– but there was one thing she had to do first.
Her phone rang. ‘Sir?’
Briggs paused and cleared his throat. ‘Do you want the good news?’
‘I would love some good news.’ She smiled, glad that another case hadn’t come in so soon.
‘The journalist, Lyndsey Saunders, she’s been taken off the story and sent packing. Publishing that letter and your name could have hampered the case. Corporate Communications put a complaint in and, well, they’re investigating. I’m just sorry that your name had to be dragged through the papers. Are you okay? Are we okay?’
She smiled, even though a few specks of rain were drizzling down her forehead. ‘Couldn’t be any better, sir. That’s made my day.’ She paused. ‘Look, I have to go.’
She stared up at the church and walked through the open door.
As she went to end the call, he spoke. ‘Where are you? Fancy a coffee somewhere?’
‘I’ll have to get back to you on that one. Speak later.’ She placed the phone in her pocket as she glanced at the flower and candle display that took pride of place on the altar.
Gina flinched as the door behind her creaked. ‘DI Harte. Good news about making the arrest. It’s been all over the news.’ Sally Stevens clunked over to her. ‘What do I owe this pleasure? Come to join the church?’
She shook her head. ‘I’m not a believer. I just wanted to come in and enjoy the peace.’
‘That’s allowed. We welcome anyone here. Take a pew and make yourself at home. It looks like we’re on our own. Do you want a cuppa? I was just making one.’
Gina nodded. ‘Thank you.’
Gina closed her eyes, taking in the silence. Even with her eyes closed, she could tell she was occupying a vacuous space. The musty smell hit her but it was also comforting. It reminded her of her childhood. Her mother’s sideboard used to smell the same. A tear slid down her eyes, she suddenly missed her mother and everything lovely about her life before meeting Terry. She missed Lucy, the woman she knew so well but for so little time. Since the case, the toxicology results from Alexander Swinton’s blood had come back. He had been lured to the location, just like Lucy had said. She didn’t have to carry anyone anywhere. They all came to her. After a search of Lucy’s house, Penny’s burner phone had been found and all the messages proved that Penny had first been lured by messages from Lucy and then Lucy had used Penny’s phone to draw Cherie in. Lucy must have been watching Penny for a long time to get that number, the one Penny had shared with the world on Facebook when she’d lost her phone.
In her mind, she pictured Lucy sweating as she dug those holes in the dead of night. Such determination to achieve what she set out to do. An image of her falling back over the bridge flashed through Gina’s mind and she found herself weeping.
‘Are you okay? Wanna talk? You don’t have to believe to talk.’ Sally sat next to her and passed her a cup of coffee.
She shrugged.
‘The newspapers hit you pretty hard but they’ve moved on. It’s now all about the killer.’
‘I’m grateful of that.’ She paused. ‘You heard the rumours that Bill Manders had been spreading. I could tell from the way you looked at me. You know, I thought I was going mad.’ She let out a little laugh and wiped her eyes.
‘I heard them but I didn’t get involved with any gossip. That’s not what I do.’
‘What exactly was he saying? I need to know.’ Gina leaned back and stared at the wooden roof. Large ancient-looking chandeliers hung from the ceiling.
She cleared her throat and placed her drink on the floor. ‘Bill used to live near you and Terry, and he used the same pub that Terry was always in. He said Terry was drunk one night, buying everyone drinks and that he’d mentioned locking you in the shed. Apparently, Terry also said that he often had to punish you to keep you in your place.’ The vicar placed a hand on Gina’s arm. ‘I’m sorry he did that to you. It must have been hard back then with a baby.’
‘Can you please go on?’
‘One night, Bill was apparently going to report Terry and he claimed he was going to try to catch him in the act, so he followed him home from the pub. He heard you screaming from the shed