Silent Scream

Twenty-Six

Kim exited the pit. ‘Come on, Bryant. We need to get started.’

She glanced at the Toyota pickup that by the process of elimination had to belong to Doctor Daniel Bate. It was dented above the rear wheel arch and covered in mud.

‘Jesus Christ, what's that?’ Kim exclaimed, jumping backwards.

‘Erm ... It's called a dog, Guv.’

Kim peered closer at the furry face that had popped up in the rear passenger side window.

Kim frowned. ‘Bryant, is it just me or ...’

‘No, Guv, it appears to have only one eye.’

‘Detective, stop scaring my dog,’ Daniel Bate said, closing the gap between them. ‘I assure you, she knows nothing.’

Kim turned to her colleague. ‘See, Bryant, dogs do take on their owner's characteristics.’

‘You know, Detective, after a four o’clock wake-up call and a three and a half hour drive you are definitely not what the doctor ordered.’

‘Is she blind?’ Kim asked as he opened the car door. The dog jumped out and sat. Doctor Bate attached a lead to her red collar and shook his head.

‘The sight in her right eye is perfect.’

Kim guessed the dog to be a white German Shepherd. She stepped forward offering her hand to the dog's nose. ‘Does she bite?’

‘Only arrogant detectives.’

Kim rolled her eyes and stroked the dog's head. Her coat was soft and warm.

Kim was confused. If he'd driven it would have taken far longer than a few hours to travel the 350 miles from Dundee. ‘What's she doing here?’

‘We were taking a few days off after my last case. Scouting rock climbing locations in Cheddar when I got a call from my boss. I was the closest.’

There was no irritation in Daniel’s voice, just an acceptance that such calls came with the job.

Kim felt the dog's warm nose nudge at her right hand, which had absently stopped stroking her head.

‘Hey, look at that, Detective,’ Daniel Bate said with a glint in his eye. ‘At least someone on site likes you.’

Kim was prevented from offering a four-letter-word response by the sound of her mobile ringing.

She hit the call button as Daniel turned and walked the dog around the top end of the field.

‘What’s up, Stace?’

‘Where are yer?’

‘Just about to leave the site. Why?’

‘Are yer facing up or down?’

‘What?’

‘I’ve found William Payne, one of the night porters.’

‘Give me the address.’

‘Look down the hill. Yer should see seven houses in a row. It’s the one smack bang in the middle. The back and front garden are fully slabbed.’

Kim was already walking down the hill. ‘How the hell do you know that?’

‘Google Earth, Guv.’

Kim shook her head and ended the call. Sometimes Stacey really scared her.

‘Where did you say we were going?’

‘To interview our first witness.’

‘Here?’ Bryant asked as she opened the waist high gate.

Eerily, the front garden was a sea of grey slabs. The path was only distinguished by a ramp that grew from it and ended at the front door.

After two knocks the door was answered by a tall male with a head full of completely white hair.

‘William Payne?’

He nodded.

Bryant took out his warrant card. ‘May we come in?’

He made no movement to step back and frowned. ‘I don't understand. A police officer already came yesterday and took details.’

Kim glanced at Bryant before speaking. ‘Mr Payne, we're here in connection with an investigation concerning Crestwood.’

She had sent no other officers to this address.

Understanding registered on his face. ‘Oh, of course, please come in.’

He stood back and Kim took a second to assess him. His hair gave the initial impression of someone much older than his face indicated. It was like two totally separate ageing processes were occurring. The wear on his face placed him only in his early to mid-forties.

‘Please be quiet, my daughter is asleep.’

His voice was low and pleasant, with no trace of Black Country accent.

‘Come through,’ he whispered.

He led them into a single room that ran the length of the house. The first section was the lounge area and beyond was a dining table set before a patio window leading onto the small back garden. A perfect grid of slabs left no room for lawn or shrubs. Kim heard a noise behind. It was a gentle rhythmic thunk.

The sound came from a device that appeared to monitor breathing. Attached to the machine was a girl Kim guessed to be in her mid-teens. The wheelchair was an oversized contraption with an IV drip attached to the other side.

Wound around the left arm of the chair was an emergency response pendant with a red button that linked directly to the ambulance service, normally used for the severely disabled. Kim realised this would be little use to the girl around her neck but had been placed less than an inch away from her left hand.

The flannel pyjamas dotted with Betty Boop did not hide the atrophy of the body beneath.

