‘We think so, yes. We think Nigel Collins murdered your mother yesterday.’
The sobs got louder again but Scott was clearly trying to talk through them. ‘It’s all my fault. Oh God, it’s all my fault. I’m so sorry.’
Jessica looked at DI Cole, who gave a slight nod and they waited for Scott to quieten down again. ‘Are you okay, Scott?’ Jessica asked when he had.
‘Yes.’
‘Okay. I need you to tell me what happened with you and Nigel.’ Scott spilled everything, confirming pretty much all of what Shaun Hogan had told them the previous day. He even took responsibility, saying he had made up a story about seeing Nigel Collins look at his girlfriend and admitting he had carried out most of the attack, while pressuring his friends to join in. He spoke with very little interruption for over twenty minutes, Jessica just asking him to clarify a few points. Maybe it wasn’t crucial to either of the investigations but at the end she felt she had to ask the question, if only for her own benefit. ‘Why did you do it Scott?’
The fact he didn’t even need to think about it was chilling in itself, though the way he said it did at least sound remorseful. ‘It was something to do. Everyone knew he was just that weird guy who hung around and I thought it would be a laugh.’
All of
this
because some kid wanted something to do, thought Jessica. ‘Why him?’
‘I don’t know. He was just there. Everyone knew he was a bit weird. There wasn’t a reason.’
‘Is there anything else?’
‘No… just… I don’t know why it happened. I was different then, angrier. Dad had left and… I just don’t know. I’m so sorry.’ He swallowed another sob before continuing. ‘I’ve thought about it every night since but, at the time, I couldn’t stop myself. I was hoping everything was over, with going to uni and all…’
Jessica almost hated herself for the twinge of sorrow she felt for him. He had done something horrendous and unforgivable years previously and made it worse by coercing his friends into it too and covering everything up. But she could tell from the way he spoke that he genuinely had agonised over it in the years since. Scott would only have been thirteen at the time and now, years on, all these lives had been ripped apart.
DI Cole stepped in and formally charged Scott Keegan with attempted murder. The feeling was the charges would be revised down to Grievous Bodily Harm before it got to court given the fact that there was no Nigel Collins to give evidence. They still had all the medical details on file from years previous, plus the confession. It would be up to the CPS to decide. There would be a media release later to explain the link and Scott would be up in front of magistrates in the morning. Jonathan Prince and James Christensen had been arrested within the hour and would most likely join him whether they confessed or not; the evidence they had from Scott would be enough to charge. Shaun Hogan may or may not appear via video link, Jessica didn’t know. Given the fact they would all be feeling responsible for the murder of one of their parents, Jessica fully expected Jonathan and James to confess too.
What a mess.
DI Cole had gone to pass on the news to DCI Aylesbury that they had a confession, while Jessica headed off to the main floor to see if any progress had been made on finding Nigel Collins. She couldn’t help but feel they had traded in not knowing who the killer was to simply having no idea where to find him. There had been no luck with tracking down extra photos. Two members of staff from the children’s home had been found but had no mementoes themselves and no idea who else would. His previous schools had been visited and, though year photos he should have been in had been discovered, he wasn’t in any of them. Jessica didn’t think it was a surprise given the way he had been ostracised.
She did laugh when someone told her one of the officers had been in contact with the Herald to check their archives relating to the car crash that killed Nigel’s parents, just in case there was a photo of him as an eleven-year old. There wasn’t of course but it was worth a try. She thought going to the paper would have simply given Garry Ashford another tip to follow up. From the Herald’s website that morning, she could see he had done well. Not only was there all the standard information everyone else had been given but he had somehow managed to get himself a chat with Kim Hogan. Jessica wondered how Garry had talked the girl around. It certainly seemed as if he’d had more success talking to her than she had.
DC Rowlands was bringing Wayne Lapham back to the station for a follow-up interview. They weren’t expecting to get anything from him in relation to knowing Nigel Collins but it had to be done. For obvious reasons, Jessica wouldn’t be taking part in that interview. She didn’t know if Peter Hunt would be present. The jury had gone out in Harry’s case the day before, so it seemed unlikely as he would still be at Crown Court waiting for a verdict. Besides, Wayne Lapham wasn’t likely to be getting all the media coverage, considering the Press had Nigel Collins and his four torturers to focus on now.
