Dead of Winter

Chapter 45

Ebony walked over to the Whittington Hospital where Harding worked. It was less than a two-minute walk. Carter would pick her up in thirty minutes to drive to Hammersmith and check out the de Langes’ living arrangements. She took the lift down to Pathology in the basement and signed in at the reception.

‘Doctor Harding, can you spare me a few minutes?’

Harding looked up from her microscope and removed the slide she was examining. It was a cross-section of one of Silvia’s femurs.

‘Shoot.’ Harding sat back in her chair and pointed at another chair over at Mathew’s empty desk. Ebony drew it over. ‘How’s it going?’

‘I wanted to ask you about James Martingale. . you’re a friend of his?

‘Yes. . in a way. He’s been very good to me, to this department. I told you. We wouldn’t be so well equipped if it weren’t for his generosity. We wouldn’t have been able to carry out the investigations we have. I’m proud of that.’

‘Did you know about his daughter, Nikki de Lange?’

‘No. I didn’t.’

‘So you never met her before?’

Harding shook her head; ‘I only heard about her existence the other day. I may have met her at some point.’

‘Do you not think that’s odd? That no one’s heard anything about her before? She was Chrissie Newton’s older sister. She must have been around when Chrissie died but there’s no mention of her in the original report.’

‘No need, I suppose. She wasn’t in this country; she wasn’t part of the investigation.’

‘She wasn’t a child then. She was twenty-seven. That’s hardly a kid. She was a grown-up that no one has ever really heard about till now.’

‘What’s the point in this? What are you thinking?’

‘That she was the child in the attic. That she was hidden away. Her dad is a bit controlling, possessive maybe?’ Ebony waited for Harding to react, but she didn’t. ‘Do you know whether he’s had many relationships?’ continued Ebony.

‘He had a good few. I would say he’s definitely a ladies’ man, but now he keeps it to sex only. He has a lot to lose, after all. The divorce settlement would make you think twice.’

It wasn’t hard for Ebony to see that Harding was talking from experience. ‘What about Carmichael — did you get to the bottom of his relationship with Chrissie?’ asked Harding.

‘He still maintains they were never lovers. But she contacted him again after all those years?’

‘And she had a child by that time.’

‘That’s exactly what I was thinking too. She must have wondered whether he was worth a second shot, whether he was father material? But would she go so far as to break up his marriage?’

Harding shook her head, opening her hands out in a shrug.

‘I don’t know. I am the worst judge when it comes to looking inside people’s heads. I can tell you what their last meal was but I can’t tell you whether they enjoyed it. I’ve had more affairs than I care to mention or can pretend to feel guilty about. Some have broken marriages some haven’t. Some have even done some good for marriages. But. . the one thing I do know is that if a woman is determined to get a man she will.’ She looked across at Ebony’s expression. ‘Yeah. .’ Harding continued: ‘. . Maybe I’m not the best at dishing out pearls of relationship wisdom.’

‘What about her husband, Justin de Lange? Do you know him, Doctor?’

‘I know the name. I didn’t know he was Mr Martingale’s son-in-law. I know him as one of the trustees of the Chrissie Newton Foundation. We correspond about charity matters, that’s all. I see his name whenever we get a donation to the department. I haven’t met him yet. Can I help you with anything else? I need to get on with these slides.’

‘Sorry, one more thing — I wanted to ask you about cosmetic surgery practices.’

‘Okay, you can ask. . not sure I can be much help. I don’t work in that field.’

‘I know Mr Martingale does, and some stuff’s come to light about cadaver products being used?’

‘Common practice. No secret.’

‘Is it legitimate?’

‘Yes. In this country we stay within the guidelines. Of course I could take you to twenty private clinics in Moscow where you’ll be able to get foetal stem cells injected into your face.’

‘What about Poland?’

‘Fast becoming the place to go if you want private work done.’

‘Mr Martingale has a hospital there.’

‘He has hospitals everywhere. You can be sure that whatever he’s doing he’s staying well within the law. I have to crack on now, Ebony. Is there anything else?’

‘Can I just ask you to read this when you have a minute? It’s just some extra information on Justin de Lange. I’d like your take on it.’ She left the file on Harding’s desk.

An hour after Ebony left, Harding phoned Martingale.

He was at home; in the background she could hear music, a female opera singer, she didn’t know which one.

‘Thanks for the other evening,’ she said. She felt apprehensive, never ceasing to feel overawed by his achievements.

‘Thank you. I haven’t enjoyed myself so much in a long time.’

‘Really? I had you down as a man who entertains a lot.’