‘My daughter, Lucy,’ William Payne said from beside her. He leaned over and gently pushed a stray lock of blonde hair behind the girl’s ear.

‘Please, sit down,’ he said, guiding them to the small table. The sound of Jeremy Kyle played quietly in the background.

‘May I offer you a cup of coffee?’

They both nodded and William Payne entered the kitchen which was no more than a box just off the lounge area.

He placed three metal coasters on the table before bringing out three china mugs. The smell was delicious and Kim took a sip immediately.

‘Colombian Gold?’ she asked.

He smiled. ‘It is my only vice, Detective. I don’t drink or smoke. I don’t have a fast car or chase fast women. I just like a good cup of coffee.’

Kim nodded as she took another sip. Bryant gulped as though it was Tesco Value Instant.

‘Mr Payne, may we ask ...’

Bryant stopped as Kim nudged his leg beneath the table. She would lead this one.

‘May we ask what is wrong with Lucy?’

He smiled. ‘Of course, I’m always happy to talk about my little girl. Lucy is fifteen and was born with muscular dystrophy.’

He glanced over at his daughter and his gaze never returned. It gave Kim the opportunity to observe him openly.

‘It was clear to us early on that something wasn’t quite right. She was slow to start walking and she never grew out of that clumsy, gambolling stage.’

Kim looked around. ‘Is Lucy’s mother here?’

William turned his attention back to her. There was genuine surprise in his look.

‘Excuse me. I often genuinely forget that Lucy ever had a mother. It’s been just the two of us for so long.’

‘I understand,' Kim said, leaning forward. His voice had dropped to barely more than a whisper.

‘Lucy’s mother was not a bad person but she had certain expectations and a child with disabilities was not in her master plan. Don’t misunderstand me. I’m sure every parent wishes for a perfect child.

‘The dream does not normally include the full-time care of an adult that will never be able to take care of themselves. Excuse me for a moment.’

He took a tissue and wiped away a trail of spittle that ran down his daughter’s chin.

‘Sorry about that. Anyway, Alison really tried at first and while there were certain elements of normality to hang on to she could get by but as the disease progressed it became too much of a struggle. By the time she left she could no longer look at Lucy and hadn’t touched her in months. We both agreed it was best she leave. That was thirteen years ago and we haven’t seen or heard from her since.’

Despite the matter-of-fact delivery Kim could hear the pain in his voice. He was more forgiving of Lucy’s mother than she would have been.

‘That’s why you took the night job at Crestwood?’

Payne nodded. ‘Prior to that I was a landscape architect but I couldn’t hold a job and care for Lucy.

‘Working the night shift at Crestwood meant I could care for Lucy during the day. My neighbour would often come round and sit with Lucy at night.’

‘No second Mrs Payne?’ Bryant asked.

William shook his head. ‘No, my vows were for life. Divorce may satisfy the law, but it doesn’t satisfy God.’

Kim guessed it would have been difficult to meet someone, even if he’d wanted to. Few people were prepared to take on the full-time care of a disabled child that was not their own.

A gurgle sounded from the corner and William was instantly on his feet. He stood before his daughter.

‘Morning, sweetheart, sleep well? Would you like a drink?’

Although Kim saw no movement there was obviously some communication between father and daughter, because William pulled around a feeding tube and placed it between her lips. The right index finger of Lucy’s hand touched a button on the arm of the chair. A measure of liquid was dispensed through the tube and into her mouth.

‘Do you want to listen to music?’

‘An audio book?’

He smiled. ‘Do you want to turn around?’

Aha, Kim realised. It was blink communication.

As William turned the chair, Kim was struck by the paleness of the smooth skin and the directness of the eyes.

Kim considered the irony of a perfectly functioning brain in a useless body. Surely there could be no crueller fate.

‘Lucy sits at the window so she can see outside. She was entranced by the activity yesterday.’

‘Mr Payne, you were saying ...’ she steered him back on course, gently.

‘Yes, of course. The job at Crestwood was easy enough. All I had to do was make sure the place was secure so the girls couldn’t just leave and that no one could get in, check the smoke detectors and complete any odd jobs left by the day staff. It was very convenient for me and I was disappointed when it came to an end.’

‘The fire?’

He nodded. ‘Although the place was being closed anyway I was hopeful for another few months of work.’

‘Were you working that night?’

