Taste of Blood

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Jane parked outside Angelica’s flat, hoping that she was in. She knew Hutton would be giving a press statement that evening and wanted to talk to Angelica first. She headed up the stone staircase and was just approaching the flat when the door swung open. ‘Oh, hello,’ Angelica said with a smile. ‘I was just leaving for a session with Vera.’

‘I’ll give you a lift,’ Jane said, ‘but first I need to have a talk. Can we go inside?’

Angelica hesitated. ‘Vera would not appreciate me being late. It’s her evening group session.’

‘I won’t be long, I promise,’ Jane said, ushering Angelica back into her flat.

Angelica took off her coat, folding it over her arm and sitting on the edge of a chair as Jane sat opposite. Jane took a deep breath, almost afraid to meet Angelica’s eyes.

‘I have confirmation that Sebastian died four years ago. He did return to England. He went straight to visit Georgina Larsson who was very sick and had been taken to hospital. He tried to see her by climbing up to her bedroom window but tragically fell to his death.’ She was not going to mention that they believed Sebastian was pushed by Mrs Larsson. ‘I am deeply sorry, and I promise you that as soon as it is possible, I will return his guitar to you and answer any further questions you may have about the circumstances of Sebastian’s death. I have made a list of people for you to contact and will ensure that you are supported. And if you need to talk to me I will of course always be available.’

After Patricia Larsson’s lies and deceit, acting the part of a grief-stricken mother, Angelica’s quiet acceptance was heart-wrenching. She took a moment before she was able to speak.

‘Thank you for coming to see me.’ She gave Jane a sad, sweet smile. ‘I think I knew when you showed me his guitar.’ She paused. ‘Now I do need to be with Vera.’

‘Yes, of course.’

They left together. Jane held her hand as they went down the stairs, then helped her into the passenger seat. She remained silent during the drive, but when Jane drew into Vera’s driveway she asked if she would come inside with her. Already exhausted from the long day, it was the last thing Jane wanted to do, but she could not refuse.

Vera’s daughter was in her usual position in the hallway. She told them the session had already begun, but opened her purse to accept the money from Jane. She then asked them to wait while she went to the door, inching it open, whispered something to Vera, and then gestured for them to come in.

‘Go in and sit at the back.’

Jane recognised three of the people from her previous session. Vera hooked a finger for Jane to come close.

‘You’ve got a bloody nerve. One word out of place and you are out of here.’

She had her usual heavy make-up, eyes ringed with black kohl and her cheeks rouged, with deep-red lipstick. Her hair was loose to her shoulders but with a butterfly clip to one side. She was wearing the same kaftan. She started talking to the two elderly sisters, describing a small dachshund that had been a family pet. The sisters were nodding and becoming tearful.

‘Your father’s suggesting you should think about getting a puppy,’ Vera said.

The room felt very stuffy, and Jane was struggling to keep her eyes open. Vera moved on to the elderly gentleman seated in front of Jane. His daughter had come forwards, and Vera spent some time explaining that he had been a constant support during her fatal illness.

Jane straightened her back, wondering how long the evening was going to continue, when Vera suddenly stopped. She appeared unsettled, gulping from her water glass that Jane knew probably contained straight gin. Vera began scribbling in her notebook, making frantic circles and then screwing up her face before she looked up.

‘I have someone coming forwards... I hear singing, I don’t know this song... ah, yes, I can hear clearer now, love me tender, love me true, all my dreams fulfilled... he’s stepping forwards and is with me now, his name begins with an S.’

Angelica stood up. ‘It’s my son. It’s Sebastian.’

Vera was sweating. She coughed, and her tongue protruded, as if she tasted something unpleasant. She took another long drink from her glass.

‘Yes, I have Sebastian with me, he has crossed over, and oh, wait, he has someone with him. She’s tiny, he’s very protective towards her, she has a sweet perfume, the smell of flowers, that’s strange, is it lilac? He’s stepping back... no, wait. He’s showing me a beating heart.’

Angelica smiled. ‘Sebastian...’

Vera made a strange gesture with her hand, touching around her head, frowning, then took a deep breath. She put both hands to her face as if she was pressing something down inside her.

‘He wants you to know he is at peace now. He loves you. He’s stepping back again.’

Everyone knew that when Vera said ‘stepping back’ their visitation was over, and they should not ask for more information. It was also obvious to everyone that Vera was exhausted, her face glistening with perspiration, and she was eager for the session to end. Her daughter opened the door to usher everyone out. They thanked Vera on the way, but she was not reacting very much, just nodding and smiling. Angelica and Jane were the last to leave the room. Angelica touched Vera’s hand, thanking her tearfully, and Vera gently lifted her hand to kiss it.

‘He’s crossed over now, dear. I don’t know who the little creature was he brought with him, but he’ll come again soon. He’ll be able to come back now and not be so shy.’

‘Thank you so much, my prayers have been answered.’

Angelica went out, and Jane was about to follow when Vera heaved herself up out of her chair.

