It was the first time he’d ever been inside her house. They’d always met at his place or somewhere neutral. It felt wrong to be there but when Abby led him through to the living room and he peered down into the bassinet at his beautiful little girl, he forgot about all that. Nothing else mattered in that moment. He didn’t care if Paul came home and saw him. Then as if she had sensed he was there, Beth woke and Abby picked her up. Settling himself on the settee, he reached out for Beth and as he held her in his arms for the first time, he cried. He cried at the simple joy of Beth; at the thought of him being a father; at the way Abby looked at him and their daughter; and at the foolish decision he’d made to let them go.
If only he had spoken up back then. If only he had never let her go then none of this would have ever happened. He and Abby and Beth would still be together; a family.
As he got further and further off the main roads, his speed increased. He’d probably be stopped by the police before he could get to Paul. He’d miss his chance.
The mix of anger and excitement he’d felt earlier was beginning to wane. Why hadn’t he told Abby or Gardner he’d got the address?
Because they’d stop you. Because you wouldn’t get your chance to hurt him.
Chapter Seventy-Nine
Abby paced up and down trying Simon’s phone over and over. Where was he? Maybe he needed time alone to process what they’d heard about Paul. But how much processing did he need to do? It was
her
ex-husband. Surely she should be the one having trouble with it.
Maybe that was it. It
was
her ex-husband. But how could Simon blame her?
Easily, she thought. Easily. Because she blamed him when she found out he’d talked to Helen Deal about Beth. That was the first thing that came to mind.
This was your fault.
Only it wasn’t.
She collapsed onto the settee and tried his phone again. It kept on ringing but there was no answer. She hung up and held the phone to her chest. She could try Gardner. She didn’t even know where he was going so couldn’t be sure if he’d be there yet. She hadn’t thought to ask where Paul was. She blinked away the tears. He promised to call when he got there. He couldn’t be there yet.
She stopped pacing and closed her eyes. Why had Jen been looking for Paul? She tried Jen’s number.
‘Hello?’ Jen said.
‘Why were you looking for Paul?’ Abby said.
Jen sighed. ‘I already told Simon. I was trying to prove to you that he was there. That I wasn’t lying to you.’
‘You’ve spoken to Simon?’ Abby asked, her stomach tightening. ‘What did you tell him?’
‘Just what I told you .’
Abby felt sick. ‘Did you tell him where Paul was?’
‘Yeah,’ Jen said. ‘Why? What’s going on?’
‘I have to go,’ Abby said and cut Jen off. Simon knew where Paul was. He was probably headed there now. What was he going to do to him? What would she do?
She called Gardner. ‘Simon knows where Paul is,’ she said.
‘Shit,’ Gardner said. ‘I’ve got a local going over there. Don’t worry,’ he said but Abby wasn’t convinced. ‘Is someone there with you?’
‘He’s outside,’ Abby said.
Gardner sighed. ‘Okay. I’ll keep you posted.’ He disconnected and Abby threw the phone down.
She was angry at him for leaving her there, for not letting her go with him. She knew she couldn’t go. It was a police investigation; of course she couldn’t go and start asking her own questions. But she was angry with him for leaving her there alone with her thoughts. She’d allowed herself to think there’d been a mistake, that the nanny was either being malicious or just simply wrong. But now she was alone she couldn’t help but dig deeper and everything she thought she knew seemed tainted. Every memory she dredged up of Paul, of the things they did, the life they shared, it all seemed wrong.
Thoughts of the day it happened, of the days that followed, of the weeks leading up to it, they all took on new meaning. Everything she believed was wrong. Her husband had betrayed her. She knew it. She just knew it. The nanny wasn’t wrong, she wasn’t being malicious. It was him. It had been him all along.
Chapter Eighty
Gardner drove through the little village and wondered why anyone would want to live out in the middle of nowhere. It was like a setting for a horror movie, all eerily quiet and deserted. But then if you were trying to hide it was probably ideal.
‘You think Abbott’s already here?’ Lawton asked, glancing around the tree-lined road.
‘I hope not,’ Gardner said. Simon Abbott had a temper, a history of violence. He’d kicked the shit out of guys before over a comment about his girlfriend. Who knew what he’d do to Paul Henshaw? Gardner turned into the narrow lane where Henshaw lived. Maybe Abbott had every right to hurt him. For what he’d done to Abby, he deserved it.
He noticed the police car outside the house he’d been told was rented by Paul Henshaw. Simon’s car was parked at an angle a few metres away.
