🔞5EX: SUSTAINED OBLITERATION🔞

Sadness....... or madness?

That can't be true.....can it?
Surely that kind of information would have been disclosed to the media to garner sympathy for the victim in the hope of bringing forward any witnesses....... although, Laura did say that sometimes key information is held back to assist in identifying a suspect. I certainly don't recall any information about pregnancy being reported, and I think I have read every story written about this case.

"Oh Ben, I'm so sorry! You lost Lola and a child. That's awful." I mutter, tears of sympathy for this man brimming in my eyes.

"Don't be, I'm certain it was another ploy, another of her games meant to control me, and it worked didn't it. I went to her. I'm such an idiot!" he mumbles into his hands which are covering his face as if he is ashamed.
He remains silent for a few seconds, running his fingers through his hair before finishing the contents of his glass and standing to retrieve another bottle of wine from the fridge. After removing the cork with a loud pop he pours another glass and continues to speak.

"I arrived in England in the late afternoon and decided to head straight for her hotel to get this conversation done. I just wanted to put it, and this relationship behind me and start fresh. I called her to let her know I was on my way, but got no reply, but a few minutes later while I was waiting for a taxi I got a text, asking me to have a few hours sleep before seeing her later. She said she didn't want to have a serious conversation with me while I was tired because she knew how aggy I get, which was fair, I am a grumpy bastard when I'm tired. I messaged her back and agreed to visit her at her hotel at 21:00. I checked in to my hotel and showered, then slept for a few hours, had a quick meal and then got a cab over to The Savoy where she was staying. I told the reception staff that I'd left my keycard in my room, and after giving her Lola's name she gave me a spare card and I made my way up to her room. I wish I hadn't done that. I should have asked them to call her and get her to meet me in the bar, but I wanted to discuss our situation in private. I knocked when I got to the door but she didn't answer, so I used the card....... and...... and that's when ......."

"And that's when you found her?!" I conclude in a whisper. He nods, the horror he felt at finding her clear on his face, tears beginning to stream down his cheeks.
I move around the table and sit beside him, scooping him into a hug where we cry together, Ben for Lola and me for them both. This is such a tragic tale, but despite the sympathy I feel for them both I can't help but wonder where I fit into this? Why do I feel like I know what happened? Ben hasn't mentioned me yet, or anyone else in fact. We sit quietly, holding one another for a few minutes while I rub his back before there is a gentle knock at the door and Yanni pops his head around it. His eyes widen at the sight of Ben and I hugging, but he says nothing about it, just asking if we are ok. Nodding gently before pulling away from Ben I beckon him into the room and he sits opposite us quietly.

"I knew she was dead as soon as I saw her. She was on her back on the bed, her head and one of her arms hanging backwards over the edge. Her beautiful hair grazing the carpet, eyes were wide open, her face swollen and red, her lips purple. There was  livid dark bruising around her throat too. I just stood in the doorway and stared. The scene made me feel sick to my stomach but I couldn't look away. I was transfixed, rooted to the spot. I don't know how long I stood there, trying to assimilate what I was seeing, desperate for some coherent thoughts but finding my head empty. I should have raised the alarm, called for help, done something......but I just closed the door and walked away, leaving the keycard in the door. I don't recall how I got back to my hotel, but once I was back there I fell to pieces. In the blink of an eye it was morning. I'd sat in the same position all night, and I only moved when the housekeeper came in to clean my room. She asked if I minded her putting on the news channel as a body had been found at The Savoy and she was afraid that a nut job was embarking on a killing spree targeting hotel staff. That's when I realised it wasn't a horrible nightmare. She really was dead."

Yanni and I exchange glances, but no words. What do you say to a person who has found a body, especially that of a loved one, in such brutal circumstances? There really aren't any words that can ease that pain. Platitudes are easily spoken, but rarely comforting or helpful, and usually incredibly trite.
Yanni breaks the silence first, asking Ben if he had been visited by the police yet. He acknowledged that he had been spoken to by his brother, the same as we both had. He'd asked similar questions to those he asked us, although he'd also been asked if he had left any fingerprints at the scene. He said he thought it unlikely as he had been wearing gloves due to his Raynauds syndrome. He plans to go in and give a formal statement tomorrow.

