IN THE WAR ROOM, AVA chalked on the blackboard:
Mickey and Bryan were found with canine companions. Was Gary found with a canine companion too?
Black-and-yellow teddy bear with one eye missing from Banlock Farm is in Mr Coleman’s room at Joseph Sheldon Hospital.
‘How did it get there? Did Mr Coleman sneak out at night to walk all the way to Banlock Farm to get the bear after he’d heard on the news that it was where Mickey had been murdered?’ said Ava to John.
‘I would think that there’d be regular checks all night on the residents though,’ said John.
‘It is very important to him,’ said Ava.
‘But why risk it?’
‘He’s not in a prison, John,’ said Ava.
‘But he does have dementia,’ said John. ‘He’d have to be supervised.’
‘Unless he’s pretending to be senile,’ said Ava.
‘If he is, he’d still need to be supervised if his act is that good.’ John sighed. ‘Ava, it’s odd, it’s creepy, but that bear is his bear and it was found on his property. He could’ve asked for a care worker to find it for him.’
‘After it had been left there in a derelict stable for years?’ said Ava sceptically.
‘I don’t know, perhaps the murder prompted him to find it before the police took it,’ said John. ‘Look, I agree that Mr Coleman possibly does know more about what went on at Banlock Farm, and by extension, the Rubery murders. But if that knowledge is locked in because of senility or even fear then he’ll never tell.’
‘I suppose he could be scared,’ said Ava. ‘But I really need to see him again, find out more. I can’t help it, John. I may never get to the bottom of it but I’m going to give it a go.’
‘Let me come with you,’ said John.
‘No,’ said Ava. ‘Thank you.’ When John made to complain, she added, ‘I don’t think Mr Coleman likes boys very much, John. He likes Fizz . . . ’ She smiled. ‘And he likes me.’