The news headlines over the weekend had not been sensational, and his death had made only the local news along the lines of ‘man found hanging from a tree after taking own life’. There had been no follow-up, and the headline had pretty much disappeared unless you were specifically looking for it. Jamie hadn’t even been identified by name.
A murder investigation was a whole different story, and the press would be banging the door down any minute now. Jamie’s name and face would be all over the news, as well as any facts the press could uncover about him.
And therein lay the problem, Kim had realised.
Diana stood. ‘Who is your superior? You’ve made a huge mistake.’
Kim had so hoped she was wrong, but every time Diana opened her mouth, she confirmed Kim’s worst suspicions.
Diana looked to her husband.
‘I think my wife is correct. I feel that we need to speak to your boss.’
Okay, so it was both of them. Poor Jamie.
‘There’s no mistake, I’m afraid. There is no physical way that Jamie could have climbed that tree, but you both knew that, didn’t you?’
And neither one of them had mentioned it to the police.
They exchanged glances.
Mr Mills spoke first. ‘Jamie could be very determined when he wanted to be.’
‘Not determined enough to make a fused knee bend.’ She paused. ‘I’m afraid your trip to the funeral directors will have to be postponed. I don’t have a date for when Jamie’s body will be released to you, but a full post-mortem is being carried out today.’
‘I didn’t give permission for that.’
‘You don’t have to, Mrs Mills. It is a suspicious death so there’s a legal process in place. We’ll keep you informed of our progress, and please avoid contact with the press.’
She said this as a matter of routine, but she didn’t think that was going to be a problem for these two.
Kim stood. ‘We’ll see ourselves out.’
She was at the door when Mrs Mills spoke.
‘Why couldn’t you just leave him be?’ she asked quietly.
‘Why would we do that, Mrs Mills?’
‘He’s at peace now. He’s probably happier now he’s gone.’
‘Is that you or him?’ Kim asked, meeting her gaze. There was fire in the woman’s eyes which met the ice that was in hers.
‘You chose not to accept your son’s sexuality.’
‘There was nothing wrong with—’
‘I know there was nothing wrong with him,’ Kim snapped. ‘He was gay.’
‘He was not gay,’ Diana said, spitting the last word out of her mouth as though it was poison. ‘He was confused. It was a phase. If he’d just tried harder when—’
‘I think you should leave now,’ Mr Mills said, standing beside his wife.
Kim looked at them both with contempt as she headed to the front door.
Sadness washed over her for Jamie. What chance had the poor kid had?
TWENTY