It wasn’t up to her to judge the dynamics of the couple’s relationship. Okay, in her view it might have been a bit secular and exclusive, but it clearly worked for them. What she did have to wonder was whether Wendy had an ulterior motive for mentioning it.
‘Wendy, please be absolutely honest with me now. Just how deep was this emotional connection between you and Gabe?’
Wendy took a breath. ‘We were starting to fall in love.’
FORTY-ONE
‘Pretty sneaky, guv,’ Bryant observed as they headed towards the address in Much Wenlock.
‘Creative is the word I think you were after. Technically, I didn’t really do anything wrong. I just happened to see the name on the next sheet of paper.’ She shrugged without apology. ‘I just want to hear from someone who’s spent time at the facility.’
He frowned. ‘It wasn’t exactly what I thought it was going to be.’
‘How so?’ Kim asked, trying to pinpoint the source of her own unease since leaving the property.
‘I dunno. I suppose I expected them to be more secretive about what they do. I thought we’d have to drag it out of them. Do you remember when we suspected that group on Hollytree of illegal dog fighting?’ he asked.
‘I sure do,’ she growled. Although Bryant was going way back, it wasn’t an arrest she’d ever forget. Fifteen bait dogs had been rescued from the two-bed flat.
‘We had the proof right there, but not one of those idiots wanted to admit to it even though we told them we were charging them all with the same offence. They knew what they were doing was despicable but did it anyway. I expected something similar from the folks at the clinic.’
‘They were pretty proud of what they do,’ Kim agreed.
‘Guv, I’m feeling a bit conflicted.’
‘About what, whether that line belongs in an American soap opera?’ she asked, turning to look at him.
He ignored her. ‘It’s like, we both know that what they try to do is impossible, right?’
‘Agreed.’
‘And yet, they seem so sure they can help people who are genuinely distressed and suffering. If they were helping anyone else with any other kind of inner conflict, we’d be applauding them.’
Kim wanted to argue the point but couldn’t, even though her mind screamed that sexuality was different to any other facet of a person’s identity.
‘And what about that final revelation from Jessica about her mother?’ she asked.
‘Exactly. Apparently Celia is living proof that the process works, so we’re either both wrong about the effectiveness of what goes on there or Celia is living a lie, which also seems unlikely. My head is all over the place, guv.’
Kim nodded her agreement as she sent a text to Penn asking that he start doing background on Celia and Victor Gardner.
‘Maybe things will be clearer after speaking to this Stephanie Lakehurst,’ Kim said as Bryant took a right just before a service station.
‘The one with the caravan,’ Bryant said, pulling in.
The house was a tidy semi-detached property with matching net curtain in every room.
‘Okay, let’s see what…’ Her words trailed away as her phone sounded from her pocket. The dread filled her stomach as she saw the caller’s name. ‘Keats?’
‘Whatever you’re doing, stop it and head towards me now.’
‘Where?’
‘Harvington. The Willows. One mile on from The Dog.’
She knew where the pub was, and a mile away from it in any direction was semi-rural.
‘Don’t say it,’ she said.