A Body in the Village Hall by Dee MacDonald (non fiction books to read TXT) 📕

outside my house. He said he hadn’t been able to cope with losing Lucy and then me being put in the loony bin. You know I was sectioned at Bodmin, don’t you?’

‘Yes,’ Kate said, ‘but you must have been so stricken with grief that you didn’t know what you were doing.’

‘Oh, I knew what I was doing all right. I nearly killed Billy with a bread knife. What is it with knives in this place?’ Maureen seemed bemused for a moment. ‘And so they put me away.’

‘And Billy took off,’ Kate prompted.

‘Yeah, Billy took off. Can’t blame him, I suppose. He went up to London, you know.’

Kate nodded and drank her tea.

‘Then,’ Maureen continued, ‘he gets this woman pregnant. Just like that!’ The needles continued clicking furiously. ‘Did you know that it took me five years to get pregnant after Billy and I were married? Five bloody years! And this woman gets pregnant first time! Where’s the justice in that?’

Kate shook her head in commiseration. ‘There’s no justice in the world, Maureen.’

‘And then,’ Maureen said, ‘she has a little girl and she wants Billy to move in with her. So the silly bugger does just that, not bothering to tell her that he’s married.’ She looked at Kate with tears in her eyes. ‘He has a little girl. Another little girl.’

‘Oh, Maureen, I’m sorry. That must be awful for you. Cruel.’

‘He told me everything. Said he was sorry and that he’d come back to put things right. That’s what he said. Begged forgiveness. Because he got a letter from Kevin Barry too, you know, saying that it had been Fenella driving and not him.’

‘How did Kevin know where Billy was?’ Kate asked.

‘He didn’t. He sent it to his girlfriend, Jess Davey, and asked her to take it to Billy’s mother to forward on. She still lives up in Higher Tee, you know. She’s not a bad old bird, tried to help me back then but I didn’t want her anywhere near. Anyway, she sent the letter on to Billy in London. Billy stayed with her a couple of nights after I sent him away, but they got on each other’s nerves. They’ve always been rowing, never really got on.’

‘So, if Billy knew it was Fenella who was driving, why would he have killed Kevin too?’

‘He said he waited until Kevin Barry got out of jail because he wanted to knock seven bells out of him, that’s what he said.’

‘Even though Kevin wasn’t driving?’

‘He felt the same way I did. It was one of them – him covering up for her, her covering up for him – who knows?’

‘So he came back to kill them both?’

‘That’s what he told the police,’ Maureen said drily.

‘But you don’t think he did, even though he’s admitted it to the police?’

‘He said he wanted to prove how sorry he was about everything. I got a feeling he confessed so they wouldn’t keep harassing me.’

‘Oh my God!’ Kate didn’t know what to think. If he’d actually admitted it, then surely…? ‘I can’t believe this. He’ll get life, won’t he?’

Maureen shrugged. There was silence for a few minutes apart from Maureen’s knitting needles clicking away. It seemed to keep her calm and Kate thought it might provide some sort of comfort, like worry beads.

‘Imagine him having another little girl,’ Maureen said eventually. ‘I wonder if she looks like him? Lucy looked like him, you know. Do you think she might look like Lucy?’

‘Don’t torture yourself thinking about it,’ Kate said.

‘It’s not the little girl’s fault.’ Maureen laid down her knitting. ‘More tea?’

‘No thanks.’

Maureen resumed knitting. ‘Her name is Jasmine. The little girl.’

‘That’s a pretty name.’ Kate could sense that Maureen had an understandable fascination with Billy’s new family, at least for the little daughter. She’d hardly mentioned the woman at all.

‘I expect they’ll put Billy in Dartmoor,’ Maureen said matter-of-factly. ‘That’s where Kevin Barry was. I hope so because it’s closer. I could get someone to drive me there, couldn’t I?’

‘Yes, if you wanted to see him,’ Kate said.

‘Well, of course I’d want to if he was taking the blame.’

‘But you definitely don’t think he did it?’ Kate persisted. ‘Because if he didn’t, then there’s at least one killer who’s getting away with it, and who could strike again. You must tell the police about your doubts.’

Maureen stared at her for a moment, pursed her lips and said nothing.

‘Is there anything I can do to help?’ Kate asked after a short silence.

‘Like what?’

‘I don’t know. Anything. You can call me anytime. Best to ring me on my mobile though. Have you still got my card?’

Maureen nodded.

Kate stood up. ‘OK, I’ll leave you in peace then, but don’t forget I’m here if you need me.’

Maureen laid down her knitting again and accompanied Kate to the door. ‘I suppose you mean well,’ she said with the ghost of a smile as she ushered Kate out.

Kate stood outside for a few minutes listening to the key being turned in the lock and the chain being rattled into place.

Fifteen

When Kate arrived home Angie was standing in the hallway clutching the saucepan.

‘So, you’re back then.’

‘Yes, I’m back.’

‘And how’s the murderess?’

‘She’s not a murderess,’ Kate replied emphatically.

‘I don’t know why you make such a fuss about that woman,’ Angie said. ‘You’ve only seen her a couple of times so how you can be so sure she’s innocent?’

‘I just have a feeling about Maureen,’ Kate replied. ‘She’s found out what that so-called husband of hers has been up to in his absence.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes, apparently he’s been living with some woman in London somewhere, and they have a daughter. Can you believe it?’

‘Of course I believe it. What did you expect him to do, live in a monastery?’

‘Anyway, he’s confessed to the murders and been arrested, so obviously it isn’t Maureen.’

‘Maybe she’s just let him take the rap to punish him,’ said Angie.

Kate sighed. ‘You’re so bloody insensitive at times!’ she snapped. She had no intention of telling Angie about her conversation with Maureen.

‘I’m not