Sleepwalk (45 page)

‘That you raped Ellie. That she turned up that night in a terrible state with her clothes strewn all over the car like she’d left in a hurry and she had bruises ……… bruises on her arms and her neck and …….. she said you’d almost strangled her!’

David sank into the sofa beside her; his face was white with shock.

‘……… and you believe her?’

‘I ………… I don’t know what to believe David …….. I really don’t. I told her to get out before I called the police. I …….. I told her she was crazy……… but the more I think about it the more I have doubts. It was the night you told me you were working in the garden until late and you didn’t hear the phone. Now we both know that’s utter rubbish. That phone is so loud you’d hear it two streets down. Tell me the truth David. Did you rape Ellie?’

‘No. Look Flick, you have to understand; Ellie and I were together a long time. Our relationship was …….. well it was quite passionate but extremely volatile. When she went off with that girl I was devastated; totally, totally devastated. You were the one who insisted she came here to stay and I knew it was a bad idea from the word go. She did nothing but tease me the whole time she was here; walking around half naked …….. I …….. I didn’t rape her.’

‘But you slept with her? Where; upstairs in our bed?’ ……….. Downstairs? …...… Where; where David? ……… Here? ........ Here; on the sofa? Oh God!’

Felicity leapt from the sofa and stood looking at it in disbelief.

‘How could you? ….. How could you David?’

She ran from the room and went upstairs.

‘Daddy what’s wrong with Mummy Flick?’

Oliver was standing in the open doorway with mud on his face and his bare arms looking completely lost.

‘Nothing mate. Look, how do you fancy staying at Granny’s tonight?’

‘Cool!’

‘Ok. Well I’ll just phone Granny and let her know you’re coming and then I’ll run you over there ok?’

When David returned to the house in
Rose Lane
about an hour or so later, minus Oliver, Felicity’s car was gone. He ran upstairs to the bedroom and checked the wardrobe. She had taken the baby and all his things. She had taken her clothes and most of her personal belongings. He went downstairs and phoned her parents. Margaret Breen answered the phone and although her voice was a little shaky she made it perfectly clear;

‘I’m sorry David; Felicity doesn’t want to speak to you. Perhaps you need a little space from each other for a couple of days. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. I’m sure it’s just a tiff and between you, you can work it out. Of course it could be post natal depression you know. That’s quite common these days.’

Felicity obviously hadn’t told her mother what it was all about. He phoned Mary Darch.

‘Do you have any idea of the damage you’ve done?’ he snapped.

‘Ah David. I wondered how long it would take you to call. You’ll be pleased to know that Ellie has been released from custody and will be on her way home shortly. Did you really think you would get away with it David? The truth will always out. And when they catch up with you I hope you rot in your prison cell. Better still …….. I hope you rot in hell…………’

It was a beautiful summer’s day. The sky was a deep azure blue and there wasn’t a cloud in sight. Felicity was sitting in the back garden with her father and baby Charlie soaking up the sunshine. Her father didn’t say very much these days but she was happy just to sit with him. Little Charlie was dressed in a blue romper suit. Felicity had laid him in his carry cot and lifted its hood to provide shade across his face whilst leaving his legs bare for him to kick freely in the warmth of the sun.

‘Felicity?’ Margaret Breen called from the conservatory door. ‘There are some people here to see you.’

‘Who is it?’

Margaret came toward her and whispered as she got close; ‘I think it’s the police dear. They want to talk to you. Will you be all right or do you want us to be with you?’

‘No it’s fine Mum. Can you watch the baby for me?’

Felicity opened the front door to find DI Carter and DC Claire Peters waiting patiently on the doorstep.

‘Oh! Detective Inspector! DC Peters. What is it? What’s happened?’

‘Felicity.’ said DI Carter. ‘We just need to ask you a few questions. We won’t take up too much of your time. Can we come inside?’

‘Yes of course.’ They followed her through to her parent’s enormous lounge and she gestured for them to sit down.

