Midnight Murders by Katherine John Page B

re-introduce me.’
    â€˜He’s a hopeless case.’ Peter hated himself for declaring it.
    â€˜I’d like to see how hopeless for myself,’ Dan walked towards the wards. ‘You do know where to find him, don’t you?’
    As usual, Trevor was slumped in the chair in his room, but to Peter’s surprise he had a book on his lap, and as it was the right way up, Peter had no reason to suspect that he hadn’t been reading it.
    â€˜You remember Inspector Evans?’ Peter walked in and sat on Trevor’s bed.
    â€˜Dan Evans.’ Dan held out his hand and Trevor shook it, but he refused to meet Dan’s steady gaze, and continued to stare down at his book.
    â€˜Can we talk?’ Dan asked.
    â€˜I suppose so.’ Trevor moved his legs so Dan could sit alongside Peter on the bed.
    â€˜You heard we found a body buried in the grounds here?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜You don’t seem very interested?’
    â€˜I’m not.’
    â€˜It’s murder. A young girl, early twenties, buried alive,’ Evans informed him. ‘I was hoping that you could help us.’
    â€˜I’m on sick leave.’
    â€˜You’re also in this place.’
    â€˜As a patient,’ Trevor reminded.
    â€˜You’re a trained detective,’ Dan persisted.
    Trevor left his chair, walked to the window and looked into the garden. It was the first time Peter had seen him glance at the outside world since he’d been injured, but he suspected that Trevor was only doing so to avoid looking at Dan.
    â€˜That last case of yours… ’ Dan paused. ‘It could have happened to any one of us.’
    â€˜But it happened to me.’
    Peter had to strain his ears to catch what Trevor was saying.
    â€˜I know what you must be feeling,’ Dan sympathised.
    â€˜You can have no possible idea what I’m feeling.’
    â€˜You’re right, Trevor,’ Dan braved the silence that followed Trevor’s outburst. ‘That was presumptuous of me. I can’t begin to imagine what you’ve been through.’
    â€˜Or what I’m still going through,’ Trevor added.
    â€˜I wouldn’t have come to you if there was anyone else with your qualifications and inside knowledge of this place. We need your help.’
    â€˜I’m not fit enough to work.’
    â€˜All I want is for you to tell us about some of the people here. You’ve a trained eye; you know what we’re looking for.’
    â€˜These people have been taking care of me,’ Trevor protested. ‘I haven’t been watching them with a detective’s eye.’
    â€˜But you know them?’ Dan persevered.
    â€˜Not as well as they know me, and not well enough to know if one of them is a murderer.’
    â€˜Won’t you at least talk to me?’
    â€˜I wouldn’t be any help.’
    â€˜You must know something, this Vanessa Hedley, for instance.’
    â€˜She’s disturbed. She rarely sleeps. She’s always wandering around the place creating problems.’
    â€˜And Sister Marshall – Jean Marshall?’ Trevor hadn’t said anything that wasn’t common knowledge, but Dan felt elated. Trevor was talking and who knew what else he might say?
    â€˜She’s capable,’ Trevor said succinctly.
    â€˜Nurse Lyn Sullivan?’
    Peter thought he saw a flicker of interest in Trevor’s eyes.
    â€˜She’s young, pretty, too vulnerable for a place like this.’
    â€˜Spencer Jordan?’
    â€˜He’s a good therapist. I’m not stupid. I know what you’re doing, but I’m not in a position to help you.’
    As silence reigned in the room once more, Trevor watched squads of men in white overalls move into the grounds. A police dog-handler’s van pulled up in the “Doctors Only” parking bay. Bill Mulcahy in the centre of the lawn, alternately consulting the plan he was holding and an officer who