‘I’m getting too old nowadays, it takes it out of me, I’m feeling poorly all the time. I tasted blood in my mouth again, which means that poor boy was murdered. You take it easy, love. You got something inside you that makes you very brave, but you watch it doesn’t destroy you. Now you know he’s free, and that’s down to you.’

Jane nodded. ‘Goodnight, Vera, take care.’

Angelica was not outside the house, and Jane presumed she had gone off with other people from the session as she had the previous time they had been there. She was relieved, not wanting to talk about what she had just witnessed. On the drive home she went over it all in her mind. Part of her wanted to believe that Vera was able to talk to the dead. But the sceptical part of her suspected it was all clever manipulation. Did it really matter? she wondered. She had seen the joy in Angelica’s face when Vera had said Sebastian was at peace.

The following morning Jane was first up to the canteen and had breakfast before going into the incident room. There was a large box on her desk wrapped in brown paper with an envelope attached. Opening the envelope, she found a note from Paul Lawrence:

Jane carefully opened the box, putting the lid to one side. The white plaster cast was wrapped in fine tissue paper. Gently easing the cast out, then removing the last layer of tissue, she placed it on her desk.

Jane was so lost in thought, she didn’t notice Stanley walking up to her desk. She physically jumped when he leaned forwards.

‘Is this Sebastian?’

‘Yes, this is Sebastian.’

‘Dear God, I didn’t realise how young he was.’

They looked at Sebastian together, then carefully repacked the case. It would be taken to the lock-up alongside all the other items they would require as evidence for the forthcoming trials. Jane wondered if Angelica would want it, along with the guitar. She thought perhaps when the time came she would ask her, but at the present moment they had more pressing issues to deal with.

The forensic teams had completed their search at the Larssons’ property and the tent, along with all their equipment, had been removed. The dug-up area of the tarmac had been resurfaced.

Months later, the Caplans moved to Florida and the new owners of the property moved in with their four children. There had been a point when the sale almost didn’t go through due to the gruesome publicity, but the situation had been dealt with, presumably by reducing the price.

It took many months to prepare for the trials, and much of the work involved Jane. Due to her diligence and relentless focus, the prosecution team felt confident in going for a murder verdict against Patricia Larsson. Working tirelessly, Jane rarely thought about her private life — or the fact she didn’t really have one. The time when she thought about Eddie or what their future might have held was long past. Her neat and tidy house had begun to feel unlived in. The enormous pressure of work leading up to the trials meant she had made only a couple of visits to her parents at weekends, and although they asked about the case, since it had been headline news, she told them as little as possible.

Shortly before the trial dates were confirmed, Jane took a Saturday off to buy a new wardrobe of smart suits, blouses and, instead of her usual Cuban-heeled court shoes, an expensive pair of black stilettos. She was now wearing one of her new purchases on the last Monday before the trials were due to start. DCI Hutton had left a note on her desk asking Jane to see her as soon as she came into the station.

Jane was surprised when her husband opened the door.

‘You’ve met my husband, I think,’ Hutton said.

‘Superintendent,’ Jane nodded.

‘Nice to see you again,’ he smiled.

He really was a very handsome man, and she almost blushed as he excused himself and left the office.

‘Sit down, please,’ Hutton said. ‘I want to talk to you now, because when the trials get underway you will be extremely busy and I wouldn’t want you distracted. Firstly, I want to tell you something very private, which for the moment I want kept that way.’ She paused. ‘I am pregnant, which is the reason my husband has been seen popping in frequently, to check that I am not overdoing it.’

Jane couldn’t help feeling envious. Not only did she have the most handsome husband, but she was pregnant.

‘I have had two miscarriages,’ Hutton went on, ‘and he... well, both of us... were concerned it might happen again, but so far, touch wood, I’m fine. I do intend to continue working for as long as possible, but that is not the reason I’ve asked to see you. I have been so impressed with your professional ability, and I am recommending you for promotion. I also feel that you would be the right person to take over this station. There is a possibility I will return after maternity leave, but that is a long way ahead. Jane, I think you have a huge career ahead of you, and I count myself lucky to have you here at the station.’

Jane was so taken aback she didn’t know what to say. ‘Thank you, ma’am. I... I wish you good health and all the best for the baby. I promise I won’t mention it to anyone.’ She grinned. ‘But I might not be able to say the same about my promotion.’

Returning to the incident room, she found it difficult to stop smiling, she was so proud of what Hutton had said about her. As she passed Stanley, he swivelled round in his desk chair.

‘My, my, you look happy. Get laid last night, did you?’

‘Chance would be a fine thing, Stanley.’ She gave him a twirl. ‘What do you think of the outfit? I’m testing it out before my court appearances.’

‘You look like a million dollars,’ he said with a grin. ‘We’re going to knock them dead, Jane.’

Drawing out her desk chair, she was still smiling as she picked up a pen, opening a blank page of her notebook. She wrote in block capitals DETECTIVE CHIEF INSPECTOR JANE TENNISON.

It looked good.