Page 50 of Maybe Tomorrow

‘Thank you, Mrs Meyhew. You’ve been very helpful.’

Freya turned and walked away. She wanted to knock on another door, glanced back and saw Hilda Meyhew still watching her from her front doorstep. She decided to walk the brief journey to the library and talk to the staff who knew him away from home. She had a feeling Crescent Avenue was full of narrow-minded people like Hilda Meyhew, and suddenly, she felt increasingly sad for Anthony and the situation he found himself in.

Pauline looked at her watch. She had been waiting in the reception area of the police station for almost an hour. The door kept opening and closing, letting in a blast of cold air, and despite sitting close to a radiator and wearing a thick winter coat, Pauline was literally shivering. She stood up and went back to the front desk.

‘Excuse me,’ she called out. The man she’d introduced herself to was long gone and replaced by a female officer who spent most of her time standing by the door chatting to anyone who came in.

‘Yes, madam. How can I help you?’ she said giving her a fake smile.

‘I’ve been sitting here for almost an hour. You have my boy back there and I need to know what’s going on?’

‘I see. And your son’s name?’

Pauline sighed in frustration. ‘I’ve already told your colleague all this. He’s Anthony Winstanley. Look, some of your lot went to his work and dragged him out like he was the Yorkshire Ripper or something. I need to speak to someone in charge. I need to know what’s going on.’

Pauline was almost shouting now. Leo went over to her and placed a comforting arm around her shoulders.

‘Pauline, calm down,’ he said, his voice low.

‘I can’t calm down. How can I calm down? Look,’ she said, going back to the WPC. ‘You don’t seem to understand. Anthony’s… well, he’s different from other lads. He won’t understand what you’re questioning him about. He needs me.’

‘OK.’ The WPC held up her hands in a placatory gesture. ‘I’ll go and have a word with my sergeant and see what’s happening. Please, take a seat.’

Pauline didn’t move. Leo practically had to pull her away from the spot.

‘Pauline, come on. Let’s go and sit back down.’

‘He’ll be so scared, Leo,’ she said to him, struggling to fight back the tears.

‘I know he will. But shouting isn’t going to do him, or you, any good. These things can take time. We just have to be patient.’

‘But why are they interviewing him? He doesn’t know anything.’

Leo opened and closed his mouth a few times. He couldn’t give her an answer so remained silent.

Pauline reached out and grabbed his hands, squeezing them hard for comfort. She was glad he was here with her.

‘Anthony, sorry to keep you waiting,’ DI Bishop said, entering the interview room with a stained cardboard folder under his arm. Heslapped it down on the table, making Anthony jump. ‘I had to go and see a man about a dog. Or, in this case, a dog about a man.’ He gave him a smile and sat down opposite him, opening the file.

‘Can I go to the toilet?’ Anthony asked quietly.

‘Not just yet.’

‘I really need a wee.’

‘We’ll let you go in a while, Anthony. I need you to answer a few more of my questions.’

DS Osborne and DC Tyler were standing by the closed door, watching on. Osborne’s face was expressionless. His arms were folded and he looked more like a club bouncer than a detective sergeant. Tyler, in contrast, looked worried. His arms were plunged deep in his trouser pockets and his heavy frown showed he would rather be anywhere else in the world than in this interview room.

‘Can I have something to eat?’ Anthony asked.

Bishop crossed his fingers and leaned forward on the table. ‘As soon as we’re finished up here, you can go to the toilet, have a big mug of a tea and a plate of pie and mash. How does that sound?’

Anthony smiled and sat back in his chair. ‘Thank you.’

‘Good. Now, I’ve been talking to this young lady,’ Bishop began. He removed a photograph of Tania from the file and placed it in front of Anthony. ‘Do you know her?’

Anthony frowned as he looked at it. ‘I don’t know. I… I think so.’