‘That’s a nasty-looking injury. Shall I get someone to take a look at it?’
Benjamin Proud was the picture of concern as he nodded at Robins’s swollen ankle. Robins said nothing, swinging his good leg around to hide the offending limb from view.
‘I’ll take that as a no. Out of interest, when did you do it? You seemed fine when we spoke yesterday. Must have been last night …?’
Still Robins remained tight-lipped.
‘Look, you can sit here in silence if you like. But I am going to keep asking the same questions and I would appreciate answers.’
Robins had been staring at his shoes, but now looked up long enough to mumble:
‘No comment.’
Proud eyeballed him for a moment, then replied:
‘You were on the night shift, weren’t you? Apparently you knocked off early.’
‘Says who?’
Proud consulted his notes, then continued:
‘I have the testimony of a colleague who was first person on the scene after Jordi Baines’s suicide alarm was activated. You were in charge of B-Wing last night, but when your colleague turned up, you were nowhere to be found. Would you like to tell me where you were?’
‘Is there anyone who can vouch for your movements between the hours of nine p.m. and ten p.m. last night?’
Robins shrugged but said nothing. Proud could feel the anger rising in him, but forced it back down, trying to remain polite and professional.
‘Do you like being a prison officer, Mark? Do you enjoy your work?’
‘S’all right.’
‘Lot of stress though, isn’t it? For not much take-home pay. Why do you like it?’
‘What I’m used to, I guess.’
‘Right. You’re an experienced hand, aren’t you? You know the ropes.’
A half-nod, half-shrug from Robins.
‘I’d go so far as to say you’re well-known and well-liked here. By your colleagues, the inmates …’
‘If you say so.’
‘Tell me about the girls.’ Proud leant forward in his seat. ‘Tell me about your relationship with the girls.’
Proud could sense Robins was tightening up and was not surprised at his ‘No comment’.
‘Well, then, let me comment. You’ve been a bit of a naughty boy, haven’t you? Dipped your fingers in a few ponds that you should have left well alone.’
Robins finally looked up at him and Proud was pleased to see anger in his eyes.
‘The baby that Leah Smith was carrying was yours. And the semen found on Jordi Baines’s teeth? Yours too.’
Proud let this settle, before pursuing his point:
‘It’s my belief that you had sex with these women and then when they threatened your position, you killed them. Were the mutilations a little warning to others? I take it you do have other girls on the go … ?’
Robins chewed his fingernail viciously, avoiding Proud’s gaze.
‘Handsome boy like you could take his pick, right? And I bet those lonely girls were only too happy to play ball. But I’ve got to say you were a little careless? Have you never heard of condoms? Did Leah tell you she had it covered? You wouldn’t be the first to fall for that one, but even so …’
Robins refused to engage, but his irritation was clearly growing, his good foot beating out the rhythm of his anger.
‘And because of that your child is dead. Did you know Leah was pregnant? Is that what the mutilation was about? Sewing up her vagina so it couldn’t come out? Sewing up her mouth so she couldn’t spill the beans? Blocking up her nose so she couldn’t smell the stench of your cowardice?’
‘Fuck you.’
‘I could see why you would have an issue with them. They were just dirty little girls. Scum who wanted to feed off you. You wanted affection, but they wanted to squeeze you dry, didn’t they?’
Robins looked up, glaring at Proud, so the latter pressed home his advantage.
‘Or maybe you did it simply because you enjoyed it? Because you liked watching them die, because you liked mutilating their bodies. Tell me, Mark, what did it feel like? What did it feel like when your needle punctured their skin? When you pulled the thread through? Tell me. Did it feel good?’
Robins clasped his hands together. He looked to be in real pain, in the throes of some awful internal battle.
‘Tell me,’ Proud persisted, louder this time.
He felt that he was getting to Robins at last, as though a dam that had been creaking for months was about to give.
‘Tell me, Mark.’
Now Robins finally raised his head. But to Proud’s surprise, Robins looked calm. And when he spoke his voice was flat and without emotion:
‘No comment.’