Jessica went to make her way back to her own office but a constable stopped her before she could reach the door. ‘DCI wants to see you,’ they said.
Jessica went up the stairs, knocking and entering her boss’ office. DI Cole was still there. Usually his face was hard to read as he gave so little away but, as she looked at him sitting in the chair across the desk from DCI Aylesbury, she thought he looked angry. There were visible worry lines across his forehead, while he was just shaking his head. She had never seen him like that before. ‘Sir?’ she said, looking at the Chief Inspector.
DCI Aylesbury told her to sit down too. His own look was stern. Her boss took no time in cutting straight to the point as his first three words made her heart sink and instantly explained DI Cole’s expression. ‘Serious Crime Division.’
It had been something that was in the back of Jessica’s mind pretty much since they first started working on the case. The Serious Crime Division always had it in their remit to step in and take on crimes of this magnitude, especially if solving it wasn’t proving too easy but their timing was something that was hard to take. She and her team had already done the hard work – they had found the connection between the victims and knew almost certainly who the killer was. They had even solved a case from six years ago, albeit accidentally – but that wasn’t the point. ‘Why are they talking about this now?’ Jessica kept repeating.
DCI Aylesbury let her vent all those feelings with very little response, simply nodding as if to show he was taking everything on board. DI Cole didn’t add anything but even he seemed sympathetic. DCI Aylesbury did explain the decision was going to be taken by people higher up the chain of command than him and assured her he had done his best through his dealings with Detective Superintendant Davies to put her very views across. She doubted they were
exactly
her views, given the amount of off-the-cuff swearing she had just pulled off.
As it stood, nothing had been decided for certain but he told her things would be sorted out within the next twenty four hours and they would most likely have a decision by the morning. Jessica would have put a lot of money on knowing precisely what the outcome would be. Given it had already been a long day and everyone was left in something of a limbo, the DCI told them both they may as well go home. He was going to be in talks for the rest of the evening, while there was still a Press Release he wanted to draft along with the office. The only thing Jessica had to console herself with was that, if she stuck her foot down on the drive out of the station, she might strike lucky and get a cameraman or two under the wheels.
Back at her empty flat, Jessica stomped around, slammed a few doors and generally took her aggression out on as many inanimate objects that were to hand. Or foot. At first, she’d had vague visions of somehow stumbling across Nigel Collins on the street outside her door.
It was ridiculous, of course, she didn’t even know what he looked like. But perhaps he had some sort of scar or something? Maybe he wore a big sign around his neck with his name on or a large top hat with neon flashing lights and a giant arrow? She knew it wasn’t going to happen but thought how good it would be to find him that night before the SCD could take the case away. Then she could march in tomorrow morning, past the reporters, photographers and TV cameras and plonk Nigel Collins down in reception and give a big, collective middle finger to anyone who had doubted her. Of course, given she was the person who doubted herself the most, that middle finger would be as much for her as anyone else.
As her irrational fantasies got more and more out of hand while Jessica sat on the sofa stewing, she heard the front door go. ‘Hi?’
‘Oh hi,’ Caroline’s voice called out. ‘You’re home.’
Randall was with her too but Jessica didn’t mind. For once she actually felt like a bit of company. After saying their hellos and some brief small-talk, Caroline said she would cook for them all. Jessica hadn’t eaten all day and wasn’t particularly hungry but her friend said she didn’t mind if there were leftovers. Jessica shifted over to the recliner and they all ate off their laps, watching some soap opera on television that none of them apparently followed. Jessica would have had anything on TV that wasn’t the news. The food was good, some sort of rice dish and they laughed together at a preposterous story twist involving a long lost uncle, while she tried to forget about events at work. It must have been clear she wasn’t in the mood to talk about it as neither Caroline nor Randall asked her how the day had gone.
