Stolen (26 page)

‘I don’t think she knew them until they turned up at the house to start work. I have no idea where she found them. She appeared to be quite brusque with them to begin with but after a couple of weeks they seemed quite chummy. I don’t know if that was a real friendship or if she was just trying to get to me.’

‘So you moved out, then what? How much did you see of her? What was your relationship at that point?’

‘We didn’t really have one. I moved out and barely saw her until Casey was born. I attempted to make contact but she didn’t want to know. I asked to be involved, or at least informed of any anything regarding the baby, but she blew me off. I dropped by the house from time to time. I didn’t expect she’d invite me in; it was more to keep tabs, make sure she didn’t run off. Although I don’t think she would’ve left Redcar. She seemed obsessed with the place. Her ancestors were in the steel business. I think she was under the illusion that they’d built the town,’ Ridley said. ‘Anyway, it was pure luck that I was there at the birth. I saw a taxi pull up to the house and Helen get in. I followed her to the hospital and was allowed in.’

‘Helen didn’t put up a fight about it?’ Gardner asked.

Ridley shook his head. ‘No. She didn’t want the hospital staff to see what was really going on. So she pretended we were the happy couple.’ He snorted. ‘She wouldn’t have called me though, I know that much. If I hadn’t have been outside the house that day she wouldn’t have told me she’d had the baby.’

‘What about afterwards? Did she give you access to Casey?’

‘Yes. She even let me move back in after a few days. I’d been looking for somewhere more permanent to stay but hadn’t found anything. I suggested moving back in to help with the baby and she agreed. Who knows why? She was so overjoyed about Casey that I think she forgot everything else. It was all about her and the baby. I think I was there to run errands,’ he said. ‘But I didn’t mind. All the other stuff seemed to fall away.’

‘What about Hajek and Prochazka?’ Gardner asked, referring to his notebook. ‘Where were they after the baby was born?’

Ridley shook his head. ‘No idea. I didn’t see them again after that.’

‘So what? You and Helen were happy?’

‘Maybe not with each other. But with Casey,’ he shrugged. ‘Everything was about that little girl. And then she died,’ he said. ‘Helen lost it. We were both devastated, of course, but Helen lost control. This was a woman who was so good at controlling things, at getting what she wanted, and when she lost the most important thing in the world, she couldn’t cope. I felt terrible for her. She didn’t have any family or friends to turn to. She was so vulnerable,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘I wanted to help her, wanted to be there for her, but Helen,’ he said and rolled up his shirt sleeve. ‘Helen wanted me there even less than before.’

Gardner looked at Ridley’s arm. The scar was long, from his elbow to his wrist, and looked like it had been cut deep. ‘She did that?’ Gardner asked.

‘Yes.’

‘She blamed you for Casey?’

Ridley ran his finger along the scar. ‘She blamed me. She blamed God. She’d been screaming and shouting for hours, telling me to go. I didn’t think I could leave her like that so I went into the other room. I thought she’d calm down. But the next thing I know she’s there with a kitchen knife. She swiped it at my face,’ he said, running his hand along his cheek. ‘Fortunately it just scratched me. I tried to reason with her, tried to get the knife and she did this.’ Ridley swallowed. ‘You wouldn’t believe the amount of blood. Helen just stood there watching. I told her to call an ambulance. I said I’d tell them it was an accident but she refused. I tried to get to the phone but she pushed me away from it. Eventually I managed to get past her and I left.’

‘You didn’t report her?’ Gardner asked.

‘No,’ Ridley said and let out a deep breath. ‘Maybe it was guilt about Casey, maybe I felt sorry for her. But I didn’t tell the police. Perhaps I should have. I really don’t think she was safe to be around.’

He was right. If Ridley had reported Helen maybe she wouldn’t have had the chance to take Beth.

‘Did Helen have another baby?’ Gardner asked.

Ridley looked surprised. ‘Not that I’m aware of. Though I wouldn’t be the best person to ask. After the incident with the knife I got my things and left. But I’m sure she’d have wanted to have another child though. She was quite desperate.’

Gardner nodded. ‘How far do you think she’d go to get what she wanted?

‘To have a baby you mean? I think she’d be quite comfortable manipulating some other poor sap.’

‘Do you think she’d be capable of abducting a child?’

Ridley looked at him, surprised by the question but not shocked by the insinuation, probably realising why Gardner was there asking questions. He swallowed and nodded. ‘Unfortunately I think that’s entirely possible.’

Atherton pulled the face he always did when sizing something up. Gardner waited him out. ‘Alright,’ he said. ‘And what about the woman? Helen Deal. Have you brought her in?’

Gardner took a breath. ‘No, not yet’ he said. ‘She’s gone.’

‘Gone?’ Atherton said as if he’d never heard the word before.

