As succinctly as possible, Nelson tells Judy about Leah and Jay.
‘I should have guessed,’ says Judy. ‘I knew something was up. She was clearly afraid of going home. I should have known. I’ve done the training on spotting signs of domestic violence.’
‘Don’t beat yourself up,’ says Nelson. ‘I was the one who saw her most and I didn’t realise until I saw her in the house with him.’
‘She won’t be the only one,’ says Judy. ‘Lockdown will mean lots of women locked away with abusive husbands.’
‘That’s what they said at the refuge,’ says Nelson. ‘We need to think of ways for women to ask for help. I’ve heard of giving coded messages to pizza delivery guys.’
‘Steady on,’ says Judy, ‘or Jo will recommend you for a modern policing award.’
‘I don’t think so,’ says Nelson. ‘I knocked Leah’s husband out last night. That’s old-fashioned policing for you.’
‘And what was all that about you being knocked out too?’ says Judy. ‘What happened?’
‘Joe McMahon hit me over the head with a Maglite,’ says Nelson. ‘I’m not pressing charges though. He thought I was the one who’d kidnapped Zoe. Got it into his head that he was protecting Ruth. Mind you, I will be having a little chat with Mr McMahon later. He’s a little too obsessed with Ruth for my liking.’
‘How is Ruth?’ says Judy. ‘I hear she was involved last night.’
Nelson gives his DI a sharp look, but Judy’s face shows only polite interest.
‘She’s OK,’ he says. ‘It’s been an emotional time for her. Turns out Zoe’s her half-sister.’ He explains, as briefly as he can, about ‘Dawn 1963’.
‘It’s funny,’ says Judy, ‘when I saw the picture of them together, I thought they looked slightly similar.’
‘I can’t see it myself,’ says Nelson, ‘but I think it will mean a lot to Ruth. And she was really happy about Cathbad. She’s very fond of him.’
‘Cathbad says you saved him,’ says Judy.
‘He’s delirious,’ says Nelson. He’s not going to tell anyone, even Ruth, about the dark beach and the fairground music.
Despite the Nurofen, Nelson’s headache gets worse. Cloughie seems to have re-joined the team and even sends out for pizza at lunchtime. This reminds Nelson of women ordering pizza in a coded cry for help against domestic violence. He googles it and finds that it’s only an urban myth. There is, however, a scheme in bars and restaurants called ‘Ask Angela’ where, if women use the name Angela, it alerts staff to abuse or to a date that is going dangerously wrong. There ought to be more, thinks Nelson, picturing Leah’s face when he’d appeared at her house last night. If she hadn’t had the courage to text him, what would be happening to her now?
In the afternoon, Nelson drives back into Norwich. He parks outside the cathedral and crosses the road to Steward’s House. It looks even less stable in the daylight, as if the whole edifice would topple over with one push. Nelson leans on the doorbell, trying his luck.
Janet Meadows opens the door. Nelson remembers her telling him that she’d heard crashing and banging in the night but had turned over and gone back to sleep.I’m always hearing suspicious things. This is a haunted house, you know. Presumably the noise had been Zoe Hilton being imprisoned in the room downstairs. If only Janet had called the police rather than assuming paranormal activity, it might have saved a lot of trouble. But Janet isn’t charged with any crime. Tanya seems satisfied with her answers. And, if Janet hadn’t left her phone lying around, to be picked up by Hugh Baxter, Zoe wouldn’t have been able to call for help. Nelson gives Janet a curt nod. ‘Afternoon. Is Joe McMahon still with you?’
‘Yes. He and Eileen are staying until they find somewhere else. I’ve got plenty of room.’
‘Can I have a word with Joe?’
‘Yes. Do you want to come in?’
‘I’d better not.’ Nelson gestures to his mask thinking that Janet might be up to date on the plague but she seems to have forgotten the more recent health crisis. ‘Could Joe join me out here?’
The young man looks rather scared when he sees Nelson on the doorstep. He doesn’t look any less wary when Nelson suggests a walk in the cathedral grounds. They walk past the church and across a green bordered by hundreds of archways. Cloisters, he thinks they’re called. There are private houses here too, smugly looking out across the smooth lawns. Who lives here? Bishops? Priests? Well, none of the residents are in evidence today. Nelson and Joe walk in silence until Nelson says, ‘You know I could charge you for assault?’
‘I didn’t mean to hit you,’ says Joe. ‘I thought. . .’
‘I know what you thought. You thought you were protecting Ruth. Dr Galloway.’
‘I’d heard a woman crying. I knew she was locked in somewhere. I thought you’d locked her in.’
‘Is that what you normally do? Hit first and ask questions later?’
‘No. I’m morally opposed to violence.’
‘I’m glad to hear it. Dr Galloway is one of your lecturers, isn’t she?’
