The Reckoning Read Online Free PDF Page B

ran up the stairs, double-quick time, and Vera waited until her children were far enough away to be out of earshot before she went on. ‘The doctor said it was his heart. That was the biggest joke of all. It was the first proof we’d seen that he even had one. But it wasn’t that he was sad for Barry. He was sad for himself. He couldn’t stand the fact that his son was in prison. Barry had always been a disappointment to him because Dad wanted a son like himself, a drinker, a football fanatic, someone he could take to the pub. And Barry wasn’t that.’
    ‘Mrs Gordon, you said that Barry’s accusers were looking for attention. What did you mean?’
    The venom in her voice surprised me. ‘They were dirty little cows, the pair of them. Got together and made up a story about Barry. They thought it was funny, if you ask me. He was a bit of a joke around the local area, people saying he was weird, and up to no good, and watch out when he’s about.’ She sniffed again, rubbing her hands over her knees as if she was trying to warm herself. ‘They got off school to see counsellors and the police – that’s probably why they did it. The two of them were little bitches, you could see when they gave evidence. It was all done by video link so they didn’t have to be in court, and they were cheeky to the lawyers and the judge, as if it was all a big game. It was lies, and everyone knew it was lies, but the jury still convicted him. One of them was eleven and the other was ten, and they knew everything there was to know about sex – described it in detail. And you could tell they’d actually done it, more than once. But not with my brother.’ The anger seemed to drain out of her and she sighed. ‘No one wanted to believe that girls that young would have lost their innocence. But Barry was more innocent than them, for all that he was three times their age.’
    ‘He served out his sentence, though. He didn’t appeal.’
    ‘He couldn’t face going back to court. It made him ill. Besides, his barrister said there were no grounds for an appeal. The fact that he was innocent wasn’t enough, apparently.’ She ripped a couple of shreds off the edge of the tissue she was holding. ‘Seven years, he did. Never complained. Just thanked us when we visited and asked how we were. He never said anything about what it was like for him, in jail. He just said our lives were more interesting and he didn’t want to talk about his.’
    Derwent spoke gently, choosing his words with more delicacy than I would have expected from him. ‘Barry’s probation officer had warned him about his personal safety, returning to your family home, because he was known in the local area as a sex offender. You seem to be certain that he was wrongly convicted, yet you didn’t ask him to live here.’
    She was shaking her head before he’d finished. ‘No. I did. I did. He wouldn’t. Barry knew Graham was worried about it – not about the kids, but about the neighbours. If they’d found out, we would have had to move. We were worried enough about anyone finding out we were related to him. I didn’t visit him half as much as I wanted to in case anyone noticed where I was going and why. Graham liked Barry. He didn’t want him to come to any harm, and he agreed he should stay with us, at least for a while, just until he got on his feet. But Barry wouldn’t hear of it.’
    ‘Did he know he was in danger? Did he ever tell you about threats?’
    ‘He never talked about it. He didn’t know who was threatening him – that was all he said. It could have been anyone.’ She gave a little laugh that had no humour in it. ‘Sad, isn’t it? So many people could have wanted my brother dead. And he would never dream of harming a soul.’
    ‘So you don’t know of anyone in particular?’
    ‘No. Barry – he was brave. You probably think he was stupid, but he never gave in. He went where he needed to go and he kept himself to himself and he didn’t want