Read Online Sidney Chambers and The Dangers of Temptation by James Runcie - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: James Runcie
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she would sound mad.’
‘She is mad.’
‘That may be the case, but she knows you far better than you might like to admit. She had a mother’s intuition, and she was right.’
‘Will I have to see her again?’
‘Very likely, I am afraid, and probably in court.’
As Sidney left the hospital and crossed Grantchester Meadows, he thought about the power of hatred and the nature of revenge. He wasn’t at all sure that violent action had done anything to make Danny Wilkinson feel better, either about his mother or himself. Would there be any redemption at all from this, and what could Sidney have done to prevent it happening? Should he have guessed, on that first visit, that the boy’s membership of the Family of Love was just a front?
He had to see Barbara Wilkinson one last time. She had come to him in distress only a few weeks ago and the least he could do now was to tell her that Danny had confessed to the murder of Fraser Pascoe.
‘What’s he gone and done that for?’ she asked. ‘They must have threatened him. He’s protecting Tom Raven. His dad must be behind this. You can’t honestly think my son is a killer?’
‘He has confessed.’
‘Under duress.’
‘He told me. There was no pressure.’
‘He must be afraid. Let me see him.’
‘I do not think that will help, Mrs Wilkinson. Perhaps you should have been more honest about your relationship with Fraser Pascoe from the start.’
‘I would hardly call it a relationship.’
‘Your son thought it was.’
‘He didn’t know anything about it.’
‘I’m afraid he did.’
‘Well, whatever it was it can’t have anything to do with what happened. I know my son. Why is he confessing to something he couldn’t possibly have done? The fact is that those people tried to kill him. Have they now brainwashed him into thinking he killed Pascoe as well?’
‘You should have been clearer with me from the beginning, Mrs Wilkinson.’
‘You can’t point the finger at me. I told you all you needed to know. I tried to stop all this.’
‘But it wasn’t enough.’
‘What more could I do? I was trying to save my son. What mother could have done more? You can’t blame it all on the past.’
‘For Danny there was no past. He lived with the memory of your actions all the time. I think he still does.’
‘You think this is some kind of revenge?’
‘I’m afraid so.’
‘For Pascoe?’
‘Yes.’
‘But that had nothing to do with him.’
‘He is your son.’
‘You are making a mistake. I’m the only person who tried to help Danny. Now you’re implying that it’s all my fault?’
‘I think the issue of blame can be complicated and it is not always helpful.’
‘Has Danny really confessed?’
‘He has.’
‘Why?’
‘Because he killed Pascoe.’
‘But what about the attempt to murder him?’
‘It was an overdose, designed to deflect attention. Danny took your sleeping tablets. They’ve gone missing, haven’t they?’
Barbara Wilkinson did not answer the question directly. ‘I only came to you because I was frightened all this would happen.’
‘Had Danny been violent in the past?’
‘He has a temper. But he’s clever. He made me believe he was serious about the cult.’
‘It’s strange Pascoe didn’t guess what was going on. You didn’t think of warning him?’
‘Fraser thought that everyone loved him. He believed he could turn hate to love. He could never imagine meeting anyone who wasn’t pleased to see him.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me exactly what you feared when you first came to see me?’
‘I thought you wouldn’t believe me.’
‘Did Danny take your sleeping pills?’
‘I suppose so.’
‘You never told us.’
‘I didn’t want to say anything that might incriminate him. He is still my son. And I won’t accept what anyone says. Do you think the police will blame me too?’
‘I don’t know. Perverting the course of justice is not the best way of going about
‘She is mad.’
‘That may be the case, but she knows you far better than you might like to admit. She had a mother’s intuition, and she was right.’
‘Will I have to see her again?’
‘Very likely, I am afraid, and probably in court.’
As Sidney left the hospital and crossed Grantchester Meadows, he thought about the power of hatred and the nature of revenge. He wasn’t at all sure that violent action had done anything to make Danny Wilkinson feel better, either about his mother or himself. Would there be any redemption at all from this, and what could Sidney have done to prevent it happening? Should he have guessed, on that first visit, that the boy’s membership of the Family of Love was just a front?
He had to see Barbara Wilkinson one last time. She had come to him in distress only a few weeks ago and the least he could do now was to tell her that Danny had confessed to the murder of Fraser Pascoe.
‘What’s he gone and done that for?’ she asked. ‘They must have threatened him. He’s protecting Tom Raven. His dad must be behind this. You can’t honestly think my son is a killer?’
‘He has confessed.’
‘Under duress.’
‘He told me. There was no pressure.’
‘He must be afraid. Let me see him.’
‘I do not think that will help, Mrs Wilkinson. Perhaps you should have been more honest about your relationship with Fraser Pascoe from the start.’
‘I would hardly call it a relationship.’
‘Your son thought it was.’
‘He didn’t know anything about it.’
‘I’m afraid he did.’
‘Well, whatever it was it can’t have anything to do with what happened. I know my son. Why is he confessing to something he couldn’t possibly have done? The fact is that those people tried to kill him. Have they now brainwashed him into thinking he killed Pascoe as well?’
‘You should have been clearer with me from the beginning, Mrs Wilkinson.’
‘You can’t point the finger at me. I told you all you needed to know. I tried to stop all this.’
‘But it wasn’t enough.’
‘What more could I do? I was trying to save my son. What mother could have done more? You can’t blame it all on the past.’
‘For Danny there was no past. He lived with the memory of your actions all the time. I think he still does.’
‘You think this is some kind of revenge?’
‘I’m afraid so.’
‘For Pascoe?’
‘Yes.’
‘But that had nothing to do with him.’
‘He is your son.’
‘You are making a mistake. I’m the only person who tried to help Danny. Now you’re implying that it’s all my fault?’
‘I think the issue of blame can be complicated and it is not always helpful.’
‘Has Danny really confessed?’
‘He has.’
‘Why?’
‘Because he killed Pascoe.’
‘But what about the attempt to murder him?’
‘It was an overdose, designed to deflect attention. Danny took your sleeping tablets. They’ve gone missing, haven’t they?’
Barbara Wilkinson did not answer the question directly. ‘I only came to you because I was frightened all this would happen.’
‘Had Danny been violent in the past?’
‘He has a temper. But he’s clever. He made me believe he was serious about the cult.’
‘It’s strange Pascoe didn’t guess what was going on. You didn’t think of warning him?’
‘Fraser thought that everyone loved him. He believed he could turn hate to love. He could never imagine meeting anyone who wasn’t pleased to see him.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me exactly what you feared when you first came to see me?’
‘I thought you wouldn’t believe me.’
‘Did Danny take your sleeping pills?’
‘I suppose so.’
‘You never told us.’
‘I didn’t want to say anything that might incriminate him. He is still my son. And I won’t accept what anyone says. Do you think the police will blame me too?’
‘I don’t know. Perverting the course of justice is not the best way of going about
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