‘This is nice.’ said Carter.

‘Would you like a cup of tea Inspector? …… DC Peters?’

‘No. Thank you. Felicity …….. Flick. Now ……… obviously from the simple fact that you are here at your parents and not at Rose Lane we have deduced that you are perhaps not seeing eye to eye shall we say with your husband? Do you want to tell us about it?’

‘Not particularly Inspector. It’s quite simple. I have left him. I have left David and Charlie and I are living here until…….. well, until such time as I sort out somewhere for us to live.’

‘I see. And on which momentous day did you finally come to your senses?’ Carter grinned as he made his sarcastic remark.

‘Sorry?’

‘When did you leave him Flick?’ asked Claire Peters.

‘The night before last. We had a row. He took Oliver to his parents; I think so as we could talk; only while he was gone I took Charlie and our things, got in my car and came here and I’m not going back.’

‘Must have been some row then eh?’ suggested Carter. ‘Was that the last time you saw your husband Flick?’

‘Yes. Why? ………. Has something happened? …….. Inspector? …….. What is it?’

‘Has he been in touch since you left?’

‘No ……. that is; he did phone; when I first got here. He spoke to my mother. She doesn’t know why I left him. I haven’t told her. I heard her talking to him saying perhaps we needed some space. Inspector has something happened to him? You must tell me!’

‘No. We don’t know where he is. We need to find him and he’s taken off. Do you have any idea where he might have gone Flick?’

‘Why are you looking for him? Is it because of Ellie? She’s told you about the rape. I know what happened. That’s why I left him.’

DI Carter looked at Claire Peters and Felicity noticed their surprise.

‘Rape?’ asked Carter.

‘Mary Darch came to see me. She said Ellie had been raped and she said it was David. When I questioned him about it he denied raping her but he didn’t deny sleeping with her. That was when I left.’

‘Right.’ Carter gave Claire Peters another look, this time one of understanding and then Claire spoke.

‘Flick where were you last Saturday night?’

‘At home; at
Rose Lane
. I came out of hospital with the baby that morning. I was there the whole weekend because I couldn’t take him out for a few days. You’re not supposed to you see; not until they’ve adjusted to the air and everything.’

‘And David; was he with you?’

‘Yes.’

‘All night?’

‘Yes……… why?’

‘Is it possible he could have popped out; perhaps while you were sleeping?’

‘No. The baby woke up and I brought him downstairs to feed him so we didn’t wake David. Then the phone rang and it was Mary Darch, Ellie’s friend. She asked if David was here. She …….. she said she thought she’d seen him outside her house with Ellie. Look, what’s all this about?’

‘What time was this?’

‘The phone rang twice. I got up to answer it and it stopped. David was asleep; he didn’t hear it. I couldn’t go back to sleep and I knew Charlie would want his feed soon so I went downstairs and made a coffee. It was
12.45am
. I remember looking at the clock wondering who would phone at that hour.’

‘When you were downstairs is it possible he sneaked out then?’

‘No. Charlie woke up and I went up to get him before he woke David and David was still there in bed. He hadn’t moved. I brought Charlie down and fed him and ……… I must have nodded off at the kitchen table because the phone rang again and it woke me up. It was
1.20am
then. I remember looking at the clock. Then after I spoke to her David came downstairs saying he’d heard the phone.’

‘He hadn’t moved.’

‘What?’

‘You said he hadn’t moved.’ Carter had been wandering around the lounge and had stopped at a photograph of her and David on their wedding day. He picked it up. ‘How do you know he was there in the bed at all? Did you actually see him?’

‘Yes. He was there when I woke up, lying beside me.’

‘You saw his face or his body? ….. his shape under the covers? What exactly
did
you see Flick?’

‘Well, he had the covers over his head. He often does that. We used to joke about it. I said he looked like a nun.’

‘Do you not think it strange that the phone woke you but not him? That the baby crying woke you but not him? Perhaps he wasn’t there at all.’

