Sitting in the Corrigans’ living room, Imogen couldn’t help but wonder what kind of things went down in this house. Every surface was spotless, every cushion plumped and placed strategically. She avoided sitting on the sofa, knowing what had just taken place there.
Imogen had seen Angela’s injuries and she wasn’t healed when she left the hospital, so her husband must have seen them, too. Added to that was the fact that she most likely wasn’t wearing make-up under those clothes. There was no getting away from that fact – whether he was involved or not, Reece knew something awful had happened to his wife.
Since Reece Corrigan had left, Angela had got herself a glass and a crystal decanter with some honey brown liquid in it. She poured herself a generous measure.
‘You shouldn’t be here,’ Angela said.
‘Neither should you,’ Imogen said. ‘Why did you leave the hospital?’
‘If you’re here when he gets back then we’ll all be in trouble.’
‘What kind of trouble?’ Adrian said.
‘You don’t want to know,’ Angela responded.
‘We’re police officers,’ Imogen said. ‘He can’t do anything to us.’
Angela scoffed and saluted Imogen with her glass. ‘If you say so.’
‘Were you lying the whole time when you said you didn’t know what happened?’ Imogen said.
‘I don’t remember that night. I did know my name and who I was, though.’
She drank the contents and poured herself another.
‘The bruises you had in hospital don’t just appear, someone did that to you.’
‘I don’t want to talk about it. Please go.’
‘We can help you. There are shelters for women in your situation,’ Adrian said. ‘Why don’t you let us help you?’
‘I doubt there are many women in my situation. You have no idea what he is capable of. He doesn’t care that you’re police. If he wants to hurt you, he will. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll get out while you still can.’
‘Like you said, we’re the police. Getting out while we can isn’t really the way we operate. We can protect you,’ Adrian said.
Imogen could feel how much he wanted to save this woman. It wasn’t about her, though – it was almost a selfishness on his part. If she got hurt again then Adrian would feel bad. Maybe that’s what things like this were always about, maybe that’s what their entire job was – just making sure the police themselves didn’t feel crap.
Angela smiled and took another swig of the liquid in her tumbler.
‘You think that, but you can’t. He always wins. Always.’
‘Can you tell us about Simon Glover?’ Imogen said.
‘Simon?’ She took another swig. Still emotionless, still cold.
‘Were you having an affair with him?’ Imogen said.
‘Kind of, I guess, but it was more of a friendship. I don’t have many friends; I’m not allowed. He was one of Reece’s favourites and so he used to spend a lot of time here. He has a few favourites, for a while, at least. We became friends in secret. It never went any further than that. I wasn’t sleeping with him.’
‘You had feelings for him?’ Adrian said.
‘I think so. I don’t know. I was too scared to have feelings for him.’
‘Did he know that your husband was hurting you?’ Imogen asked.
‘At first, no. Everyone loves Reece. Believe it or not, he can be quite the charmer when he wants to be. Reece’—she spat his name—‘is really good at making people like him, until they see who he really is. Usually, if that happens, if he lets you see who he really is, then you need to be scared.’
‘So, what happened to Simon?’ Adrian said.
‘He was helping me to leave. New name, new passports and tickets to Canada. I thought I was finally going to be free thanks to Simon – and now he’s dead.’
‘Are you saying your husband killed him?’ Adrian said. Imogen shot him a look; he shouldn’t be putting words in her mouth.
‘I’m saying it’s not safe for you here. If he thinks you are trying to help me to leave, then he will stop you. Somehow, he will stop you. I have to be here. I can handle it.’
‘Do you love him?’ Imogen said.
‘It’s complicated.’
‘Why is it complicated?’
‘I guess I’m just fucked up. You shouldn’t waste your time trying to help me. After what happened to Simon, I am not pulling anyone else into this. You both seem like good people. You should leave.’
‘What about Simon? Doesn’t he deserve justice?’ Imogen said.
‘You won’t get any justice here, just more pain,’ she said, swigging the last of her drink.
Imogen watched her face. This coldness wasn’t an act. She wasn’t pretending. She was broken. For someone so young to be so completely resigned to this fate was incomprehensible to Imogen. Angela knew what the man she was living with was capable of, they knew what he was capable of, but they were powerless to stop him without her testimony.
‘Is there anything you can tell us that would help in our investigation into Simon Glover’s death? If you know what happened to him then you need to tell us. We should bring you in for questioning anyway. Just tell us what he did. How did you end up in the river?’ Imogen said.
‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’
‘Are you just going to wait until he succeeds and kills you?’ Adrian said.
‘I can’t have anyone else getting hurt because of me. Now, please leave. I’m tired and he could be back at any moment. I’d like to have a bath and be asleep before he gets home.’
‘You’re not safe here,’ Adrian said.
‘I know my place. As long as I do what I’m told then no one else gets hurt. I can’t have anyone else on my conscience.’
‘Have there been others?’
‘There won’t be from now on.’
‘Did you know Leon Quick?’ Imogen asked.
‘A little. Reece told me he took his own life; I was sorry to hear that. I didn’t know him well, but I know he helped Simon out, got him away from Reece. For a little while, at least. I don’t know why Leon killed himself. I promise.’
‘Do you think the suicide was anything to do with your husband?’ Imogen said.
‘It wouldn’t surprise me, but I honestly don’t know. I didn’t know Leon but to say hello. I know Simon and he were close friends.’
‘Why didn’t you ever call the police?’ Adrian said.
‘I did call the police. Not long ago, actually. They did nothing and so I asked Simon to help me leave and now he’s dead. He got away from all this and now, because of me, he’s gone.’ Angela sighed heavily.
‘You spoke to the police? When?’ Imogen asked.
‘Goodnight, detectives.’ She stood up and walked through to the front door.
Imogen waited for Adrian to go first, but he wasn’t going to let this go. He was projecting a lot of energy. She could feel his agitation as he had asked questions and see it in the way he looked at Angela. She had become a symbol to him for the mother he had neglected to protect when he was a child. A mother he couldn’t have protected even if he wanted to. A child can’t fight off a full-grown man.
One thing Imogen did know was that people in these situations needed to help themselves. Angela needed to make the decision. They couldn’t do it for her. In other cases, if the wife wasn’t on board then she just lied and protected her abuser. They needed to show Angela that they could help.
They stepped out of the house and Angela closed the door.
‘You need to stop taking this so personally, Adrian. Look at you! We are doing everything we can,’ Imogen said quietly as they walked towards the car.
Imogen reached to take Adrian’s hand, but he pulled away and got in the driver’s seat. She climbed in and folded her arms, knowing if she said what she was really thinking it would only make things worse. She knew he felt responsible for this woman. As though it was somehow his fault. That by getting away from his situation at home he was somehow just as culpable as his father was, as Reece Corrigan was. Adrian was pulling away from Imogen and she didn’t know how to stop it.