Of course, there was the only other alternative, she hadn’t been able to cope. Someday she would be found, either when there was a drought and her decayed bones appeared at the low watermark in the reservoir or hanging from a tree.
23
Moving Pictures
“Well… I don’t know what you expected?” Crap! I regretted my words as soon as they left my mouth, I was being tactless. I opened my mouth to speak again, but Kate cut me off.
“No Amanda… Shit… You’re right. I was hoping there would have been something which we had all missed. I was being stupid.”
Kate looked crestfallen. We had been sitting for hours going through the CCTV images, the progression from the mundane, yet happy. Adam and Sally joshing as they gathered tools to muck out, the hours of riding in the arena. And then the attack. Olivia had beaten her horse, it was terrible to watch, there was part of both of us who felt proud when Adam had ridden up and struck her. If it had ended there the story could have been so different. Even if he had got in trouble for what he had done it would have been somewhat justified. Standing up for an innocent animal, anyone could understand. However, as the images rolled on, the activity on the yard ceasing and the darkness falling. There were the two sets of images, Olivia crossing the yard, holding something in her hand and, a minute or so later Adam stepping from the tool shed, a pitchfork in his hand. I clicked on the stop button.
“I’m so sorry…”
Kate shook her head, tears dripping down her cheeks.
“Come on, it’s time for bed.”
* * *
I flicked through the images on my phone. There he was mucking out, there riding Bob. Only one or two of the pictures had him facing the camera, mostly I had taken them silently, without his knowledge. Clicking away, there he was bending down to pick out hooves, oh God, that taut butt, he had looked so good in those tight breeches, it was a shame he wouldn’t be wearing them again. Never mind, I had a good collection of illicit photos to enjoy, at least until I could find something or someone else to provide my eye candy.
* * *
“Morning Kate, have a seat. Look, I’ve been here a couple of weeks, but I don’t know what else I can do here. I mean I’m really glad to support you but…”
“But there isn’t an end to this, is there?”
“Kate, it’s not that…”
“No, Amanda. Thank you. I appreciate you’ve been here supporting me. But, you’re right, I am going to need to do this alone sooner or later. God knows when his trial will be and then… Well, let’s cross that bridge when we get there.”
“Look, I can come up at the weekends.”
“No. You have your own life, and that wonderful Dan, he’ll be missing you. Thank you.” She took my hand. “You’ve been amazing, but I have the girls to help me around the yard and well…”
“Look, if anything changes or you need me, I’ll be straight up here.”
I stood up and we hugged. Despite everything, I felt as if I was giving up, but there was nothing else I could do here now, except for losing my job. As tolerant as Wiltshire Police had been, I couldn’t take an unlimited leave of absence.
I stayed with Kate for the morning before reluctantly walking back to my car. She waved as I drove away feeling like a coward.
* * *
Although I had a clear journey, it seemed to take forever to get back to Wiltshire, however, once I saw the rolling Downs, I was pleased to finally be home. Turning onto the driveway I saw Annie sweeping the yard. She waved and approached the car as I pulled up.
“Hello, stranger! How are things with Kate?”
“Oh, she’s been better. Kate’s suffering. She’s clutching at straws, but it doesn’t look good.”
“Oh, I know, it’s been in all the papers. It seems horrid. Could he have?”
She left the sentence hanging; however, I knew what she wanted to say. It was what everyone seemed to be thinking, even I was unsure of my brother. Could he have killed that girl in cold blood, I would like to think he couldn’t, but the more I saw the more I despaired. And, even if he hadn’t killed her, it seemed that there was no way to disprove it to the police.
“Look, Annie, he’s, my brother. I want to believe he couldn’t have been capable of that…”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to just come out and say that…” She was blushing deeply.
“Annie, I’m not even sure myself. How has Dan been?”
I knew Dan had been swamped with work, he couldn’t talk about it over the phone but there was something big going down and I could tell from his voice that he was under a lot of pressure, I was looking forward to being back there for him.
“He’s okay, he was lonely.”
“Thanks, Annie. Look, have you some time? I could do with some fresh air, maybe
