Peter Robinson - When the Music's Over

‘What happened?’

‘Well, it was all very sudden, but I thought I heard a car and some loud music. The music got even louder for a few moments, and I heard a car door slamming, then it all faded into the distance.’

‘Could you tell what direction it was travelling in?’

She thought for a moment. ‘I couldn’t swear to it, but I think it was going south, coming from up Eastvale way. At least, I seem to sort of vaguely remember the sound travelling in that direction, if you know what I mean. But I can’t be certain. I wasn’t really paying attention.’

‘Can you describe what you heard in any more detail?’

‘As I said, the music was quite loud at first, even when the door wasn’t open, like you get in the city sometimes.’ She squeezed her husband’s hand. ‘Toby always says they must have their stereo speakers on the outside.’

‘But sound carries well out here?’

‘Oh, yes. Especially with the windows open. It’s so quiet and flat between here and the road, and that’s the direction the bedroom faces.’

‘Did the car go by quickly?’

‘That’s just the thing. I mean, I could hear the engine, you know, first in the distance, then getting closer. Then I could see the light from the headlamps over the field, and I realised it must be going down the lane, which seemed odd, especially at that time of night, some kids playing loud music.’

‘You were watching by then?’

‘I was sitting on the edge of the bed. It was just the glow from the lights I could see, not the actual headlamps themselves, and — yes, of course. It must have been travelling south. That was the direction the lights were moving. Silly me. I’d forgotten.’

‘You thought it was kids?’

‘Well... that’s who does it, isn’t it? I don’t mean to sound prejudiced or anything, I don’t even really mind that much, but it’s usually kids who drive around with loud music playing.’

Annie thought of Banks. He liked it loud sometimes. ‘You mean like rap music, hip hop?’

‘No, no. Nothing like that. That was the strange thing. That’s what you’d expect.’ She smiled. ‘But it wasn’t like that at all. It was that song I’d heard on the radio a year or two ago. I remember it because I liked it. It was on all the time. The two Swedish girls.’

‘First Aid Kit?’ Gerry suggested.

‘That’s right. “My Silver Lining”. It just seemed odd that someone would be playing that song so loud in the middle of the night. I could hear it clearly because when the car slowed down...’

‘Slowed down?’ said Annie.

‘Yes. I distinctly heard it slow down. The engine changed sound, and that’s when I could hear the music even louder for a while as if...’

‘As if what?’

‘As if someone opened the door or something, just for a moment. Which they must have done because it closed a few seconds later. And I thought I heard laughing and yelling or whooping, but I’m not sure about that.’

‘So the car actually stopped for a while?’

‘No, I don’t think it stopped. At least, the engine never stopped. Just slowed down. It sounded as if it skidded a bit first. I heard the tyres squeal a bit. It must have been going fast. Maybe it idled for a few moments. I don’t know. All I know is it shot off again just a few moments later, after the door slammed shut. Burning rubber, as they say. And the music went back to what it was like before.’

‘How much later?’ Annie asked. ‘This could be important, Mandy.’

Mandy bit her lip. ‘Not long. I mean, seconds, not minutes. It was very fast.’

‘You seem to have a remarkable ear for details,’ Annie said. ‘Did you hear anything else?’

‘Well, I was just lying or sitting there in the dark with the windows open. You tend to notice every little sound, don’t you, every creak and animal noise. I didn’t hear anything else for a while. I went to the toilet, and when I got back to bed, a short while later I heard another car. No music this time. But it was odd, two cars out there so close together in one night.’

‘How much later?’

‘I’m not sure. Not long. About ten or fifteen minutes after the first one.’

‘Again, this could be important, Mandy. Think carefully. Was it the same car as the one before? Did it sound the same? Could you tell?’

Mandy frowned in concentration. ‘I don’t think so,’ she said finally. ‘I think it sounded different. But honestly, I couldn’t really tell. I’m not good at mechanical things.’

‘What did the second car do?’

‘It stopped.’

‘Completely?’

‘Yes. I couldn’t even hear the engine, but I could still see the glow from the headlamps through the trees.’

‘And it started up again?’

‘A few minutes later.’

Bingo, thought Annie. That was long enough to beat the girl to death. The second van, coming from the same direction ten or fifteen minutes later, when she had managed to stagger a quarter of a mile or so back up the road after being thrown naked out of a van.

‘Did you hear anything during the time it was stopped?’

‘I heard a car door slam, then someone’s voice. It might have been a scream and some shouting. I thought it was just someone being noisy. A drunk stopping to be sick or something, and her friend shouting at her. I’m sorry.’ She put her fist to her mouth and started sobbing. Toby put his arm around her.

‘You weren’t to know,’ Annie said. ‘It’s a wonder you could hear anything at all from so far away.’

‘My hearing’s good, as a rule. And as I said, sounds carry in the country in the dark. Mostly I just heard the car engines and the music in the distance, and the music was so loud and unusual. That’s why it seemed odd... I... I’m sorry. Perhaps if I’d realised what was happening, called the police...’

‘There was nothing you could have done,’ Annie reassured her. There was no way Mandy could have heard a girl being beaten to death almost a mile away, even if she had heard the music, the car engines and the whooping. And perhaps a scream. The victim would have stopped screaming soon after the first blow and the sounds of punching and kicking would have been muffled and wouldn’t have carried over the distance.

‘You said “her friend” a moment ago, when you mentioned being sick. Did you hear a woman’s voice?’

‘I must have done, I suppose.’

‘And a man’s? The friend shouting at her?’

‘Yes.’

‘Was he angry?’

‘I don’t know. I could only hear sounds, not words or anything.’

‘But he shouted?’

‘Loud enough for me to hear. Yes.’

‘Is there anything else you can tell us?’

‘Well, there is one thing. The second car turned and went back the way it came. The gears made a sort of crunching sound, like when you do a three-point turn in a hurry. And again I could see the direction from the glow of the lights. That seemed odd.’

‘It didn’t drive on down the lane?’

‘No.’

‘Did you hear anything, Mr Ketteridge?’

‘I was fast asleep,’ said Toby. He smiled. ‘Getting as much in as I can before the wee one comes along.’ He patted his wife’s knee and stood up. ‘I think my wife should rest now, if you don’t mind. You can see she’s distraught.’

Annie handed him her card. ‘If either of you thinks of anything else, please don’t hesitate to phone. And we may need to come back for a statement. We’ll be in touch.’

As they walked towards the door, Mandy looked over at them and said, ‘We’re not in any danger, are we? I mean, a murder so close to our home. There isn’t some sort of maniac on the loose, is there? Are you sure my baby’s not in any danger?’

‘No,’ said Annie. ‘I can’t think of any reason why you would be.’ Outside at the car she turned to Gerry. ‘I never knew you were a First Aid Kit fan.’