‘Well, now, that is promising,’ he said. ‘You reckon the younger one is the weak link?’
Ruth nodded.
‘Right, in that case get the older one into the interview room and leave the little ‘un to sweat in a holding cell. That should loosen him up even more.’
‘Sir.’
Ruth managed to get the younger lad to name Jason Christopher in the interview, after which he’d been arrested and pulled in for questioning. But with Christopher denying all knowledge and the older lad insisting he and his friend had found the keys and let themselves in for a laugh, there was nothing they could do. The story was full of holes, but hard evidence was non-existent. Jason Christopher and the two boys had been released.
***
‘Have you got my books?’ Karen Fitzgerald asked when the man came into her room.
‘No, I’m sorry, there was a problem.’
‘Well, then, you’d better give me a lift into town so I can pick something up at Waterstone’s.’
‘Highly amusing. Here, I brought this for you.’ He put a book on the small desk in the corner of the room.
‘What is it?’ Karen asked, moving to the desk top and picking it up. ‘“First Steps in Christ”,’ she read, before throwing it at him, angry. ‘You can take that shit out of here right now,’ she told him, her voice rising. ‘I’ve told you, I don’t believe in that bollocks. I’ll tell you what I do believe, though. I honestly believe you’re mentally ill, you sick fucker.’ She lunged at him, but the chain attached to the manacle round her ankle was now too short to allow her to get anywhere near him.
‘Well, it’s all there is for now.’
‘Go back to my house. Bring me my fucking books.’
‘You’ve been told about that sort of language.’
‘Bring me some books.’
‘We aren’t going back to your house.’
‘Buy me some, then. I’ll give you titles, authors, just bloody get some. I’m going crazy here just staring at the walls.’
He picked the book up and flipped it back onto the desk. ‘You have that and the Bible. That’s all you need.’ He left the room, had just got the door closed when he heard the book thud against it. As he turned the key in the lock, Karen Fitzgerald treated his ears to some words they had never heard before.
***
‘It’s all being arranged,’ said Tina, eyes shining. ‘It looks like it’s going to work out. I’m going to have my own room, and friends, and support … everything I need.’
‘And this is what your prison visitor suggested?’ Ruth asked. ‘How does your mum feel about it?’
‘I think she’s relieved. She didn’t want me, that’s for sure.’ Tina frowned. ‘Not that it’s any of her business. Adam says I only have to see her if I want to.’
‘Well, think long and hard before you cut her out of your life,’ Ruth counselled. ‘She is your mum, after all.’
‘I know, but let’s face it, Ruth, if she ever loved me, it stopped when Annie and I got in that car. Or rather, when I got out of it and Annie didn’t.’
‘So where is this place you’re going to?’
‘It’s in Northumberland. They’ve got a house there.’
Ruth’s heart skipped a beat. ‘Is it in Otterburn? Tina, is Adam from the Ebenezer Tabernacle?’
Tina shook her head. ‘I don’t know exactly where it is, but it’s not the Tabernacle. It’s a young people’s Christian group, they call themselves the Christian Band. They’ve taken me under their wing.’
‘The Ebenezer Tabernacle has a house in Northumberland, Tina. It’s a hell of a coincidence. Just remember, that’s the church George Cotter and John Surtees are involved in.’
‘I don’t think it’s them, Ruth, Adam would have said. There must be hundreds of houses in Northumberland, thousands, probably.’
‘I know, but be careful,’ said Ruth. ‘If at any time you feel uncomfortable or you change your mind, ring me. I’ll organise something. It might just be my spare room, but don’t feel backed into a corner.’
‘I don’t, at all. I’m looking forward to it.’ Tina smiled, but Ruth didn’t feel reassured.
***
Things ticked over for the next couple of weeks. Tips came in on the hotline. Leads were followed up and led to dead ends. Investigations into Jason Christopher and John Surtees came up with nothing. Then one afternoon as Ruth walked over to her desk after another fruitless encounter, this time with someone whose neighbour had pointed the finger at him to get his own back after a row about a barking dog, Rob Winter shouted over to her.
