Angela Corrigan answered the door. The side of her face was red; the remnants of an open slap clung to her cheek. She took a deep breath when she saw them, no doubt preparing to find new ways of avoiding their questions. Walking into the house, Adrian could smell the gin on her before he even saw the half-empty bottle on the kitchen worktop.
‘You just missed him. He’s gone to the site.’
‘I thought Friday was poker night?’ Adrian said, looking at the clock.
It was gone seven. Not that he wasn’t grateful that Reece wasn’t here.
‘We need to speak to you about Oswestry.’
Angela poured herself another gin and emptied a small can of tonic water into the glass, grimacing slightly as she took another gulp. Adrian and Imogen watched her and waited for her to respond.
‘Don’t worry, this is only my second one.’
She smiled before polishing off the last of the drink and tipping even more gin into the glass.
‘We looked for Clive Osborne. I spoke to his mother,’ Adrian said. ‘She said he sends her money every month.’
‘Did you find Clive? Has she seen him?’ Angela said.
‘She hadn’t actually seen him for a long time, no,’ Adrian said.
‘He’s dead. You know that, don’t you? First him and now Simon. I thought he abandoned me, but no, he’s dead. I kind of had a suspicion, but I gave Reece the benefit of the doubt, because who does that? But after Simon, I realise that I was naive. He’s capable of so much more than even you know.’
‘The police up there are conducting a search of the property and grounds where you used to live,’ Imogen said.
‘I hated that house.’
‘Well, they think they found something,’ Imogen said.
‘A body? Clive’s body?’ Angela said.
‘We haven’t identified it yet, but it’s possible. We should have a rough ID very soon,’ Imogen said.
‘Then what happens?’ Angela drank some more.
‘We build a case against your husband. There is enough circumstantial evidence to charge him,’ Imogen said, knowing full well they would need more than what they had. They would need Angela’s testimony.
‘He’ll get away with it. That’s what he does. He does whatever he wants and no one can stop him. I certainly can’t.’
‘Maybe once they get under the greenhouse there will be more evidence there, as well,’ Imogen said.
‘It doesn’t matter what you do. He won’t be held accountable. He never is,’ Angela said softly.
‘I promise you, we will get him. He isn’t going to get away with anything he’s done,’ Imogen said.
‘There’s something else, as well,’ Adrian said.
‘What now?’ Angela asked.
‘We just came from Jimmy Chilton’s place. Have you spoken to him at all recently?’
‘I don’t really know him very well. I have stayed away from the site as much as possible since Simon left a few months ago. I have no friends there. Reece likes his lackeys and spies.’
‘Well, he agreed to help us with our investigation,’ Imogen said.
‘That’s surprising. I thought Chilton would take a bullet for Reece.’
‘The walls are coming down around your husband and he knows it. With your help, we can make sure it happens a lot faster. We are going to get him. He’s not going to get away with it,’ Adrian said, avoiding telling Angela that Chilton was dead.
She smiled and nodded knowingly, reading between the lines, resigning herself further into her role as captive wife.
Adrian caught her eye. He wanted her to know that he was serious, that he meant what he was saying. Part of him wanted her to know that he understood what she was feeling, the powerlessness and the loss of hope. The circumstances were different, but the root of their pain was the same.
‘Wait a minute,’ Angela said suddenly. ‘Did you say the body in Oswestry was under the greenhouse?’
‘Yes, why?’
‘Well, that can’t be Clive. He was one of the men who put the greenhouse up. It went up a few weeks before he disappeared.’ Angela’s face became clouded in confusion, as if she was trying to remember.
‘Are you absolutely sure?’ Imogen asked.
‘I am. I remember because he bought me an orchid to look after. He gave it me as a birthday gift to put in the greenhouse after it was finished.’
Just like that, the bewildered look on her face disappeared and she plastered on her phoney dutiful-wife face.
‘Who else could it be if not him?’ Imogen asked.
Angela shrugged then changed the subject.
‘Can I get you a drink?’
‘No, we’re fine, thank you,’ Imogen answered.
Adrian could see Angela’s brow furrowing as though trying to remember something.
‘We’re going to get him, Angela, but it would be so much easier with your testimony,’ Imogen said.
Angela seemed to be considering what she was saying.
‘Fine, I’ll talk to you. But first I need to go to the bathroom.’
‘Thank you,’ Imogen said, trying and failing to keep the surprise out of her voice.
‘Take a seat. I will be right back.’
Angela walked into the hallway and then seconds later, they heard the front door slam followed by the thrum of an engine and tyres on the gravel path outside.
‘Shit!’ Imogen said.
They rushed to the window to see her driving away. She was gone.