Feeling good despite less than three hours’ sleep, Ed arrived early Friday morning to give Chief Superintendent Addler a preliminary briefing on the previous night’s rescue of Tyler Hewitt and the arrest of Roger Grieves. The Super remained silent, listening closely to Ed’s account and occasionally making a rapid note with her fat fountain pen. When Ed finished speaking, Addler looked up.
‘I assume Lucy Naylor’s blood-soaked wrapping paper came from a parcel containing a late-termination foetus that Grieves smuggled from the hospital?’
‘That was my thought when I confronted him at the hideout last night.’
‘Why wasn’t the blood identified as foetal? Had forensics done so we wouldn’t have had a potential murder inquiry seeking an unknown woman across the whole of South East England.’
‘I appreciate that, Ma’am, but it wasn’t an option. There’s no reliable test for foetal blood.’
‘Why so?’
‘Identification uses antisera for foetal haemoglobin. There are specificity problems, particularly with old or dried blood stains. The blood on Lucy’s piece of paper was both old and dry.’
‘Quite. We’ll speak again later.’
Summarily dismissed, Ed walked back to her desk thinking that a word of congratulation would have been welcome but she was learning that wasn’t the Addler’s style.
Later that morning, Ed checked Grieves was ready and then rang Addler. ‘We’re about to question Grieves and I wondered if you would like to observe?’
‘It’s imperative I witness the interview. This is a major case. I’ll be available in 40 minutes. Delay things ’til I’m free.’
‘I’m a bit concerned about this one, Ma’am.’
‘If you’d like me to lead the questioning—’
That was the last thing Ed wanted.
‘—just give me the case notes for 15 minutes before we start.’
‘Thank you, Ma’am, that wasn’t my concern. DS Potts and I will be able to handle the questioning.’
‘Then what’s the problem?’
‘Earlier this morning, Grieves was assessed as psychologically vulnerable. This vulnerability, a detachment from reality, is mosaic.’
‘Mosaic?’
‘It applies to one clearly defined aspect of his life, his obsession with fathering children and a belief he’s saving abandoned children by caring for late-aborted foetuses. In all other aspects of his life he functions normally. Discount those two aberrations and you have a model citizen and an excellent teacher. We shouldn’t overlook the fact that, theft of the foetuses aside, his voluntary work at the hospital, like his teaching, was a valuable contribution to society.’
‘I assume the psychiatrist has recommended an appropriate adult be present as well as a solicitor?’
‘Yes, but that’s the problem.’
‘Why so?’
‘Grieves believes he’s completely sane. He’s refused the support of an adult and refused a solicitor. He described it as demeaning, a slur on his intellect.’
‘Has his refusal been properly recorded?’
‘Of course, Ma’am.’
‘Then what’s your problem?’
‘Whatever he believes, he needs support. I’d rather do it by the book.’
‘If he’s been offered support and declined it as you say, and all of this has been officially recorded, then you are doing it by the book. Look at the positives. You won’t have to play footsie with a solicitor and a psychiatrist or forensic medical officer. You’ll be free to really nail the bastard!’
‘As you say, Ma’am.’
‘I’ll let you know when I’m ready for the interview.’
At 10.45, Chief Superintendent Karen Addler called to say she’d be free in five minutes so they should get Grieves up from the cells.
‘The Chief Constable is delighted with this outcome although he was disappointed you didn’t take advantage of a great photo opportunity at the arrest.’ Addler paused, then added, ‘I don’t suppose you could take him back to the scene of the crime and surreptitiously stage a reconstruction for a film crew and photographers?’
Ed remained silent.
‘No … I suppose not … Never mind, I was able to mollify the Chief Constable by explaining there was no chance this one’s pregnant.’
‘As I said last night, Ma’am, the MO can’t be 100 per cent certain.’
‘Professional caution, Ogborne, you’ll get used to it when you’ve been in the Force as long as I have.’
Addler was silent for a moment, then, before Ed could speak, she continued. ‘This has been a welcome case for us.’
Thinking of the distressed victims and their families, Ed wanted to disassociate herself from the idea that this or any other crime was welcome but Addler continued with barely a pause.
