Rotten (The Cardigan Estate Book 11) by Emmy Ellis

Author:Emmy Ellis [Ellis, Emmy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-06-20T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

The police had entered via the front door—the twins had left it ajar. Everything had gone by in a mad flurry of officers, so many questions, and an ambulance had arrived, adding to the melee. What seemed like aeons later but in reality was about an hour, Dahlia had been driven to the local police station after photos of her in situ had been taken and the paramedics had checked her injuries. Her interview was in what they’d called a ‘soft’ room that had comfortable sofas and a coffee table, some books on a shelf—no crime thrillers to be had; they probably didn’t want to give offenders ideas. Plus, a vending machine for coffees and whatnot. There had also been cameras in two corners, and they’d used one on a tripod to record her statement.

A plainclothes officer had stood by the door, watching her, hands behind his back. She’d felt too observed, suspected, and thought they’d known she’d arranged the murder, that the paranoia was written all over her face. Every move, every blink, everything she did, she’d been fearful it would give away her guilt, but their expressions portrayed sympathy, especially the main detective, a man called Steve Carlisle. A woman, Nancy Korda, sitting beside him, had acted the same way: Dahlia was a victim of a nasty crime, nothing more.

She’d told them about the garden box. The bodies. That she’d had no clue she’d been married to a monster. They’d asked her about Lenny: How well did you know him? We’re aware you worked at the same place; did you get along?

“I didn’t know he was my husband’s stepbrother until after our honeymoon, which was a while after Lenny was found dead,” she’d said. “I remember it being on the news, that Lenny had kidnapped a woman and she’d been found dead at his house with him, but I couldn’t believe he was the sort to do that. Honestly, he was so quiet, didn’t bother anyone.”

“Perverts don’t advertise it,” Carlisle had said. “They live in plain sight, hiding who they really are. Sounds like Lenny had done just that. How did you feel when you found out he was a member of your husband’s family?”

“I couldn’t believe it. Their relationship was never mentioned at work, so when Roger told me… It was a shock. Maybe he’d hidden it because he was embarrassed—that’s what I thought at the time. But earlier tonight, when he mentioned the bodies, I realised he hadn’t advertised it because he’d been aware of what was in the box. I feel ill at not knowing, at him being able to hide that side of himself from me. I must be stupid to have swallowed his lies.”

“Not stupid if he was good at acting, which it seems he was. Did you wonder why he hadn’t told you sooner?”

“Yes, and he said he didn’t want me getting the wrong impression of him, but Roger wasn’t Lenny, so I didn’t hold it against him.”

“What about the cage in your back garden? What’s that for?”

“Chickens.

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