‘No, it was Arthur’s shift but I heard the alarm as soon as it went off. I’m in the front bedroom, you see.’

‘What did you do?’

‘I checked on Lucy then ran across the road. Arthur had got most of the girls out but he was choking so I ran in and did a final sweep to make sure there was no one left.

‘Miss Wyatt and Tom Curtis were the first to arrive and there was a lot of confusion. Everyone was doing lists to make sure all the girls were accounted for. The paramedics were removing girls for small cuts and smoke inhalation but not informing anyone. I was trying to help but just seemed to be making it worse. I left as the other staff members began to arrive.’

‘And what time was that?’

‘I’d say about one thirty.’

‘Did they identify the cause of the fire?’

‘I don’t know. I’m not sure how hard they looked. No one was seriously injured and the place was being wound down anyway.’

‘You know that both Teresa Wyatt and Tom Curtis have been murdered?’

William stood and approached his daughter. ‘Sweetheart, I think it’s time for a bit of music, eh?’

Kim didn’t see the blinked response but William fitted the earphones and switched on the device.

‘Her hearing is perfect, Detective. A normal fifteen-year-old would have been asked to leave the room. This is our equivalent.’

Kim could have kicked her own behind. Without realising it, she had treated Lucy as invisible because of her disability.

It was a mistake she would not make again.

‘What can you tell us about the victims?’

‘Not much. I rarely saw the day staff. Sometimes Mary, the housekeeper, would stay until I arrived to give me the gossip.’

‘What type of gossip?’

‘Mainly about Miss Wyatt and Mr Croft arguing. It was a power thing, Mary said.’

‘Can you think of anyone who would wish to harm any of the girls?’

William visibly paled and then looked to the window. ‘You can’t possibly think that anyone ... you really think that body in the ground is one of the girls from Crestwood?’

‘We haven’t yet ruled it out.’

‘I’m sorry but I really don’t think I can offer anything to help.’

William stood abruptly. His expression had changed. Still softly spoken, he had decided it was time for them to leave.

Bryant persisted. ‘What about the girls? Were they much trouble?’

William began to move away from them. ‘Not really. There were a few rebellious ones but they were generally good kids.’

‘What do you mean by rebellious?’ Bryant asked.

‘Just normal things.’

It was clear that William Payne wanted them to leave and Kim began to understand why.

‘What kind of ...’

‘Bryant, we’re done,’ Kim said, standing.

William looked at her gratefully.

‘But if I could just ask ...’

‘I said, we’re done.’ There was a growl in her voice. Bryant closed his notebook and stood.

Kim walked past William. ‘Thank you for your time, Mr Payne. We won’t keep you any longer.’

Kim passed by Lucy’s chair. She touched the girl’s left hand lightly. ‘Goodbye, Lucy. It was lovely to meet you.’

At the door Kim turned. ‘Mr Payne, if I could trouble you for a minute longer. What did you initially think we were here for?’

‘We had an attempted robbery the night before last. They didn't get away with anything but I called it in anyway.’

Kim smiled her thanks as he closed the door behind them.

Once outside the gate Bryant turned to her. ‘What was all that about? Didn’t you notice how he changed when we started to ask him about the girls? He couldn’t get us out of there quickly enough.’

‘It’s not what you think, Bryant.’

Kim walked across the road and turned, surveying the property. Of the seven houses, it was the only one with an alarm attached prominently to the front of the house. A passive infrared light and sensor was aimed directly at the gate. She had seen an identical sensor covering the rear of the property along with a six foot fence topped with cat spikes.

House breakers did not deliberately challenge themselves with the trickiest home available. And Kim did not believe in coincidences.

Bryant huffed. ‘You don’t know what I think because you didn’t give me chance to find out. He was nervous, Guv.’

Kim shook her head as she walked up the hill.

She passed Daniel Bate walking his dog back towards the car.

‘Hey, Detective, just can't keep away, eh?’

‘Yeah, Doc. I really can,’ she said, without breaking her stride.

‘Guv, what the hell is going on?’ Bryant asked her as they reached the car. ‘You don’t normally walk away from a challenge. That bloke was as nervous as hell and you just left it.’

‘Yes, I did.’

‘He all but physically removed us.’

‘Yes, Bryant, he did.’ She turned and glared at him over the roof of the car. ‘Because he needed to change the nappy on his fifteen-year-old daughter.’