Authors: Katherine Pathak

Tags: #International Mystery & Crime, #Mystery, #Thriller & Suspense, #Police Procedurals

The Dark Fear (24 page)

‘Why didn’t you call the police, Mr March?’

He shook his head despairingly. ‘Our daughter didn’t want that. You have to understand. It was Claudia’s decision.’

‘But she was only a young girl, fifteen years of age. You could have decided for her.’ Sharon’s voice was insistent.

Adele slowly raised her gaze. ‘Hadn’t the poor mite suffered enough? I told Lynda and Tim they had to go. I didn’t care how they did it, that wasn’t my concern. I wanted them off our land. I never wanted to see their faces again. That crazy boy had defiled my little girl.’

‘So Tim Gascoigne told his bosses he’d been headhunted and they left Oak Lodge for America, leaving practically everything they owned behind, including Lynda’s elderly mother,’ Dani recounted. ‘They were probably terrified their son might be charged. That’s why they went so far away.’

‘If you’re expecting me to feel sorry for them, you’re very much mistaken, DCI Bevan.’ Adele was practically seething.

David added, ‘Claudia dealt with the ordeal extraordinarily well, far better than us. She has a kind, gentle husband and two lovely children. But our daughter doesn’t like to come back here, as you can imagine.’

‘She can hardly set foot in a confined space - that’s the legacy Claudia has to bear. All because of what that monster did to her, shut up in that awful box.’

Sharon leant forward. ‘We are willing to begin the process of extradition for Samuel Gascoigne. If your daughter wants to press charges now, we will prosecute. But you should be aware that Mr March is likely to be penalized for keeping an unlicensed firearm on his property.’

‘We would need to speak with our daughter and consider it. As for the other charges, I never wanted the gun to cause any harm. When the Gascoignes left, Aiden Newton was confused and upset. He’d been good friends with Tim. I had to tell him everything about what happened. It was important to make him understand the circumstances. I trusted Aiden and asked him to be a caretaker of the gun. I believed he appreciated the great responsibility that goes with possessing such a powerful object. I had no idea he would use it to kill a man. That gun has caused nothing but pain and suffering. It’s cursed.’

‘We have it under lock and key now, Mr March. It will do no more harm.’ Sharon stood. ‘We’ll leave you two alone. Please let me know what you decide about the criminal charges.’

DS Moffett left her card on the coffee table. Neither of their hosts made any move to take it.

Chapter 46

J
im Irving helped his son to carry the last of the boxes out to the car. ‘Are you sure this is what you want? You were really keen on this place when you first bought it.’

‘After what went on here, I couldn’t possibly stay.’ James went back into Oak Lodge, had a quick glance round before closing the door firmly.

They swept out of the gate, which swung shut behind them. ‘The removal people are taking the furniture straight into storage,’ he explained.

‘So will you sell, or get in a tenant?’

‘I’m selling up. The agent says I’ve increased the value just with the few jobs I’ve done already. The place simply needed a clean-up.’

‘But nothing can remove the stain of the past, eh?’ Jim turned to his companion, pulling a sombre face.

‘That’s very poetic, Dad.’

‘Seriously though, do you think the March family will pursue the rape charge?’

James shook his head. ‘Dani says that Claudia March doesn’t want to. She’s got no desire to give testimony in court.’

‘Good.’

James shot him a puzzled look.

‘I’m not pleased because the man will get away with it. I’m relieved for the victim. In legal terms, they didn’t stand a hope in hell’s chance of securing a conviction. There’s no physical evidence and each of the witnesses can be dismissed as biased in one way or the other.’

‘To be honest, I’m not really sure that justice would be served by sending Sam Gascoigne to jail. He’s receiving treatment in a psychiatric institution already. The man won’t do anyone else any harm.’

‘Interesting, we seem to be taking the opposite of our usual positions on this. I actually think the guy
should
be tried for the assault. Rape is one of the most serious crimes you can commit in this country, with good reason. That boy terrorised a woman at gun point. He should pay.’

James nodded. ‘I see your point. But it was just so long ago.’ He stared out of the window at the shoreline, partially obscured under a low lying mist. ‘Wait until you and Dani have a daughter of your own. Your view will change then, I promise.’

He smiled. ‘I don’t know about that.’

‘So,’ Jim shuffled up in his seat. ‘What’s the next move – where will you go to after spending the night at our place?’

‘The flat in Edinburgh is sold. I’m going to stay with Dani in Glasgow for a while.’

‘What about your job?’

‘I can commute to Edinburgh, it isn’t far. That’s exactly what I was expecting her to do. Besides, Dani’s DCS has retired through ill-health. It means that a superintendent position will come up at Pitt Street. I know that’s what she really wants. If I truly love Dani, then I need to let her go for it.’

Jim leant across and tapped his son on the knee. ‘That sounds like a very sensible plan. She doesn’t strike me as the type of woman who likes to be pushed into a corner.’

Dani noted that he’d only brought a small number of bags. ‘Is this just a flying visit?’

James pulled her into his arms. ‘No. I’ve left a load of gear at Mum and Dad’s place. I didn’t think you’d want me invading your space with my clutter.’

‘If you’re going to live here with me, you need to have some stuff. I even cleared out half my wardrobe to make way.’

James gave her a kiss. ‘It’s a nice gesture, but I generally travel fairly light.’

‘I’m really sorry about Oak Lodge. I know I had a downer on the place, but it genuinely grew on me. We got quite comfortable there. I was really starting to get into the whole domestic bliss thing.’

‘Until we discovered the house had been the scene of a particularly nasty sexual crime?’

Dani grimaced. ‘Yeah, that did kind of burst our bubble. Did Lynda Gascoigne get her flight home okay?’

‘Yes. She wanted to visit her mother’s grave first. Lynda had never been there before.’

‘It’s very sad, how one boy’s crime can affect so many.’

‘If it hadn’t been for its use in the rape, David March might have handed the Browning in to the police in 1999, when it got dug up again. Then Newton wouldn’t have had an unlicensed weapon to kill Galloway with.’

‘Actually, I don’t think March would have done. I still believe they thought that estate was somehow above the law. Lord and Lady March dealt with things in their own way - like running the Gascoignes out of town.’

‘You make it sound like the wild-west.’

‘That’s not a bad way of describing it.’ Dani suddenly held him close. ‘I was so scared when you’d gone up the tower with Newton. I tried to come after you.’

He smoothed her hair. ‘I know you did. But something good came out of it.’

Dani pulled back. ‘Catching Galloway’s killers you mean?’

‘No. I think I’m actually cured, after all these years. I’ve finally shaken off my fear of heights. Rory Burns worked wonders. He should have set himself up in business.’

Dani rolled her eyes, although she couldn’t help but laugh. ‘That may be so, James. But I suspect he’s simply replaced it with a new phobia, this time of psychopathic killers with exploding vintage guns.’

He nodded solemnly. ‘I suspect you’re right. But at least I come across less of those in my day-to-day life.’

Dani nuzzled his cheek. ‘That’s certainly true.’

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Many thanks,

Katherine.

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Most of all, thanks for reading!

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The Garansay Press

With gratitude to John Martin Robinson’s book, ‘The Country House At War’.

1989, The Bodley Head.

If you enjoyed this book, you would also like ‘The Woman Who Vanished’, the fourth novel in the Imogen and Hugh Croft Mysteries Series.