Imogen and DI Walsh drove mostly in silence. She missed the banter she had with Adrian. Walsh didn’t really speak much when it wasn’t work-related. She didn’t even know if he owned a TV; he was a very strange and secretive man.
The fact that, so far, they had not found a single person who would come forward and speak against Reece Corrigan was exasperating. Nor had they found any incriminating evidence against either him or his company. No one had anything good to say about him, but no one claimed to have anything but rumours or suspicions, either. What hold did he have over those people? How could any one man have so much power? There was only one person left to appeal to: Angela Corrigan. They knew where Reece was and so, with any luck, she would be at home alone. Maybe Imogen could get her to talk.
When they pulled into the driveway of the Corrigan house, the white Lexus was parked outside.
Imogen turned to Walsh. ‘I’d like to speak to her alone, if that’s OK? As a woman, maybe I can appeal to her in the way a man can’t.’
‘You want me to wait in the car?’
‘If you don’t mind.’
‘Would you ask DS Miles to wait in the car, out of interest?’ Walsh asked.
‘This really isn’t personal and it isn’t about you. I think I have a better shot of talking to this woman alone and getting somewhere. That’s all. For what it’s worth, I actually think DS Miles would be asking me to wait in the car. And I would do it, because I trust his judgement as a police officer. I don’t have a problem with you, Matt. I hope I haven’t given you that impression.’
‘OK, DS Grey. I will take your word for it.’
Imogen got out of the car; she couldn’t be bothered to talk it through with Walsh anymore. The fact was, she didn’t think bombarding Angela with questions from all sides would work. If she was honest, she was actually doing this because she thought it was what Adrian might do. Whatever she thought of Angela, she was a victim. It wasn’t as though Imogen didn’t see her that way, but she just couldn’t understand why she would stay with a man who treated her so appallingly.
There again, Imogen also had to admit that you never know how you would react to a situation until you are in it. She couldn’t know for sure she wouldn’t do exactly the same thing. The people they had interviewed about Reece Corrigan were terrified of him. Imogen reminded herself that Angela had tried to get away and almost died because of it. Of course she was too scared to try again.
Imogen knocked on the door.
‘Detective.’
Angela answered the door and looked around the front of the house to check for anyone else. She spotted the car and saw DI Walsh in there. Angela took a step back to allow Imogen to come inside. After closing the door, Angela walked into the dining room and sat at the table, letting out a big sigh.
‘I hope you don’t mind me stopping by,’ Imogen started. ‘We just spoke to your husband at work and so we knew you would be alone.’
‘Well, he could be back quite soon, so just ask what you want to ask and I’ll consider whether I can answer or not.’
‘Why did you leave the hospital? Why did you come back here?’ Imogen asked.
‘As soon as I knew about the video of DS Miles rescuing me being on the internet, I knew I had to get back here. I just panicked, I guess.’
‘Do you remember what happened to you and Simon yet?’
‘I really don’t. I swear. I feel like it’s there, but I just can’t quite get to it, like it’s on the tip of my tongue. It’s very frustrating. Maybe my mind doesn’t want to remember.’ Angela shifted uncomfortably.
‘Why didn’t your husband report you missing?’
‘You would have to ask him that. Why haven’t you told him that you spoke to me at the hospital?’
‘We need to know that you are safe. After what the doctor suggested you had been through, we thought it best not to exacerbate the situation between you and your husband. Unfortunately, we can’t help you unless you help us.’
‘He knows anyway; he saw the video of DS Miles pulling me out of the river. He saw it before I even got back.’
‘He didn’t mention that to us.’
‘He likes to play games. I expect he is waiting for you to ask him about it.’
‘Simon Glover. Were you and he really just friends?’
‘Yes, we were. I’m not stupid enough to cheat on Reece. Reece made it clear years ago what would happen to any man I cheated on him with. Simon was a good friend to me. I should never have asked him for help.’
‘Would you testify about what happened to you and Simon?’
‘I really don’t remember that night, that wasn’t an act. When I woke up in the hospital, I didn’t know how I got there.’
‘You’re lucky Adrian found you in time.’
‘Am I? Doesn’t feel like it.’
‘We can help you leave if you want to leave. Even better, if you can testify against the man, then we can get him put away for a very long time. We can put in a request to get you a new identity and somewhere safe to live as well, if that’s what you need.’
‘I don’t believe you. I don’t believe he can be stopped that way. Where’s Adrian, anyway?’ Angela asked. ‘Why isn’t he here? Did Reece do something to him? I told you both to get away while you still could.’
‘Adrian’s got the flu, that’s all; nothing to do with your husband. Is there anything you can tell me about Reece that would help us get him? Something we can corroborate independently, so you don’t have to testify?’
‘You think I know anything? I don’t. He doesn’t tell me shit. Let me ask you something, Detective.’
‘What?’
‘Have you ever been terrified of a person? Not just in a bad situation. But scared all the time, from the moment you wake until the moment you finally fall asleep at night?’
‘No.’
‘Then how can you tell me what to do? Even here, now, I can feel him breathing down my neck. I hear him telling me what’s going to happen if I do anything that upsets him. I may not remember the attack, but I remember waking in that hospital bed. I remember looking in the mirror and the nurse telling me I was lucky to be alive. I don’t feel very lucky, DS Grey.’
‘I understand, no one should have to endure what your husband has put you through. You deserve better than that.’
‘Are you sure about that? You don’t even know me. I have eyes – I see the way you purse your lips together every time I refuse to speak against Reece. I hope you never know how it feels to be living under a shadow like this.’
‘You don’t have to live like this for ever, not if you testify. What’s your alternative? What about your parents? Do you have any family you can go to?’
‘Reece is the only family I have left. Everyone else is dead or gone,’ Angela said as she swiped her sleeve across her face to catch a tear.
‘Can you give me a name at least? Someone else we can talk to about him? Has anyone ever tried to help you before?’
Angela stood and walked to the window. She hugged her arms and Imogen could tell she was considering whether or not to say what she had on her mind.
‘There is one man who tried to help me before.’
‘What’s his name?’
‘Clive Osborne. He worked for the company for years and I confided in him; he offered to get me out of there.’
‘Where is “there”?’
‘Our old place, back in Oswestry, Shropshire. Reece must have got to him, because after I arranged to meet him, I never saw him again.’
‘What happened? Why didn’t he turn up?’
‘He just never showed up on the night we arranged to go.’
‘Where is he?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Do you think he is dead?’ Imogen asked.
‘I didn’t until what happened with Simon. I just assumed Clive got warned off and thought better of helping me. Reece can be very persuasive when he needs to be. I think Simon’s death really drove home to me that I am never getting out of here. That Clive is probably dead, as well.’
‘How long have you been together?’
‘For ever and a day. A lifetime, a life sentence,’ Angela said and wiped an invisible tear from her cheek. ‘I’m sorry I can’t tell you what you need to hear. You had better get going before he gets back.’
Imogen didn’t feel right leaving Angela here. Each time she left felt more wrong than the last, as though some invisible clock on Angela’s life were running down. She couldn’t force her to leave, though. Who would that help?
‘Stay safe, Angela.’
‘Thank you. You, too,’ Angela said.
Imogen stood up from the table with a little more understanding of what Angela was dealing with. She could see the hopelessness in her eyes. Angela was little more than a possession for Reece and he would not relinquish her without a fight. Imogen felt completely impotent at the situation.
Imogen walked out of the house and back to the car. She had to go back and write up both of the pointless interviews she had conducted today. It felt wrong to walk away. Thank God, at least, they didn’t have any children.