After they had eaten, the two women did the dishes while Randall joked he was exempt from kitchen duties. ‘A woman’s place...’ was all he said with a grin. Caroline bashed him round the head with her hand and told him that, in that case, he should be out skinning a bear or something similar to provide for them.
They shared a bottle of wine between them as they lounged in the living room when everything had been tidied away. ‘Jess, can we talk for a minute?’ Caroline said softly.
Jessica knew from the tone it would be something serious but perhaps wasn’t ready to listen to things straight away. ‘You’re not pregnant are you?’
Jessica and Randall laughed but Caroline just looked down and started stroking her belly. ‘No, why have I put on weight?’
‘Well I didn’t want to say anything...’ Jessica said.
‘Oi! Cheeky.’
They all laughed but, when the mood had settled, Caroline tried again. ‘Seriously, can we talk for a minute?’ The two girls looked at each other and Jessica knew what was coming. ‘Randall quit his job today. He’s been offered an apprenticeship with a design company in the city.’
‘That’s great, congratulations,’ Jessica said, looking across to the man on their sofa. He had a small grin on his face.
‘That’s not all though. We had been talking about it but, when he got the news, he went out and put a deposit down on a flat we’re going to rent while we look to buy somewhere. We want to know we can live together before we make too big a splash.’
Jessica had known it was coming but still felt something in her stomach. It was an odd feeling. She was delighted for her friend but there was a part of her that selfishly wanted them to stay living together until Jessica herself had found someone. ‘I’m so pleased for you both.’ Jessica got up from her seat and went and hugged first Caroline, then Randall. ‘You make a great couple.’
‘Is it really okay?’ Caroline said.
‘Of course.’ As she finished hugging Randall, she also gave him a playful smack on the head. ‘But none of this “Get in the kitchen” malarkey, yeah?’
They all laughed again but Jessica had to force it as she went to sit back down.
‘We’re not going straight away,’ Caroline said. ‘We’ve got a month so we are going to move things in bit by bit.’
‘So I’ve gotta put up with your dodgy cooking for another four weeks?’
‘I’m afraid so, yes.’
‘So it’s all marriage, kids the works then?’
‘Get out of it. Not yet.’
Caroline and Randall snuggled closer on the sofa and Jessica strongly suspected the “not yet” part was critical. Looking at them, she didn’t think it would take long. ‘The big question is what does his mum make of you?’ Jessica said. ‘There’s gotta be a bit of competition there now for his attention. You’re going to be the tart who stole her precious little boy away.’
‘Mum and dad live abroad,’ Randall said. ‘I reckon they’d be big fans though.’
The wine bottle was empty so Caroline sent her boyfriend off to the kitchen to get another. ‘And get used to waiting on me hand and foot,’ she called after him. They heard the toilet door go while they were waiting. ‘Are you sure you’re going to be okay?’ Caroline said.
‘Course I am. Big girl now and all that.’
‘Are you going to stay here?’
‘Dunno. Probably. I can afford the rent on my own. It’s close to work, which helps.’
‘Maybe you can get some fish for company?’ Caroline had a mischievous look on her face.
‘Yeah right. I don’t think I’d trust myself to look after some other living creature.’ She remembered the stuffed chicken from Hugo’s house, thinking that was just about her limit.
‘Is everything okay with... y’know... the case?’
Jessica didn’t want to get into things, so just nodded. ‘Yeah, it’s all fine.’
Jessica felt like a condemned woman on the drive to work the next morning. Rain was lashing down which at least meant the full Press pack wouldn’t be outside the station’s gates in such force. “Journalists,” she thought while driving, “a group of people on a never-ending quest for the truth... unless it’s pissing down and then the truth can go bugger itself.”
There were a few people outside the gates but nothing like the day before. She weaved in between a couple of television cameras and made sure that, when she parked up, the car shielded her from any unwanted long camera shots. Even though she felt sure the case was going to be taken from her, she had still spent the morning watching the news. The tragic story of Nigel Collins was everywhere, while the link had obviously been made to the three young men who were going to be in court that morning and the one who was already in jail. Jessica realised that was probably why the throngs outside the gate had thinned so much – everyone was outside the magistrates’ court instead.