‘Yeah, two girls. Katie drops them off at her mother’s and she takes them to school.’
‘My colleagues and I are going to search your premises from top to bottom.’
‘How many times do I have to tell you, I didn’t open that coffin or steal any bleeding cross, so you won’t find nothing.’
Boon shrugged. ‘Have it your way.’
Arriving at Crundale Tower, Boon got out and went over to speak to Jane.
‘I think he might have got rid of the cross... maybe pawned it or sold it to someone. If we don’t find it, we’ll have to release him.’
‘We might find a pawn ticket — or even the missing knife,’ Jane said hopefully.
‘I haven’t mentioned the knife to Barry. I thought if we find a crucifix, he might roll over and tell us what else he took from the coffin. The search could take an hour or two; me and the crime squad lads can do it if you want to head off to your meeting.’
She looked at her watch, it was a quarter past eight. ‘I’ve still got a plenty of time. I’ll stay for an hour then drive to Orpington.’
Boon used Barry’s key to gain entry to the flat. Jane told the crime squad officers to search the bedrooms and made Barry sit in an armchair in the living room.
Jane looked around the room. ‘We’ll start in here, then do the kitchen. Make sure you look inside the cushions, as well as down the sides of the—’
‘I know how to do a proper search, sarge,’ Boon interrupted.
The high-pitched sound of a woman’s screams suddenly filled the flat.
‘Stay with Barry,’ Jane told Boon and hurried to the main bedroom.
A buxom, dark-haired woman in her late twenties was sitting up in bed tightly clutching a white bed sheet under her chin. She looked terrified, her eyes wide open and her body shaking.
‘Please don’t hurt me?’ she pleaded, close to tears.
‘It’s all right, love, no one’s going to hurt you... we’re police officers not burglars,’ the crime squad officer informed her, holding up his warrant card. ‘Are you Barry May’s missus?’
She still looked worried. ‘Yes, has something happened to him?’
Jane stepped between the officers and the woman. ‘There’s no need to be alarmed, Mrs May. Your husband is fine and here with us.’ Jane waved to Boon to bring Barry to the bedroom.
‘What’s going on, Barry?’ his wife asked, seeing the handcuffs.
‘These idiots think I nicked some jewellery and want to search the house for it. I’ve told them they’re wasting their time,’ he said.
‘No work today?’ Jane asked Mrs May.
‘I swapped shifts with a friend.’
‘Are the children in their bedroom?’
‘No, they’re with my mother. I dropped them off earlier and came back to bed for a bit of peace and quiet.’
‘I’d like you to get dressed, please, then we can search your bedroom,’ Jane told her.
‘What, with them in here?’ she asked, nodding towards the male officers. ‘I ain’t got no clothes on.’
Jane told her colleagues to go to the living room with Barry and start the search. She then closed the door.
‘Sorry, Mrs May, but I need you to stay in here while I search your bedroom... it’s normal procedure.’
‘This is ridiculous,’ she sighed. ‘Can you hand me the dressing gown on the back of the door.’
Jane lifted it off the hook and threw it on the bed. Katie didn’t move.
‘Do you mind turning around while I put it on?’
Jane sighed as she turned. ‘Please, Mrs May, just get a move on so I can search the room.’
‘You can turn around now,’ she said a few moments later.
Jane noticed Mrs May was holding the dressing-gown collar tightly around her neck.
‘Do you have a jewellery box?’ Jane asked. She noticed Mrs May’s hand tremble slightly as she pointed to the dressing table.
‘It’s in the top right drawer.’
Jane removed the jewellery box and looked inside. There were some cheap rings, bangles, and a chain with a K pendant. Jane held it up. ‘Is this yours?’
‘Yes. K for Katie.’
‘And this is all your jewellery?’
She nodded and pulled the dressing-gown collar up.
‘Are you wearing a necklace of any sort just now.’
‘No,’ she replied nervously.
‘I’d like you open your dressing-gown collar, please,’ Jane said.
‘Do I have to?’ Katie started to cry.
‘I understand you’re trying to protect your husband... but please don’t put me in a position where I have to arrest you on suspicion of handling stolen goods and forcibly search you.’
Katie let out a sob. ‘I swear I didn’t know it was stolen. He said he found it on the building site.’ She removed the chain from her neck and handed it to Jane.
Hanging from it was a silver cross measuring about two and a half by one and a half inches with a Sacred Heart engraved on it, along with a small cross and circle of thorns.
Jane removed a small exhibits bag from her pocket and placed the cross and chain in it. ‘Thank you for being honest with me,’ she said.
‘Please don’t tell Barry what I told you,’ Katie said, looking desperate.
Jane sensed fear in her voice and now the dressing gown was loose below the neck, she noticed two large bruises above Katie’s left breast. ‘Did Barry do that to you?’ she asked, pointing to them.
Katie closed the dressing gown. ‘It was an accident... he didn’t mean to.’
Jane wasn’t convinced. ‘Have you got any other bruises?’
‘No,’ she replied nervously.
‘Can you show me your arms, please.’
Katie started shaking as she pulled the dressing gown tighter around her body.
‘I’m on your side, Katie. I can help you... but I need to know if you have any other injuries.’
Tears began to trickle down Katie’s face as she slowly opened the dressing gown, let it fall open and stood with her hands covering her crotch.
Jane gasped as she saw the extent of bruising on Katie’s arms, legs and stomach. They were clearly the result of punches, grab marks and kicks to her legs, deliberately inflicted in areas where Barry thought other people wouldn’t see them. Katie pulled the dressing gown around her.
‘This is wrong, Katie, so wrong. You can’t let him treat you like a punch bag. If you make a formal allegation of assault against him, he will be charged. I’ll ask the court for him to be remanded in custody pending trial...’
‘I can’t... it would only make things worse.’
‘What about the children? Has he ever hurt them?’
‘He’d never do that. Barry’s loves his children.’
‘Believe me, as they get older, he will treat them in the same way. You also need to know we believe he forced a coffin open and stole the cross and chain from the body of a dead nun.’
Katie looked horrified and her legs started to buckle. Jane managed to grab her and sit her on the bed before she fell over. The tears rolled down her cheeks.
‘How could he do that then give it to me?’
‘I don’t know. I’ll tell him I saw the cross when you got out of bed; that way, he won’t know about our conversation and take it out on you.’
‘Thank you... but he’ll still be angry with me.’
‘Have you thought about leaving him?’
Katie choked back a sob. ‘Is there anywhere you can go?’
‘My parents live down the road,’ she managed to say. ‘I’m sure they’ll take us in until I can find somewhere else.’
‘Will you be safe there?’
‘I don’t know for sure, but it’s the only place I have to go.’
‘Barry will be taken to the station for interview. It will give you time to pack some belongings for yourself and the children.’
‘How long can you hold him?’ Katie asked, pulling a small suitcase out from under the bed.