‘Yes,’ Gardner said. ‘She told the nanny she was taking the girl to Devon to visit relatives. I think she’s gone for good.’

Atherton crossed his arms and looked at Gardner for what felt like an age. ‘Well it sounds like you’re going to be extremely busy,’ he said. ‘I want this sorting as quickly and quietly as possible. The papers are all over us about Chelsea Davies, I don’t want this getting out as well.’

‘Yes, sir,’ Gardner said. ‘I’m going to follow up this lead on the builders and speak to the nanny again.’

‘Good,’ Atherton said and started walking away. ‘You do that.’

Gardner’s jaw clenched. He didn’t need Atherton to tell him he’d screwed up. He already had the media telling him. Abby telling him. And the little annoying voice inside his head telling him. Another voice really wasn’t necessary.

Gardner looked at the floor. ‘I think you had every right,’ he said.

Simon brought Gardner a drink and they moved into the living room. There was still an atmosphere of tension in the room and for a while no one spoke. Finally Gardner broke the silence.

‘I have some news,’ he said.

‘About Helen?’ Abby said. ‘Have you found her?’

Gardner shook his head. ‘No, I’m afraid not. But we contacted the company who distributed the flyers. They confirmed a woman matching the description you gave does work for them. Her name’s Alice Gregory. Unfortunately she’s on holiday. But she’s due back in a few days so I’ll speak to her then.’ He could see the disappointment in Abby’s face. ‘I also tracked down the father of Helen’s baby. I went to speak to him earlier today. I asked if he thought Helen was capable of taking a child and he believed it was entirely possible.’

Abby let out a ragged breath. ‘So where does that get us?’ she asked.

‘Did he tell you if she’d had another kid?’ Simon asked.

Gardner chose to field Simon’s question. ‘He didn’t know if she’d had another baby. He left under difficult circumstances shortly after Casey died.’

‘Difficult?’ Abby said. ‘How?’

‘Helen attacked him. Stabbed him,’ Gardner said.

‘Jesus,’ Simon said. ‘And she’s got Beth.’

‘I don’t think she’d hurt her,’ Gardner said. ‘But he told me something else.’ Gardner cleared his throat. ‘Helen had builders working on the house before Casey was born.’

Abby felt her stomach tighten.

‘He said they were Czech. Helen had them intimidate him,’ Gardner said. ‘He also remembered their names.’

Abby took a breath and Simon took her hand. ‘Have you found them?’ she asked. ‘The man who raped me?’

‘I found them in the system,’ he said and picked up the file he’d brought with him. ‘Miklos Prochazka and Damek Hajek. They were cousins.’ He looked at Abby whose chest was moving quickly. He opened the folder and took out a photograph, handing it to Abby. As soon as she looked at it she dropped it like it was burning her hand.  ‘You recognise him?’ Gardner asked and Abby nodded. ‘He was one of the men who attacked you?’ Gardner asked and Abby nodded again. ‘Abby, was he the man who raped you?’

Abby started to cry and through her shallow breaths she managed to say, ‘Yes.’

Gardner waited for Abby to drink the glass of water Simon had given her. She had stopped crying but sat staring at the floor, stunned. He gave her a few more minutes before he moved on, before he told her what he’d found.

‘Abby?’ he said and waited for her to focus on him. ‘His name is Damek Hajek,’ he said pointing at the photograph that was still on the floor. ‘He was murdered last year in a dispute over money.’

Abby looked at him and he waited for a response. He wasn’t sure what to expect. Would she be glad he was dead? Or would she feel like he’d escaped justice. He wasn’t entirely sure himself.

‘He’s dead?’ Abby said.

‘Yes.’

‘How? What happened?’

‘He was stabbed in the neck. Apparently he owed money to some people who didn’t like waiting. His cousin found him.’

‘And what about him? His cousin,’ Abby said. ‘What happened to him?’

‘Nothing,’ Gardner said. ‘He found the body, reported it to the police. So far no one has been convicted of the murder.’

‘So he’s still out there?’ Abby said.

Gardner shook his head. ‘Not anymore,’ he said. ‘He was still living at the same address as when he reported his cousin’s murder. He was arrested this afternoon in connection with your rape and Beth’s abduction.’

Abby let out a laugh, somewhere between relief and disbelief. ‘So you’ve got him?’ she said. ‘Have you spoken to him?’

‘No, not yet,’ Gardner said. ‘He was arrested in Leeds. I’m going to go down first thing to question him.’

Abby looked at Simon and he pulled her towards him, hugging her. Gardner felt a little bit of the weight from his shoulders slip away.

Abby turned back to Gardner. ‘Will he tell us where Beth is?’ she asked.

He shook his head. ‘I don’t know,’ he said.