Page 37 of Vengeance is Mine

Terry lived only a five-minute walk from Harry and Barbara. On his way home from seeing his father, he decided to turn off and pop in for a visit. It was pitch-dark outside, yet not quite ten o’clock. He guessed they would both still be up.

Harry was dressed in comfortable trousers, a cardigan and slippers, while Barbara looked more relaxed in pyjamas and a dressing gown.

‘Harry, telly off, Terry’s here,’ she said, as she led Terry into the room.

‘Don’t turn it off on my account. I just stopped in on my way home.’

‘Been to see your father?’ Harry asked.

‘Yes.’

Harry and Barbara exchanged glances. They noticed the sad look on Terry’s face, the way he said ‘yes’ with a heavy sigh, and the way he dropped into the armchair.

‘Can I get you anything, Terry?’ Barbara asked.

‘I’m fine, thanks.’

‘Something to eat? There’s some shepherd’s pie left.’

‘No. Honestly, I’m fine. Thank you.’

‘How is your dad?’ Barbara sat down and placed her hands in her lap.

‘The usual.’

‘Did you tell him about Dominic?’ Harry asked.

‘Yes. He practically danced around the room.’

‘Well, I can understand that,’ Barbara said.

Harry looked over at his wife and gave her a blank stare. Terry could see what he was thinking. He couldn’t get her to see how Dominic’s murder was not the solution to the problem. They wouldn’t suddenly get their daughter back. Their grief wouldn’t be lifted. Nothing would change for them.

‘How’s the investigation going?’ Harry asked.

‘Who cares,’ Barbara muttered under her breath.

‘I care,’ Harry almost shouted. ‘I’m interested. A man has been murdered. It’s important his killer is caught and faces justice.’

‘We’re waiting for forensics to come back on a few items found at his house, but we’ve hit a brick wall when it comes to witnesses,’ Terry said. ‘The neighbours all claim to have heard nothing, but if you’d seen the state of the house, someone must have heard something.’

‘They’re not talking because they don’t want to get involved,’ Harry said.

‘No. They’re not talking because they don’t care. It’s good riddance to bad rubbish,’ Barbara injected.

Harry visibly baulked. He jumped up. ‘I’m not going through this with you again.’

‘We’ll be having this conversation time and time again, until you admit that man got his just deserts,’ she called after him, as he went into the kitchen. She turned back to Terry who looked uncomfortable in the armchair. ‘Sorry about that.’

‘It’s okay. I understand. It must be difficult for you both.’

‘It’s always difficult for us. It’s got worse since Dominic was released.’

‘Is there anything I can do?’

Barbara looked over her shoulder to see if Harry was coming back into the living room. He wasn’t.

‘Don’t find his killer,’ she said, her voice hardly a whisper. ‘I’ll want to recommend him for a knighthood while Harry will say prison. It’ll drive an even bigger wedge between us. I don’t want to end my life hating the man I’m married to.’

Terry looked at her with wide-eyed fear on his face. He had always been under the illusion Harry and Barbara had grown closer following Stephanie’s death, that their grief had bonded them and made them stronger. He had had no idea how fragile their relationship really was.