Confessions?
Tom walked into the police station with Mared at his side. She had decided that being at home just made her more vulnerable so she'd accompanied Tom. He glared towards Rhys on the front desk as Lloyd approached them.
"I dunno if this is right but they decided that they couldn't live with the guilt." Lloyd stated. "They're in separate interview rooms. Diane Jones from the Social Services is with Sioned."
"Ok." Tom nodded. "You and Delyth interview him. Sian and I will take Sioned."
"No." Mared interrupted. "Let Lloyd and Sian take him. Me and you take Sioned. She'll talk to me."
Tom frowned. "Maternity Leave? Ring any bells."
Mared rolled her eyes. She knew he worried about her. "She will talk to me. I know her mother. Well used to. Kelly died five years ago. Cervical cancer. Awful really. Sioned was only ten. It's crazy when you think about it. Kelly only missed one smear test."
"Ok." Tom ran a hand over his face. "Have Lee and Del go through forensics. Cmon." He ushered Mared towards the soft interview room. Lloyd nodded; watching the couple walk away wondering what they would do if Mared ever stopped working with Tom: he had no idea how they would cope.
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Delyth parked the car outside the mortuary; knowing Iowerth was expecting her. She loved science but hated the grey and depressing building where Rhodri, Iorwerth and their team worked. She reluctantly got out of the car as she steeled herself for the antiseptic smell snd Clinical equipment that would meet her when she walked into the offices.
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"For the benefit of the tape." Tom spoke calmly as the young girl opposite him stared at the coffee ring on the table in front of her. "Those present are DI Mared Rhys, Social Worker and appropriate adult Diane Jones, interviewee Sioned Louise Smith and myself DCI Tomis Mathias. Sioned, do you want to do this in English or Welsh?"
"English please."
"Ok." Tom paused. "Do you understand why you are here?"
"Yeah. Because Zack died. Because of what happened."
"Ok." Tom nodded. He could see the child in front of him was terrified. Mared smiled at her. "What do you know about what happened?"
"I've known Zack for years." Sioned paused. "He was in the football team with my brother Mike."
"Right. Ok." Mared watched as the young girl wiped her eyes.
"He was a bully. Kept on and on. Taking that mock out of Steven and me. Telling everyone what his uncle had done. I mean you can't choose family, can you? It's not Steve's fault."
"No." Mared nodded. "It isn't."
"Sioned." Tom kept his voice calm, careful of the fact the girl was just a child. He hated to think that she was a similar age to Elin, close to the age Hannah and Sara would be. "What happened the night that Zack died?"
"We were at youth club." Sioned sniffed. "Zack was flirting with Lucy Jones. One of the girls in the upper 6. She knocked him back."
"So?"
"He tried it on with me. I told him no. I told him I'm not interested."
Mared felt her blood boil. Sioned sniffed.
"It's ok. You aren't in trouble. You just need to take your time and tell the truth." Tom watched as she nodded.
"God, I wish Mam was here."
Mared glanced at Tom. He smiled kindly. "Did you tell Steven?"
"No. He saw what was going on. Told him to go. To leave me alone. He stepped between us. Pushed him away. They started fighting, shouting so I pulled Steven away. I told him we should go up the cliffs. Watch the waves together. Only e followed us." Sioned burst into tears. Mared stepped around the table, hugging the young girl as she sobbed.
"Go on."
"Steven was calming down. He was."
"Ok."
"But. But. Zack kept goading him. Reckonings e could get in my knickers before him. That I wanted a proper man not a school boy." Sioned sobbed. "They started scrapping. Then there was a bang. Zack went over the cliff. But the tide was in. Zack was a good swimmer. We looked; thought he'd be ok. That he was pratting about."
"Who had the gun?"
"I."
"Sioned?" Tom spoke firmly. "Who brought the gun?"
"Zack." Sioned wiped her eyes. "He had it. It was Zack's."
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