The Reunion

Book 2

Graham Longmuir had been contacted by the police, a Detective Inspector Martin, three days before the reunion interview, to inform him that a body had been discovered, in a field, near where he grew up. Graham was told that a credible witness had come forward with the information and the body, which they believed to be Susan's, but was currently required to undergo DNA testing, had been found soon afterwards. He asked whether Graham had anything of Susan's that they could take a sample of. He didn't but knew that his parents would have and told DI Martin this. He asked if he could go and visit them to request something. Graham asked him if he could visit them first to break the news before they did their search. He agreed to this and they arranged a time for him to visit. He then told Graham that the witness had also given them the name of the person he saw carrying the body to where it was laid to rest. Unfortunately, though, he was not in a position to release this name to him. Despite Graham's pleading and protests, the detective remained firm. He did tell Graham that they would be bringing in the suspect for questioning within days. Graham did ask if it

104

could wait until after the reunion show and was told that, whilst they gathered their evidence, it would probably happen after anyway.

After ending the call with the detective promising that he would keep him updated on when the body would be released, Graham walked, in a daze, from his study to the kitchen where Parveen was. She noticed something was up straight away. She came straight over and slipped her arms around her husband.

'What is it, sweetheart?' she asked tenderly.

He drew a deep breath before replying. 'That was the police on the phone...'

'Police?' She looked up at him.

'They found a body near to where I lived when I was growing up,' Graham continued. 'They believe it is Susan.'

The tears started to flow from both of them. Parveen had never known Susan but, I guess, she had heard Graham and the family talk about her so much that she did, indeed, feel like family to her.

'You have to go and tell your parents,' she said, ever the pragmatic.

'I know,' he sniffed. 'The police want to look for some sort of sample for DNA purposes.'

'You want me to come?' she asked, although it was not really a question. She could tell that Graham was in no fit state to drive even though his parents only lived about fifteen minutes away. He nodded as his reply. It was one of the hardest things he had ever had to do. His parents, Sally and Stephen, were still of the belief that Susan was alive.

105

His mother broke down; at seventy-six she was always complimented on how young she looked, but when he broke the news, she aged in front of his very eyes. She fell into his arms. His dad just looked stunned. Parveen gently guided him to a chair and sat him down. His eyes just stared at nothing. It was like he was dead; he wasn't, obviously, but something had died inside of him. Parveen went and made a cup of tea. Why does a cup of tea or coffee always seem to help in a time of crisis? I don't know the answer, but it certainly does.

Graham's parents had never moved. I believe it was that they always thought, deep down, that if they did move, then Susan would never know where to come back to. Her room was just how she had left it. I don't think they meant to leave it as a shrine because, as already mentioned, they thought she was still alive. His mother kept saying that the body found may not be Susan's but realised that no one else had ever been reported as missing from this area.

DI Martin and a couple of forensic people arrived exactly on time. You could tell he was in control but used just the right amount of condolence to Graham's parents which was appreciated. Graham later told me that his dad had said no more than three words since he had broken the news to them. Sally showed the forensic experts to Susan's old room. It didn't take them long to find Susan's hairbrush which they could see and strands of hair tangled up in. All of them had to be swabbed for DNA purposes in case they had contaminated the evidence.