On a sexual level Harding hadn’t enjoyed the night as much as she had expected to. Martingale was a man who made love by numbers; there was no passion. By the end she’d felt exhausted by the constant manoeuvring into positions. It was clear he’d read all the books about sex, but he’d missed the point.

‘Not at all. I spend my entire life pleasing others; I forget to please myself sometimes.’ Harding resisted the urge to laugh. If he was waiting for a compliment he would be a long time waiting. ‘You have no idea how lonely it can be moving from place to place.’

‘I bet. . so about the news. . about the investigation.’

‘I saw the headlines. Is it true that these recent victims were killed by body harvesters, Bloodrunners?’

‘Yes. It looks very likely.’

‘And where does that leave my daughter’s case?’

‘We cannot be certain, James, but I think we have to accept it was the same scenario. Whoever killed Chrissie did it for her organs. Has to be a reality. Has to be considered. I’m sorry.’

‘How close are you to finding out who did it?’

‘The latest victim provided some clues; more than previous victims. She has fingerprint imprints on her body. She has semen in her vagina. We think someone is getting careless. You can be sure we’re doing everything, James.’

‘I hope so. I appreciate your help with this. I cannot stop the thought that I am at the heart of it. Someone targeted Chrissie because of me. I worry every day for my other daughter, Nikki, with these killers still around.’

‘I never knew you had another daughter besides Chrissie until recently.’

‘It wasn’t common knowledge. I just didn’t want her dragged into all this. I am a private person and so is she.’

‘She grew up with you?’

‘Yes. Her mother left. I brought her up. No big deal.’ Harding could hear his mood switch just like in the restaurant with the wine waiter.

‘Did she go to school in South Africa?’

‘I home-tutored her.’

‘Really? Why was that? I heard that the schools in South Africa are very good.’

She could hear him getting colder by the second. His voice became clipped, and sharp. ‘I had my reasons. I wanted to keep my daughter close; I wanted control over what she was taught, and I thought I could do a better job than the schools. I was right. She turned out just as I wanted her to. She is an asset to me and my organization.’

‘And your son-in-law? You must really like him; he’s a big man in your empire.’

‘Yes. He was a good choice.’

‘He has history.’

‘We all have history.’

‘For rape?’

‘Please!’ She could imagine him rolling his eyes. ‘It never went to court. A girl’s hysterics, nothing more.’

‘His mother paid people off.’

‘Alright, okay. Maybe he got carried away. Everyone makes mistakes in their youth. Justin has surely atoned for his a thousand times over through the good work he’s done for the Chrissie Newton Foundation and for the Mansfield Group. I could not have done it all without Justin. He is extremely loyal and takes away ninety-nine per cent of the stress for me; leaves me to do what I am good at: saving lives. You know what? I am a little put out by this conversation, Jo. . I was hoping for better from you. I feel a little bit like I’m on trial here? If there’s something for me to worry about please tell me. I am reliant on you to keep me informed. We have a deal.’

Harding paused. ‘Deal?’

‘Understanding then,’ he replied. ‘Is that more to your liking? The Mansfield Group has been very supportive of your department. And will continue to be so. All I ask is for a little loyalty. I think that’s reasonable considering the amount of money I’ve invested. .’

‘Invested? There is no deal, James. I owe you nothing.’

There were a few seconds of frosty silence between them before Martingale smiled as he said, ‘Of course not. I’m sorry if I got a little passionate. You owe me nothing. I guess I get a little defensive about Justin. Justin is family.’

‘Are they actually married? Is there a certificate?’

‘Yes. What are you implying?’

‘Nothing, it’s just a question. . there’s no record of it.’

‘What? Is my daughter being looked into? I get extremely angry when people intrude into my privacy. What right have they? What right has anybody? I lost a daughter in this country and what justice did I get? None. . and now the police are wasting their time investigating me, my daughter and my son-in-law? What the hell for?’

Harding took a breath. She remained calm. Harding had the knack of remaining calm when a man got angry.

‘That’s the way it is now, James. The internet has opened up opportunities like that. The police can check on every detail.’ She heard him take control again. She heard him take a deep breath. ‘You’re upset. I understand.’

‘No. I’m being irrational. We all want the same things. We’re all singing from the same hymn sheet, after all. Please forgive my little outburst.’

‘It’s really not a problem.’

‘When this is all over, I hope we’ll be spending many more and much happier times together.’

‘I hope so,’ she agreed. ‘Fuck you,’ she added as she put the phone down.

She went over to her laptop and began to research all the hospitals in reach of Rose Cottage; and all the surgeons who worked in them. Two hours later she rang a number. It went to answer machine. She left a message:

‘Simon. . it’s your ex-wife. Ring me.’