Joan didn’t answer.
‘I haven’t had time to check,’ Caroline said to Marion. ‘Joan claimed he wasn’t on the base the day Kristvin was killed. But I still haven’t verified that. You can’t trust a word this woman says.’
‘Sure you can,’ protested Joan.
‘Was your husband in the country?’ asked Marion, moving closer to Joan.
‘He flew out that evening or night. He wasn’t in the country. I’m one hundred per cent sure of that.’
‘Evening or night? Which night?’
‘The night Kris was here.’
‘You swore Kristvin left you before midnight, around eleven o’clock. Had Earl left the country by then or not?’
‘Earl left here about 6 p.m. I called Kris once he’d gone and he... I don’t remember exactly... it was the same day. Earl was gone.’
Joan wandered into the sitting room. She seemed to have given up complaining about the intrusion and snapping at Caroline. She sat down in the soft glow of the candles. A look of weariness crossed her face and she stared silently, blankly at the flames, the Dolly Parton wig a little askew on her head.
‘Where did he fly to?’ asked Caroline. ‘Do you know?’
‘He went to Greenland. I’m sure he’d left by the time Kris came to see me. Earl didn’t know about us. He knew nothing. He was gone.’
‘Where in Greenland?’
‘I don’t remember what it’s called. I always forget.’
‘Thule?’
‘Yes, Thule, that’s it,’ said Joan, giving Caroline a wondering look. ‘How did you know? Did I tell you?’
‘We have a big airbase at Thule,’ said Caroline. ‘Any idea what he’s doing over there?’
‘No. Earl doesn’t talk much about that kind of thing. Doesn’t talk much to me at all. You know, doesn’t tell me anything. He doesn’t treat me good. Not like Kris. He was different. He was...’
Her words petered out and Caroline sat down beside her. There was a TV in one corner and a small bookcase containing paperback romances and thrillers by big-name writers. A couple of Danielle Steels on the coffee table. But almost no ornaments. Only a large framed AC/DC poster on one wall and a wedding photo of Joan and Earl on a table. Marion noticed a collection of hunting knives in a glass cabinet and assumed they were Earl’s. Perhaps he liked to hunt back home. The knives looked extremely sharp, sharp enough to skin big game. Marion wondered if Earl was capable of that. Through a doorway they could see into the bedroom where there was an empty wig stand on the dressing table.
‘What do you think happened to Kris?’ asked Caroline.
‘I don’t know. He was OK when he left here. That’s all I know. There’s no point asking me. I don’t know what happened. He often used to drop by the Zoo and he loved the States; he loved living there, and he was... he was kind, you know what I mean? He was a nice boy, you know? We got talking and it was fun and one time when Earl was away I... I just invited him home. I just did. And we... I don’t know why it had to turn out like that. I don’t know. I know nothing about what happened. Nothing. He just left and never came back.’
Joan looked up.
‘How’s his sister?’ she asked again. ‘Kris told me she was real sick.’
‘Tell us a bit more about Earl. What exactly does he do here on the base?’
‘Do? What do you mean? He’s in the marines.’
‘What does he do in the marines?’
‘This and that. Security at the moment. I believe. I don’t know what he does. He never tells me about his assignments. I think... I don’t think he’s allowed to. That must be the reason. He’s so quiet. Never speaks to me. Not a word. I gave up asking a long time ago.’
‘Where does he work?’ asked Caroline.
‘Earl works in the hangar.’
‘The hangar?’
‘Yeah, the big one.’
‘Hangar 885?’
‘He’s there all day and all night and never tells me a thing about what he does.’
‘Are you saying he’s a security guard in the big hangar?’ asked Caroline, her eyes on Marion.
‘Last I heard. I don’t know. I don’t care what he does.’
‘Where is he now?’ asked Caroline. ‘Greenland?’
‘He was in Greenland but I thought he was coming home this evening.’
‘What’s he doing there?’
‘He wants a transfer. To the base whose name I always forget. I think he’s going to drag me there next.’
‘Has he been planning this for a while?’
‘No idea.’
‘Was it him who slashed Kris’s tyres?’ asked Marion.
‘Why won’t you leave me alone?’
‘Did he lie in wait for Kris outside the building?’ asked Caroline.
‘Why are you asking me? Why don’t you ask him?’
‘Oh, I intend to,’ said Caroline, ‘but first I want to hear it from you.’
‘I can’t talk to you.’
‘Why not? What are you afraid of?’
Without warning Joan leapt to her feet, as if to rush out of the flat and escape all this, but Caroline was too quick and caught her before she could reach the door. Joan tore herself loose and Caroline grabbed hold of her again, trying to restrain her. Joan struggled, screaming at her to leave her alone, trying to twist out of her arms. Marion, watching the scuffle, saw that Caroline suddenly had Joan’s wig in her hands. It had come off in the fracas, and when Joan realised, she ceased her flailing about, clasped her hands over her shaven head and collapsed weeping to the floor in the corner by the door. Her scalp was covered in plasters and bandages which Marion initially took to be fastenings for the wig but then realised were stained with blood.
‘What’s this?’ asked Caroline, stunned, as she stood with Joan’s hair in her hands, gaping at her head. ‘What...? What... what in hell happened to you?’
‘Don’t look at me,’ whimpered Joan and snatched the wig back from her. ‘Leave me alone. Go away and leave me alone... don’t look at me...’
Caroline caught Marion’s eye, then knelt down beside Joan on the floor and put her arms round her.
‘What happened?’ she asked gently. ‘Was it Earl? What did he do to you?’
‘Isn’t it hideous?’
‘It’s...’ Caroline didn’t know what to say.
‘It was... he used one of his horrible hunting knives. Isn’t it... isn’t it hideous?’ said Joan, weeping from a combination of anguish, fury and humiliation. ‘Then he took his razor to me and... I couldn’t do anything, he’s so strong, so terribly strong... and he threatened me... threatened to... threatened to kill me...’
The dressings on her head formed an irregular pattern and Marion and Caroline stared at them uncomprehendingly until Joan began to tear them off, revealing the letter ‘K’ gouged into her scalp with a sharp knife, from her forehead to the nape of her neck.
‘“K”?’ said Caroline. ‘Is that...?’
‘Kris. Earl went for me when he came home from the Animal Locker one evening. He’d heard... heard about me and Kris. He went crazy.’
‘How did he hear about you and Kris?’ asked Caroline.
Joan didn’t answer. She sat, her eyes lowered, her shoulders shaking with sobs. Caroline let her be for the moment. Marion held out a handkerchief and Joan took it gratefully. All resistance was at an end and she sat there on the floor, frightened and vulnerable, sniffing into the hanky.
How did Earl find out about your affair?’ asked Caroline again.
‘Somebody must... must have told him,’ whispered Joan. ‘I don’t know. We tried to be careful. Somebody at the Animal Locker. All of a sudden he knew and...’
‘And what?’
‘He couldn’t stand it,’ said Joan. ‘He threatened to kill me, and I know he’s capable of it, the fucking sadist. He threatened to kill me if I went to the police after he... after he cut me. Like he’s any better, screwing around over there in... in Greenland.’