Page 52 of Glasshouses

“She’s a very fearful person. She’ll be scared of losing what she’s tried so hard for. That’s why, if you pushed me, I’d think it very unlikely that she was involved in the event that killed her mother.” Doctor McKay gave me a nod, underlining her opinion.

I stood up, no further forward, no clearer, and only more questions. “Thank you for your time, Doctor, it’s appreciated.”

“You’re welcome. I’m not sure I helped. Lily is complex, like we all are, and I only hope she will be okay because she really has tried so hard.” She stood up, offering her hand. I took it, tentatively.

“I hope so too.” I did, I really did.

“And detective, judging by your expression when you walked in here, you might want to consider talking therapies. You deal with horrendous things; it’s a hard load to carry.”

That was why she’d shaken my hand.

“I’m exploring ways to lighten that load.” It was true. Didn’t mean I was any closer to finding that way.

“Good. And thank you for not jumping to conclusions. I always felt like the detective in charge of Lily’s case did just that.”

“Why was that?” A spike of adrenaline hit me.

“She was too convenient. The detective came to see me once to discuss whether they could question her. I said that we could agree questions and present them in a certain way to see what her responses were; he shot that down and drew his own conclusions, tying everything neatly together, which I suppose was his job.” She headed to the door. “I think though, that we had the best outcome for Lily.”

“Why was that?”

“If she hadn’t been here, she’d have been back with her mother, dealing with the aftermath of the fire with probably very little support. On that trajectory, I think she’d have had an even more difficult life. Even in a secure hospital, she had more autonomy than what she’d been allowed to have with her parents.” She unlocked the door. “Sometimes the system’s the safest place.”

Her words reverberated around my head on the drive to Roselea to meet the CSI team. I’d been a neglected child, with a chaotic mother, a product of a chaotic situation. Being taken into care had changed my life for the better, but I’d gotten lucky with my foster parents, and not everyone in a similar situation did. Lily was the same age as me, had been institutionalised as well, but we were living completely different lives, or so I told myself.

I called my foster sister, and best friend, Heidi, from the car, getting her voicemail which didn’t surprise me because it was the middle of the day and she was working.

“Hiya, it’s me,” I said. “Just calling to see how things are. Let’s try and speak over the weekend. Hope you’re okay.” I ended the call, suddenly homesick for a place I hadn’t been for over a decade and missing people I could go weeks without seeing.

Lily had no one. I had the people who’d taken me in, Heidi who’d been my best friend before we’d been foster sisters, and we’d chosen to carry on being family. Lily hadn’t had that choice, not a viable one.

A car I recognised was parked up next to the CSI van, one that I wasn’t expecting to see. I headed up the driveway and parked next to it, pleased it was there.

Vinny Leigh was leaning against the outbuilding at the back of the house, a lollypop hanging from his mouth which completely spoiled the mean and moody look he was aiming for. He’d lost weight, or put on muscle, which I wasn’t going to tell him, because his ego would pop if it was inflated any more.

“Mia Mac, how’s it going?”

“To what do I owe the honour?” I liked to avoid his questions.

“Wrigley’s assigned me to your case; said you’d been moaning about lack of staff. I’ve not worked out why he listens to you moaning and ignores me.”

“Because I’m far more charming and get better results.” My smile was smug and well deserved.

He shook his head slowly. “You wish. Anyway, what are you hoping to find by dragging three of Jenna’s finest out to the sticks.” He eyed up the house.

“Footprints, recent fingerprints. I also want to have a look inside where we can because it wasn’t searched – or there’s no record of it being searched – in the original investigation.” We headed inside; the board that had sealed the entrance removed. Amy, one of the scene of crime officers, gave us hard hats and instructions about where we could and couldn’t go.

The house was burned out on one side, but parts of downstairs were still intact, signs of the family that lived there still present and etched into time. There were no photos of the children, which was unusual but not unheard of. A stack of mail was scattered on top of a cabinet, dust and ash coating it. I pointed it out to Amy to photograph it and bag it, although I doubted it would be of much use.

Vinny headed upstairs ahead of me and we started to comb through the rooms, spaces that had accumulated the detritus of time. Wallpaper had peeled free, the edges brown and curling. One of the rooms had an unmade bed, as if it was expecting its usual occupant to return.

“This place is as creepy as fuck,” was Vinny’s poetic observation. “I can’t imagine this being a nice place to live. I haven’t seen a single TV and it doesn’t look like anyone’s ransacked the place.”

“Someone’s been in here recently,” Amy said. “There are footprints, size seven men’s, and another set, which are a men’s size ten. They’ve left marks in the dust. Can’t tell what brand they are though, but definitely two different people. And there’s definitely been someone in the glasshouses at the back.”

We followed her up to the top floor, the walls not quite as blackened, although I wasn’t too confident that the floor would hold Vinny’s newly acquired muscle.

“There’s a small room here that’s been completely emptied, and I’d agree that it was recently, as you can see the marks where things had been on the floor for some time.” She pushed open the door and stood out of the way so we could peer in. The room was small, maybe space enough for a single bed and one very small bedside table, the eaves of the house on one side. There was a small window which looked out onto the front of the property, the room maybe designed for a maid or a nanny.