Page 78 of Don't Believe A Word

EDWIN: ‘No, it’s fine. I don’t need to hear it again. It happened more or less as she described. An ugly scene, that’s for sure, there again nothing about my association with them was pretty.’

CRISTY: ‘So what did you do after you left?’

EDWIN: ‘I drove back to London with all sorts of madness going on in my head. Obviously I had no idea who the child really was, and to be honest I’m not sure I was of a mind to find out, only perhaps to use her to get myself out of their lives. Before I could come up with a plan Lottie was in touch to remind me that bigamy was an imprisonable offence and that would be just the beginning if I didn’t take the offer she was about to make. Get out of Mia’s life for good, never talk to anyone about my bigamous marriage, least of all Mia, and no mention should ever be made of the child. In return for my silence – I think she called it co-operation – I would become even wealthier than she’d already made me and my legitimate family would always be taken care of, should anything “untoward” ever happen to me.

‘Of course I understood the threat, and I knew very well that she had ways of making things go her way that I wouldn’t be able to stand up to. She told me once, “Never underestimate my reach, Edwin. I can become a dangerous enemy for someone like you.” And I didn’t doubt it. Beautiful, vivacious, wildly exotic and generous as she was, there was something very dark in her soul.’

CRISTY: ‘So you agreed to her terms?’

EDWIN: ‘Actually, not right away. I guess you could say greed got the better of me again, so there was a lot of back and forth over the next few weeks, me trying to get even more out of her than she was offering by threatening to tell Mia about Yolanda, or call social services about the child, but Lottie had all the cards and she knew it. I was never going to beat her and, to be honest, I was starting to become afraid of her. She kept bringing Yolanda and James into conversations or letters, never in an outrightthreatening way, she was too subtle for that, but I knew she wouldn’t hold back on hurting them if I ever did anything to try and hurt her.’

Edwin sighed wearily and pressed his gnarled fingers to his eyes.

EDWIN: ‘And that more or less concludes my association with the Winters sisters. A grim and reprehensible period of my life that feels now as though it happened to a stranger who has nothing to do with me … I only wish that were true.’

JAMES: ‘I’d like to point out here that Dad has led a totally blameless life since, and has always been completely loyal to his family, as well as an engaged and respected member of his community. So I hope it’s not too much to ask that he isn’t judged on the very bad decisions he made more than a quarter of a century ago.’

Knowing it wasn’t in her power to prevent that once his story was out there, and clearly he knew it too, Cristy turned back to Edwin. It made her sad to think of what his earlier crimes were likely to cost him at this late stage of his life. He might have deserved it once, but not any more. She’d discuss it with Connor, and see if there was a way to limit the damage. Meantime, she decided not to show him the letter Sadie had just brought to light. He’d addressed his attempt at blackmail, there was nothing to be gained from going over it again.

‘Anything you want to add?’ she asked Connor.

CONNOR: ‘When you listened to the most recent podcast you’ll have heard us talk about Janina and Lukas Andris. Do those names ring any bells for you?’

EDWIN: ‘I’m afraid not.’

CONNOR: ‘Were you ever aware of Lottie being in contact with, or having any dealings with Eastern European “businessmen”, aka traffickers?’

EDWIN: ‘I can’t say I was, but who knew what she was doing during her overseas trips? I know what she wanted us to think, and I’ve every reason to believe she was involved in a lot of good work, but where Lottie’s concerned I’d say almost anything is possible.’

Taking that as a perfect out, Cristy was about to thank Edwin for his honesty and insights when he spoke again.

EDWIN: ‘What she wrote about finding the child on the beach … I don’t believe it for a minute and I’d be surprised if you do.’

CRISTY: ‘So how do you think they came by the child?’

EDWIN: ‘That I don’t know. I wish you luck in trying to find out.’

CHAPTER NINETEEN

As they drove away from the cul-de-sac with James Prosser waving them off from the garden gate, Cristy said, ‘It would have been inappropriate to ask what sort of pay-off was involved, wouldn’t it?’

Checking the road was clear to pull out, Connor said, ‘Probably, but I wouldn’t mind knowing. Do you reckon it was in the millions?’

‘I’d have thought so.’

‘But he’s not exactly living the high life now, is he?’

‘I’d say he’s comfortable enough. I mean, not everyone can afford a house like that, and maybe the bulk of what’s left is squirrelled away for James and the grandkids. Anyway, he’s given us a fascinating insight into Lottie’s character which, interestingly, paints her in no more flattering a light than she painted him. Although he wasn’t quite as spiteful in his descriptions as she was.’

‘Do you believe what he told us?’

‘I’m sure he wouldn’t have outed himself as a bigamist if it weren’t true.’

Nodding agreement, Connor said, ‘I’m not sure we need to make a big deal of that. In fact, I think we should try to edit around it the best we can. It doesn’t serve the series and would only diminish him in his grandchildren’s eyes. That’s not what we’re about.’

‘Exactly what I was thinking.’

‘I can’t help wondering,’ he continued after a moment, ‘if Mia ever discovered the role Lottie played in the marriage. That it was actually a sham.’

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