part0030

I take my Parka off and take it out into the kitchen and drape it over the chair to dry. Even while I’m doing it, I know that I’m putting it off; hearing what the police are going to say. What is it I don’t want to hear? That they’ve caught him or not caught him?

I take my boots off and place them on the mat by the back door and then follow Dad into the lounge. DI Peters is standing by the window and WPC Roper is sitting in one of the armchairs balancing a teacup on her knee. The teacup looks toy-like against the size of her legs and I realise how big she is. Not fat, just large, super-sized, like a giant. She doesn’t look comfortable at all.

They both greet me with wary smiles and I sit down on the sofa and Dad sits next to me.

‘We’ve just been bringing your dad up to date about the developments.’ DI Peters sits down in the seat opposite us and leans forward with his arms resting on his knees.

There’s an uncomfortable silence and I guess what he’s going to say next: there’s no evidence and Adam’s talked his way out of it.

‘Mr Borden has not been to the college or returned to his house since Friday and as yet we’ve been unable to locate him.’

DI Peters looks at Dad then looks at me.

‘But we have, erm, discovered certain facts about him.’

‘What sort of facts?’ I have to say it twice because the first time it comes out in a whisper.

‘The fact is, Adam Borden is not a counsellor and never has been. From our enquiries it appears that he worked for a few months at the college as an office temp before he was sacked two weeks ago. From his time working there he had access to student files and was involved in making appointments for the counselling staff.’

I look at DI Peters dumbly and he continues.

‘It seems reasonable to assume that he saw your name had been put forward for counselling and removed it from the list so an appointment wasn’t made in the normal way. He then passed himself off as your counsellor.’

I’m stunned. Everything about Adam was a lie. ‘But how could he? Why? I don’t understand.’

‘The room where you had your counselling sessions was an unused office which was due for refurbishment. He simply took the key and we assume he had another one cut so that he could come and go at will. Whilst he was still employed by the college, he would slip away from the office for half-an-hour and meet you in the disused office. Once he’d been dismissed, he never returned his security pass and simply used it to enter the college whenever he liked. As to why he did it we can only speculate.’

I’m having trouble thinking straight. The room, the old calendar, the dusty boxes, it all makes a kind of sense. Why didn’t I suspect? It all seems so obvious now. I remember Adam often arrived out of breath as if he’d been running. He must have made excuses to slip out of the office to see me; that’s why he could never stay late. And the excuses of urgent meetings with other clients – all lies that he told so easily, and lies that I believed so easily. But why would I doubt him?

‘The college will, of course, be reviewing their security arrangements in light of what’s happened.’

‘Why was he sacked?’ I interrupt. ‘What did he do?’

DI Peters clears his throat.

‘A female tutor reported him for inappropriate behaviour. Apparently, they went out on a date but when she refused to see him again he wouldn’t leave her alone. She started to receive telephone calls from him, he sent flowers to her home and insisted that they were in a relationship. She also suspected he was following her but she couldn’t be sure. Classic stalking behaviour. Eventually the temping agency were informed and his contract was terminated. Although by then the stalking had stopped.’

DI Peters doesn’t say it but he doesn’t have to. It stopped because he was counselling me and I was going to take her place. The argument in the cafeteria, he told me she was hassling him , wouldn’t take no for an answer. More lies.

‘Did he temp at Straitleys?’ demands Dad. ‘Is that where he...’ his voice trails off but I know what he was going to say; is that where he targeted Mum? Did he see her at work and decide she was going to be next? Did Mum know him? Had she worked with him?

‘Yes, he did, Mr Sparkes. He worked there briefly in Reception for several weeks as holiday cover. As you know Straitleys is a huge building and we think that he probably saw your late wife as she passed through Reception. There is no indication that he had any contact with her or with the office where she worked.’

So they’ve checked. I don’t know why it matters but I’m glad that Mum never knew him.

‘What happens now?’ Dad asks.

‘We’ve applied for a warrant to search his house and we should have it by tomorrow lunchtime.’

‘Maybe he’s hiding in his house,’ I say. ‘He could be, if you haven’t been able to search it and you can’t find him.’

DI Peters shakes his head. ‘No. He’s not there, the landlord has a key and one of our officers accompanied him into the house. All of the signs were that Adam Borden had left in a hurry.’

‘His father and stepmother live in the next street,’ I say. ‘Don’t they know where he is?’ I know they’ve been there because Biro saw them.

‘We have spoken to them and they’ve had no contact with him recently. They’ve been estranged from Adam Borden for quite some time and very rarely see him even though he lives near to them.’

‘I know they stopped speaking when his father remarried.’ Why do I even care?

DI Peters looks confused. ‘No, his father hasn’t remarried, his parents are still together. Whatever gave you the idea he’d remarried?’

So that was a lie too.

‘Adam told me his mother died when he was seventeen,’ I say flatly.

‘Ah. I see.’ Di Peters nods thoughtfully.

‘Bastard.’ Dad mutters under his breath.

‘As soon as the search has been done, we’ll inform you of any developments but until then I would ask that if he makes any contact at all that you inform us immediately.’

‘Do you think he will? Is he dangerous? Because if he is, I want police protection for Josie,’ Dad demands.

‘Please, Mr Sparkes,’ soothes DI Peters. ‘There are no indications at all that he’s dangerous but we would advise against speaking or having any contact with him. No matter how persuasive or genuine he may appear.’

That’s directed at me; he thinks I’m a stupid, infatuated little girl who still might be sweet talked by him. What a complete idiot I must look.

DI Peters stands up and WPC Roper attempts to pull herself out of the chair that she’s wedged in. We all look away in embarrassment while she huffs and puffs. Skipper watches and backs into the corner. I think he’s afraid she’s going to fall on him.

‘We’ll be in touch.’ DI Peters nods at Dad and I and goes out into the hallway. WPC Roper has managed to get to her feet and squeezes past the coffee table and follows DI Peters. Dad and I jump up and watch from the front door as they climb into the police car and drive off.

‘Well,’ says Dad as he closed the door, ‘Let’s hope by this time tomorrow they can find some evidence and track him down and arrest him.’