‘He could have been trying to protect you.’
‘That’s not what he said when Internal Affairs interviewed him. He’d known that if he’d told the police doc what was going on they’d have put him on immediate medical suspension. He knew he wasn’t fit to work, and that him staying in post could seriously compromise an investigation.’ Lizzie clasps her hands together. ‘He knew it, and yet he didn’t say anything. Not even to me. Even though he could have died.’
‘What was wrong?’ asks Moira.
‘His heart was totally screwed. He’d been having tests and been under observation for a while apparently. That’s where he was that lunchtime when he didn’t follow up the tip – he was at the John Radcliffe Hospital having tests for two hours, not eating lunch as he’d told everyone.’ Lizzie pauses. Takes a breath. ‘In the end he told the Internal Affairs investigator the whole thing. I read their report, and I read the hospital report too. Philip had been having dizzy spells and blackouts and they were getting worse. He told the investigator he’d collapsed in his office a few days before and must have been blacked out for almost an hour. He was experiencing an irregular heartbeat and his blood pressure was all over the place. It had been happening for months, but he’d been delaying having the operation that could help him because he didn’t want to take time out from the job. He was having a health crisis, but he told no one, because he knew if he did he’d have to step down and hand over control of the investigations. He wanted to keep doing the job, even if it killed him; even if it took him from his own family. But him not taking due care killed that little girl, as well as nearly killing him.’ Lizzie exhales hard. ‘It wasn’t ill health that ended his career. He was forced to retire because of the lies. The Internal Affairs report recommended disciplinary action and dismissal due to wilful disregard of protocol and lying by omission constituting a deliberate cover-up – leading to a complete breakdown of trust and confidence in his integrity. It was only because of his high profile in the media and exemplary record until then that they allowed him to retire with honour. It was more than he deserved. He lied to everyone, even me. And when I asked him – before the heart attack and afterwards about why he’d had to retire – he lied and he kept on lying. I asked him yesterday and he didn’t say anything about the health problems he’d had. I had to break into his filing box to discover the truth. I just don’t understand why he’d keep the lie going for ten years. And if he’s lying about this, it makes me wonder if there are other things he’s lied to me about.’ She looks at Moira, trying to see if she understands. ‘We’ve been married a really long time, but now I feel like I don’t know him at all.’
Moira looks baffled. Like she’s trying to work it all out. ‘I don’t understand why he didn’t tell you. Maybe he was in denial. It must have been—’
A series of beeps from near the cooker stops Moira mid-sentence. They both look over towards the noise. The mobile phone Moira dug up from the trail is vibrating against the countertop. The screen lit up.
Lizzie wants to hear what Moira was going to say, but she can’t ignore the phone. If it’s working again this could be important to the case.
She hurries to the phone and reads what’s on the screen. Feels the nausea recede as adrenaline floods her body. Turning back to Moira she signals for her to come over. Her voice is urgent. ‘Quick, you have to see this.’
45
RICK
Rick glances across at Philip. He’s sitting in the passenger seat of the jeep, hands on his lap, staring straight ahead and not talking. That’s odd. Philip likes to talk. He’s always jawing on about what they should do and say, not that Rick listens to half of it, but still, it’s all kinds of strange that he’s quiet on the ride out to Clint’s place.
‘You want some music?’ Rick asks, gesturing towards the radio.
Philip shrugs. Says nothing.
Rick puts the radio on anyways. Wants something to break the silence. An old tune, ‘Two Princes’， from back in the day comes on. Rick starts to hum along.