‘Maybe she assisted him more ably than you think, Sam. I believe it was Kate who trashed the garden.’
The doctor’s mouth fell open. ‘What?’
‘I’m sorry I didn’t mention this to you before, but you remember seeing me pack that evil doll in her case?’
He frowned. ‘Yes. You had just torn the dress.’
‘Wrong. I found that piece of linen in Emilia’s garden, just after it had been destroyed.’
Sam was silent for a while. ‘You mean you think she actually did it to help Grove? But that’s preposterous!’
‘I don’t know what I think, Sam. I’m just telling you what I found.’
Sam rubbed his eyes. ‘We certainly have plenty of questions for Kate, don’t we, when she is well enough to answer them.’
‘Too many. I hope Swifty brings us up to date on what’s happening with Grove. I won’t sleep until I know that the evil pervert is under lock and key.’
‘They’ll get him, Will. He must have been pretty damned confident that even if the mill was searched, they would miss that upper room. The place is so dangerous, and the way that door is set in the wall is perfect. It would have taken a real local to know about that. He was even confident enough to return tonight.’
‘You’d think he would have stayed away a bit longer, at least until the furore had died down,’ Will said.
‘I suppose he couldn’t risk it. I’m willing to bet that he knew about the abnormally high tide and, Sophie apart, he had thousands of pounds worth of pornography stashed away in that mill.’
‘How could he have got away with that? The marsh is heaving with police!’
‘It is now, but that area had already been searched. And Grove would have gone out after dark. He knows Whisper Fen like the back of his hand. I suspect he would have loaded up that old estate car of his and moved the stuff out under cover of night — or sent his helper, the guy who hit Matt. He also knows the fen.’ He turned to Matt. ‘You said he took off into the marshes like a jackrabbit after he hit you. And he knew the searchers would be called in at dusk . . .’
‘What a risk though! The police would be watching him like a hawk,’ breathed Sam.
‘Probably, but with some outside help and his knowledge of Whisper Fen, ten to one he could have given them the slip,’ said Matt.
‘And Sophie?’ Will asked.
‘Let’s not dwell on that, my boy. Right now, she is most likely curled up in bed with a hot-water bottle.’
‘I hope.’
‘As soon as the medical is over and samples have been taken, they will cosset that little girl like a princess. I know that for a fact.’
‘And interrogate her and make her play silly games.’
‘She’s not in Colditz, William. Certainly, they will question her, they have to, but very, very gently. Okay?’
‘Sorry. I’m sure you’re right. I never had much to do with child protection or domestic violence in my day.’
‘Mmm, nowadays they are usually dealt with by specially trained teams,’ Sam said. ‘But rest assured, she will get all the care she needs.
‘Anyone want another brandy?’ asked Will.
‘I never finished the last one,’ said Matt.
‘Come on, let’s see if the fire is still alight. There is nothing more we can do now until the dreaded Inspector Fenner’s visit, or, please God, that of Swifty Fleet.’
Will threw more logs on the fire and tried, unsuccessfully, to rid his mind of worry about his wife and his niece. They were both hospitalised, both afflicted, one with troubles of her own making and the other a sad victim of man’s twisted wickedness.
It was after ten when the bell finally rang.
Swifty almost fell in through the door. ‘Sorry I’m so late. Bloody road is flooded on the outskirts of town, and still some flamin’ idiots think it’s cool to drive right through it, then they wonder why they break down!’
Swifty took off his cap. ‘How are you doing? Worried sick, I’ll bet.’
Will ushered him through to the lounge. ‘You can say that again. Any news about Sophie?’
‘Not yet. Inspector Fenner may have heard something, but it’s not filtered down through the ranks yet. I came to tell you that we’ve got Grove.’
‘Great! We’ll all breathe a little easier now. Did the mill actually flood? And did you manage to get all the evidence you needed?’
‘The mill was still standing when we got out, but the water was flowing in fast. By the time we drove away, the whole structure looked ready to cave in. But, yes, we got plenty, thanks. You should have seen it, Will. We unearthed cases full of CDs. Some were X-rated, hardcore movies, but there were others too — kiddie porn, all marked with just names — you know, Vicky, Daniel, Millie, Jessie. Turned my stomach to think of the poor little sods. Good thing it wasn’t me that went out to apprehend Grove. I don’t think I could have kept my hands off ’im.’
‘You and me both, Swifty. Any chance he will crawl out of this, like he did before?’
‘No way. Well, certainly not the distributing indecent images, or the obscene publications charges. He had dumped a load of stuff from his computer, but the IT lads resurrected most of it from the hard drive. There’s enough there to send him down for a good long stretch, and that’s apart from the fact that his sidekick, Hemmings, is singing like the dawn chorus.’
‘And he’s actually coughed to putting the frighteners on old Mrs Swain?’
‘And to belting Matt. He’s not daft, Will. He knows there are some pretty heavy charges being dished out, and he’s giving us Grove, lock stock and barrel. He’s admitting to the small stuff and throwing his boss to the wolves.’
‘I do admire loyalty in a man, don’t you?’ Will said dryly.
‘Well, DCI Anders sweetly explained what desperately deep shite he was in before she asked him nicely to cooperate, and suddenly he was delighted to help us with our enquiries. He was still squealing when I left.’ He gave a short laugh. ‘My mate said Anders scared the shit out of him. She’s certainly got a way with words.’
‘And Grove?’
‘Threw up his hands to importing and distributing obscene publications and indecent images, but emphatically denied knowing anything about Sophie’s abduction.’
‘I suppose it’s what you would expect,’ Sam added. ‘He would hardly admit to that — he’d want you chaps to try to prove it.’
Swifty looked fierce. ‘And as soon as all the tests come back, I hope we’ll have enough of a case to send him away for a very long time indeed.’
‘Surely there is no doubt about that, is there?’ Will asked.
Swifty shrugged. ‘You know the justice system, better than most. If he gets a smart brief, it could be in the lap of the gods, and the crime scene may well be halfway across the North Sea by morning. That’s a great help to the prosecution.’
Will began to feel uneasy. ‘But Sophie will identify him.’
‘The last child didn’t, did he? That boy down in the West Country never admitted it was Grove took him. They’re trying to trace him, by the way. If our man is convicted of Sophie’s kidnapping, then he might just feel safe enough to tell us what really happened to him all those years ago.’ Swifty was pacing the room, his hands buried deep in his trouser pockets. ‘Or he may have chosen to forget the horrors of the past. Bad memories can get buried pretty deep, you know.’