‘Who’s this “A” Kelsey keeps referring to?’ Riddick pointed at the letter and flipped the diary around so Hannah could see it.
Hannah looked. ‘To be honest, I really don’t know. I remember reading it at the time and having the same reaction as you.’
Riddick shook his head – something didn’t add up. ‘Kelsey spent time with someone she only called A – you didn’t think that was secretive and strange? Why didn’t you flag it up with us?’
She glared at him. ‘I told you before. Your investigation was long dead. And if you remember, we never thought it needed looking into – that was all down to you.’
Riddick flinched. Good point. However, looking at this, maybe I was right, after all, and I was just looking in the wrong place. Maybe I should have kept bloody going and saved three lives. He continued to read through the diary.
There were many references to “A”:
Only A seems to understand me…
The concentration on A’s face as he listens to me. Well, it’s nice. More than nice actually…
After Richard’s text, I didn’t even expect to get out of bed today. But, well, A happened. He just has a way about him. I love being with him…
Obviously nothing can ever happen with A, it wouldn’t be right, but he just makes me feel warmer, better somehow…
Riddick looked up at Hannah. ‘I suspect Kelsey wanted to keep this person’s identity secret from anyone who sneaked a look at her diary – you, or Tom, perhaps? Can you think of anyone that might be connected to you or Tom – someone called A?’
Hannah thought for a moment, but then shook her head. ‘Sorry.’
Riddick continued reading.
It’s a place we can spend time together, a place where we can relax from all the bastards around us…
Hold on, Riddick thought. A place? Up to now, he’d been skim reading at lightning speed… He re-read.
Ripley… an old hut…
‘Did she ever mention visiting Ripley?’ Riddick asked.
‘No.’
He looked at her. ‘So, you had no idea she was visiting Ripley and some kind of old hut with someone called A?’
Hannah raised an eyebrow. ‘Are you judging me again, Paul?’
‘No… not at all. I just want to clarify it. I’m trying my best to jog your memory.’
Riddick turned the page and saw a printout from a map. Bingo. It zoomed into the area surrounding Ripley and its castle. A cross had been drawn onto the map – deep in the woodland, close to a farmland on an old mill he recognised.
He turned and showed her the map. ‘You must have seen this?’
‘She always liked Ripley… or maybe it was the ice cream she liked. We used to take her often when she was younger.’
Riddick stood. ‘Can I borrow this, Hannah? I’ll return it.’
She looked hesitant, but then cast another look in the direction of her daughter’s photograph on the fireplace, and nodded. ‘Okay… Can I ask why?’
‘Well, because X marks the spot?’
‘But what spot?’
‘At this point, Hannah, your guess is as good as mine.’