"So, you saw nobody else Ben?!" I ask and he shakes his head, indicating that no, he hadn't.

"I didn't even go into the room, just stood in the doorway. I heard nothing and saw no-one."

I'm completely baffled. I feel like I saw what happened, but I don't remember being there, and none of the evidence so far suggests that I was, or had anything to do with what happened to Lola. I really must speak to Dr Daisy tomorrow.
We all sit quietly for a minute or so until the door opens and Muriel enters, a grim frown on her face. She heads for the nearest chair and flops gracelessly onto it, slopping her wine down her front as she does. It appears she may have had one or two too many drinks tonight. Before any of us have a chance to ask her if she's ok she speaks..... .

"Oh ffffuck! Well, thass this dress ruined then! Shit! Still, don't s'pose it matters where I'm going does it. Whadda they wear in prison nowadays anyway?"

"Mum, what are you talking about?! Come on, you've obviously had a drink too many. Let's get you to bed shall we?" Ben suggests as he stands up and attempts to lift Muriel to her feet.
She resists and pulls her hands away from him, shakily raising one finger to her lips and holding the other arm out straight in front of her body, attempting to keep him from approaching her. She looks like a traffic cop and I can't help but smile, and see Yanni chuckling at her too.

"Ohhhhhhh, you won't be laughing soon Yanni, none of you will. Not once you hear what I've got to say. Not once you all know. I couldn't say, it was a secret. Shhhhh!! I know you've been hurting Ben. I'm so sorry Darl...... I could have saved you so much pain. Not completely, but some. You two as well" she claims, falling forward dramatically onto her arms on the table, wracking sobs beginning to shake her shoulders.
Yanni and I look at each other in bewilderment and he shakes his head as I shrug, totally bemused by this outburst. Muriel clearly has a low tolerance for alcohol.
It dawns on me that she is probably talking about her light fingers, and in particular, Noah's ring.

"Muriel, it's ok. Nobody here cares about that, honestly. At least you recognise that it was wrong and are sorry. I know all the boys care for you and won't let something as small as this affect your relationship. You're a mother to them all...... they love you. That's more important to them than anything else" I tell her earnestly, cringing internally at the reassurances falling swiftly and easily from my mouth after just refraining from doing the same with Ben.

She stares blankly at me, then laughs...... a small chuckle to begin with, but it builds becoming louder and almost maniacal, tears still streaming down her face, although now I have no idea if they are tears of sadness, or madness!

"I don't think you understand. Of course I know it was wrong, but I don't care..... actually, you know what..... I couldn't be fucking happier!" she grins.

I can't believe she can be so cavalier about stealing from guys she has described herself as 'like her own', and am about to tell her so as she speaks again.......

"Getting that bitch iced was the best thing I've ever done! She deserved it. She was a greedy whore who hurt two of my boys........ you two" she affirms looking between them both.
"You boys are my life, and she kept hurting you both. Nothing was ever good enough for her, she couldn't be happy with being loved, no...... had to have more, always more. Never satisfied. She made me sick, furious..... I couldn't stand to see it anymore. I thought her hold over you boys was finally broken when she left for the UK and that twat ex husband of yours Syd. Seemed like they were perfect for one another to me, but then she pulls that pregnancy bullshit and that was it. Enough was enough. She had to go!"

What is she saying? I thought she was talking about stealing some small personal items from the boys...... in fact it seems like she is telling us....

"It was me. I did it. I got that little slut bumped off, and I couldn't be happier about it!" she announces proudly, finishing her wine and placing the glass down firmly, snapping the stem.

We all sit stone still, rendered immobile by the weight of her confession.

What the hell do we do now?!