He ran from the car, Lawton a few feet behind him. As he made his way up the path he saw the door was wide open, splinters of wood scattered across the kitchen floor. He stopped as he approached the officer, giving him a confused look and then he saw Simon sitting on the kitchen floor, his head hanging, blood on his hands and shirt. Gardner looked over his shoulder at the officer who just stood there saying nothing. He looked about seventeen.
Gardner looked back at Simon and it was only then he noticed Paul Henshaw, lying on his back on the kitchen floor, blood pooled around his body. His eyes were open, staring blankly at the ceiling.
When he could tear his eyes away from the body he looked back at Simon who didn’t appear to notice he was even there. He bent down beside him and saw the cuffs around Simon’s wrists.
Chapter Eighty-One
‘Oh my God,’ Lawton said, turning to go outside.
‘What the hell happened here?’ Gardner asked, looking at the young officer standing by the door. He stood gawping at Paul’s body, unable to turn his eyes away.
‘Who are you?’
Gardner turned around and saw an older officer coming into the kitchen. He looked like he was ready to draw a weapon, if only he had one.
‘DI Gardner,’ he said and the older man relaxed slightly and walked around the edge of the kitchen, being careful not to go too near the body.
‘PC Ernie Fletcher,’ he said. ‘We arrived approximately fifteen minutes ago. Door had been forced open. Found the body and this one sitting here, staring at it.’
Gardner looked at Simon, who hadn’t moved a muscle the whole time. He was still staring into space.
‘He was crouched over the body,’ Fletcher said. ‘I restrained him and checked the rest of the property.’ He looked at Gardner like he wanted a pat on the back. ‘It’s empty,’ he said to finish.
Gardner put his hands on his head and looked at the ceiling. This couldn’t be happening. It could not be happening. ‘Have you called this in?’ he asked Fletcher.
‘They’re on their way,’ Fletcher said. He stepped closer to Gardner and bent to pull Simon up by the arm.
‘What’re you doing?’ Gardner asked.
‘He’s a suspect in a murder investigation,’ Fletcher said. ‘Get up.’
The movement seemed to shake Simon free of the trance he was in and he allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. For the first time he looked at Gardner, his face lined with panic.
Gardner wanted to go after them but he knew he could do little for Simon now. He was found at a murder scene and they were going to take him in regardless. He could follow them to the station and request to speak to Simon but it would be down to the locals to decide in the end.
He looked down at Paul’s body and quickly turned away, walking to the door for some air, ignoring the look the young officer gave him. Hopefully Fletcher was right and the techs were on their way. Until then all he could do was wait.
He knew he had to tell Abby what had happened but it wasn’t something he was going to do by phone. Besides, what was he going to say? It would be hard enough telling her Paul was dead. But that Simon was chief suspect too? He could tell her things would be okay, that he’d work it out, that he’d get Simon home to her. But he didn’t know if he could do that. Because he had no idea if Simon was innocent.
Chapter Eighty-Two
Gardner sat in his car waiting for the cavalry to arrive. Lawton sat beside him. He couldn’t decide if she was silent out of respect or if she was too caught up in her own thoughts. What happened with Chelsea Davies hit her hard. She blamed herself and she wanted to be there. Instead he’d made her come out here. Dragged her into another mess.
He could see Simon sitting in the back of Fletcher’s car, while Fletcher leaned against the door as if he was waiting for the RAC to turn up. Gardner stared at his phone. He was surprised Abby hadn’t tried to call him already, desperate to know what was happening, whether Paul was really involved, or to tell him Simon still hadn’t returned home. Maybe she was still pissed off with him for not letting her come along but if he was glad of anything it was that he’d stood firm on that. Having Abby with him when he walked into this shit-storm was the last thing he needed.
He turned the phone over in his hands. He wasn’t going to call her, wasn’t going to show that little respect for her by telling her like that. It had to be done face to face.
‘They’re here,’ Lawton said.
Gardner looked in his rear-view mirror and turned around. Three cars were pulling up in a line behind Fletcher’s car and the man himself was holding out his arm, flagging them down as if they wouldn’t know what they were looking for. He watched four men climb out of their cars and head towards Fletcher. Two of them ducked their heads and looked at Simon in the back of the car.
He saw Fletcher point towards his car and one of the men, dressed like a lawyer in an expensive looking suit, looked over. The other three headed back to the cars. He guessed they were the SOCOs and hopefully the pathologist.
Gardner got out of the car and walked to meet the man coming towards him, the one dressed like a lawyer. He stuck out his hand. ‘DS Carlisle,’ he said and shook Gardner’s hand.
