‘It’s extremely urgent that I see her, even if only for a moment . . .’
‘I really don’t advise it. And Edward insisted that we should arrange the meeting for another time.’
Anna stood up as Freda herself now sat down.
‘I know what this is about,’ the woman said. ‘Edward told me.’
‘Then you must realise the importance of clearing the situation regarding their blood tests. It is imperative we find out if it is their son who is the victim.’
‘This is a very delicate and personal matter and I want you to know that I only have both their interests at heart. I have been Kathleen’s friend for many years. We grew up together and in many ways we have been like sisters, which makes her present predicament even more distressing. In some ways it is best for Edward not to be present.’
Anna slowly sat down again.
Freda wore a pleated skirt and nervously ran her fingers along the sharp creases.
‘I obviously want you to regard what I am going to tell you with the utmost confidentiality. Would you agree to that?’
‘Do you mind if I call you Freda?’
‘No, not at all.’
‘Well, Freda, this is a murder enquiry. I will do my best to, as you ask, treat whatever you tell me with confidentiality. However, if it also has connections to my investigation then I can only promise that I will try to respect your request.’
The doorbell rang and Freda stood up.
‘I think that’ll be Rose. She said she would try and get here as soon as possible. I’ve given Kathleen her breakfast, but she needs changing and . . . excuse me.’
Anna watched Freda scurry out as Rose called that it was her, obviously having her own key to enter the house. Anna waited as they had a conversation in the hall and then Freda returned. Hovering at the door, she asked if Anna wanted a cup of coffee.
‘No, thank you. I would really like to hear what you have to say.’
Freda closed the door and sat opposite Anna again.
‘Kathleen and I have been friends since schooldays, as I said. We were like sisters, which neither of us had. I have three children, all grown up now, and we both married around the same time. I’d been married about three years before I had my first, a girl, and then shortly after I had my next two. Kathleen would always visit and she was a wonderful knitter – she made such lovely things for my babies.’
Anna glanced at the clock on the mantel, wondering where this was all leading, but she didn’t want to look impatient.
Freda continued, ‘They’d been married about five or six years and Kathleen was desperate for a child, as was Edward. At that point he was working for a sales company – the job took him away for weeks at a time. Anyway, they had numerous tests and it was whilst he was away that Kathleen told me that she had visited a fertility clinic. In those days there weren’t as many as there are now, and it was quite a new thing really.’
‘Please go on.’
‘Oh, this is awful! You know you keep secrets, never believing that one day you will have to tell them, and it
‘Please, Freda, tell me what you know.’
‘Well, at first Kathleen was told that Edward would not be able to conceive a child as he had a very low sperm-count. She had received the information whilst he was away and never told him. After a few months during which she had numerous tests, she went into the Chelsea fertility clinic for a laparoscopy, which is an operation to check if your ovaries are functioning properly. They discovered that she had a cyst and some other problems, and doubted that she would ever be able to conceive naturally. It was a dreadful time for her and it broke her heart.’
Freda continued to pinch the pleats in her skirt.
‘About a year later she came to me, and this is when I promised to never repeat it to anyone else. She had been to a private fertility clinic and got IVF treatment using a donor’s eggs and a donor’s sperm.’
Anna said quietly, ‘Did her husband not know?’
‘No. She kept it secret from him. She sold some diamond and gold jewellery she had inherited to pay for it. I think she had a few appointments before she became pregnant, and she only told Edward after the worrying first three months were over.’
‘And he still has no idea that Alan is not his biological son?’
‘No, none at all.’
‘I think he will have to be told, Freda. He’s very impatient, obviously, to know if we can identify Alan as the victim.’
‘Oh God, it will be so difficult! You know he never questioned that Alan wasn’t his. He was such a handsome child and his eyes by chance were mirrors of Kathleen’s – beautiful blue eyes.’
‘Did Alan himself know?’
‘No. Kathleen never told anyone, apart from me. I think it was because she carried Alan and gave birth to him, and it didn’t ever become an issue. You know how terrified she was to give a blood test? It was as if somewhere in her sad befuddled mind, she has guessed that the truth might come out. She was even more upset when they sent the doctor here to take another sample. It would also now be impossible to trace the donors as the clinic closed down years ago. Whether or not they would keep any files on record after this length of time is doubtful.’
Freda sighed and Anna quickly glanced at her mobile as she had received a text message. It was from Liz Hawley requesting she contact her immediately.
‘I’m afraid I have to go. But first—’
‘Could
‘No, I am afraid not. It will have to come from you.’
Freda stood up and walked with Anna to the door.
‘She was a wonderful mother, and as I said, Alan looked like her and he dotes on her. He’s such a good boy. This is all very sad, isn’t it?’
‘Yes, and I am sorry for you as I am for Edward, but he does need to be told,’ Anna insisted quietly.
‘Yes, I understand. Thank you for being so kind. I will tell him this afternoon when he gets home.’
As they entered the hall there was a shrill cry from the top of the stairs. Kathleen was standing holding onto the newel-post. She had on a fresh nightdress and looked frail and frightened.
‘Freda? Freda, is that you?’
‘Yes, dear. I’m coming right up to see you.’
‘I thought it was Alan – I’m expecting him. He’ll want something to eat. I know he’s coming to see me.’
‘I’ll look after him, dear. You go back to bed.’
Anna saw Kathleen’s helpless, pleading, beautiful blue eyes, so similar to those of her beloved son. Rose guided her away from the stairs back to her bedroom.
‘There is something else, Freda. I believe Alan had a bedroom here? I really need to look over it, if that would be possible. Mr Rawlins said it would be acceptable.’
‘I am sorry, but I couldn’t allow you to, not without Edward being here. But Alan did often stay with them.’
‘I understand. Please ask Mr Rawlins to contact me.’
Anna was more than ready to leave. It was all so wretchedly sad, not to mention a major hiccup for her case.
Liz was standing outside the block of flats having a smoke when she saw Anna drive up, and she gave her a thumbs-up. Stubbing out her cigarette as Anna got out of the car, she eagerly told her that they were ready to start the Luminol testing.
‘I’ve waited because as I’ve told you, using Luminol can destroy or degrade the DNA markers in the blood. We have made some progress though in the hallway.’
‘I have news for you too. The reason the genetic tests on Mr and Mrs Rawlins’s blood samples didn’t match is
