“Kate, even if she was leaving in a hurry, she would have taken her stuff, switched off the computer. It seems like she left in too much of a hurry. Unless there was a mob at her door.”
“Or she didn’t go of her own free will?”
“Look, I don’t want to read too much into this. Dan thought I was being stupid. But, it just doesn’t feel right…”
I stopped. We were sat in the car, my hands on the steering wheel. I turned to face her.
“Kate, what happened in there?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
Her monotone, the tears. I realised how hard this was, but there seemed to be more.
“Kate. We can help him.”
“I don’t know if I know him.”
“What?”
“What if I really didn’t know him. What if…”
“Kate… But…”
“You’ve only known him for a year or so, me less so.”
“Kate, I know my brother. He could never do something like this.”
I stopped, taking a deep breath, I turned the key, starting the engine.
“So we give up on him like he wanted to give up on you.”
“He wants a divorce.”
“And it’s killing him. You may think I don’t know my brother, but, I do know he’s a good man. I know how much he loves you. He told me once, he loved you enough to let you go. That man has gone through hell for you. Look, if you want to leave him.” My voice broke, I choked back a sob. “If you want to carry on alone.”
“I can’t carry on alone… I need him.”
Kate’s voice was quiet, she was staring at her hands, her breath catching.
“So we fight for him.”
21
Discoveries
“But Dan, she left in a real hurry. It looked like all her possessions were there still, even the lights were on. And that broken bottle, it looked like there was blood and hair on it?”
“Okay, you’re clearly worried about her, do you think she has done something?”
“Oh God, Dan I hadn’t thought of that, you mean, has she killed herself?”
“She might have felt responsible, that and all of the online abuse, it might have pushed the poor girl over the edge. Look, I’ll call the officers working on Adam’s case, give them a heads up and let them see what can be done. I’m sorry babe, you were right to call, this is starting to sound pretty serious.”
* * *
“DCI Jarvis…”
“Hi there, SP Anderson here from the National Organised Crime team.”
“Not the Dan Anderson?”
“Oh, has my reputation gone before me?”
“Slightly, what do I owe the honour of speaking to ‘Gangbuster Dan’?”
“Ahhh… Okay, thank you.”
“No, I mean it… The stuff you are doing is really impressive.”
“It’s all part of the job. But I need to talk about a case you are working on. Now, I have to state I do have some involvement as the accused is my brother-in-law.”
“Ok, you have my interest now, which case and what’s your involvement?”
“Adam Bishop, you have him for the murder of Olivia Wright-Turner…”
“Look Dan you know, if he’s family, I can’t talk with you about the case.”
“No… I appreciate that. And I wouldn’t put you on the spot. However, there is a concern about Hilary Wessington. Could I ask if you could please do a welfare check?”
“Wessington, she was the owner of the yard. Why the concern?”
“His wife visited her; I know. But she wasn’t there. Her groom said she has moved to Germany.”
“And, but the sounds of things you have reason to believe she hasn’t?”
“Have a look at the house, if she has left it was in a massive hurry, she clearly didn’t pack any of her personal items and has even left the lights on.”
“Oh, shit!”
“Yeah… It’s just a heads up as the groom has left now also and I don’t want any nasty surprises for the next owner. If you know what I mean?”
“No, I appreciate it, there have been a load of online threats. I know she called in about a few things, it may have been too much for her.”
“Well, thank you, DCI Jarvis.”
“Kelly.”
“Well, thanks, Kelly. I appreciate it.”
“I’ll get a patrol to have a look around and see if there is anything to see.”
“Great, have a good day.”
* * *
“Come on, let’s have a look around. There are lights on, let’s see if there is anyone home.”
I stepped up to the door and knocked, the sound echoed through the building. There was no response. I turned to my partner.
“All quiet. Why don’t you radio through and tell them there is nobody home, see what they want us to do?”
Kathy took her radio. “Yankee Oscar two three two to control, receiving.”
“Receiving two three two, go ahead.”
“We’re at the Wessington house to complete a welfare check, there’s no response can you please advise?”
“Advise you may enter the premises if you feel there may be a risk to life.”
“Received and understood. Okay, Sue. Looks like we had better have a quick look inside, just to make sure.”
“Well, the lights are on and there’s nobody home which is exactly what we were told would be the case. Let’s open up and see.”
We walked round to the back of the building, the backdoor was pretty flimsy, and I was able to force it open with minimal effort or damage. The house was silent, with lights on in the kitchen, hall and front room as well as upstairs.
“Hello? It’s the police. Anyone home?”
We looked through the rooms, I started downstairs while Kath looked at the upstairs rooms. I was in the office at the back of the house when she stepped into the room.
“Nothing upstairs Sue.”
“Look at this?”
We both knelt on the floor beside the overturned office
