11.00am Thursday 3rd January
Barrett and Palmer arrived at Rampton Secure Hospital, a high-security psychiatric hospital, in time for their appointment with Doctor Giles Megaw, the chief psychiatrist at the unit.
The drive from Cambridge to north Nottinghamshire had been longer than they’d expected. The snow had long since melted and the ground was now hard with frost as the inspectors got out of their car and made their way to the front entrance of the imposing building.
After showing their badges to the guards the men were led down a long corridor before being shown into an office at the end.
‘Doctor Megaw.’ Barrett shook hands with the short man who wore a blue shirt with navy trousers.
‘Have a seat, gentlemen.’ He pointed to two leather chairs on the other side of his desk before sitting back down in his own seat.
‘How’s the patient?’ Palmer asked.
Megaw considered this for a moment before answering. ‘Not fit to stand trial if that’s what you’re asking.’ He looked over his reading glasses at them.
‘We wanted to talk to you because there has been a development.’ Barrett sat back in his chair and crossed one leg over the other. ‘It has a bearing on your patient.’
‘Oh?’ The doctor rested his chin on his hand and waited patiently.
‘It seems that Mr Mirren was related to one of his victims. Edward Kilpatrick was Robert Mirren’s biological father.’
‘How can that be?’ The doctor, who was flustered by the news, began sorting through the file he had on Robbie, which lay in front of him on his desk. ‘Robbie did not know his father.’
‘The DNA matches. Edward was his father. Now, we don’t know any of the details because Robert’s mother is dead, but DNA has confirmed it to be true. And we have Edward’s diaries that mention a GM. Robert’s mother was Georgia Mirren.’
The psychiatrist sat back in his seat absorbing the information.
‘Edward Kilpatrick sexually abused my patient,’ he said steadily.
‘Yes, we know.’ Barrett confirmed uncrossing his legs and leaning forward. ‘We don’t believe Edward Kilpatrick had any knowledge that Robbie was his son. He wasn’t even usually involved in the scouts. It was a case of him being in the wrong place at the wrong time. We’ve spoken to Mrs Kilpatrick–’
‘That must have been an awkward conversation,’ the doctor blurted out, interrupting.
‘And,’ Barrett continued, ‘neither she nor Eddie had any knowledge of Robbie’s existence. She’s told us that in 1983 and four she knew her husband was having an affair. Apparently, she confronted her husband and said she would leave and take their small daughter with her unless he put an end to it. As far as Susan Kilpatrick is concerned that was the end of it. The dates do tie in and the DNA confirms it.’
‘Robbie grew up thinking his father abandoned him,’ Megaw said thoughtfully. ‘In fact, you are telling me that he didn’t know he existed.’
‘That’s about the sum of it, doctor,’ Palmer said.
‘This is a troubling development.’ Megaw scrunched his eyes up. ‘Do we know if Kilpatrick abused anyone else. His daughter perhaps?’
‘We’ve spoken to Marie Kilpatrick who denies her father ever laid a hand on her. I believe her, personally,’ Palmer said.
‘Abusers do tend to have a type. It’s uncommon for a paedophile to like boys and girls,’ the doctor informed them.
‘We are certain that Eddie did not know Robbie was his son.’
‘Well that’s something, I suppose.’ He paused. ‘I think knowledge of any of this could tip him right over the edge. My patient is unstable enough already. That revelation could be the final straw.’
‘Which is why we wanted to talk to you directly,’ Barrett cut in.
‘What would you like me to do, gentlemen?’ The doctor held his hands up.
‘You are his psychiatrist. We thought it might be better if it came from you.’
‘Does he really need to know?’ Megaw asked.
‘He has a half-sister,’ Palmer explained.
‘And this sister wants a relationship with him?’ The doctor did nothing to hide his scepticism.
‘No, she doesn’t. But she may come looking for answers one day.’
Doctor Megaw stood up and faced both men. ‘Gentlemen, I would request that you’d accompany me for a moment. There is something I think you should see.’
Palmer and Barrett looked at one another before getting up and following Megaw back along the corridor and up some stairs.
‘This is where we keep patients who have to be separated from the rest of the population.’ Megaw stumped up the stairs. ‘Robbie is being kept in isolation. He will be very groggy from the medication.’
‘Why did you separate him?’ Palmer asked as they continued to climb another level.
‘He became uncontrollably aggressive. He is a danger to the staff, other patients and himself.’
‘What sparked it off?’ Barrett wanted to know.
‘He is delusional, Detective. He believes his childhood friend is talking to him. He was sure that by killing those three people he would be released from his torment, but the voices still exist. We are treating him for severe schizophrenia but there may also be an underlying personality disorder,’ the doctor explained as they arrived on D Wing. ‘I want you to see exactly what we are dealing with here,’ he said as he led them to a door with a small window in it. ‘Look through there.’
Barrett peered through the safety glass. In the far corner of the room sat Robbie huddled in a ball. He was talking to someone who wasn’t there.
‘You see?’ Doctor Megaw said. ‘To you he is a criminal, but to me he is a victim and a patient.’
‘You’re a good man, Doctor.’ Barrett nodded.
‘I do my job and I don’t let myself get emotionally involved.’ He looked coy. ‘I’m not here to judge.’
‘Will you tell him about his father?’ Palmer asked.
‘Perhaps in time.’ Megaw sighed. ‘Right now, our priority is stabilising him.’
At that moment they heard a crash come from the other side of the door. Standing on his tiptoes, the doctor looked through the small window. Slowly Robbie’s bruised face appeared in the glass as if from nowhere. He was looking right through the doctor as if they were invisible when, out of the blue, he started banging his head on the door.
‘One, two, three, four, five.’ Each thud of his head on the glass was in time to the rhythm. ‘Once I caught a fish alive.’
Bang. Bang.
‘Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.’
Bang. Bang.
‘Then I let him go again.’
Bang. Bang.
‘Why did you let him go?’
Bang.
‘Because he bit my finger so.’
Bang. ‘
Which finger did he bite?’
Bang.
‘This little finger on the right…’
THE END