Page 95 of Silent Scream

Victor walked to the urn and Kim couldn’t help her surprise that the metal instrument had not yet been robbed for scrap.

He dropped a tea bag into a plastic cup. ‘Richard Croft had just been installed in the position of manager. His role seemed to be primarily administrative. I think his brief was to tighten budgets and improve efficiency. He had very little contact with the girls and that was how he liked it. I always felt that he never quite moved in, that he was in a rush to get the job done, meet his targets and move on.’

‘What about Teresa Wyatt?’

‘Well of course, there was friction between the two of them. Teresa was passed over for the manager’s job and so was resentful of Richard’s position.’

Wilks tried to stir flavour out of the tea bag. ‘Teresa was not a particularly warm woman and she and Richard clashed immediately. They hated each other and everyone knew it.’

All very interesting, Kim thought, but not explanatory of there being two or possibly three dead girls in the ground.

‘We believe Teresa had a bit of a temper.’

Victor shrugged but said nothing.

‘Did you see any evidence of it?’

‘Not personally, no.’

‘But someone else did?’ Kim pushed.

He hesitated and then opened his hands. ‘I don't see what harm it can do now. Teresa spoke to me about an impending complaint against her. I'd heard whispers that there'd been the occasional slap or push when Teresa's frustration got the better of her but this one was different. She'd actually punched the girl so hard in the stomach she coughed up blood.’

Kim felt her foot begin to tap. She placed her hand on her knee to keep it still.

‘And that was the complaint?’

He shook his head. ‘No, Teresa wasn't as concerned about the assault as she was about what the complainant was going to infer.’

‘Which was?’

‘That Teresa Wyatt had beaten the girl up for refusing to have sex.’

‘And did she?’

Victor looked unsure. ‘I don't think so. Teresa was honest with me about the assault. She admitted exactly what she'd done but swore it was not about sex. She knew that such an allegation would destroy her. Such a slur would have stuck to her name like a leech for the rest of her life.’

Kim closed her eyes and shook her head. The secrets just kept on coming.

‘Who was the complainant?’ Kim asked. She would bet her bike, house, and job that it was one of the three.

‘She didn't say, Detective. The conversation we had was for her benefit only. She wanted to talk it out to straighten things in her own mind.’

Of course she did, Kim thought. God forbid Teresa Wyatt would have given any thought to telling the truth.

‘What about Tom Curtis?’ Bryant asked.

Victor had to think for a moment. ‘Oh, you mean the kitchen cook? He was a bit of a quiet one. He didn’t really clash with anyone. A bit of a sheep, I suppose you’d call him. Got himself told off a couple of times for being a bit too familiar with the girls.’

‘Really?’ Kim asked.

‘He was mid-twenties, the youngest member of staff, so he could relate to them better. Some thought perhaps too well ? but it was only rumour, so I’d rather not comment further.’

‘But surely you had an opinion.’

Victor’s face hardened as he held up his right hand. ‘I will not sully the name of a dead man when I myself saw no evidence of impropriety.’

‘Inferring that others did?’ Kim pushed.