Chapter 24
"So let me get this straight, Holly Lightfoot in the diary is a clever way of referring of Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany's? So this other 'Holly' is a code name for a different lover than the real Holly?" Kate clarified to Steve over the phone. Steve was in his car driving home from the office. He and Ted had pulled an all nighter and despite Steve wanting to carry on working, Ted forced him into his car to go home for rest.
"That's right. Here's where it gets even more interesting. I spoke to Liz and she confirmed about the cat and how it was a present to Christopher which she ended up looking after until its death. She has no idea who gave it to him. We then looked at the cinema that the ticket stubs came from after our chat with mum. After a lot of digging and some help from Liz we figured that the cinema was a place called The Everyman. So not only do we have the diaries to question about, we have the cat and the cinema."
"So Liz knows we are looking into those areas then?" Kate asked. He sensed she was a bit sceptical that Liz had no involvement in what happened to Christopher.
"We have no reason to suspect it is her and to make sure we don't have anything to trip up on I implied that the information was from another source that has come forward. No mention of the diaries at all. If anyone asks about the cinema or the cat before we do then we know they would have gotten that information from her" he explained and then yawned. "Sorry, it has been a long night."
"I can imagine. How far are you from home?" Kate asked concerned.
"About five minutes. Stuck in the morning rush traffic."
"Well let me know when you get in. I've got Josh today as mum has an appointment to keep. Let me know if there is anything I can do."
"You can relax and spend some quality time with Josh. I'm going to be out of it most of the day I think despite the levels of caffeine in my system! Besides, the flat will be quiet with mum, dad and Lottie out of it for the day. When I'm more awake I'll give you a call."
"Well you rest up then, we can re-group in person tomorrow?" she asked.
"You got it mate."
It was fair to say that Lottie had been jumpy all day at work. That dreaded feeling of being on her own had been a lingering shadow following her everywhere throughout her shift and appeared the moment her parents dropped her off at the staff entrance door at 7:30am. Every time a customer approached a panicked feeling came over her. More than once she had to swipe her employee card to go into the warehouse and have a mini panic attack or shed a few silent tears. Once done though she wiped away her tears, took a deep breath and carried on as if nothing happened. As Steve told her, she spied her parents watching her from a far on two occasions but although she knew they were there she acted as if she hadn't seen them.
"Lottie!" she heard behind her in the middle of the afternoon and turned to see her friend from college, Stephanie, running over to her. Stephanie was one of the rare college friends to stick by her after the drug debacle with Jack. Studying hairdressing and business, Stephanie wanted to work in the beauty industry. With womanly curves Lottie would kill for and a natural confidence to do anything and everything with her looks, Stephanie was the perfect friend to have her back through everything. It had been a few weeks since they last saw each other and now Stephanie was sporting a pale bubblegum pink pixie cut with vibrant blue eye shadow and a punk inspired outfit. Stephanie pulled Lottie into a warm hug and squeezed her tight.
"Careful! If my boss sees us I'm in trouble!" Lottie giggled.
"Oh fuck 'em babes! After what you have been through, they are lucky to have you back here. If they don't like it tell them to shove their job up their fucking arses!" Stephanie said loudly for Lottie's fellow colleagues to hear before letting her go. "You've had me worried sick babes. What's going on with you?"
"I'm alright just shaky on my feet, first day back and all." Stephanie didn't know about the hand specifically as no one was allowed to know but given Lottie's building made the news and she had disappeared from all communication, Stephanie put two and two together.
"Right, when is your lunch break?" Stephanie asked determined.
"Half an hour. Why?"
"You're spending it with me. No excuses. You need meat putting back on your bones, pardon the meat reference as a vegetarian and I won't be satisfied until you eat everything I buy you in half an hour."
"You sound like my mother."
"Good!" It was then Stephanie realised that Lottie was focussed a bit intensively on her blue eye shadow and pink hair. "What?"
"Steph, I have an idea to run by you. Can I ask a favour?"
In the blink of an eye, New Year 's Eve crept closer and on 30th December it was time for Steve and Lottie to say goodbye to their parents. Jane and Joe had work to go back to in London and could no longer spare being in the midlands. Jane didn't want to leave her children but she knew she had to. She gave them both an extra tight squeeze as she hugged them and she said goodbye before she quickly walked to the car so they couldn't see her tears.
"Feeling more comfortable?" Steve asked Lottie from her bedroom doorway. As soon as their parents left, Lottie went straight to her room and lay on her bed, refusing to get up.
"Like you wouldn't believe. I want to stay like this forever" she said with her eyes closed, her voice conveying her level of pure comfort.
"Well not for too long, it's your turn to make dinner."
"Really? Can't we order a take away?" she moaned creaking her eyes open slowly to glare at him.
"No we can't. I'm not made of money. Besides, with the extra security on the front desk, we might not be able to smuggle it in. Come on, up you get!"
"I hate having responsibilities" Lottie muttered getting up.
"Wait until you have to start paying for bills."
The two headed for the kitchen, Lottie to cook and Steve to grab a beer.
"Steve, would it be alright if I go to Stephanie's place tomorrow while you are at work?" he looked confused.
"Stephanie? Is she the one who you called when you went to the clinic? I met her once. She had blue hair then?" Steve asked.
"That's the one. I saw her at work the other day and I want to spend some time with her plus she thinks I need fattening up so no doubt I will be eating most of the day. I promise I won't be alone and we will be staying at her parents' house all day. You can drop me off in the morning and we could meet you and everyone at The Winslow for a drink. Please? I want to see her."