‘DI Gardner,’ he said. ‘Fletcher fill you in?’
Carlisle gave him a smile. ‘He gave me the highlights but I’d like to hear it from you,’ he said.
They walked towards the house. The young officer at the door moved out of their way without a word. Gardner wanted to ask him if he’d actually had any training in scene preservation but as he’d already trampled through the scene himself he couldn’t really point fingers. They stood in the doorway so that Carlisle could take a look at the scene. A couple of seconds later he nodded and walked back towards Gardner’s car to make room for the SOCOs.
‘So, I’m guessing this isn’t just a nice and simple domestic or B&E,’ Carlisle said.
‘If only,’ Gardner said. ‘Basically, it’s connected to an ongoing investigation, a rape and abduction case. Henshaw?’ he said, waiting for Carlisle to recognise the name. ‘The kid’s still missing. She was taken five years ago.’
Carlisle nodded. ‘Yeah, I remember that.’
‘To cut a long story short, evidence was found earlier today that the man your guys are currently poking at, Paul Henshaw, was involved.’
‘So who’s he?’ he asked and pointed at Simon.
‘The kid’s real father,’ Gardner said.
‘So he’d have good reason to off this guy then?’
Gardner blew out a breath. ‘He certainly has a motive.’
‘And he was found at the scene crouching over the body,’ Carlisle said.
‘That too,’ Gardner said.
‘Listen, I’m going to see what’s happening in there and I’m going to tell Fletcher to take your guy in. You’re more than welcome to stick around and listen to the interview.’
‘Thanks,’ Gardner said pulling his phone out again. He watched Fletcher do a three-point turn and drive slowly past the line of cars. In the back seat Simon turned and looked at Gardner, his face unreadable.
Chapter Eighty-Three
Abby sat by the window, hugging her knees to her chest. The rain was coming down hard and she wished Simon would come back. She needed to talk to him. Needed to know things were okay. She held her phone in her hand and wished Gardner would call her too. He promised to let her know when he found out anything. He must’ve had something to tell her by now. She tapped the phone on her knee and it started ringing, causing her to jump. She answered on the first ring.
‘Hello?’ she said.
‘Abby, it’s me,’ Gardner said.
‘What’s happening? Have you found Paul? Is Simon there?’ There was a silence on the line and she looked at the phone’s display to check if they’d been disconnected. ‘Hello?’
‘Abby,’ Gardner said and sighed. ‘I need you to listen to me. Is an officer still with you?’
‘No, I told him to go. What’s going on?’
Gardner sighed. ‘I wanted to come and tell you in person but I can’t get there right now. And you need to know...’ He stopped again and Abby felt the nausea rising.
‘What’s happened?’ she asked. ‘Is it Beth? Is she there?’ More silence. ‘Michael, please. Tell me what’s happened.’ She could hear him breathing.
‘I’m at Paul’s house now. There’s been an-’ he stopped. ‘Paul’s dead.’ Abby could hear a faint buzz on the line. All she could think was, is it always there, that buzz? ‘Abby?’ Gardner said.
‘Yes,’ she said, her voice flat. ‘I’m here.’
‘I’m sorry.’
‘Simon?’ she said. Gardner didn’t answer. It felt like the world had stopped.
‘I arrived at Paul’s house and found police already at the scene. Paul had been stabbed,’ he said and Abby sunk into the chair. She could hear movement, voices in the background. ‘Simon was here when I arrived. They’ve arrested him on suspicion of murder. I’m going to go down there now for the interview.’ He paused. ‘Abby, I’m sorry I had to do this over the phone but I need to be here and I didn’t want someone else calling you-’
‘Has he asked for me?’ she asked and Gardner was quiet for a minute. ‘Simon?’
‘I don’t know,’ Gardner said. ‘Look, it might be better for you to stay put. I can’t see them releasing him for a while. I can come by on my way home but it’ll be late.’
‘Okay,’ she said, her head spinning. ‘Was there any sign of Beth?’
‘No, I’m sorry.’
Abby closed her eyes. She could feel any hope slipping away. She could feel herself slipping away. There was nothing she had faith in anymore.
‘Another thing,’ Gardner said and sighed like he couldn’t bring himself to say whatever it was. ‘Paul’s body will need to be formally identified. I know he didn’t have any family...’
‘Okay,’ she heard herself say.
Someone spoke to Gardner in the background and he replied but she couldn’t make out the words. ‘I have to go,’ he said. She could hear him walking, a car door slamming. ‘I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything.’