From the outset, Peter Devine had been the more proactive of the two parents, not only keen to give the police any information that could help but also being the one family member who had fought back emotions in an effort to keep together whatever fragments of normality remained. From what Canter had seen of the father prior to the finding of Caroline’s body, he came across as a serious and quiet man and one who, although inwardly anxious, had been determined to maintain a strong stance under pressure. Lilli Devine, on the other hand, had completely caved in after the girl’s disappearance, becoming far too distraught to converse or engage with the case in any meaningful way. Although, like Peter, she would have done anything to help find her daughter, her distressed state meant a large burden of responsibility had been placed on Peter in the early stages of the investigation. It was he who became the lynchpin that held the family together. However, when O’Connor met the parents after Caroline’s body had been found, it was obvious their roles had changed dramatically. It was now Lilli who was taking the leading role.
This had come as no surprise to Kate as she had seen this type of alternating reaction before. The man, brought up with the emphasis on being the ‘strong’ one, very often held things together at the beginning. It was his coping mechanism, a means of finding respite and even comfort in being busy and proactive. The woman was often far more instinctual in her reactions, displaying the obvious outward signs of desperation after the initial disappearance. When the prospect of a solution to the status quo was no longer an option, Peter Devine hit a brick wall, no longer able to physically change things, the scale and acceptance of his loss finally registered, leaving Lilli Devine, who to some extent had already begun the devastating process, to become the stronger outwardly of the two.
Peter Devine held open the sitting room door and stood aside to let Kate and O’Connor enter. He didn’t ask who Kate was and didn’t seem to care. He shuffled after them into the sitting room where his wife and daughter were sitting with Shelley Canter. Emily, Caroline’s sister, was seventeen – five years older than Caroline, an age her sister would never reach. The atmosphere in the room was quiet and strained – like everyone was holding their breath so they wouldn’t scream. Kate felt the emotions rising inside her in the face of their grief.
Once seated, O’Connor introduced Kate, who took the armchair opposite Lilli Devine. Emily remained standing by the door, never taking her eyes off Kate. It was Lilli Devine, though, who was the first to openly acknowledge Kate.
‘What’s she here for exactly? What’s a psychologist have to do with anything?’
Shelley Canter was quick to respond. ‘Lilli, Kate is here to help work out the type of person we’re looking for.’
‘Is she going to help find him, Shelley?’
‘We hope so. Kate brings a huge amount of profiling experience to the table, and has previously helped police solve other murders, both here and in the UK. It’s important that you talk to her as honestly as you can, Lilli, okay?’
Lilli stared at Kate with the kind of look that seemed to fight back any hope she might have that Kate could actually help.
‘I keep looking for him, you know, searching people’s faces, anyone I can remember, or anyone we met, even vaguely. All those faces, they keep going over and over in my mind like a revolving nightmare. Part of me wants to see him. I want to have him stare straight at me, so I can tear the bastard’s eyes out.’
‘Mrs Devine—’ O’Connor cut in, anxious to calm the situation.
‘Lilli, you might as well call me Lilli. It’s a bit late for social niceties, Inspector.’
‘Lilli,’ O’Connor said gently, ‘if you and Peter could answer a few more questions about Caroline for Kate, it could help us a lot.’
Kate took their lack of response as agreement. She looked over at Emily first. ‘Is it okay with you too, Emily?’
The girl shrugged her shoulders, whilst tensing her facial features. ‘Sure, whatever.’
There was no doubting the feelings of bitterness in the room, and Kate knew Caroline’s mother and sister were not going to be easy to deal with, but she pushed on, deciding to start with Lilli Devine.
‘Lilli, I think your instinct regarding trying to remember everyone who Caroline came in contact with is a good one. From what we have so far, there’s a strong possibility that whoever abducted Caroline may have met her before.’
‘What do you mean?’ Peter interrupted, his voice sounding anxious.
‘Well,’ Kate said carefully, ‘it may well be that Caroline wasn’t chosen at random.’
‘Sorry?’ Lilli looked at Kate, her face displaying hostility.
‘Lilli, whoever abducted your daughter could have planned it, and for reasons that could have meant absolutely nothing to Caroline, but a lot to her abductor.’
‘But she … she was only twelve. How would Caroline have known anyone who would do something like this?’ Peter Devine looked devastated.
O’Connor was quick to put him at his ease. ‘Peter, Kate’s not saying Caroline necessarily knew him, for all we know she might not have even spoken to him.’
Both parents looked distraught at what Kate was suggesting, but she knew she had to keep going. She held her gaze on Lilli. ‘The important thing here is that we explore all angles. If Caroline did meet him at some point, there’s every chance she may have viewed their encounters as completely innocent. Your daughter was a clever girl by all accounts, but unfortunately that was not enough to protect her.’
‘Ask me whatever you want to know,’ Lilli replied, her voice stronger now. ‘I know nothing’s going to bring her back, but I want you to get him. I need to know he’ll pay for what he’s done.’
‘Lilli, tell me what type of things Caroline liked to do.’