Page 42 of Child's Play

‘It wasn’t about the sex, the relationship, I mean. Not for me. It was a part of it but I just enjoyed being with her. The sex became more important for her,’ he said, colouring.

Kim appreciated his total honesty so far but could see this conversation was growing increasingly uncomfortable for him. And she hadn’t even started on the hard questions yet.

‘I’m sorry we have to ask but…’

‘No, I understand. Belinda became more demanding sexually. She wanted to try new things, toys, dangerous places, games, rough games, which isn’t something I find appealing. She was insistent, so I had no choice but to end it.’

Kim realised that Belinda had struck lucky with this guy. On the face of it he was a decent, caring man who had been attracted to her for the right reasons.

And yet it hadn’t been enough.

‘It seemed to be some kind of escape for her, a compulsion beyond making love and I didn’t feel the same way.’

‘But you loved her?’

‘Oh yes, officer. I loved her.’

‘Which makes my next question almost impossible to ask,’ she said, recalling the photos shown to them by Keats.

‘Given what I’ve already revealed to you about our private life, that surprises me, but please ask anything you need to.’

‘Did Belinda pass on an STI to you or you to her?’

The sudden shock on his face gave her the answer.

‘Definitely not,’ he answered. ‘Are you saying?…’

Kim nodded. ‘I’m afraid so and it appears she was determined to play those games with someone.’

He shook his head and looked to the ground.

Kim felt as though they’d trampled over their relationship enough but she still had other questions.

‘Did you meet her sister?’ Kim asked.

‘Only a few times but that was enough.’

‘Why’s that?’ Bryant asked, shifting on the mat.

‘She was strange, they were strange together. Belinda changed into a different person around her sister.’

‘Can you explain?’ Kim asked, remembering the things Ida had told them.

‘It was as though they couldn’t stand each other. They bickered about all sorts of things, disagreed on everything but had to be in contact with each other all the time.

‘I remember one time they started arguing over the recipe for their mother’s cheesecake. It ended with Belinda physically throwing her sister out of the house. Two minutes later she was pacing the room and fretting over whether she was okay. Belinda called her and they continued the argument until Veronica was back at her own home, and once Belinda knew she was okay, she ended the call. The dynamic between them was off, but they thought it was perfectly normal.’

‘Did Veronica ever try to get in the way of your relationship?’ Kim asked.

He thought for a minute. ‘Not intentionally, I don’t think. I could always kind of feel her presence due to the level of contact they had but she never openly tried to come between us.’

Was it that somehow Veronica had been more threatened by a platonic relationship with a female like Ida than she was by a sexual liaison with Charles?

‘Did Belinda ever talk about her childhood?’ Bryant asked.

Charles shook his head. ‘Never.’

Whatever had formed them had started there.