‘Fortunately it reached the national press so we should get some valuable coverage. On that note, be sure to tell everybody that any contact from the media, newspapers, radio or television, whatever, should be put straight through to me. I’ll deal with those aspects of the case personally.’
Addler paused again and then, as an apparent afterthought, added, ‘It’s taken longer than I would have liked but you’ve done well. Give my congratulations to the rest of the team.’
‘Thank you, Ma’am, I’ll tell the team personally.’
‘One more thing: the Chief Constable is concerned about the collection of aborted foetuses found at the hideout.’
‘We all are, Ma’am.’
‘Precisely, it’s a sensitive issue but not directly related to the abductions. We think it should be handled separately from those charges.’
‘Are you saying we should treat it as a separate prosecution?’
‘The Chief will be speaking to the CEO of the Hospital Trust later today. It wouldn’t do to detract from the abduction charges against Grieves. On reflection, we think the foetuses should be treated as an internal matter by the hospital authorities. It’s critical that human tissue is disposed of appropriately. Consequently, as soon as SOCO and forensics have finished at the hideout, the foetuses and all the associated materials should be boxed up and deposited here in the evidence store. Keep me informed.’
‘As you say, Ma’am.’ Quickly, before Addler had chance to end their conversation, Ed added, ‘I’ve been wondering if you’ve had any success looking into the whereabouts of the reports concerning the 2002 Mulholland abduction and the 1999 suspension of two teachers linked to TOBs, a group called The Old Boys? Both sets of files are missing from police records.’
‘The files have been returned. There’s nothing relevant to the abductions you don’t already know. Their apparent disappearance was the result of an oversight by an officer who’s long since left the force. The Chief Constable concluded there’s no need for an inquiry and the matter is now closed.’
‘I see.’ Ed paused before adding, ‘Thank you for telling me, Ma’am.’
The line went dead before she’d finishing speaking. Ed was furious and might have said more. The Chief Constable was moving to shield the hospital authorities just as the Mulhollands and members of TOBs had been protected in the past. Ed wasn’t naive, she knew such actions were widespread in society, but she believed the Force was there to preserve order and to expose those who operated beyond the law. There should be no place for an ethos of cronyism which had covered up greater scandals and no doubt would continue to do so.
At 10.50, Grieves was taken to Interview Room 3. The Super observed proceedings from an adjacent room. After identifying those present, Ed looked directly across the table.
‘Roger Grieves, you have been informed of your rights, arrested and formally charged with the abduction of Teresa Mulholland on Friday, 8 March 2002, Kimberley Hibben on Tuesday, 1 January 2008, Lucy Naylor on Friday, 15 June 2012, and Tyler Hewitt on Thursday, 19 July 2012. In addition, you are charged with the sexual violation of Teresa, Kimberley and Lucy by artificial insemination. Do you understand the charges?’
‘Yes.’
For two hours Ed and Mike questioned Grieves about the abductions but, despite varying their approaches, they were unable to obtain more than he’d revealed the previous night at the building in the woods.
‘I have one last question, Roger. How did you come by the building in the woods?’
‘In my free time, Inspector, I enjoy walking off the beaten track. There are many abandoned buildings in the woods around Canterbury. When I conceived my project, I found the most appropriate building and prepared it for my mothers-to-be.’
Ed felt a wave of sickness at the calm, matter-of-fact way Grieves spoke of the horror he’d planned and committed.
‘I’m going to terminate this interview now, Roger. Before I do, have you anything else you’d like to say?’
‘What will happen to my adopted ones?
‘You asked me that last night, Roger. As I said then, they’ll be taken care of.’
‘Thank you, Inspector, thank you for caring.’
‘Interview terminated at 13.07.’
At the end of the afternoon, the team would meet for a celebratory drink. Right now Ed needed a hot shower and a little time getting her head back together. Walking home she could not begin to grasp how a human mind, the greatest wonder of evolution, had come to generate the thoughts and beliefs which filled Roger Grieves’s head. How had that one part of an otherwise good person become so detached from the real world in which he lived? In due course, he would stand trial and be sentenced for his crimes. He would be incarcerated in a secure institution. One day he would die but the passing of his twisted mind would not signal the end of evil in the world. Ed was a realist; the fight against evil would continue.