‘And Reece is?’
‘At work. Early mornings. Road gang.’
Bryant had already noted the basics of the timeline in his notebook – now she needed to put some meat on the bones.
‘And what were they like?’
‘Are you not going to tell us what’s going on?’ asked Mr Porter.
‘Not at the moment, I’m afraid.’
‘You used the past tense. Are they all dead?’ he pushed.
‘I can only confirm that there’s been an incident. Now, please, can you tell me a little more about the family?’
‘Not really,’ Della said. ‘We don’t know them that well.’
‘You’ve lived here for how long?’
‘Thirty-two years.’
‘And you don’t know your neighbours?’ Kim asked, trying to understand.
‘They’re not very sociable,’ Della answered.
Well, neither was she but she’d lived in her own home for around ten years, and she knew that Louisa over the road smoked outside the porch door when her husband wasn’t home. She knew that a young couple who’d moved in along the street fought like cat and dog every few nights. She knew that Mrs Trevin on the corner kept the Fiat Panda on her drive for show, to give the impression she wasn’t home alone even though she hadn’t got behind the wheel for a couple of years. She knew these things even though she never spoke to any of them.
‘You know nothing about the family after all these years?’ Bryant asked doubtfully.
‘I didn’t say I didn’t know anything about them. I said I didn’t mix with them. They don’t really mix with anyone.’
‘So how do you know about them?’ Kim asked.
‘Reece has done odd jobs for them. He’s heard stuff here and there. Arguments between William and Helen. Helen crying and having days she couldn’t get out of bed. Rozzie being spoiled and without direction. Lewis spending all day in his room and not doing great at school.’
Della was imparting this news as though it was hot gossip of scandalous proportions. If that was the best she’d got on the kids, it wasn’t a lot. Sounded like typical teen behaviour to her. The only not normal part was Helen’s behaviour.
‘Any reason you know of for Helen’s depression?’
Della shrugged. ‘Not a clue, but I’ve heard she had a full-on breakdown around twenty years ago. Found walking the grounds in the middle of the night with an empty pushchair, screaming a child’s name. I mean, don’t quote me, it’s only what I heard.’
No wonder the family kept to themselves if this was how they were discussed.
Della was looking at her with a ‘that’s all I’ve got’ expression. It seemed to her that Reece knew more about the family than anyone.
‘Would you ask your son to come to the station when he’s got a minute? We’d like to speak with him.’
Alec opened his mouth to speak, but Della got in first.
‘Why? He hasn’t done anything. He was just out running.’
Kim frowned at the woman’s instant defence of her son. ‘He appeared to know the family well. He may be able to help.’
‘Oh, okay, I’ll tell him.’
Kim climbed out of the sofa and stood. She took a card from her pocket.
‘If you think of anything else, please give me a call.’