Aftermath

“And if I turn up nothing?”

“Then we go nowhere. But we’re already nowhere.”

Je

She topped up their wineglasses. “What if I agree?” she asked. “Where do I start?”

“Right here,” said Banks, digging out his notebook. “There’s a friend from the NatWest branch where Lucy Payne worked. One of our teams went and talked to the employees, and there’s only one of them who knows her well. Name’s Pat Mitchell. Then there’s Clive and Hilary Liversedge. Lucy’s parents. They live out Hull way.”

“Do they know?”

“Of course they know. What do you think we are?”

Je

“They know.”

“How did they react?”

“Upset, of course. Stu

“Have they been to see her in hospital?”

“No. Seems the mother’s too ill to travel and the father’s a reluctant caregiver.”

“What about his parents? Terry’s.”

“As far as we’ve been able to work out,” Banks said, “his mother’s in a mental asylum – has been for fifteen years or so.”

“What’s wrong with her?”

“Schizophrenia.”

“And the father?”

“Died two years ago.”

“What of?”

“Massive stroke. He was a butcher in Halifax, had a record for minor sex offenses – exposing himself, peeping, that sort of thing. Sounds a pretty classic background for someone like Terry Payne, wouldn’t you say?”

“If there is such a thing.”

“The miracle is that Terry managed to become a teacher.”

Je

“What is?”

“That he managed to hold on to the job for so long. And that he was married. Usually serial sex offenders such as Terence Payne find it hard to hold down a job and maintain a relationship. Our man did both.”

“Is that significant?”

“It’s intriguing. If I’d been pushed for a profile a month or so ago I’d have said you were looking for a man between twenty and thirty, most likely living alone and working at some sort of menial job, or a succession of such jobs. Just shows how wrong one can be, doesn’t it?”

“Will you do it?”

Je

“That can be arranged. You are our official consultant psychologist, after all.”

“Easy for you to say that now you need me.”

“I’ve known it all along. Don’t let a few narrow-minded-”

“All right,” said Je

“Best do it as soon as possible, while she’s still only a witness. Believe it or not, but defense lawyers have been known to claim that psychologists have tricked suspects into incriminating themselves. How about tomorrow morning? I’ve got to be down at the hospital for the next postmortem at eleven, anyway.”

“Lucky you. Okay.”

“I’ll give you a lift if you like.”

“No. I’ll go straight over to talk to the parents after I’ve talked to Lucy and her friend. I’ll need my car. Meet you there?”

“Ten o’clock, then?”

“Fine.”

Banks told her how to find Lucy’s room. “And I’ll let the parents know you’re coming.” Banks gave her the details. “You’ll do it, then? What I’m asking?”

“Doesn’t look as if I have much choice, does it?”

Banks stood up, leaned forward and kissed her swiftly on the cheek. Even though she could smell the wine and smoke on his breath, her heart jumped and she wished his lips had lingered a little longer, moved a little closer to her own. “Hey! Any more of that,” she said, “and I’ll have you up on sexual harassment charges.”

8

Banks and Je

Lucy looked up and gave them a fleeting wisp of a smile. “Is there any news?” she asked.

“No,” said Banks.

“He’s going to die, isn’t he?”

“What makes you think that?”

“I just have this feeling he’s going to die, that’s all.”

“Would that make a difference, Lucy?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. If Terry died, would it make a difference to what you might care to tell us?”

“How could it?”

“You tell me.”

Lucy paused. Banks could see her frown as she thought about what to say next. “If I were to tell you, you know, what went on. I mean, if I knew… you know… about Terry and those girls and all… what would happen to me?”

“You’ll have to be a bit clearer than that, I’m afraid, Lucy.”

She licked her lips. “I can’t really be any clearer. Not at this point. I have to think of myself. I mean, if I remembered something that didn’t show me in a good light, what would you do?”

“Depends what it is, Lucy.”

Lucy retreated into silence.

Je

“Are you a psychiatrist?”

“I’m a psychologist.”

Lucy looked at Banks. “They can’t make me have tests, can they?”

“No,” said Banks. “Nobody can force you to undergo testing. That’s not why Dr. Fuller’s here. She just wants to talk to you. She’s here to help.” And the check’s in the post, Banks added silently.

Lucy glanced at Je

“You’ve got nothing to hide, have you, Lucy?” Je

“No. I’m just worried that they’ll make things up about me.”

“Who’ll make things up?”

“Doctors. The police.”

“Why would they want to do that?”

“I don’t know. Because they think I’m evil.”

“Nobody thinks you’re evil, Lucy.”

“You wonder how I could have lived with him, a man who did what Terry did, don’t you?”

“How could you live with him?” Je

“I was frightened of him. He said he’d kill me if I left him.”