‘Ruth! Come and look at this!’ He was practically jumping up and down and Ruth ran over to see what the excitement was all about.
‘Look. Fran’s got a match on Jason Christopher.’
Ruth looked. Sure enough, the images on Fran Turnbull’s screen looked like they could be the same boy. One was an artist’s impression Hardcastle had requested showing Jason Christopher as he might have looked at around ten years of age, the other was a photograph of a child who had been reported missing at the age of eight, some seventeen years previously.
‘Thomas Brown,’ Ruth read from the screen. ’What else have we got?’
‘Well, we got a DNA sample from Jason Christopher when we arrested him the other week. If we’ve got anything on file for Thomas Brown, we can do a DNA check.’
‘Right, get on it. See what we can prove. Nice work.’
***
Tina had taken care styling her hair and putting her make up on. She wore her favourite top with jeans and trainers and she was excited as she waited in the visitors’ room for the two people who were coming to see her.
As she saw Adam’s familiar figure heading towards her, her heart leapt. She smiled and waved and he smiled back. The man with him was older; Tina had never met him before, but he returned her smile, too.
‘Hi,’ she said as they took their seats opposite.
Adam squeezed her hand. ‘Tina, I’d like you to meet Matthew. He manages the house where you’ll be staying.’
‘Hello, Tina,’ said Matthew, shaking her hand. ‘I’m so pleased to meet you.’
‘Everything should be sorted out now,’ said Adam. ‘We’re certainly well prepared at our end.’
‘Yes, I’ve been told that everything’s organised. The paperwork is all done. It’s just a matter of waiting now.’
‘It’s not long, though. Just a few days.’
‘I know,’ said Tina. ‘I can hardly believe it. It’s so exciting to think I’ll be … I’ll be …’
‘Free,’ said Adam, squeezing her hand.
‘And with somewhere to go. I honestly thought I’d be in a bedsit on my own somewhere. I was almost dreading it.’
‘We have your room ready for you,’ Matthew told her. ‘It’s on the first floor and there’s a big window looking out over the gardens and the moors beyond. You can see for miles, and you can walk for miles. You’ll know you’re free when you’re there, I promise you.’
‘Thank you,’ whispered Tina. Adam was still holding her hand.
‘And your new friends are looking forward to meeting you, too,’ said Matthew. ‘Jason and Neah are especially looking forward to it. I can sense that you’re going to be the best of friends.’
‘Family,’ said Adam, and Tina wept tears of happiness and relief.
***
‘Jason Christopher and Thomas Brown are one and the same. We have a positive match between DNA samples, there’s absolutely no doubt.’ Hardcastle was beaming, pleased to have finally identified the elusive Jason Christopher.
‘So he was an abductee as well?’ asked Bester.
‘Looks like he could have been the first,’ Ruth told the assembled officers. ‘Then he joined in.’
‘That’s pretty sick, isn’t it? I mean, it must have been terrifying for him. Why would he do it to somebody else?’
‘Has anybody told his mum and dad?’
‘DI Webb and DS Evans are off to see them when we’re done here,’ Ruth said. ‘And Rob and I are going to pick up Jason Christopher.’
‘It’ll be a hell of a shock for the Browns, getting their lad back after this long.’
‘It’ll be quite a reunion when it happens. Wouldn’t mind being a fly on the wall for that.’
‘Morning, sleepyhead.’
Tina blinked in the sudden bright light as Adam drew back the curtains and opened a window. ‘What time is it?’
‘Almost eleven.’
‘No way! I haven’t slept that late in years.’
Adam chuckled. ‘That’s what I reckoned. I insisted you were left to sleep.’
‘Thank you.’ Tina yawned and stretched, luxuriating in the soft, fragrant, clean sheets and the space in the double bed. ‘This is wonderful.’
Adam sat on the edge of the bed. ‘I’m glad you feel so at home here. I’m going to leave you to get up and get ready, then I want you to come downstairs to where we had dinner last night. Okay?’
