The Silent Suspect by Nell Pattison (if you give a mouse a cookie read aloud .TXT) 📗

‘What if there’s someone who knows something, but they haven’t told anyone about it?’

Sasha paused before she replied. What do you mean? Do you know something, Mariusz?

He shook his head violently. ‘No, I told you, I don’t know anything. But what if someone did?’

Well, they should tell the police, Sasha replied, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. It was clear she didn’t believe him.

‘But, what if they don’t want to tell the police? What if they’re worried they’ll get in trouble too, and Dad’ll still be locked up?’ His eyes were wide as he asked these questions, and I could see how scared he was. But was he scared of Lukas being charged with murder, or was there something else?

‘Mariusz, if you know something that could help your dad, you should tell us,’ I told him, signing at the same time for Sasha’s benefit. ‘We can help you, if you do.’

He shook his head vehemently. ‘No, I don’t know anything. Why would I know anything? I was at home with Mum that night.’ But his eyes were still shifting all over, and I instinctively knew he was lying. Sasha and I shared a look, but I couldn’t tell if she was thinking the same thing as me.

Do you know anyone who might have hurt Nadia? Sasha asked, trying a different angle. At the mention of her name, Mariusz shook his head again.

‘I told you, I don’t know anything. I just want to be able to help my dad, and I thought you could help me.’

I could tell Sasha felt as exasperated as me by this conversation; there was obviously something the boy wanted to tell us, but he was scared to say it, and we were just going round in circles. If he was this afraid, though, it must be worth hearing, so we had to persevere.

‘How do you want to help him?’ I asked, but he looked at me blankly. ‘You say you don’t know what happened the night Nadia died, so you don’t have any useful information for the police. So, in what way do you think you can help your dad?’ I gave him an encouraging smile and touched him gently on the arm, in the hope he’d open up to us.

‘I don’t know, I thought you could tell me that,’ he said. ‘Maybe, I could give the police some information about a different crime, to show my family’s honest, and then they’d let Dad go.’ His eyes widened as he spoke and his hands were clenched so tightly they trembled.

I didn’t know if this was naivety or just a poorly thought-up story, but I shook my head. What other crime, though? Was that something he’d thought up on the spot, or was there something else going on?

‘It doesn’t work like that, Mariusz, I’m sorry. But if you know something about a different crime, you should still tell the police.’

He hung his head and his shoulders drooped, and he stayed in this position for a moment or two, before standing up.

‘I need to get back to school.’

It was like a mask had dropped over his face. The fear and anxiety we’d seen a moment ago had gone, hidden behind a toughened exterior. He went towards the door and I stood up to open it for him. As he left, he glanced at me and I caught a flash of anguish in his eyes again. He muttered something I didn’t quite catch, then bolted for the door.

After he’d gone, Sasha looked at me.

What was all that about?

I have no idea. I think he knows something, but I don’t know what.

Do you think he might have been there that night, and he’s lying about being at Caroline’s? Sasha asked with a frown.

I shrugged. Maybe. But if he had any evidence that someone else had killed Nadia, why wouldn’t he tell us? He’s hardly going to get in trouble with the police for being out when his mum thought he was at home.

Sasha nodded, deep in thought. He knows something, though.

Maybe he saw something else, I suggested. Something that he thinks might be connected, but not Nadia’s murder?

Sasha shook her head and gave me a tight smile.

Whatever it is, he’s clearly not ready to talk about it. Chances are that it’s not relevant, and he’s just a scared kid wanting to do something to help his dad.

I nodded, but I didn’t entirely agree. Something had made Mariusz come all the way here and wait to speak to us, and I didn’t think he’d do that unless it was important. Before I could put this point forward, though, Sasha had left the room and was heading to her desk.

We spent the next forty-five minutes discussing what we had achieved so far, which seemed to be very little. I tried to bring up the subject of what Mariusz might know, but Sasha brushed it off again, so I left it.

Roy Chapman seems to be our most obvious suspect, she insisted. He has a bad reputation for getting his own way using violent means, and it’s almost certain that his businesses aren’t a hundred per cent legitimate.

But what would he get out of killing Nadia? I asked, still stuck on this aspect. I can’t see that Lukas owing him money is enough of a motive. It means he’s less likely to get his money back.

Sasha frowned at me. If Lukas didn’t respond to his threats, it’s only natural that he’d escalate them.

Threats, yes, but stretching as far as murder? I don’t know about that one. I don’t know how much Lukas owes him, but surely it can’t be enough to warrant murdering someone.

She sat back in her chair and folded her arms, looking down at her desk. I could tell she wanted to disagree with me, but I was prepared to keep pressing her on this matter. If she was so convinced that Lukas was innocent, she’d have to come up with something more solid than Roy’s reputation.

What