CRISTY: ‘That’s the plan. Now, do you have your notes?’
CONNOR: ‘Right here on my laptop. So I’m starting this, am I? OK, so here goes:
‘Before getting into what’s gone down with Nicole and Meier, we’re going to talk a little bit about the smallbodies that were exhumed from Meier’s grandparents’ grave.’
CRISTY: ‘After the forensic analysis was complete and they were confirmed as Noah and Abigail, they were returned here, to Wales, for burial in a grave of their own, which is next to the one they were taken from. We’ll be posting shots of their headstone on our website, where you’ll see the engraving:In loving memory of our beautiful twins, Noah and Abigail Meier, 2004–2005. Lost too soon. Living forever in our hearts.’
CONNOR: ‘Cristy and I were here for the committal ceremony. It was small, so actually quite an honour to be included, although we were asked not to record or post anything about it at the time.’
CRISTY: ‘You’ll probably be interested to know who else was there, so here goes: several of the staff from Bryn Helyg, as you’d expect; Maeve Ivorson, Nicole’s mother; Lauren Beagle, Nicole’s cousin; Bridget Hawkes, Nicole’s aunt; Julien and Rula Meier, Claude Meier’s brother and sister-in-law; and Claude Meier himself.’
CONNOR: ‘You’ll already know from the news that he was released on police bail following charges ranging from Assisting an Offender to Perverting the Course of Justice.’
CRISTY: ‘He appeared in front of a judge two weeks ago when he pled guilty to all charges brought against him. Since then, he’s been on court bail while the judge considers the submissions; apparently he’s called for reports on just about everything from character and bail conduct to psychological and risk assessment.’
CONNOR: ‘Meier’s due to appear in court again on Thursday, when he will find out how long he will haveto serve for the cover up of a crime that is itself under review and could, at any time, be reduced to involuntary manslaughter or no crime at all.’
CRISTY: ‘Obviously, this is what Nicole and her legal team are hoping for, and what would probably have happened if she and Meier had not panicked on that fateful date back in 2005.’
CONNOR: ‘We’ll be in court for Meier’s sentencing. In the meantime, something you probably already know from the news is that Nicole Ivorson’s parole has been reinstated – it happened just over a month ago – and since then, she’s been allowed to come to Bryn Helyg.’
CONNOR: ‘She and Claude Meier have agreed to be interviewed together today, so that’s why we’re here, and I’m sure, like us, you’re keen to find out what they have to say about everything they’ve been through and what is still to come.’
Meier was walking towards them, gently applauding. ‘Bravo,’ he said, shaking Cristy’s hand first, then Connor’s. ‘A fair synopsis of where we are today, and I find myself feeling pleased to see you – although, of course, I continue to wish that we had never come to your attention.’
His irony was as infectious as ever, Cristy noted, and for a man soon destined to lose his freedom, he was managing to appear relaxed and in control of himself. There was, she thought, perhaps a little more grey in his hair and in the two-day beard since the last time they’d seen him, but he continued to exude the same easy friendliness that made it feel good to know him.
‘How are you?’ she asked, following his eyes as he turned to look over his shoulder.
‘Ah, here she is,’ he said, as Nicole appeared from aroundthe side of the stables, not unlike an apparition given her golden hair and the dazzle of sunlight behind her. He went to slip an arm around her.
The first thing Cristy noticed about her was how much more like her younger self she looked – older, of course, but it was much easier now to recognize the similarities than the last time they’d seen her. Gone were the sores on her mouth and the bruising shadows around her eyes; even her hair seemed brighter and longer, falling in a tangle of curls to her shoulders. The diaphanous flowery dress that passed her knees almost disguised how thin she was; it also made her appear close to ethereal. No wonder he was so smitten with her, Cristy thought; she truly was lovely, and what was even more remarkable was that being with him was almost certainly what had brought her back to life.
‘You came,’ Nicole declared, taking Cristy’s hands in both of hers. She seemed both childlike and mature in her pleasure, someone who remained trapped in the past while coming to terms with who she was now. ‘We thought you would,’ she said, sounding almost like an accomplished hostess, ‘and we’ve been looking forward to it, haven’t we?’ Not waiting for Meier to respond, she moved on to Connor. ‘Thank you for being so kind to us,’ she said warmly, ‘both of you. Not everyone is, and we understand it – of course we do – but we like to think of you as friends.’
‘Refreshments are on the way,’ Meier told them. ‘Susanna’s homemade iced lemonade and—’
‘Frozen fruit slices,’ Nicole chipped in with a giggle. ‘They’re scrummy and perfect for when it’s so hot.’ She sighed ecstatically and let her head fall back. ‘It’s wonderful here, isn’t it? I feel as though I’ve been dead for a long time and now I’ve finally made it to heaven. Perhaps I have.’ She peered at Meier mischievously, as though daring him to tease her.
Clearly amused, he ran a hand over her hair and leaned in to whisper something that made her laugh.
Feeling slightly voyeuristic, Cristy glanced at Connor, who clearly felt much the same.
‘So, where would you like us to set up?’ she asked, deadening the moment and wishing she hadn’t.
‘Why not do it here?’ Meier suggested.
‘We’ll be showered by flowers,’ Nicole cautioned, ‘but it’ll make everything seem more romantic, won’t it?’ Even as she spoke, willow fluff floated in from a nearby tree, and Cristy was struck by her efforts to turn this short spell she and Meier had together into as special a time as she could.
Minutes later, as they were about to begin, Nicole suddenly sprang up from the bench, crying, ‘Look! It’s Maggi with Jude. I have to go and say hello.’ And before anyone could react, she took off down the meadow to where Maggi was introducing a timid lamb into a small flock of curious sheep.
Meier looked at Cristy and shrugged. ‘Everything is special to her, and the lambs are her favourite. This one has been sickly, so she’s happy to see it gaining strength.’
As Cristy watched her, she was thinking of how interesting it would be to focus on Nicole’s story another way: a free spirit crushed by the horror of what had happened to her children, then locked away for so long she felt she’d died. She was intrigued to know more about how life must look to her now. She was clearly happy to be here, filled with wonder and joy, but deep down she was surely still broken and dreading Meier leaving. There was so much Cristy wanted to ask her, and she intended to try, if she was able to pin her down.
Running back to them, Nicole came to a stop behind Meier and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her cheek to his. ‘Sorry,’ she said to Cristy, ‘I hope I haven’t spoiled things.’
‘Not at all,’ Cristy assured her, not entirely sure whether she should be addressing her as a child or a thirty-nine-year-old woman, ‘we can start whenever you’re ready.’
