been consensual going by her reputation.” He took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead. “This old lady was a goner as soon as she opened the door.”
Either way, Anya knew she would be happier if Hayden followed up on whether or not anyone had been convicted of the old lady’s murder.
As if in response to her thoughts, he said, “I’ll still check it out just to be sure we’re not jumping to the wrong conclusion.”
Anya’s mobile phone rang in her handbag. She fumbled to grab it on the fifth ring.
“Thanks for getting back…She was?…She did? On the twelfth of June?…Brilliant. I’ll need to talk to her about the details later on. Thanks.”
A counsellor knocked on the door.
“Sorry to interrupt, but we’ve just got word. A woman is coming in who’s been tied up and held captive for two days. Casualty is checking her out. If she’s well enough she’ll come here, otherwise they’ll ask you to examine her over there,” she said. “I brought you these,” she added, presenting a plate loaded with buttered scones.
“Fine, thanks.” Anya’s headache suddenly felt worse. This would take hours to complete.
Hayden smiled and took the plate, thanking the counsellor.
“I think we could both do with some of these,” he said, tucking in to the first scone. “If we think the same person killed Liz Dorman and Leonie Turnbull, Willard can’t be guilty. He was in prison at the time. Unless we find a concrete link between Turnbull and Liz Dorman, Geoff Willard’s looking at life and I’m likely to be pulled off the case.”
Anya had almost forgotten. “That call was from Newcastle. It seems Leonie Turnbull had good reason to take off suddenly. She’d been raped four nights before she was murdered.”
39
Exhausted and with every muscle aching, Anya strapped Brown-Eye’s carcass in the back, climbed into her Corolla and instinctively pressed down on her lock, securing all the doors. All she wanted was a bath, a long soak and ten hours’ sleep.
The mobile rang. She closed her eyes and thought about ignoring it, but checked the caller ID, just in case it was important. Elaine. She hadn’t checked in with her secretary all day.
Breathing out, she picked it up. “How are things?”
Ever efficient, Elaine rattled off the routine and then emphasized the priority messages. Dan Brody had asked for another meeting. He could damn well wait, Anya thought. She wasn’t at his beck and call, and no doubt Veronica Slater had spun him some story about their argument at the prison.
Only half-listening, she let her mind wander. Nick Hudson was anxious to get his stuffed dog back. The drive out to the house would take about thirty minutes, maybe more in traffic, but Brown-Eye had already made her car reek, not to mention her office at the SA unit.
“That’s about it,” finished Elaine.
Relieved that everything could wait, Anya said goodnight and headed over to the Willards’ place.
“Brown-Eye, big fella.” Nick greeted his dead dog like he would a best friend.
“Sorry about the timing, but I couldn’t get out here any earlier.”
“My aunt’s in the kitchen, and we’re just watching the box.”
The scene was relaxed and homely. Anya imagined it echoed in millions of homes across the country.
By the fumes, meat was on the menu again, and
“This is Desiree Platt, another old friend from the Bay. She stays sometimes for company,” Nick said. “When her husband’s away working.”
Desiree cupped one hand beneath her bulge, put the other behind her as an anchor, and arched her back to get herself up off the lounge. She was definitely pregnant.
“Hi,” Anya greeted her.
“You must be the doctor Nick’s been telling me all about.”
Nick scuffed the floor with his feet like a schoolboy. “Don’t you have to be somewhere?”
“Yeah, the toilet. This kid’s been using my bladder as a trampoline all afternoon.”
Mrs. Willard came out from the kitchen and wiped her hands on her apron. “Dinner won’t be long. Would you care to join us this time, dear? We’ve got an extra tray.”
Anya sensed she was being set up with Nick, who could just be a rapist and/or murderer. “No thanks, I can’t stay. I have a meeting to go to.”
Mrs. Willard grabbed Anya’s left hand. “No ring. You career women are missing out on the most important things.”
“Come on down,” cried the game-show host.
“How’s the investigation going?” Mrs. Willard asked, releasing her guest’s hand.
Anya thought twice about divulging information concerning the case, but the pleading look in the woman’s eyes made her want to give the mother something, some kind of hope, without giving away too much.
“We found another murder, one that Geoff can’t have committed, that is very similar to those of Eileen Randall and Elizabeth Dorman. It happened when he was in jail.”
Mrs. Willard’s eyes moistened. “Thank you for telling me. I’ll try to see Geoff tomorrow and tell him the good news.”
Anya paused. “The shirt the police took, that you said Geoff had never worn. Was it new?”
“Goodness, no. He couldn’t afford new things, and there are perfectly good clothes at the local op shop.”
“So it came from there?”
Mrs. Willard nodded. “We have to make do. When he came out of prison, he had nothing but a donated pair of trousers and a shirt. They didn’t even fit properly.”
Desiree returned from the bathroom, wiping her hands on the oversized Black Sabbath T-shirt she wore over black leggings. “What’s the good news?”
“The police have got some evidence that Geoff didn’t kill Eileen Randall or that other woman.”
“What?” she said, clutching her belly. “But he did it. He even broke into our place. God knows what he would have done if Nick and Luke hadn’t come in. We all know what he’s like.” Her voice became shrill and she began to hyperventilate. “Oh my God, it’s a contraction.”
Anya couldn’t believe the histrionics. “It’s probably the baby moving.”
“I know you had a scare.” Mrs. Willard led Desiree to the lounge. “But he didn’t hurt you. He wanted somewhere to hide out for a while. Maybe he has changed after all these years.” She straightened out her apron. “I’ll just check the dinner. After that, I’ll help with your folding and we’ll get you home.” She turned to Anya.
“Doctor, would you mind staying with Desiree for a few minutes, to make sure she’s all right?”
In the few days since they had met, Geoff’s mother looked like she had aged years. Nick seemed annoyed and left the room. His aunt followed him to the kitchen, and Desiree calmed down.
Anya wanted to run out the door more than ever, as a crowd of people shouted and made hand movements on the screen.
“Got a boyfriend?” The woman opened her mouth and revealed what looked like a piece of food clinging to a tooth.
Anya felt her face flush and became flustered. “I really just came to drop off Nick’s dog.”
The sound on the TV became louder, with members of the audience shouting and gesturing numbers at the pair on stage.
“Wouldn’t blame you if you were shit-scared of getting involved. Men can be real bastards.” She rubbed her abdomen again and her shirt moved with what was probably a kick. “Lucky I got a good one. We got married once we knew the baby was on its way, before I lost my figure.”
Judging by the size of Desiree’s arms and the broad hips, the figure she referred to was full. The tooth didn’t