‘No he …… I …….. he came down the stairs.’ Felicity remembered now. When she was on the phone she’d heard a noise in the kitchen. It is possible it was David returning from meeting Ellie at Mary Darch’s house. He could have hid in the dining room until she had gone back into the kitchen and then gone upstairs and come back down…………..

‘What is it you think he’s done Inspector?’

‘We have a warrant for his arrest Flick. We have sufficient proof this time.’

‘What ……… what do you mean
this
time?’

‘When we find him your husband will be charged with three counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder and one count of arson.’
Claire Peters leaned toward her and lightly touched her hand, concerned with Felicity’s pallor which was becoming whiter by the second.

‘I’m sorry Flick. We have evidence to prove that Eleanor Wilson was wrongly charged. It wasn’t her that did all those things before; it was David.’

Felicity stood up and took a step toward the door. ‘I’m sorry I feel a little………..’ She could feel her head beginning to swim and then her body became lighter and lighter and then suddenly incredibly heavy and like a thunderbolt had struck her, down she went on the floor with a thud. When she opened her eyes a few
seconds
later her mother was there and Claire Peters and Carter had brought her father and the baby in from the garden and they were all fussing around her. She felt completely stupid.

‘What happened?’

‘You fainted. Come on, let’s sit you up. Your mums made us all a nice cup of tea.’

‘Here, drink this dear.’ Margaret held a cup of tea out to her. ‘Sip it slowly dear. It will do you good.’

‘I’m sorry. I feel such a fool.’

Claire Peters smiled. ‘You’ve had quite a shock Flick. It’s a totally natural reaction. Drink your tea. You’ll be fine.’

Margaret walked to the door with the two Detectives.

‘She’s going to need your support Mrs Breen. Oh, and if he turns up here, don’t let him in. Call us immediately.’

‘I still can’t believe it. How could he do all those terrible things? I thought he was such a nice man.’

‘Told you………’ mumbled Joseph, ‘… drives too fast.’

The house at the bottom of
Rose Lane
was surrounded by Police. They were undoubtedly searching for evidence. That was it then. It was all over. They would find his store of Acetones and Opiates. David drove past slowly and then speeded up, heading for Mary Darch’s house at the other side of town. He reversed into the farm track at the end of the cul de sac until his car was out of sight, then he lay low and waited.

Ellie was in the little red Fiesta she had hired. They had given her back all her belongings which they had taken when she was arrested. She was looking forward to a hot bath. As she pulled up outside Mary’s house she took the little bag from the front seat and climbed

out. She could see Mary waving from the bedroom window and she raised her hand to wave back then her friend disappeared from view ……..
probably gone to put the kettle on, bless her
……….. thought Ellie as she leaned back across the driver’s seat to lock the passenger door. She backed out, closed the driver’s door and placed the key into the lock and then everything went black…………..

There were no voices; there was only the sound of the cars engine. She could feel the motion of her body moving from side to side as the car took the corners ……. too fast. Ellie’s eyelids began to flicker open and strips of light began to streak past but the strain of opening them was too much for her and she let them fall taking some comfort in the darkness. She tried to turn her head to see her captor but her head and neck refused to move. It was as though her body was frozen in time and although she knew it was there, she couldn’t feel it. Her body was numb. It didn’t matter that her head and neck would not move. It didn’t matter that she couldn’t see him. She knew it was David. Suddenly everything was still and quiet. The car had stopped and silence ensued. Peace and darkness, and as much as she willed her eyelids to open; only darkness prevailed. Ellie gave up and welcomed its peace. It was as though her brain had malfunctioned and the
open now
message from her brain to her eyes was simply not getting through. What chance then of any message getting through …….. to her hands, her feet or indeed any bodily function? None whatever. She just had to face it; she was incapable of movement of any kind. Ellie had been mummified …….. cocooned; captured within her own body.
Strange,
that she could still
think
,
that she could still
hear
,
that she could smell
…….