“Don’t worry. It’ll just take a few minutes,” he winked.
Curiosity peaked, Simeon and I followed Simon into what looked like his study. He sat down in the chair behind his desk and motioned for us to take a seat.
“Would you like a drink?”
We both shook our heads. “Not right now, thanks. What is it you want to discuss?” I knew Simon was too eager to share what he had to worry about drinks.
“I got a call about twenty minutes ago from DCI Tremble in North Devon. The site Justin Merryfield led them to…” I nodded. “So far, they’ve uncovered twelve bodies of young girls.”
I winced as my heart shot into my throat. I was ready for this, but it still didn’t help the level of shock that ran through me.
“I know. I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but you knew it was coming.”
I nodded again as Simeon offered me his hand in support.
“They haven’t stopped digging. They believe there’s going to be more. Justin Merryfield is fully cooperating with the police and they have arrested his father. I know it doesn’t make a difference to you, Cassie, but you’ve just helped solve a decades-old mystery that’s been stumping the police for years. More young girls are safe now that you solved this. You should be proud.”
Shaking my head, I couldn’t help thinking just how sick I felt. “This doesn’t make me proud, Simon. It just makes me disillusioned.” I felt Simeon squeeze my hand, as Simon frowned in confusion. “What kind of world are we living in, Simon? What kind of world takes young girls and rips them apart from not only their family’s lives, but from their own? What kind of world allows that to happen?”
Simon sighed. “It’s not the world that does this, Cassie. It’s the sick person living in it that does. People like Tom Merryfield are a drop in the ocean. They’re few and far between.”
“I understand what you’re saying, Simon. I suppose it just feels that way to me as I’m surrounded by it.” I thought about what I said and bit my tongue. “I’m sorry, Simon. That sounded selfish. It’s not about me. It’s about those poor girls. At least something good will come out of this. The parents will be able to have closure, finally burying their daughters.”
Simon sighed and looked out the window. “Unfortunately, one of the girls suspected of being buried there has no living relatives. She was raised by her mother after her father died when she was two. They were both on their own. No grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins—nothing. They only had each other. Her mother died six months after she went missing. They suspected it was of a broken heart.”
Feeling the tears sting my eyes, I looked over at Simeon, who smiled reassuringly. “What’s going to happen to her?”
Simon cleared his throat and propped himself up in his chair. “I suspect that if it is her, a government contractor will take care of the funeral.”
I shook my head and sat up. “No, Simon. Please. If it’s her, please let me take care of her funeral.”
Simon looked shocked. “Cassie, you don’t have to do that.”
I nodded. “I do, Simon. I really do. Whomever this little girl is, she deserves to be sent away properly. I need to do it for her, and I need to do it for her mother.”
Sighing, Simon leaned onto his desk. “Well, if it is Lisa Bellmont, I’ll be sure to tell you.”
Hearing her name out loud hit me hard. This poor little girl had her whole life ahead of her, but then some evil monster came along and snatched it away. He stripped her from a life of dreams, loves, loses, and happiness. The tapestry of life she could have led was lost, never to be found again. It broke my heart.
“Thank you, Simon. Can I ask how old she was?”
Running his hand through his hair, Simon exhaled. “She was only eight when she went missing sixteen years ago. She would have been twenty-four.”
The room fell silent as we thought about the possibilities for this young girl. Possibilities that were taken away by Tom Merryfield.
“I’m sorry, Cassie. I didn’t mean for it to get so somber. This is supposed to be a party, but I’ll have you crying in your soup.”
We all chuckled, easing the tension. “It’s okay, Simon. You had to tell me and I appreciate that you did. Now all that’s left is to join your wonderful family and savor this jerked chicken. My mouth has been practically salivating all day thinking about it.”
Simeon chuckled. “It’s true. My passenger seat is filled with her slobber.”
“Stephen, cut it out,” I giggled, pushing his arm. Simeon winked back and, from the corner of my eye, I could tell Simon was closely watching us.