towards them.
‘That’s the guy, is it?’ asked Walfield.
Leona nodded. ‘Yes.’
They wrestled him through the crowd on the deck, growing in numbers now as the curious and the less loyal made their way across the walkway in the wake of the soldiers to see what was going on. Howard and William stopped in front of Leona, Valérie held between them in an armlock.
‘So, did you do it?’ asked Howard.
‘No, of course not,’ said Valérie. ‘I would never harm a child.’
‘Why did you have those things in your pockets?’ snapped Martha.
Valérie shrugged. ‘I do not understand.’ He pulled the pockets of his trousers inside out. ‘I have nothing in my pockets. Martha, why are you saying these things?’
‘Where is he bunked?’ asked Leona.
‘The plant monitoring suite on the top floor,’ said Howard.
‘Someone search it,’ ordered Leona. Howard nodded, released his grasp on Latoc and pushed his way back through the crowd towards the external steps.
‘I’m not telling a lie,’ said Martha.
Leona’s gaze remained on the man. ‘I know, Martha. Even if Howard finds nothing . . . he’s still going.’
She took a step towards him. ‘So, is he going to find something?’
Latoc looked uneasy, his eyes darting from one armed solider to the next. Then to Leona. ‘I never touched Hannah. I promise you.’
Leona suddenly buried her face in her hands. The thought of what might, or might not, have been the experience of Hannah’s last few minutes was too much for her. She felt Martha’s arm around her shoulders.
‘I’m okay . . .’ she said, rubbing away tears that she didn’t want to share with everyone else. ‘I’m okay.’
Adam took over. ‘What about this other girl?’
Latoc hesitated. ‘The other girl?’
‘What are we going to find?’ Adam turned to Martha. ‘You found those things. What did you do with them?’
‘I . . . I put them back where I found them. I was too s-scared to do anyth—I just didn’t want to believe—’
Adam raised a hand to hush her and turned back to Latoc. ‘So, chances are your little trophies are still up there somewhere.’
Valérie’s calm composure slipped for a moment. He dropped his head. ‘I never touched Hannah. She was an angel. But . . .’
‘But what?’ asked Leona, her hands dropping away from her face. ‘But WHAT?’
‘The other one . . . I . . . she . . . I just wanted to be . . .
‘Wanted to be what?’
‘Close.’
“‘Wanted to be CLOSE”. What the hell is that supposed to mean?’
From towards the rear of the gathered knot of people Denise Bingham sobbed noisily.
‘To hold her . . . that is all. Just to hold her. The Lord told me to—’
‘Don’t do that!’ snapped Leona. ‘Don’t you dare justify what you did with a God-told-me-so!’
‘He is love. God is love. I am love . . . the physical form of love . . . that is love, too, yes?’
‘Did you hurt her? Did you kill her?’
He shook his head. ‘No . . . I . . . I just wanted to hold her. She was so beautiful. You know? That is all. Just to hold her and pray with her. But she tripped and hit her head—’
‘Oh, that sounds like bollocks,’ grumbled Walfield. ‘Sounds like a load of shit, already.’
Leona grabbed a fistful of Latoc’s shirt. ‘Is that how it went with Hannah? You just wanted to hold her? And what? She tripped? Hit her head? Is that it?’
‘Lee,’ said Adam, placing a hand on her arm.
‘What?’ she replied over her shoulder, not taking her eyes off Latoc.
‘We need some evidence, right? We can’t just go on this. Why don’t we see what’s up in his rooms?’
Leona turned round. Between Brooks and Walfield she saw William was loosely holding the gun Howard had been aiming down the walkway at them moments ago. She quickly pushed through and snatched the gun out of his hands.
Adam stood in her way. ‘Leona? What’re you doing?’
‘Out of my way!’ she barked, pushing him aside and jamming the barrel of the gun into Latoc’s ribs. ‘MOVE!’
He stepped uncertainly backwards.
She prodded him across the deck, the crowd parting either side of them.
‘You want me to leave?’ asked Latoc. ‘If that is what you wish, then I—’
She prodded him hard again, Latoc taking faltering steps backwards until his backside bumped up against a safety rail.
‘Now fucking climb it.’
He turned round to look at the railing, the smooth grey sea eighty feet below. He shook his head defiantly. ‘Leona, anger is the devil’s way in to your