Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"It doesn't make any sense to me" Jesse began as they all sat around the kitchen table in the beach house "Why would Farrah give a DNA sample for us to check out the baby?"

"Why not?" Mark retorted "If he's sure it's nothing to do with him than he's got nothing to lose and the courts see he's helping the police a much as he can."

"Do you really think they'd imprison him?" Susan asked "With his health the way it is?"

"Probably not" Steve replied "A secure unit in a hospital is more likely, if he lives out the trial that is."

"How did Donald Oxley take the news?"

"As well as could be expected, I promised he'd get Annie's personal effects when we're finished with them. It's got to be hard for him, all this time he thought Annie ditched him when in fact she really was on her way to be with him."

"Bingo!" Amanda announced as she stepped in from the deck "Preliminary results would suggest Charles Farrah is the father of our boy."

Mark shook his head in disbelief "his reaction when Steve mentioned it, I was sure it was nothing to do with him."

"Big coincidence otherwise, two murders sounds a bit far fetched to me" Jesse argued.

"OK, Charlie is the father but we still don't know which sister mothered the child" Amanda pointed out continuing on the confused faces around her "Suppose Annie and Donald couldn't have children, but Annie assumed it was Donald's problem. Her and Charlie have one of those love-hate relationships and when he gets out of prison she's taking his kid up to Canada to pass it off as Donald's."

Steve shook his head "I think Charlie and Annie were hate-hate, if she wanted a father for a child she'd have looked anywhere but there. And Charlie was crazy about Harriet, he wouldn't do anything to jeopardise their relationship. If Charlie had killed the baby, why not bury him with Annie, the hole had to be big enough for them both?" He paused "Donald Oxley went on to have children of his own so it was more likely that Annie had the problem conceiving."

"Meaning the baby was Harriet's" Mark finished.

Steve rubbed his forehead "Are we any further forward? We've still got a baby but no firm evidence he was murdered, OK we are pretty sure on the mother and know the father but what else? Unless Charlie decides to throw some light on the subject I'm stumped."

"What about locating Harriet?" Amanda asked hopefully.

"Still no luck, for all we know she could be under that pond."

Mark patted him on the shoulder "Don't give up, at least they've convinced it's a case worth looking into now."

Steve managed half a smile before heading out onto the deck. Taking in the cool evening breeze he couldn't help but feel that this case had a lot more to it than met the eye.

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"Busy shift?" Mark asked Jesse as they walked together down the hospital corridor.

"Nothing out of the usual so far" he answered "Still no news from Steve?"

Mark shook his head as they entered Amanda's pathology lab. "Farrah won't back down an inch as far as the baby goes, Steve says if anything his behaviour regarding the whole matter is getting more curious. And Harriet is still proving to be as elusive as ever."

"You think he'll break down and admit it?" Amanda asked as the pair walked in.

"I hope so, otherwise it looks like Steve is really at a dead end. Have the remains turned up any more clues?" he inquired hopefully.

"No but there is some good news, the full DNA report is back, Charles Farrah is definitely the father of the baby, Annie Oxley as you might expect rates as a possibility for the mother."

"As an aunt that's no surprise" Jesse added.

The door opened and Steve walked in looking deflated "What's the news?" he asked Amanda.

"Farrah is definitely the father, Annie Oxley could have been the mother, then again the match they got could indicate she was just an aunt."

Steve shook his head "nothing else?" Amanda shrugged an apology "great" he snapped.

"No more luck with Farrah" Mark probed gently.

"Huh! That'd be right, old guy keeled over this morning so chances of me getting a decent go at him again are slim. He's upstairs on a ventilator as we speak." He thought for a while then asked all three "you've had a few days since his arrest to look over his medical charts, how bad is he, really?"

Mark thought for a moment "He had part of his lung removed due to cancer, severe emphysema, still smokes heavily. What did they say upstairs?"

"Some sort of lung infection" Steve replied.

"In that case" Mark continued "He's not in much shape at all".

Steve pondered his father's diagnosis "If his trial were to get underway quickly, he tells the jury what he told us and the baby isn't brought into it due to lack of evidence, we could be looking at three months 'til sentencing" he reasoned. "What are his chances of living that long?"

"It's possible" Jesse answered "But it's not unreasonable to assume that with the stress and all he could be looking at less than a month"

Steve seemed dissatisfied with his prognosis. "He's claiming he let us dig up the garden because he wanted his version of events to be known. He knows he won't live to see prison so it's better to die with a clear conscience." The others nodded in agreement "So why not get the baby off his chest too?" Steve was almost shouting now "Why won't he get it all out in the open, hell why won't he even admit to being the father when he knows we can prove it?"

Mark held up a finger to silence his son as a light flashed in his brain "Hold on" he paused as if running the scenario by himself before offering it to the others. "What if" he began "what if he's telling the truth". Steve looked unconvinced "What if Charlie never knew about the baby."

Before anybody could reply Steve's phone broke the silence "Sloan" he snapped "Who? Are you sure?" he demanded gruffly "OK, OK put her through".

There was a collective intake of breath as Steve spoke softly "Miss Reid, Detective Sloan here". Nobody else in the room could hear the frail quivering voice on the other end, eventually Steve replied "Yes of course, I understand. When would be convenient for you?". He proceeded to scribble on a notepad at Amanda's desk before politely wishing the old lady goodbye. He slipped the phone back in his pocket and turned to be greeted by three expectant faces. He laughed lightly "I hope this isn't a hoax" he ran his fingers through his hair "so who'd like to come with me and meet Harriet Reid?"