Page 109 of Maybe Tomorrow

Chris smiled. ‘What I’m saying is, you need to plant the idea in their heads. Alternatively, tell someone else about what Bishop did who might be more vocal in getting the case fresh attention.’

‘Who?’

‘I can think of two people: Anthony’s mother and Jennifer Ripley. By all means, provide them with the bullets, but don’t be anywhere near them when they start firing. Don’t ruin your own career for this. Just in case.’

Freya swallowed hard. This was going to be more difficult than she first thought.

ChapterForty-Seven

Freya and Jennifer were sitting next to each other on the sofa in Leo’s living room. There was a heavy atmosphere. Sadness leached out of the walls. The only sound came from the kitchen where Leo was boiling the kettle and Pauline was getting the mugs together.

‘What’s the deal between those two?’ Freya asked, quietly.

‘He was originally introduced as a family friend,’ Jennifer whispered. ‘In my opinion, he’s really gone above and beyond the call of duty. He’s always by her side. He’s always been there for her and Anthony.’

‘Is she living here now?’ Freya’s voice lowered further still.

‘I’ve no idea. She seems very comfortable here.’

Leo entered the living room carrying a tray with four mismatched mugs on it. He placed it on the coffee table.

‘Can I get either of you anything to eat?’

‘I’m fine, thank you,’ Jennifer said. ‘Is Pauline all right?’

Leo sat down. ‘No. She’s not. She’s spent the past couple of days by Anthony’s bed in hospital. Me and the nurses have been badgering her to take a break. She said she’s only come back for a shower and a change of clothes, then she’s heading straight back there.’

‘How is Anthony?’ Freya asked.

‘He’s stable. That’s the main thing. He’s on a ventilator while his lung repairs. He’s black and blue with bruises.’

‘What happened?’

‘The same thing that’s happened God knows how many times over the years. The prison officers turn their backs, and the prisoners jump him. They really went to town on him this time, though. How he survived is anyone’s guess.’

The door opened and Pauline walked slowly in. She looked gaunt, much thinner than she was the last time Jennifer had seen her. Her eyes and cheeks were sunken, and her clothes hung from her bony shoulders. She gave a polite smile, walking carefully, almost as if she might shatter into a thousand pieces, over to the armchair, and perched on the edge.

‘Did you eat that sandwich?’ Leo asked.

She shook her head.

‘You need to eat something, Pauline. You’ve got to keep your strength up.’

‘Leo’s right,’ Freya said. ‘Anthony needs you to be strong for him.’

Pauline fished a crumpled tissue out of her cardigan sleeve and wiped her nose. ‘I can’t keep doing this. It’s killing me seeing him like that. It’s bad enough going out to Blackmoor Prison twice a month. Each time I go he’s lost more weight, or he’s got his arm in a sling or he’s limping. He puts on a brave face and says he’s fallen or he’s joined the prison boxing team. I smile back and go along with it, for his sake, but we all know what’s going on and there’s nothing we can do about it.’

‘Pauline.’ Freya reached forward and placed a hand on her knee. ‘We’re still fighting. We’re still trying to find a way to get Anthony out and back home.’

‘Surely the only way that can happen is by finding the real killer,’ Pauline said after blowing her nose.

Freya looked to Jennifer.

‘I’m doing everything I can,’ Jennifer began. ‘You know about my charity, Wrongly Accused. There’s a team of six of us who look at cases of people being imprisoned for crimes they didn’t commit. We had our first success this week.’

‘Margaret Cox,’ Leo said. ‘I was reading about it in the hospital waiting room. Congratulations.’

‘Thank you,’ she smiled. ‘We’re going through Anthony’s case with a fine-tooth comb. We’ll get there. It’s just going to take time.’