on it.’
‘Leah, please, calm down. That’s not what we’re trying to do,’ Matilda said. ‘We need to understand your family in order to find out who killed them.’
‘Well, you’re barking up the wrong tree.’ She roughly ran her fingers through her hair several times, pulling on it hard. ‘My family was perfect. I know you may not think that exists but in our case, it did. They did everything right. They went to work, they did their job, they paid their taxes. I’m not going to sit here while you try and pick at their good name.’
Leah stood up. She grabbed her bag but dropped it, its contents spilling out all over the floor. ‘Fuck!’ she screamed, falling to her knees and bursting into tears.
Matilda went around the table to hold Leah in her arms while Rory went about picking up the items and putting them back in the bag; tissues, make-up, diary, boxes of medication, mobile phone.
‘I’m sorry,’ Leah cried into Matilda’s shoulder. ‘I shouldn’t have snapped. I just can’t believe any of this has happened. I loved my mum and dad so much. They were the best parents. What am I going to do now?’
What about Rachel?
Matilda looked at Rory. She looked uncomfortable as she was never any good at other people’s emotions, she could barely understand her own. ‘Perhaps we should take a break here.’
In interview room two, Oliver Ridgeway was sitting with his arms firmly crossed. He looked pale under the strip lighting and the rings under his eyes showed signs of a bad night’s sleep. Sian wondered if his lack of sleep was due to comforting his wife, not necessarily because he was sad at what had happened himself.
Scott came in with a tray of mugs of tea and a couple of bars of chocolate stolen from Sian’s snack drawer. He stood in the doorway for a second longer than he should before walking fully into the room. He placed the tray in the middle of the table, gave Oliver a lingering glare, then took his seat.
