Nine Lives by Anita Waller (best english books to read .txt) 📗

so probably the optimum time to interview him was around one. He would still be feeling the effects of the alcohol, but sober enough to answer questions.

Evan Yeardley looked up from his thumb-twiddling hands as the interview room door was pushed open. Erica and Flick walked in, and took the two seats opposite him. They started the recording and introduced the three of them plus the duty solicitor, Jeffrey Galloway, who looked with some disgust towards his client. He was obviously getting the bulk of the waves of alcohol that were emanating from Yeardley’s body.

Flick opened the proceedings. ‘You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned, something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence, Mr Yeardley. Do you understand the caution?’

He looked down to his hands and mumbled.

‘For the recorder, please, sir.’

‘Yes. Fucking yes.’

Erica slammed her papers down on the table, and he jumped.

‘Okay, Evan, let’s begin with what’s going to happen at the end of the interview, shall we?’

His solicitor looked across at her with a degree of surprise.

‘At the end you will be charged, probably with an initial one of attempted murder, but that of course may change.’

Yeardley tried to lever himself upright, but the officer standing quietly in the corner moved across the room towards him, and he sat down.

‘What’s that silly cow said?’ Evan demanded.

‘That silly cow can’t say anything following emergency surgery through the night, and little hope of a recovery.’

There was a brief moment of silence, then he looked wildly around. ‘But I didn’t…’

‘Unfortunately, you did. I hope you think that a few CDs and DVDs were worth the sentence you’re going to get. Time to start limiting your alcohol intake, I think, Evan. It’s going to be a long time before you get another drop.’

He turned to his solicitor, who merely pointed forward and said, ‘Answer the questions, Evan, answer the questions.’

Yeardley slumped in his chair, then ran his hand through his hair. ‘I’ve got a fucking headache. I can’t deal with this.’

‘Medication will be provided after the interview if it is still required. We don’t treat headaches. Now, Evan, tell me what happened last night from… oh, let’s say five o’clock, shall we? I want to know everywhere you went, everything you did, and eventually we’ll end up in the charge office – but that’s some time away yet.’

19

With a confession to what had happened, or the tiny amount Evan Yeardley could remember after a night of beer, vodka, and wine, he was formally charged with attempted murder and placed in custody, prior to a magistrates hearing scheduled for the following day.

Erica rang her driver and he appeared immediately, as if waiting outside her office door.

‘Ma’am?’

‘Can you take me to the hospital, please? Then you can stand down, I don’t know how long I’ll be so–’

‘I’ll wait,’ he interrupted. ‘I can park anywhere and sit and read until you ring me. Sorry, DI Cheetham, I have my instructions, as you know.’

Erica stifled a laugh. He was so formal. And clearly enjoying his day in the limelight with the serious crimes squad.

‘Okay, thanks. What’s your name?’

‘PC Lee Jesmond, ma’am.’

‘Okay, Lee. Let’s go. And try not to get a parking ticket.’

Beth’s head was swathed in bandages, and apart from the gentle rise and fall caused by her assisted breathing, she looked… dead. The nurse explained Beth’s parents had gone to find a hotel for a few days, but she had her instructions to ring them immediately should there be any change.

‘The young man who was on guard duty outside the door has also gone,’ she said.

Erica pulled the blue plastic chair a little closer to the bed and sat. ‘Yes, we’ve been able to call him off. We’ve arrested someone, and he’s been charged. I don’t believe there’s any danger now, Beth simply needs to get better.’

The nurse looked at her for a few seconds. ‘It’s a very serious head injury, you know. They’re monitoring her closely, and there’s every chance they may need to operate again. You may not get back the Beth you once knew, although I haven’t said any of this to her parents.’

Erica gave a brief nod. ‘I understand. And you’re going to tell me this is one of those cases where there’s no time limit. She’ll come round when she comes round.’

‘That’s true, although we will lessen the sedation if she begins to show any signs of emerging. That’s not going to happen yet, though, she needs rest to recover from the attack and from the surgery.’

Erica took hold of Beth’s hand, and stroked her fingers. She felt helpless. ‘Hi, Beth, it’s me. I don’t know whether you can hear or not, but I’m going to talk anyway. It seems it did rain every evening in the twenty-fourteen lot, so this bugger is simply carrying on. We need to find a psychopath who loves the rain.’

The nurse turned slowly. ‘You two are working on the three young girls who’ve been killed?’

‘We are, or at least I am, now.’

‘The last one, Imogen Newland, I knew her. She goes to my gym. I wasn’t there on the night she was taken, I was on duty here, but we’d chatted a few times. Lovely girl, and incredibly happy.’

Erica’s phone vibrated, and she pulled it out. It was a text telling her there had been a positive ID on the girl from the morning. She stood. ‘I have to go but I’ll try to get back later. This isn’t public knowledge yet, but will be by tomorrow. We had another body this morning, and she’s now been identified. If you’re on next time I come, I’ll maybe have a couple of questions for you, although I do realise you weren’t there that night. But you did know Imogen, so keep thinking. Anything could lead us to this killer.’

Erica sent a swift text to Lee, placed a gentle kiss on the back