Little Boy Blue

128

Jonathan Gardam watched through the two-way mirror as the questions rained down on Helen. As soon as her arrest had been confirmed, he’d called in officers from Sussex Police to lead the interviews. There was no question of Sanderson or Brooks questioning Helen, given their relationship with her. Gardam could have fielded the interview himself of course, but he had decided to take a back seat. He would get a much better view of the action that way.

Helen looked pale and weary, but she was not quite beaten yet. She was patiently taking the officers through the events of the evening, trying to convince them that she was the victim. But even from here, Gardam could feel their scepticism. Helen’s story was coherent and measured, but detectives of this ilk were not prone to flights of fancy – they followed the evidence.

‘Listen, we’d like to take you at your word, but there was nobody there. We checked the surrounding buildings, the dockside -’

‘He was there.’

‘Then why can’t we find any trace of him?’

‘Do you think I made him up? Why would I have called my colleagues to the docks if I was responsible? Why would I do that?’

‘You tell us.’

Helen was getting angry now, insisting that she had acted properly throughout the investigation. She was telling them that she hadn’t kept her connection to the first two victims to herself – she had discussed it with her commanding officer and been asked to continue on the case. They promised to follow this up, before launching into a series of new questions about her relationship to the deceased. Helen brushed these off, urging them to verify what she was saying, before asking her anything else. Again they batted her back and Gardam was surprised to see Helen now turn towards the two-way.

‘I’m not saying another word until you get him in here,’ Helen was saying. ‘Ask him under caution if I raised the issue.’

‘With all due respect, you’re the only one under caution here and I’d like you to answer my questions…’

Helen ignored her interrogator, staring straight at Gardam. It was a bold gesture but a pointless one. She would only see her own face staring back, whereas he could see everything. He had the advantage now, which is how he wanted it.

They would come to him, of course, asking if what she claimed was true. He had the opportunity to extend a helping hand to her now… but why should he, when she had already sunk her teeth into it? He would dismiss her claims. He would be surprised, bemused, even saddened that she should try to draw a fellow officer into her depravity.

He had been fascinated by her – maybe he was still – but she had poured scorn on him. And for that she was going to pay.