"Sure you can. You don't have plans with Alex on New Year's Eve?"
"No he's working."
"Well make sure you are at The Winslow as Kate will be there tonight."
"Kate? I haven't seen her in so long."
"A few days isn't that long."
"It is to me. I miss her"
Me too Steve thought and took a swig of his beer.
Steve gave Kate a big hug seeing her again in the office. She was looking better than the last time he saw her only a couple of days prior. They had met for a coffee and a walk and he was relieved to learn that Kate's home having been in her name meant that Mark didn't have a right to it. So she and Josh weren't going to find themselves homeless all of a sudden. By suggestion of her mother, Kate had the locks changed to prevent Mark from accessing the house for things which he had no right too. In fairness to Mark, he had only come to the house when invited at the time that he had agreed with Kate and was being good around Josh. She had even let Mark have alone time with Josh and Mark brought Josh home at the designated time. When Kate said it was amicable and they were there for Josh as their top priority, she meant it. Steve had never met Mark and always imagined him to be a monster but he may have been wrong about that.
"I am so glad to be back. I love Josh to bits but I forgot how terribly draining kids TV is" Kate explained whilst Steve made her a cup of coffee in the kitchen area.
"I'll bear that in mind for the future" Steve smiled softly.
"Planning having kids soon huh?" Kate asked and Steve nearly burnt his tongue on his coffee when she asked him.
"Not right now but you never know what might happen. Are you still coming to The Winslow tonight?"
"Yep, given Josh to Mark for the night at his mum and dad's house. Mum needed a night off and besides, Josh hasn't seen Mark's parents in months. Nice for them to spend New Year together. He's been really great actually. Far better than I thought he would be. I guess I am lucky in comparison to other split couples. How is Lottie? I've missed her."
"She's ok but I am a bit worried for her, as always. Mum and dad went home yesterday. Getting out and about I think has made her nervous."
"Is there anything I can do?" Kate asked.
"Be there tonight. She is so excited to see you."
At that moment Ted appeared holding a file and he greeted Kate warmly not having seen her yet in the office that morning.
"Are you both planning to interview anyone in Christopher's case today?" Ted asked.
"No, in the next few days as all are away celebrating the holidays with family, why?" Steve asked. Ted held out the file.
"Toxicology report on the hand. Gwen was right."
Steve took the report and began to read holding it out so the both of them could read it together.
"Codeine?" Steve asked looking up at Ted.
"Appear so and he was drugged with it over a period of time of at least three months but closer to death it appears in higher quantities. Used for treating pain, coughing and diarrhea but it is also used as a recreational drug" Ted explained.
"Look at these side effects. Drowsiness and constipation, itching, nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, miosis, orthostatic hypotension, urinary retention, euphoria, and dysphoria. Rare adverse effects include anaphylaxis, seizure, acute pancreatitis, and respiratory depression. As with all opiates, long-term effects can vary, but can include diminished libido, apathy, and memory loss. Some people may have allergic reactions to codeine, such as the swelling of skin and rashes" Kate read from the report.
"So the headaches, the dreams, and the visions he wrote in the diaries, they all match to him being drugged" Steve said putting the pieces together in his head.
"Appears so. We now have concrete evidence that points to murder and no one can argue that his hand got cut off but they had nothing to do with his death. I don't want Gwen told yet of what we have found. If Charles is trying to get to Gwen we need to make sure he doesn't hear anything that we don't want him to. From now on we only speak to Nicholas, Holly, Liz and Charles in the interview room and we get all four of them here as soon as possible. We are going to get whoever did this and bring the rest of Christopher home to Gwen."
The Winslow was busy and Steve, Kate and Ted found themselves keeping a close eye on all those who were in the pub with them. Steve kept imagining he saw Liz, Holly, Nicholas and Charles in the pub amongst the crowds either individually or in couples, but then he would blink and they would disappear, replaced by a stranger who looked like them enjoying their new year's eve.
As usual Lottie was running late but she called Steve with Stephanie on route so he knew they were on their way.
"Steve! There you are, happy new year" Stephanie beamed as she entered the pub. Steve may have seen her twelve hours before when dropping Lottie off but he still was taken aback my her pink hair.
"Same to you. Where is Lottie?" he asked realising she wasn't by Stephanie.
"Outside because we have a surprise for you. Well for everyone really."
"A surprise?" Kate asked.
"Yes. You see Lottie was feeling a bit low this morning and talked about being nervous of being spotted. So we decided to do something about it. So, let me introduce the new Lottie Arnott!"
The doors opened and in walked Lottie. Everyone from AC-12, as well as Pete and Alex, who were behind the bar, stopped and stared in stunned silence. Her waist length curly reddish brown hair was gone. Instead she had straight honey blonde hair that stopped at her shoulders and having been straightened was much thicker making the colour even richer. Her Harry Potter framed glasses were gone replaced by thick rectangular shaped frames in pale blue which reminded Steve of Clark Kent glasses. Her usual make-up free face had a simple light dusting of makeup which emphasised her cheek bones and gave her a beautiful youthful glow but her lips were a vibrant red. She looked fresh yet older than her 16 years. You could easily take her to be in her mid-20s. He usual bohemian or casual clothing was gone replaced with a long sleeved thin polo neck jumper, grey wide cut trousers and kitten heels. Simple silver jewellery completed the look and a small clutch bag was in her right hand. She looked like a sophisticated woman who just came from the office not a sixteen year old school girl.
"So … what do you think?" she asked nervously.