‘That’s not really my department, darling. I teach the students to dance, I don’t really get involved with their accommodation,’ said Ray.
‘But GDA is a small faculty—’ Erika said.
‘Oh, I hear that. Sometimes it’s too small,’ said Ray.
‘Wouldn’t you have heard gossip if the caretaker, Charles Wakefield, was accused of any inappropriate behaviour with a student?’
‘I never had anything to do with him, what about you?’ Ray said, turning to Colin and Cilla.
‘I was aware that he was a bit of an oddball,’ said Cilla. ‘I did overhear a few comments about him, from some of the female students, that he was a little creepy. Hanging around… but of course nothing serious. I know that on the few occasions I heard something, the young girls were speaking in jest.’
‘Can you be sure of that?’
‘I think so.’
‘Vicky was making an episode for her podcast about an intruder who broke into student halls. She didn’t mention Charles Wakefield to any of you? Ask questions?’ said Erika.
Colin and Ray shook their heads.
‘No, I’ve already told you, Vicky said nothing,’ replied Cilla. ‘And if you don’t mind me asking, what is happening with Charles Wakefield? There was such a commotion at the crematorium when those police officers took him away.’
‘He’s still in custody,’ said Erika.
Cilla, Ray, and Colin exchanged glances.
‘Do you suspect him of these murders, seriously suspect him?’ asked Ray.
‘He is of great interest to us,’ said Erika. ‘This brings me on to another question. Have any of you heard of a young woman called Lily Parkes?’
A look passed between them all. And the temperature in the room seemed to drop.
‘Yes. She was a local girl who worked at GDA for a short time, she used to help out in the scene dock,’ said Cilla. From her tone of voice, Erika got the impression that she didn’t like Lily Parkes at all.
62
‘The scene dock? What’s that?’ asked Erika. It had started to rain outside and it clattered on the roof in the silence. Ray sucked on the butt of his cigarette, squinting, and looking beadily between Cilla and Colin, almost drinking up the awkwardness.
‘The scene dock is where they make all the scenery, and get it ready for plays and shows,’ said Cilla. She looked between the two men, confused as to what was happening. ‘She came to us from the DSS, or Jobcentre, as you now say.’
‘Why isn’t there any record of her employment with the school?’ asked Erika.
‘I would have thought that there was,’ said Colin.
‘When did she work at GDA?’
Cilla looked to Colin.
‘When was it?’ she asked.
‘Back in 2009, I think. She was what you’d term work experience, we didn’t pay her. She worked a few hours a week in return for her state benefits,’ said Colin. ‘We’ve had other people do this. She was by far the youngest and least experienced.’
Ray stubbed out his cigarette in the ash tray.
‘Darlings, and Lady Detective, I didn’t know of this Lily Parkes, but I’d love to meet her. It seems, even though she was languishing on benefits, she still had the ability to set the cat among the pigeons. I regretfully have to take my leave. I have a drinks invitation in the West End,’ he said, getting up.
‘Is there a problem?’ asked Erika.
‘No, darling, I genuinely must dash. Cilla can give you my number if you’d like to catch up further tomorrow,’ he said. ‘Colin. I need you to move your car, to get mine out.’
‘Cilla, would you move my car?’ asked Colin. She looked surprised at the request.
‘I’ve had a lot of wine… And my heels.’
‘Those shoes are not for driving,’ said Ray. ‘Well, they drive the point home that you look fabulous.’ Cilla tilted her face up and Ray dipped down and pecked her on the cheek. Colin looked annoyed that she’d refused.
‘Colin, if I take these heels off, then I won’t get them back on.’
‘Very well. If you could keep Erika company whilst I’m gone,’ he said. Ray gave Erika a wave and they left. She had needed to pee since she arrived, so she asked Cilla where the bathroom was.
‘At the end of the corridor, on the second floor,’ said Cilla, pouring herself another glass of wine. Erika grabbed her crutches and started down the long corridor, past a large kitchen to the end. The rain was louder in this part of the house, and as she reached a staircase, she could see it was open, and the three flights of stairs led up the tower to a stained-glass skylight high above. The stairs were steep, but Erika’s painkillers had kicked in. She made it up to the second floor and found the bathroom next to two large bedrooms. She poked her head around the door of both. One was decorated in a Moroccan style, with lots of gold lacquering on the furniture and bright colours. There was a giant photo of the great dancer Martha Graham on one wall, and above the bed was a print of a topless male model. The second bedroom was decorated all in white, and there were bookshelves on every wall which added a splash of colour.