The Doll's House

125

‘Do you think she’s on the level?’

Helen’s heart was pounding, her tone urgent.

‘To be honest I think it’s so odd, it has to be true.’

Emilia and Helen were huddled in the outside courtyard beloved of Southampton Central’s smokers. Mercifully they were alone today.

‘I don’t think Jane Fraser has the imagination to make something like that up. It sounds like the two children were very close. They always shared the same bed, never went to school, they lived in each other’s pockets. And I don’t blame them to be honest – their mother had no love for them. Clearly didn’t even know who their fathers were, so…’

‘So they were the world to each other.’

Emilia nodded then continued:

‘Apparently the son – Ben – was ungovernable after Summer’s death. Police, doctors, social services – nobody could handle him.’

‘Because he was mad with grief.’

‘Still is mad with grief,’ Emilia added, echoing Helen’s thoughts.

‘And you’re sure about this address?’

‘Well I haven’t been down there, but I know it.’

‘Good. Thank you, Emilia.’

Helen was halfway to the door, when Emilia called out:

‘Usual rules?’

‘You’ll get your exclusive,’ Helen said over her shoulder, as she hurried back into the station.

‘So the address is a boot-heeling and key-cutting concession in the WestQuay shopping centre. It’s called WestKeys.’

Nobody groaned at the bad pun. The team were hanging on Helen’s words, processing this major development.

‘I’ll need volunteers for a surveillance unit to go down there.’

Helen was pleased to see a dozen hands shoot up.

‘But before we go, lets double-check our facts. Pippa Briers worked in the WestQuay shopping centre, so it would have been convenient for her to get her keys cut there. Ditto Isobel Lansley, who walked through the centre every day on her way to lectures.’

‘Roisin Murphy went to a free mums and babies group that was held in the crèche at the shopping centre,’ DC McAndrew chipped in.

‘And Ruby?’

‘Ruby used to hang out in the centre with her mates. Window shopping, getting up to no good.’

‘Then it fits. They took their keys there and walked into Ben Fraser’s life. They looked just like his sister, so he kept a key, stalked them, then abducted them.’

‘But to make them perfect – a replica of his sister – he would have to “customize them”,’ DC Sanderson interjected.

‘The tattoo,’ Helen responded, ‘and possibly more besides.’

‘Where does he get the stuff, though, the trichloroethylene?’ DC Grounds queried.

‘Let’s think about what Jim Grieves said,’ Helen countered. ‘Trichloroethylene is used in cleaning agents, solvents but also boot polish. You could perhaps extract it from boot polish -’

‘Without ever drawing attention to yourself. No trail of any kind.’

‘But why does he starve them? If he loves these girls?’

DC Lucas’s question hung in the air for a moment, before Helen replied:

‘Why don’t we go and ask him?’