Cold as Ice

Chapter 48

Ebony took a detour on the way to Islington. She was glad that it had been decided to bring Christian in. She would do all she could that evening to find out where he could be holding the women if the police search of his home didn’t find them. She needed to talk to some of his less forthcoming conquests just in case more information was needed. She got a text on the way. It was from Yan.

‘There’s been police here asking about Christian and Emily Styles, the girl he was dating. I just thought I’d warn you. I really think there’s something not right about him. I’ve decided to invite everyone to mine instead – that is, the people from the course I was telling you about. Where are you now?’

‘About to get to The Pear and Peach – the pub,’ she texted.

‘Well, go past it, take the next left, walk down that road till the end, I’m across the street, second from the end, number 130. See you in a minute.’

‘Shall I bring something?’

‘No, don’t worry. Just bring yourself, that will be enough.’

Ebony glanced into the pub as she passed. Selena and Julie were there. Ebony didn’t need to talk to them again. It didn’t look like there were many others unless they decided to nearly all go to Yan’s.

Ebony walked down to the end of the road and crossed over at the end, then she stood opposite the house. It was a narrow four-storey Victorian terrace that looked in need of repair. The houses either side looked like they’d been renovated but not this one. Typical student accommodation, thought Ebony. Yan had said he let rooms out. There were two windows on each floor, overlooking the street. There were black railings at street level and steps leading down to a basement that looked like no one had used them in a long time. An ash tree had taken root in there and was now so tall that it obscured the first-floor windows. There were lights on in the upper two floors. She walked up the steps and looked for a bell, gave up and knocked. She heard the sound of feet approaching. She felt a trickle of excitement in her stomach. She realized she was looking forward to seeing him.

Carter sat across from Christian Goddard and his lawyer. ‘Interview commencing at seven p.m. on Saturday December 21st , December 2013. Thank you for agreeing to give a DNA sample.’ Carter watched Goddard. He was establishing a baseline. His breathing was deep and calm. He sat still, his hands folded in his lap.

‘What’s it for?’ The pitch of his voice was low, measured. He used his hands very little when he talked.

‘Exhibit number eighty-three.’ Carter pushed a photo of two women across the table. ‘You knew Emily Styles and Danielle Foster well?’

Goddard reached out to pick up the picture and look at it closely.

‘Yes. Quite well.’

He was right-handed.

‘When was the last time you saw either of these two women?’

‘Emily? It was at the festival in Finsbury Park – the Fields festival. It was May sometime – the twenty-fifth.’

‘And Danielle?’

‘Danielle? A week or so ago. We saw one another at college.’

Carter watched Goddard answer; he was thinking about the dates. His eyes went up towards the left. He was remembering something that was real.

‘You have had a few girlfriends from the college?’

‘Yes, sure. That’s not a crime, is it?’

‘But what is a crime is they have ended up dead.’ Carter took out the photos of Emily Styles’ injuries from the autopsy.

‘Do you recognize those wounds?’

‘No.’ His voice lifted a little in pitch. His body moved forward in his seat. He looked to his right. ‘Why should I?’

‘I thought you might have because they are spider bites left untreated. You keep spiders as pets, don’t you?’

‘I do. But that’s not against the law.’ His voice was creeping up, stressed.

‘What about snakes?’

Carter watched the sweat glow on Goddard’s upper lip and forehead.

‘I haven’t owned a snake for a while.’ He stopped fidgeting. He put his hands on his lap.

‘But you like exotic pets?’

Christian shrugged. ‘Depends what you mean by that. Is a fish exotic to you? Maybe it is. Yes I own pets that might be termed exotic.’

‘Spiders?’

‘I already told you I have spiders.’

‘What kind? Venomous?’

‘A couple are, the rest just bite if they’re threatened. But I would never let a spider bite someone like that. I have anti-venom. Anyway, it just wouldn’t happen. I wouldn’t let it.’ He turned away, unable to stomach the images in front of him. ‘I liked Emily.’

‘When was the last time you saw her?’

‘I told you, at the May Fields festival. We broke up before that – before the holidays.’

‘Were you dating? For how long?’

‘I wouldn’t call it dating. We had had a few nights together.’

‘So you felt nothing for her? What about Mary Rogers? Pauline Murphy? Do these names mean anything to you?’

‘Yes. They were friends.’

‘More than?’

He shrugged. His body remained tense. ‘I suppose so – yes.’

‘What about Danielle Foster?’

‘What is this about?’ His voice rose. ‘Where is Danielle? I don’t understand. What happened to all these women?’

‘When was the last time you saw her?’

‘Two weeks ago. We had talked about meeting up.’

‘When was the exact time you saw her?’

‘Monday the eighth. She had a babysitter. Her mum was looking after Jackson for her.’

‘So you met up?’

‘Yes.’

‘Alone?’

‘No. There were other people from the college there.’

‘Did you discuss the body in the canal?’

‘Yes. A little bit. We had no idea it was Emily. After we heard the next day, then the phone calls started and people posted stuff on Facebook. We were all completely in shock. Emily was such a nice girl.’

‘Had you had sex with Danielle?’

The lawyer answered for him: ‘My client doesn’t need to answer that.’

Christian waited whilst Carter returned with the file that Robbo had printed out for him.

‘Have you ever been to Australia?’

‘Yes.’

‘Were you there in the year 2006?’

‘Yes, I think I was.’

‘Yes or no?’

‘Okay.’ His eyes went left. That meant his brain was recalling something real. ‘Yes. I was there then.’