Fragile Minds Page 0,80
the top of a hill in a deserted caravan park and made love all day and night to the sound of the rain outside. At some point, for a mad dare, Lana had run out of the caravan and round the field completely naked, laughing and screeching happily until she was soaked, turning cartwheels, her long wet hair sticking to her back like a mermaid’s.
But Lana hated the rain now. It had been raining that day, the day she rolled the car; it had made the road more lethal. Now it only reminded her of death.
When Silver rang the Malverns’ doorbell, even that sounded muted. There was the yapping of a small dog, and then a woman’s voice shouting at the dog, and eventually Brenda Malvern stood there, holding a Yorkshire terrier, which quivered dramatically in her arms.
Silver was shocked by her appearance. She looked old beyond her years, wearing a tatty pink dressing-gown and furry old slippers with the backs pushed down. Her hair was grey and lank, unbrushed over her sloping shoulders, and the corners of her mouth turned down naturally. The dog growled at him and she peered myopically for a moment then said, ‘Pete’s out. He’ll be back around four.’
She moved to shut the front door and Silver moved forwards himself, and said, ‘Brenda? My name is Joseph Silver. You might remember me from—’ but he got no further because she stared at him with naked horror and began to cry.
‘Silver? As in Allana Silver?’
‘Yes. Please, I’m so sorry. It must be a shock – but I need to talk to you about Sadie.’
‘Sadie?’ She stared at him uncomprehending. ‘You mean Jaime?’
The dog was yapping again now, picking up the tension from the woman, growling and drooling angrily at Silver, droplets of saliva flying as he twisted his head this way and that, trying to escape from his mistress’s arms.
‘No, Sadie—’ he began.
‘My darling baby who that bitch murdered?’ the pitch of her voice was climbing quickly. ‘That bitch who never served a single solitary day in prison?’
‘I’m sorry. We tried to ring but—’ Silver said, cursing his own stupidity. Then he heard footsteps, a young man running down the stairs behind the wailing Brenda.
‘Who is it, Ma?’ the youth said, and he stared at Silver, uncomprehending. He looked like he hadn’t seen the sun for a very long time, and he was badly scarred by acne, his hair cut in a complicated and unflattering boy-band style.
‘I’m a police officer,’ Silver decided to take the other approach. ‘I’m here on business, but I knew your – my ex-wife, Allana Silver, she—’
‘Allana Silver?’ The pale youth eyed him malevolently, placing a protective arm on his mother’s shoulder. ‘Yeah, I know who that cunt is. We all do, believe me. What do you want?’
Silver was wondering why the hell he had thought this was in any way a sensible idea. But he also knew that these people deserved to be told the truth.
‘I’ve come about Sadie.’
The woman paled, if that was possible, her frightened eyes now slashes of distress in her worn-out face. Silver imagined how he would feel if anything happened to any of his children, God forbid, and he realised that to Brenda Malvern, six years was probably nothing; just more dull days stretching out infinitely, laced with grief and pain.
‘What’s happened to Sadie?’ she asked, her voice trembling.
Silver realised that this was going to be far, far worse than he had ever anticipated. The young man looked at Silver, and then he stepped back, making a decision, pulling his mother gently with him. ‘You’d better come in.’
‘Thanks.’ Silver stepped into the hallway, which smelt of wet dog and damp. ‘I won’t take up much of your time.’
‘Let’s go in best room.’ The youth pushed the door open, and they all sat gingerly on a cream-coloured three-piece suite that still had the plastic covers on. They all looked at the shrine to Jaime, framed pictures; seven-year-old Jaime doing gymnastics, grinning toothily, in her uniform with well-brushed bunches. Never got past seven. Silver could hear that bastard Beer practically yelling in his ear. He smoothed his trousers over his knees.
‘Take your shoes off, can you, Colin,’ the woman mumbled, clutching the dog to her like a baby, and Silver was amazed she’d even noticed her son was wearing any.
‘Ma’s a bit house-proud, aren’t you, Ma?’ Colin said to Silver, sliding his trainers off. For the first time, Silver sensed the desperation in the young man’s bearing, and