‘ But they were local girls?’ said Steven.
‘ We’ve established that one of them, a lassie named Sharon Duthie, worked in one of Verdi’s saunas at one time and that two other girls were friends of hers. Our thinking at the moment is that Verdi recruited Sharon for a film and she brought in two of her pals but after that the trail goes cold. None of the people that Tracy listed as being in on the making of the films would admit to ever coming across the three girls.’
‘ Nothing’s ever easy,’ said Steven.
‘ I think you should know that the papers are on to the Little situation,’ said McClintock. He was transferred to a specialised AIDS unit in a hospital in Edinburgh last night. Word is they’ll probably run with the story tomorrow. Little’s already got himself a lawyer who’s talking seven figure compensation sums.’
‘ Que sera sera,’ said Steven.
‘ The civil liberties crowd have been shouting the odds on the phone this morning as have the prison reform lot and half a dozen other groups with axes to grind. You can bet your buns that politicians will be polishing up their outrage as we speak, ready to call for a “full public inquiry”. That’s all some of these buggers ever seem to do.’
Steven looked at his watch and said, ‘Charlotte and her mother should be back in half an hour or so. I’ll call you if I find out anything.’
Steven could see James Grant standing out in the garden. He went out to tell him that he he’d finished making calls.
‘ You know,’ said Grant, still gazing out towards the sea. ‘I have never ever felt so guilty about anything in my entire life. I was absolutely convinced that David Little was guilty. I didn’t even consider the possibility that a mistake might have been made. I know what you said about the strength of the evidence against him but I still feel awful.’
‘ Guilt never sees the circumstances,’ said Steven.
‘ A cross to bear for all of us,’ said Grant. ‘God forgive us.’
Steven put a hand on Grant’s shoulder.
Grant glanced to his right and said, ‘That’s Lotty’s car coming up the hill.’
Steven went back into the conservatory while Grant walked round to the front door to meet his returning wife and daughter. Steven sat and waited while Grant told them of his presence and then stood up when Charlotte appeared in the doorway.
‘ Not more questions about filth on the computer,’ she said, sounding exasperated. ‘What does it matter now, anyway?’
‘ It’s not about that,’ Steven assured her. ‘I think you’d better sit down.’
Steven broke the news to her about Little’s innocence to her as gently as he could, constantly stressing that she was in no way to blame for having believed him to be guilty. John Merton, with his forensic expertise had made sure that there had been no other possible interpretation of the evidence.’
Charlotte’s face paled with the shock she was feeling.
‘ I’m afraid there’s more,’ said Steven. ‘Perhaps you’d like a brandy? A glass of water?’
Charlotte shook her head. ‘Tell me,’ she said, blowing her nose and then crumpling the tissue in her clenched right fist as she straightened her back and looked Steven in the eye.
Steven told her that Little had AIDS and how he’d got it. He watched her fall apart before his eyes.
‘ Oh my God,’ she gasped. ‘This is all my fault. I should have believed in him in spite of… I should have known there had been some kind of a mix up and put up a fight for him. I let him down when he needed me most…’
Steven continued trying to assure her that she had nothing to be ashamed of although he could see that it was a losing battle. He could only hope that at least some of what he was saying was getting through. He took a deep breath and continued, ‘The man who did this to David wasn’t content with ruining his life,’ he said. ‘He wanted to do the same to yours. I know this man as John Merton… but you knew him as John Mission.’
Charlotte remained silent for fully half a minute. She seemed stunned but once she had taken on board what Steven was saying, he could see her take some comfort from the fact that she had to a certain extent shared her ex-husband’s suffering.
‘ He set out to get both of you,’ said Steven.
Charlotte hung her head and said quietly, ‘It all makes sense now, the accidental meeting, the charming manners, the attentiveness, the sympathy and understanding. I was completely taken in. I thought he was such a… sensitive man.'
‘ He’s a clever, scheming psychopath,’ said Steven.
‘ That would explain the change,’ said Charlotte with a rueful shake of the head. ‘Once he had cheated me out of my money he treated me like dirt and enjoyed it. He got pleasure from humiliating me. He actually smiled when he was hitting me as if he was enjoying some kind of private joke.’
‘ The police need your help to find this man,’ said Steven.
‘ I haven’t seen him in years,’ said Charlotte. ‘I can’t think what possible help I could be.’
‘ Maybe not but perhaps we could talk some things through if you feel up to it?’ said Steven.
‘ Of course,’ said Charlotte although she seemed far from comfortable with the idea.
‘ I understand from your father that Mission told you he was some kind of businessman with premises up north.’
‘ He said he was a computer graphics expert. His company made promotional material for other companies, films, advertising material, websites, that sort of thing.’
‘ You never visited the company?’
Charlotte shook her head and said, ‘Never. He said that there was no point as he was looking for premises down here. He’d be moving as soon as the bank had agreed to the loan.’
‘ That’s what he told you he needed the house for? The one you bought but put in his name?’
Charlotte nodded. ‘Fool that I was.’
‘ Did he ever say where his premises were up north?’
‘ He said that they were in the middle of the North Yorkshire moors. They needed absolute quiet when they were making films.’
‘ I’ll bet,’ thought Steven.
‘ Did he ever mention a name? Some place it was near perhaps?’
‘ Not exactly,’ said Charlotte. ‘Just that it was in the middle of nowhere but I once heard him talking on the phone in his study. He told whoever he was speaking to that he would see them at The Abbey on Monday.’
‘ The abbey? Nothing else?’
‘ Fraid not.’
‘ Well, it’s a start,’ said Steven.
‘ I’m sorry I couldn’t be more help,’ said Charlotte.
‘ You’ve been wonderful in the circumstances and I’m very grateful to you,’ said Steven. ‘I’m sorry I had to be the bearer of such shocking news but if it’s any comfort, your folks already know.’
‘ It is,’ said Charlotte. ‘Thank you for being so thoughtful.’
Steven phoned Sci-Med as soon as he got back to the car.
‘ You’re kidding! There must be a million places all over the country called, The Abbey,’ said the duty officer.
‘ You are looking for one in the middle of the North Yorkshire moors,’ said Steven. ‘It may be registered as the business address of a firm concerned with making promotional material for other companies. Films and websites and the like.’
‘ Glossy lies,’ murmured the man as he made notes. ‘I’ll do my best and call you back.’
Steven called McClintock to tell him the state of play.
‘ Not much to go on,’ said McClintock. ‘Want me to contact the Yorkshire Police and ask them?’
‘ Sci-Med’s on the case,’ said Steven.
Steven drove back to London feeling a sense of relief that Charlotte Little had now been told. She had taken it well although he suspected that all the implications of the news had not yet got through to her. The next few days were going to be extremely unpleasant when the press started to camp out on her doorstep.