Megan frowned. “No. Just the usual stuff. Exercise books, textbooks, that sort of thing.”
“Did she say if she was intending to meet anyone after the chess club or go anywhere else before she went home?”
“No. As far as I know, she was going straight home.”
“Can you tell us anything else about her?”
“Like what?”
“You were her best friend, weren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Did you ever fall out?”
“Sometimes.”
“Why?”
“Nothing, really. Maybe Debs would tease me about a lad she thought I liked, or something, or about not being good at arithmetic, and I’d get mad. But it wouldn’t last long.”
“Is that all?”
“Yes. She can be quite a tease, can Debs. She gets her little needle in where she knows it hurts and just keeps pushing.” She put her hand to her mouth. “Oh, I didn’t mean that to sound as bad as it did, honest I didn’t. All I mean is that she had an eye for a weakness and she could be a bit nasty about it. It was never anything serious.”
“Do you know if anything had been bothering her lately?”
“I don’t think so. She’d been a bit moody, that’s all.”
“Since when?”
“The beginning of term.”
“Did she say why?”
“No. We have a lot on our minds. A lot of work. And she’s been moody before.”
“She didn’t mention any problems, anything that might have been worrying her?”
“No.”
“Did she have any enemies, anyone who might have wanted to harm her?”
“No. Everyone loved Debs. It must have been a stranger.”
“Did she ever mention Mr. Jelacic, the sexton at St. Mary’s?”
“The man who got fired?”
“That’s the one.”
“She said he was gross, always sticking his tongue out and licking his lips when she went past.”
“Did he ever bother you?”
“I never went in the churchyard. I live this side of the river, over Kendal Road. It was a short cut for Debs.”
“Are you sure Deborah didn’t have any other problems, any worries? Maybe at home?”
“No. She didn’t complain about anything in particular. Only the usual stuff. Too much homework. That sort of thing.”
Banks realized that Deborah Harrison would probably have fewer practical causes for concern than his own daughter, Tracy, who, at one time anyway, had been constantly moaning about some new style of jacket or jeans she just had to have because everyone else was wearing it, and the Doc Martens that were just essential these days.
Banks had been like that himself, and he gave Tracy the same answer his mother and father gave him when they bought him a pair of heavy workboots for school instead of the thin-soled winkle-pickers he had asked for. “We can’t afford it. You’ll just have to make do. These will last a lot longer.”
But Deborah Harrison had wanted for nothing, at least nothing that had a monetary value.
“What about boyfriends?” Banks asked.
Megan blushed. “We don’t have time, not in the lower sixth. And Debs was always involved in some school event: equestrian, sports or quizzes or whatever.”
“So she didn’t have a boyfriend?”
“I’m not saying she never had one.”
“When was the last one?”
“In the summer.”
“What was his name?”
“She told me his name was John, that’s all. They didn’t go out together for long. She said he was really cool but too thick, so she chucked him.”
“Did she tell you anything else about him?”
Megan blushed. “No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. That’s all I know. His name was John and he was a thickie.”
“Where did she meet him?”
“I don’t know. She didn’t say. I was away in America all summer with my parents, so I didn’t see her until school started. By then she’d already chucked him.”
“Was he her first boyfriend?”
“I don’t think so, but there was never anyone serious.”
“How do you know?”
“She would have told me.”
“Does she tell you everything?”
Megan considered the question seriously for a moment or so, then said, “No, I don’t think so. She can be secretive, can Debs. But she’d tell me if she had a boyfriend. Or I’d just know.”
“Was she being secretive about anything recently?”
Megan frowned. “Yes, she was. I was getting fed up of it.”
“Did she tell you anything about it?”
“No. It wouldn’t be a secret then, would it?”
“Did she tell you who or what it concerned?”
Megan shook her head. “No.”
“Did she say anything about it?”
“Just that she thought it was time to tell someone, and then to watch what happened when the sh-. Just to see what happened.”
“When did she tell you this?”
“Just as she was leaving, on the bridge.”
“While she was running backwards?”
“Yes. It’s…it was the last thing she said.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I’m tired.”
“All right,” said Banks. “I’m sorry, Megan. You’re doing really well. I’ll try not to be much longer. But you must realize how important it is. If it was a secret about somebody who didn’t want it known…And if that somebody knew that Deborah knew…Do you see what I mean?”
Megan nodded.
“How long had she been talking about this secret?”
“Since the beginning of term.”
“That’s quite a long time.”
“Yes. She’d let it drop for a week or two, then bring it up again.”
“Would she have told anyone else?”
“No. I’m her best friend.”
“Is there anything else you can tell us, Megan? Anything at all.”
Megan shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
Banks and Susan stood up. “Get some rest now,” Banks said. “And believe me, we’ll be doing our best to find out who did this.”
They said goodbye to the nurse, picked up their raincoats and headed out into the drizzle.
“What did you think?” Banks asked Susan as they walked back to the car.
