By the time Matilda Darke arrived at Stannington, dusk had fallen, and a stiff wind was blowing the storm straight for Sheffield. She edged her way down the embankment towards the awkwardly positioned white tent protecting what little trace forensic evidence nature hadn’t already destroyed. The surrounding area was lit up like an alien invasion as blue-suited forensic officers began fine-tooth combing the vicinity.
Matilda’s heart sank. This was not the result she had envisioned. She wanted nothing more than to drive to the Armitages’s house on Acorn Drive, open the back door and have Keeley jump out and run into the arms of her tearful parents.
‘Are you all right?’ Christian asked her as he handed over a forensic suit for her to put on over her clothes.
‘No. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.’
He gave a sympathetic smile. ‘I know I shouldn’t say this, but at least it’s a result. There’ll be no endless anxious waiting for the phone to ring or a police car to pull up outside. They’ll be able to grieve.’
‘I’ve failed,’ she said, struggling to hold on to her emotions. She turned her back on the forensic tent. She didn’t want anyone from her team to see her cry like this.
‘You haven’t failed.’
‘She’s dead, isn’t she?’ she said, raising her voice. ‘This isn’t a positive result, Christian. It may be a conclusion, but it’s the wrong one.’
‘Look, you don’t know what happened. Until we have all the facts of the case, we can’t say how we could have performed any better. Nothing is straightforward. She could have been dead before her parents called us. We’ve already said the whole kidnapping thing was a hoax; maybe it’s the parents who killed her and wanted to throw us off the scent.’
She looked up at Christian. He was upset by the situation, that was obvious. He also had children of a similar age to Keeley, he would feel it more than anyone, but he was being the consummate professional as always, and keeping his emotions in check.
Matilda took a deep breath and headed towards the tent. The flaps were pulled back for her and she ducked as she entered. She couldn’t see the body as Adele Kean and her technician, Lucy Dauman, were bent over it. A part of her was clinging to the hope that this body did not belong to Keeley Armitage and perhaps another child had fallen and succumbed to an accident. A few more seconds of ignorance were bliss.
Adele stood up and revealed the body. Matilda wanted to be sick. There was no denying it now. Keeley had been left in the position in which she had been found, and it wasn’t dignified. She was upside down, her legs painfully wrapped around the exposed roots of a tree. Her black tights were torn in several places, her grey, pleated skirt was up around her waist, showing her pink underwear. The blue sweater with the yellow Mary Croft school logo on the left breast was pulled up, revealing the white polo shirt beneath which was muddy and ripped. Her yellow coat was hanging off her shoulders. Keeley’s blonde hair was a tangled mess and had twigs knotted into it.
Nobody said anything as Matilda remained frozen to the spot, looking deep into Keeley’s dead blue eyes.
‘The poor child,’ she eventually said.
‘I’ve been doing this for twenty years and it never gets any easier when a child’s involved.’
‘What can you tell me?’
‘There’s a heavy blow to the back of the head. I’ve no idea if it was from when she fell or was pushed down the embankment or if it was a deliberate blow to kill her. I’ll know more when I get her back to the mortuary. However, I can tell you that she was strangled, and her neck was broken.’
‘Any sign of … you know?’
‘Sexual assault?’
Matilda nodded.
‘She’s still wearing her underwear and tights, so on the face of it, it doesn’t seem like it. I’ll know more after the PM.’
‘I don’t suppose you can estimate a time since death?’
‘No. Rigour mortis has passed. However, she’s wearing exactly the same clothing she went missing in and it doesn’t appear to have been disturbed. We’ll take soil samples and analyse stomach contents, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she was killed shortly after she went missing on Monday evening.’
‘Why take her just to kill her?’ Matilda asked, almost to herself.
‘I’m so pleased I don’t have to answer that question.’
‘Are you finished here?’
‘Almost.’
‘When will you do the PM?’
‘Is first thing tomorrow morning all right for you?’
‘Yes. I’ll be there. I want Claire to do a full digital autopsy too.’
‘I’ll give her a call. Are you all right?’
‘No. But I will be,’ she said, giving her a brief smile. She couldn’t take her eyes from Keeley’s broken body. It was an image she would be seeing for many sleepless nights to come.
***
Christian was waiting for Matilda outside the tent. She nodded, confirming the body was that of Keeley Armitage.
‘Would you like me to give Ellen a ring?’
‘No. I need to do this.’
‘Why do you put yourself through such hell?’ Christian asked.
‘Because it’s my job.’
‘No, it isn’t. You can delegate duties, you know. That’s the whole point of being a DCI.’
‘No. I need to tell Linda myself.’
She started to walk away but Christian grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
‘I know I shouldn’t be saying this, but I’m not talking as a DI, I’m talking as a friend,’ he took a deep breath. ‘This is not the Carl Meagan case. You can’t atone for what happened in the past. This was never going to end well, and you are not to blame for her dying.’
‘I’ve let her family down.’
‘No, you haven’t. You haven’t let anyone down. Look how many people have been involved in searching for Keeley. Do you think they’re all going to go home tonight and blame themselves? No. I won’t. Sian won’t. Rory and Scott won’t. It’s not about blame. It’s about finding the person responsible and making sure they pay for their actions.’
‘You’re right,’ she said, struggling out of her forensic suit. ‘I know you’re right, Christian. It doesn’t stop me beating myself up, though.’
‘That’s why you have supportive people around you. We can help. We will help. You don’t have to go through all of this on your own.’
‘I should go.’
‘Where?’
‘To break the news to Linda and Craig.’
‘I’ll come with you.’
‘You don’t have to. Ellen’s there.’
‘No. She’s there for them, not for you. I’m coming with you,’ he said with determination as he headed up the embankment.
Matilda smiled to herself. As much as she hated delivering the death message, as difficult as the job was at times, she was thankful she was surrounded by people who looked out for each other and cared so much.