‘The young wife?’
‘At first, but he loved Helen as much as she loved him.’
‘And your reaction when your father died?’ Wendy asked.
‘We were shocked and upset. We blamed Helen, called her some wicked things, but then came the autopsy, and the pathologist stating our father had a brain tumour and it could have been responsible for his aggression. They did find bruising around Helen’s neck.’
‘Did you speak to Helen before her trial?’
‘I did,’ Abigail said. ‘She was contrite, emotional, and sorry for what she had done.’
‘Did you believe her?’
‘I wasn’t sure what to believe. She had killed our father, the result of a violent confrontation. At the trial, the first trial, the experts for the defence and the prosecution were arguing as to whether a brain tumour could have been responsible for our father’s aggression.’
‘And what did you believe?’
‘We all wanted to believe that Helen was innocent. She was family, she was important to us.’
‘At the first trial, you, Archie, made a plea on behalf of the family.’
‘It was obvious Helen was going to prison, but the experts were in conflict. We just wanted it to be known we did not hold any blame against her.’
‘It’s an unusual reaction,’ Isaac said. ‘Normally, the family of the deceased are vehement in their condemnation. Why are you so different?’
‘Because we knew our father, we knew Helen. If it had been us, we would have acted in the same way.’
‘Had it happened before?’
‘Once or twice. He hit me once for no reason,’ Abigail said.
‘And when was this?’
‘When I broached the idea of him visiting a specialist.’
‘Was anyone else present?’
‘It was only me.’
‘Had Helen raised the subject with him?’
‘On one occasion. He didn’t like it, but he didn’t hit her. She was afraid to talk to him again, that’s why I tried.’
‘Your stepmother was in jail. What did you do?’
‘Archie’s a lawyer. He put together a team to examine the evidence. That’s when we came across James Holden.’
‘You knew the man?’
‘We all did. He visited Helen in jail. I went with him the first time,’ Abigail said.
‘After that?’
‘He’d go on his own, once or twice a month. We could see whenever we visited her that she was becoming enamoured of Holden, not that we discouraged it.’
‘It was Holden who managed to get her out of prison,’ Isaac said.
‘He approached us, asked us to write a letter stating our non-objection, and in time she was released. Six months after her release, new evidence from another expert showed that more research had been done in America on the effect of a brain tumour pressing on certain parts of the brain. It was accepted, and the conviction against Helen was quashed.’
‘Did you keep in contact after her release?’
‘We did, not often though. Helen seemed to want the past behind her, and we understood. She was always welcome here though, and she’d phone occasionally. I doubt if we saw her more than three or four times since her release.’
‘And now, to find out that she has been in bed with Holden?’ Isaac said.
‘We knew of her affection for the man, but he was married,’ Abigail said. ‘We reserve our judgement on Helen, but we’ll never waiver in our support for her. She was an important part of our father’s life.’
Outside the mansion, as Isaac and Wendy were preparing to leave, he asked ‘What did you make of what they said?’
‘Helen Langdon is either due for sainthood, or we’ve been fed nonsense.’
‘They did support her at the trials. For Helen’s benefit, or was there an ulterior motive?’
‘You don’t buy their holier than thou attitude?’ Wendy said.
‘Too good to be true,’ Isaac said. ‘Get Bridget to dig in the dirt, find out what she can about the Adamants.’
Chapter 5
With Helen Langdon, née Mackay, identified as the woman who had been killed with James Holden, as well as the woman who had killed Gerald Adamant, public sentiment towards her vacillated. Some saw her as the callous murderer of an old husband; others, as the falsely maligned and loyal wife of a man who had gone mad. Her parents’ home was surrounded by the press and gawping onlookers when Isaac and Wendy arrived. Barricades had been erected in the street, a uniform stationed at the front door.
‘It’s been madness,’ the uniform said. ‘The poor parents inside are doing their best to cope, and the mongrels outside are making it into a party. We even had an ice-cream van parked on the other side of the road. It was doing sterling business until we moved it on.’
Isaac had seen it too many times. A murder, someone’s misfortune, and the bizarre, the plain nosey, were incapable of showing any compassion for those trying to deal with the emotions and the raw nerves. Mr and Mrs Mackay seemed to be two such people.
‘Helen, she was a good daughter,’ her father said.
‘I’m sorry,’ Isaac said, ‘but I must ask you certain questions.’
‘We understand,’ her softly spoken mother said. ‘We’ve not slept since it happened, not certain if we will ever again.’
Wendy could see the emotions on their faces. She felt as if she should go over and put her arm around the mother but decided not to. It was a formal interview, and the parents may have some information that would not be revealed if there was overfamiliarity.
‘When did you last see your daughter?’ Isaac asked.
‘The day she died. She popped in for a cup of tea, unannounced.’
‘Her mood?’
‘She was cheerful, enjoying being unknown.’
‘She would be known around here?’ Wendy said.
‘Not here. We moved from our previous house. The notoriety was too
