“Well, of course it would have been on that day, wouldn’t it?” he demanded. “He’d gone for a bloody climb, woman.”
“Lew…Just doing her job.” Jago spoke soothingly before he said to Bea, “I had access, if it comes down to it. Knowledge as well. The boy and his father had one run-in too many?”
“Over what?” Bea interrupted.
Jago Reeth and Angarrack exchanged a look. Bea saw this and repeated her question.
“Over anything,” was Jago’s reply. “They didn’t see eye to eye on much, and Santo removed his kit from the premises. Bit of an I’ll-show-you gesture, if you know what I mean.”
“‘I’ll show you’ what, exactly, Mr. Reeth?”
“I’ll show you…whatever boys think they got to show their dads.”
This answer hardly satisfied. Bea said, “If you know something pertinent?either of you?I’ll have it, please.”
Another look between them, this one longer. Jago said to Lew, “Mate…You know it’s not my place.”
“He made Madlyn pregnant,” Lew said abruptly. “And he had no intention of doing anything at all about it.”
Next to her, Bea felt DS Havers stir, itching to get involved but restraining herself. For her part, Bea had to wonder at the information’s being delivered so perfunctorily by the man who’d have had the most reason to do something about it.
“’Cording to Santo, his dad wanted him to do right by Madlyn,” Jago said. Then he added, “Sorry, Lew. I did still talk to the boy. Seemed the best, what with the baby coming.”
“Your daughter didn’t terminate the pregnancy, then?” Bea asked Angarrack.
“She intended to keep it…the child.”
“Intended?” DS Havers asked. “Past tense meaning…?”
“Miscarriage.”
“When did all this happen?” Bea asked.
“Miscarriage? At the beginning of April.”
“According to her, she’d already ended their relationship by then. So she’d done that in the midst of her pregnancy.”
“That would be correct.”
Bea glanced at Havers. The sergeant’s lips were rounded to an o, which was likely short for oh boy. They were on a most interesting track.
“How did you feel about this, Mr. Angarrack? And you as well, Mr. Reeth, since you’d taken such care to see the boy was supplied with condoms.”
“I didn’t feel good,” Angarrack said. “But if doing right by Madlyn was going to mean they’d marry, I was happier they were apart, believe me. I didn’t want her marrying him. They were only eighteen and besides…” He gestured away the rest of what he was going to say.
“Besides?” Havers prompted him.
“He’d shown his colours. He was a little sod. I didn’t want the girl involved with him any longer.”
“D’you mean he wanted her to abort?”
“I mean he didn’t care one way or another what she did, according to Madlyn. Which, apparently, was his style. Only she didn’t know that at first. Well, none of us did.”
“Must have made you frantic when you found out.”
“So did I kill him in my frantic state?” Lew asked. “Hardly. I had no reason to kill him.”
“Ill use of your daughter being insufficient reason?” Bea asked.
“It was over and done with. She was…She is recovering.” And he added, with a look at Jago, “Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Slow process,” was Jago’s reply.
“Made easier if Santo was dead, I daresay,” Bea pointed out.