Guilty Conscious by Oliver Davies (best ereader for students .txt) 📗

“Stella Helman?”

“Yes. We understand that about a year ago, Edward was involved in some sexual assault allegations.”

Mr Vinson’s face went a bit red, and he shook his head. “Then you’ll also know that he was innocent. That the girl and her sister had spread malicious, hurtful lies about our boy.”

“I know that the case was dropped for lack of sufficient evidence,” I answered calmly. “And that you neglected to bring this to my attention earlier today when I inquired about your son’s trouble with the law or in regard to anyone who would want to hurt him.”

He shifted in his chair, looking uncomfortable. “It was over a year ago,” he said simply. “Why would the girl come back now? Tell me that, Inspector.”

“Stella Helman committed suicide two weeks ago, Mr Vinson. Her sister and father very much might have come back because of that.”

I watched as Mr Vinson blinked, looked over to the window and stared for a moment, mouth open, but no words coming out.

“What would that have to do with Edward?” he asked eventually, in a quiet voice.

“Potentially everything,” I replied. “Were you aware that Edward had some trouble with Stella’s sister, Billie, after the incident?”

“Here and there,” he muttered. “He hadn’t mentioned her for a while now.” He looked over at me suddenly. “You think she did this? Why the devil are you here, man? Go and arrest her!”

“What am I arresting her for, Mr Vinson?” I countered. “If she was really a danger to your son, why not mention her at the very start? Why not tell me about Stella?”

“Because he didn’t do it,” he spat the words out, hand slamming down on the arm of his chair. “He is a—was a good boy. Polite, charming, good student, good athlete, he’d never do such a thing. He’d never have needed to!”

I raised an eyebrow at that, and Vinson, realising his hiccup, started stammering.

“I’m not here to assess Edward’s guilt, Mr Vinson,” I interrupted him, “but I am trying to understand everything that happened back then, to give me a clearer picture of what’s happening now.”

Mr Vinson breathed deeply. “He was out at a party. The next day, he didn’t come home when he was meant to, his mother was worried sick. But not long after, we got a call from the police station, asking us to come down. The girl,” his face twisted as he spoke, “had reported him.”

“Did you see her there?” I asked. “Her or her sister?”

Mr Vinson shook his head. “Thankfully, can’t say what I would have done if they were there.”

“What about their father?” Another shake of the head. “Do you know if Edward learnt about Stella?” I asked. “About her suicide?”

“If he did, he made no mention of it to us. Every time we saw him, he was in his usual good form. A bit of a pain in my arse, but that’s children for you.”

“So, after the case was dropped, everything went back to normal?”

“Oh yes. He went back to university, carried on as normal. Look.” He leant forward, his face earnest. “I’m not saying that something didn’t happen to that poor girl at that party, but I know it wasn’t my son. There were lots of kids there, lots of drinking, and knowing them, a few drugs. Their students. But Edward wouldn’t have done that. He was sweet to everyone.”

I nodded, my jaw set. “Did he know Billie Helman? From before?”

“I think she was a student in their year,” he replied, scratching his head, “but to be honest, I can’t keep up with all his friends. He’s a popular lad. The only one I’ve ever cared two sticks for was Charlie. And that nice girl he brought to a work-do once.” Freya, I thought. I wondered how Mills was getting on there. What was clear to me was that we needed to talk to Billie now, get her side of things and see just how much she believed Edward was guilty.

“I’ll leave you now, then, Mr Vinson. Thank you for answering my questions,” I said in a tone that didn’t leave him much room to answer. He just nodded, somewhat sheepishly, and stood from his chair, walking me out to the front door.

“I know we should have told you before,” he said before I could walk off down the drive. “But my wife, she hates the mention of it. We put it behind us, you know.”

“I understand,” I replied.

He nodded again, gave me a grim smile and shut the door. I walked down to the car, my hands in my pockets.

They believed Edward was innocent, but belief wasn’t truth, however strong it may be. I pulled the keys and my phone out, sliding into the car. My phone was dead, officially, which was annoying, and if Sharp found out, it would be my neck in it.

I decided to head back to the station, knowing that Mills would simply go back there and that I’d pick up some lunch as well, my stomach clawing at my sides. I was surprised Mr Vinson hadn’t heard it, to be honest.

I drove away from the house, relieved to have gotten that over with, and gladly made my way back to the station. I left the car in the car park and walked around the corner to the café, picking up a couple of sandwiches for myself and Mills. Then I walked into the station, nodding to the desk sergeant and jogging up the stairs, settling down in our office, legs on the desk and started eating my sandwich as I waited for Mills. I wasn’t waiting long. He pitched up shortly after and started tucking into his sandwich as I filled him in on my visit to the Vinson’s.

“So, both Edward’s father and Freya made it clear that Edward and Billie knew each other,” Mills said. “And that the events of the party were pretty blurred.”

“Lots of students,” I replied, “drinking, smoking. Easy to get lost, easy to mistake