Whitchurch Library; Cardiff, Wales
Gwen Cooper eyed the CCTV footage in the security room. The girl seen accessing the computer was Emlyn Rice. Another girl, wearing the same type of school uniform, sat at the computer with her. None of the other after school crowd wore the same uniforms. According to the system, it was the only time Rice used their computer.
"I need a clear pictures of both girls."
He nodded.
"Do you have cameras in the car park?"
"Yeah."
"I need a license plate."
"Not the sharpest criminals." The security guard smiled.
"It makes life easier."
"What did they do?"
"Questionable judgement."
The guard laugh. "Slow day?"
"So far."
He handed her the flashdrive back. "Good luck."
Dr. Bree Nelson approached a librarian, showed her credentials and quietly introduced herself.
"I was wondering if you remembered this girl?" Bree presented the picture Ianto sent her.
"Maybe."
"She came in to use one of the computers."
The librarian stared at the picture, thinking. "She was with another girl. Fancy school uniforms."
"Did they do or say anything unusual?"
"What is this about?"
"She sent inaccurate information to Torchwood."
"I don't know about that. They asked about the computers. They were nervous. The other girl asked about the privacy policy."
"Did they talk to anyone else or seem to know anyone here?"
"Not that I saw."
"Thank you."
Gwen Cooper met with Bree and headed into the parking lot. The question was what to do next. Interviewing minors was complicated. Minors with family money meant solicitors and complications. If the information was accurate, they knew the person who killed Eddie. The killer was connected to one or more of the people Eddie hurt or killed.
"Anything?" Gwen asked after they returned to the car.
"Nervous behavior. A question about the privacy policy."
Gwen nodded. "It was the first time Emlyn used the computer here."
"Two girls want to make a report. They use a library where no one knows them and think its anonymous."
"It looks legit." Gwen started the car.
"Family, friend, boy or girlfriend."
Gwen backed the car up. "Born in Cardiff. If we understand this, the person is a half brother or sister or not related."
"How did they know Eddie did it?"
"Possibly the same way Malcolm did." Gwen headed back to Torchwood. "Molly Elias."
"How many people knew Molly didn't like Eddie?"
Gwen handed Bree her phone. "Call Malcolm on speaker."
"I'm leaving."
"Good. I have a couple more questions. You said you suspected Eddie because of the attack on Molly. Was it common knowledge that Molly didn't like Eddie?"
"For those who cared. Why?"
"Where are you?"
"Preparing to board the ferry, why?"
"You're not driving?"
"No. What happened?"
"We believe Eddie's dead. A body was found in his car. The circumstances are bizarre and extreme." A beat. "We have reason to believe the person who killed Eddie was retaliating for the toxic mushrooms."
Malcolm exhaled. "You think they knew the same way I knew."
"Yeah. Can you send me a list of people who knew Eddie and Molly well enough to come to the same conclusion?"
"My friends."
Gwen hesitated. "Malcolm, the person who killed Eddie is dangerous and out of control. We're not looking to make lives difficult or a scapegoat. If we don't get this person off the street, more people are going to die."
"I will make the list. But if you think one of my friends killed Eddie over that party, there is a problem. My friends didn't like anyone at the party. I went because of Linnet."
"Eddie was interested in Linnet."
"Irrational crushes." Malcolm wasn't buying it. "Cath Eynon. She thinks Rodger is the Welsh Adonis." He hesitated. "Cath couldn't kill anyone."
"Thank you. Have a safe trip with Molly."
"Be careful with Cath, please." The call ended.
"Malcolm and his friends were bullied. No one gets hurts. Eddie gets jealous of his closest friend and poisons fifteen people. He's crazy enough to poison fifteen people but smart enough to pin it on Malcolm. Somehow he knew Malcolm was immune when Malcolm reportedly didn't know."
"Eddie parents may have known."
"Another teenager is capable of homicide. By fire. Arsonists like fire, but intentional homicide is something else. It wouldn't be an isolated event. Private schools will go to lengths to keep secrets. I don't even know how they'd manage to hide that."
Gwen didn't know how to explain. "We're not looking at an arsonist. We're looking for a teenager that created a fireball using a type of energy from space."
"I don't understand."
"Payton Borthwick destabilized a building with a type of telekinetic ability," Gwen explained.
"You think Eddie was killed by a psychic fireball?"
"Yeah."
"So a teenager got so angry, he or she acted impulsively. Or intentionally. It still comes down to isolated violence."
"Maybe he or she didn't know it was possible."
"If a person accidentally murders someone. That's obvious to."