Page 70 of Guilty Mothers
‘What sort of antics?’ Bryant asked.
‘Oh, making a show of herself if she didn’t get her own way. She’d garner support from some of the other moms and make threats.’
‘Against who?’
‘Everyone: service people, organisers, announcers, judges. Anyone she felt wasn’t giving Katie the attention she deserved.’
‘Did she ever threaten you?’
She shrugged. ‘Sometimes. Now and again, she’d bring in a photo of how she wanted Katie to look, and if I couldn’t replicate it completely, she’d scream about it to anyone who’d listen. She’d threaten me with non-payment or getting me thrown off the circuit, of blackening my name, ruining my reputation.’
‘And what about Andrea?’ he asked.
‘Chalk and cheese. Andrea was a laugh. She didn’t take it too seriously. She didn’t scold Toyah if she got stuff wrong, or ignore her, or drag her out by the arm. They had a chuckle, watched the other girls and then got a burger on the way home.’
The next question was burning on Kim’s lips, but she held it in.
‘If they were so different, can you imagine anything they had in common?’
That was the question she’d been waiting for Bryant to ask.
‘Well, Andrea was lovely, but she was easily manipulated. When Sheryl decided to rally the troops, she’d get Andrea on side first, and cos a lot of moms trusted Andrea, they’d follow suit as well.’
‘Anyone in particular spring to mind?’ Bryant asked.
She thought about it for a good few minutes.
‘There was a woman with a little blonde girl, Carol or something.’
‘Carly?’ Bryant offered hopefully.
Her face softened. ‘Yeah, that’s the one. Sweet girl, always helping other kids. Zipping them up or straightening their ruffles. Always friendly, always pleasant, but her mom…’
‘Is already deceased,’ Bryant said. ‘Natural causes.’
‘There may have been others who joined Sheryl’s little gang now and again, but I can’t recall for sure.’
‘It sounds like you had a good time and were very much in demand, so why are you no longer in the business?’ he asked.
‘Kids,’ she said too quickly. ‘I wanted kids, and the travelling didn’t work for me any more.’
It was only because Kim was watching her closely that she detected her explanation wasn’t the truth. It might have been close to the truth, but it wasn’t the whole of it.
Bryant looked her way to signal he was done.
‘Just one last question, if you don’t mind,’ Kim said.
‘Crack on. Boss will already have docked me half an hour.’
‘Do you remember any particular incident where this little group might have really pissed someone off? Someone who might have been severely affected by their behaviour?’
‘Not that I can—Oh, hang on. Of course, there was a dressmaker, Kevin or?—’
‘Kelvin Hobbs?’ Kim interrupted sharply.
‘Yes, yes, that’s him. Made the most gorgeous dresses for those girls. Every one was a masterpiece.’
‘And?’ Bryant asked.