‘Okay.’
He kissed her cheek, then stood up and left the room. Tina knew she had to get up soon, but just wanted to enjoy the moment. She spread her arms and legs out in the bed, revelling in the space, the fresh sheets, the lateness of the hour. The freedom. The curtains were moved gently by a slight breeze which carried the scent of lavender. Even if she hadn’t just been released from prison, this place would have been something special.
Reluctantly she left the comfort of the bed, wrapped herself in her dressing gown, and went to look out of the window. Matthew hadn’t exaggerated: Tina really could see for miles. She smiled as she took in the view: she hadn’t been able to see so far in years.
Conscious of the time and keen to see the others, she went into the small en suite bathroom, turned on the shower and tied up her hair. As the water started to run warm, she took off her dressing gown and hung it on the back of the door, then stripped off her pyjamas, folded them neatly, and put them on the closed lid of the lavatory. She took a moment to squeeze the soft towels hanging from the heated rail between her fingers before, smiling, she got in the shower. Tina sighed audibly as jets of warm water hit her body and massaged her skin with their firm but gentle touch. She squeezed a generous amount of body wash onto the wash cloth and began to move it in lazy circles over her arms and shoulders.
While she showered, Tina reflected on the previous twenty-four hours. She had gone from being a prisoner to being a free woman, had been met by Adam and Matthew on her release and driven into Durham, first for coffee and cake, then to buy some of the things she would need, clothes and toiletries and some magazines and books. After that, they piled into the car once more and drove up to Northumberland.
‘Just as soon as you’re ready to face it, we’ll go into Newcastle,’ Adam had told her. ‘But I figured Durham was a better option for when you first got out. Less big, less busy.’
Tina had been overwhelmed by his kindness, by the thrill of freedom, the joy of shopping, of choosing from more than a small, familiar selection of uninteresting things.
Tina turned off the water, got out of the shower and dried off with the soft, fluffy towel, nicely warmed from the heated rail. As she sprayed deodorant then brushed her teeth, she wondered about Jason and Neah. She was due to meet them in a few hours and she was excited about it. Matthew reckoned they’d become friends, and friends with no connection to her tragedy and incarceration were friends she desperately wanted. She hoped they liked her.
Fifteen minutes later Tina was ready, having brushed her hair, put on mascara and pale pink lip gloss and dressed in jeans and a shirt she had chosen the day before during the shopping trip to Durham. Excited, she ran down the stairs to the kitchen.
Adam, Rachael and Matthew were seated at the refectory table drinking mugs of tea, and Rachael poured a mug for Tina as she approached.
‘Morning,’ said Tina. ‘I’m sorry about sleeping so late.’
‘Think nothing of it,’ said Matthew. ‘We’ll get you on the duty rota from next week, so for now just relax and get used to the place and to having your freedom.’
‘It’s odd, I feel like my life was put on hold and that now, even though I’ve never been here before, I’ve been allowed to come home again.’
Adam put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. ‘That’s exactly where you are, Tina. You’re home, with your family, and from now on everything will be fine.’
Tina felt a familiar thrill at Adam’s touch, wondered if there would be any chance to get closer to him now they were living in the same place. It was what she wanted, she had no doubts about that, she just hoped he felt the same. Rachael brought a plate of bacon sandwiches to the table and they all tucked in, along with a couple of the young people who had been working outside in the garden.
‘We’re having lunch around two,’ Adam said. ‘Jason and Neah are coming up to meet Tina, so we’ll all get together then.’
‘I’m looking forward to meeting them,’ said Tina.
‘You’ll get on like a house on fire,’ said Matthew. ‘Neah’s lovely, isn’t she, Simon?’ One of the young men who’d come in from outside smiled and coloured up and Matthew laughed. ‘I shouldn’t tease, but Simon and Neah have a special friendship,’ he told Tina. ‘A bit like you and Adam.’
It was Tina’s turn to blush. Then Adam smiled at her and Matthew chuckled, and everything was fine.