‘Here come the cavalry!’ Larry could see the police car now, hurtling down the hill towards them.
‘Thank God,’ Liz muttered under her breath, almost meaning it. For she had just seen her quarry again. Her binoculars and her eyes were now trained forward, on one spot. ‘Red-coated subject in view,’ she called out. ‘He’s standing on the parapet of the bridge! By the railway.’
Halfway down Sandford Lane, Fox brought the car to an abrupt, juddering halt. He was forced to, because another car was slewed across the road. Holden was out of her seat before the engine had died, and set off at a sprint towards the redheaded figure of Bella Sinclair, who was standing in the middle of the road looking up at her son. She was holding her hands up, though whether in surrender or supplication only she knew.
‘What the hell are you doing here? And where is Wilson?’
‘David rang me. I had to come. On my own.’
‘Where is my constable?’
‘Asleep.’
‘Asleep?’ The incredulity in Holden’s voice was obvious.
‘Do you think he’ll jump?’
Bella had dropped her hands to her sides, but was still looking up at her son. She hadn’t even glanced at her questioner.
Above, the helicopter drifted closer, its rotors beating their remorseless rhythm. Holden felt its sudden downdraft, and waved it angrily away. ‘Jesus,’ she shouted against the engine noise, and to no one in particular, ‘do they want to scare him witless?’
Holden walked a few paces forward. Fox and Bella both advanced with her. The helicopter was already wheeling away into the distance, taking its noise with it.
‘Hi David,’ Holden shouted. ‘Do you remember me?’
‘You’re the police.’
‘My name is Susan.’
‘You’ve come to lock me up.’ David was shouting back at her, but in a matter of fact way. ‘You think I killed them.’ And he raised his arms, like a diver preparing to spring off the high board. He was, Holden reckoned, some twenty-five feet above the road. If he jumped he’d damage himself badly, maybe fatally.
‘I know you didn’t,’ she said, speaking slowly and loudly in imitation of him. ‘You’re a good man, David. I just need to talk to you.’
‘Why should I believe you? Everyone lies to me.’
‘I just want a chat, David. Just you and me, and your mother if you want her there.’
David said nothing. His arms were still raised, though they had lowered from the position of a high diver to that of a man about to be crucified. Otherwise, there was an almost unnatural silence. The helicopter had disappeared, and somewhere in the bushes to the right a blackbird was defiantly singing its song of existence.
‘I’m here.’ Bella had taken half a step forward. ‘Mother is here. She will look after you, David, I promise.’
‘You promise.’ David’s arms dropped further, until they were hanging down either side of his body, as if in agreement or resignation. But his voice told a different, harsher story. ‘Why should I believe your promises? You abandoned me.’ He raised his right hand, pointing it directly at her. ‘When I was a baby, you abandoned me. You left me. You betrayed me.’ His voice had reached a crescendo now.
But as Holden opened her mouth to intervene, she became aware of other noises. A car was approaching from behind them. She turned and saw it skid to an untidy halt beyond the others. Two figures got out: Lawson from the driver’s seat, and Maureen. Thank God! Holden turned back. ‘Here’s your mother now, David. I promise she’ll be there at any meetings we have. I promise.’
There was the noise of a train too, but so distant that it didn’t immediately register with any of them.
Certainly not with Maureen who was running towards them as fast as her squat
body would allow. And not with Holden who had turned to see how David was reacting to Maureen’s arrival. And not with Bella either, whose brain was screaming at the injustice of life and the ingratitude of her son.
Maureen was panting as she pushed past Holden and stopped just in front of them all.
‘David,’ she shouted, through the gulps of air. ‘I want you to keep very calm.’
‘Mum!’
‘Do you understand, David? Keep very calm.’