Линда Ла Плант - Cold Shoulder

‘So did Hastings talk to Janklow about the blackmail?’

Nula sighed. ‘I dunno, but when he was found dead, we freaked. Then fucking Janklow appeared and said he needed Art to cover for him, like say he was someplace when he wasn’t. He’d done something.’

Lorraine asked if Nula remembered the date. She thought for a moment and then said it was the fifteenth, she wasn’t too sure. But it was the same date Lorraine had been attacked. Nula cried for a few moments and then sniffed, wiping her check with her hand. ‘He said he’d pay well for Art to cover for him. He couldn’t get cash so he handed over a box of jewellery, said it was all he had left.’

‘Did you sell it?’

Nula blew her nose. ‘In the past when we’d got a few things we’d used Curtis to fence it for us. We didn’t say where we got it and he wasn’t going to ask.’ Nula sighed. Everyone hung on her every word. ‘Curtis gave one of the pieces we were selling off — a ring — to Holly and she used to wear it, showed it to everyone. He’d said it was like an engagement ring. It was the big topaz, with diamonds round it. Anyway, she gets picked up by a john who takes her back to his place and he says where did she get the ring as his mother had one like it but—’

‘Who was it?’

‘Janklow’s brother. Anyway, Holly puts two and two together and comes up with sixteen. She asks us about the stuff we fenced to Curtis and then tells us about this john, Brad Thorburn. We tell Art and he’s going fucking ape-shit because he knows it’s bloody Janklow’s brother, and that Curtis, if he smells a good racket, would want in on it, and Curtis would cause trouble.’

Lorraine lit two cigarettes and passed one to Nula. She puffed for a while and then bowed her head. ‘We had to do something about the ring — we could have all been implicated, know what I mean? She showed it off to everyone — not that Curtis would have ever married her. He’s got a wife and kids anyway.’ She sucked at the cigarette. ‘We knew we had to get rid of Holly. We figured she hadn’t said anything to Curtis — he never came on to us. Art was working the night we decided to do it at the gallery. After we left, we went back to the apartment and Didi got into men’s gear. We nabbed a car and parked it not far away from the apartment. Didi left, then I left. I went on my patch, waited for Holly to arrive.’

She sobbed and was given a clean tissue. She took the cigarette from the ashtray and smoked. ‘Holly, well, she was always jumping into johns’ cars. We knew if she saw a decent car she’d duck and dive to it. Didi drew up across the road and sort of waved towards Holly and, sure enough, she shot across the road so fast I had a tough time following her. Course, soon as she got into the car she knew something was up but by that time I’d gone over, got the back door open and got in; then Didi drove off. We wanted just to get the bloody ring off her, warn her, but she was like a wildcat. We didn’t even drive far — we couldn’t, she was screaming and shouting so much. I think Didi hit her first, then me, but we never meant... We didn’t mean to hurt her. She was suddenly just like a rag doll, it was awful, so we stuffed her into the trunk. Didi was supposed to dump it, leave her in it and get back to work, meet up with me. I went back on the streets, to sort of give us an alibi, you know, saying Didi had got a john and I was to talk to Curtis.’

‘So where did Art come into all this?’

Nula stubbed out the cigarette. ‘That stupid bitch Didi, she didn’t turn up. We’d agreed to meet in the Bar Q but she never showed because she went back to the gallery. She was hysterical because as she was driving around, Holly must have come round. She started banging on the trunk, screaming again.’ Nula rested her head in her hands. ‘Art was mad as hell that she’d gone to the gallery with Holly in the car and Didi’s face was scratched and bruised. Holly was a tough kid — she’d put up a fight. If she hadn’t we’d never have hurt her.’

‘So what happened at the gallery?’

Nula licked her lips. ‘I’m not sure but Art said he’d check on Holly, and he went out. Then he came back in and got a hammer. Didi knew what he was gonna do and tried to stop him and it fell on her foot. Anyway, Art did it and came back and told Didi to dump the car. He gave her the ring — he’d taken it off Holly.’

‘So Didi got back in the car, knowing Holly was dead in the trunk. Then what?’

‘All the stupid cow had to do was dump it and piss off, but she gets into a terrible state. Her foot all swelled up, and she drove home in it because she said she couldn’t have walked and she was scared of anyone seeing her. I had to dump it. I gave it a good clean in case there were any prints. It wasn’t so bad because there was no blood or anything. In fact it wasn’t until I got out and was walking past it that I saw this bit of cloth sticking out and then freaked. I just ran like hell back home.’

Lorraine sounded friendly and understanding. ‘It must have been really hard for you.’

‘It was, but then it was un-fucking-believable. Didi started wearing the ring. And she wouldn’t part with it, it was like some kind of obsession, as if she wanted to be caught. She was always crying and she couldn’t sleep. Nothin’ I said made any difference. She wouldn’t listen to me and that’s why we had this row. I was trying to get it off her but she went hysterical, saying it was hers.’

‘So you had to get the ring away from Didi, is that right?’

‘Course I did but she wouldn’t give it up and so we had this argument. She pushed me, then I pushed her and she fell. I thought she was dead, but when... It was like Holly happening all over again.’

Nula started to cry, her shoulders shaking, and Lorraine reached across the table for her hand. ‘It’s okay, everything’s going to be okay. After she’d fallen what happened?’

Nula’s lipstick smeared, her mascara running down her face. ‘I called Art and he came over. He said we should make it look like this serial killer had murdered her, like we’d done with Holly. But he said as he’d fixed it with Holly, I should do Didi, that he was having nothing to do with it and then he left—’

‘And?’ Lorraine asked.

‘I hit her with the hammer and it must have been just like Holly because she moaned. She was still alive, just like Holly. I could hear her voice, telling me about Holly, and I just kept on hitting and hitting her until she was quiet.’ Nula accepted another cigarette, inhaled deeply and then sipped some water. ‘After I’d done it, I didn’t know what to do next. I couldn’t lift her by myself so I called Craig. All he did was help me get her to the car.’ She fell silent. No one spoke. She smoked the cigarette down to the cork, then looked at it.

Lorraine took the stub from her and tossed it into the ashtray. She stood up.

‘Where are you going?’ Nula asked.

‘They can charge you now.’

Nula watched fearfully as Lorraine walked to the door. She didn’t even look back; she just walked out.

It was after midnight. Ed Bickerstaff was jubilant. Lyall’s and Nula’s statements were signed and they had been taken to their cells. He passed a small white envelope to Lorraine. ‘Five thousand dollars in used notes. You did good. I didn’t think she’d crack.’

‘I won’t be needed at the trial, will I?’

‘Not unless she changes her plea but I don’t think she will.’

‘What about Brad Thorburn?’

‘I reckon the only thing he was guilty of was screwing a prostitute but we’ll need him for questioning. He’s on his way back from France.’

Bickerstaff guided her to the door, then paused. ‘If I ever need you again...’