Eva and the Hidden Diary by Judi Curtin Read Free Book Online Page B

crime.’
    I rushed to explain. ‘We know it was ages and ages ago, but we think the wrong person was blamed.’
    ‘And that man went to jail, and his family broke up,’ said Kate.
    Gerry put away his notebook and pencil, and sat back on his chair. He listened patiently while Kate and I told the sad story of the Lavelle family.
    When we were finished, Gerry shook his head. ‘That’s tragic,’ he said. ‘A tragic affair altogether. But I’m afraid I don’t understand why you’re telling me. All that happened many years ago, long before I was even born.’
    ‘We thought maybe you’d have the files herein the police station,’ I said. ‘Maybe you could show them to us. Maybe Kate and I could look at the evidence. Maybe we could ……’
    I stopped talking when I realised that what I was saying sounded kind of stupid. This wasn’t a glitzy American TV detective show. Kate and I weren’t going to be able to access shiny labs with microscopes and fancy computer programmes that could check for ancient fingerprints. We were just kids and we were way, way out of our depth.
    Gerry was kind enough not to laugh.
    ‘I’m sorry, girls,’ he said. ‘We don’t have much storage space here. Files from 1947 would have been sent to Head Office many years ago. And even if I had the files here with me, I couldn’t just hand them out to anyone who showed up here with a sad story. There are confidentiality issues here, and I have to follow the rules.’
    ‘We understand,’ I said, as Kate and I stood up. ‘We shouldn’t have bothered you.’
    I felt small and stupid as Gerry shook our hands and showed us to the door.
    ‘That was a rubbish idea of mine,’ said Kate as soon as the policeman had gone back inside.
    I shrugged. ‘It seemed OK at the time,’ I said. ‘And it’s not like I had any better ideas anyway.’
    ‘So now what?’
    ‘Maybe we should face up to the fact that there’s nothing we can do. Maybe Daisy’s story ends right here.’
    Just then the door of the police station opened again.
    ‘I’ve had an idea that might help you,’ said Gerry. ‘The big library in town keeps copies of all the local newspapers. Back in the forties they used to have very comprehensive court reports. Maybe you could find something to help you there.’
    I felt like hugging him, but figured there was probably a law against it!
    So Kate and I just thanked him and thenwe raced off to get our bikes for the cycle in to town.

    The woman in the library was really nice and helpful. She told Kate and me to sit at a big wide table, and before long she was back with a stack of dusty old newspapers.
    ‘Here you go,’ she said, putting them on the table in front of us. ‘Everything you need should be here.’
    ‘Thanks so much,’ I said.
    The librarian smiled. ‘The fact that you knew exactly which dates you wanted made my job very easy. Court reports are usually on the second last page. Now, I’ll leave you to it. Just give me a call if you need anything else.’
    It didn’t take us long to find the report of Daisy’s father’s court case. Seeing it in black and white newsprint made it seem even more real than before. I thought of all the people inSeacove reading it, and believing it, and slowly beginning to hate Mr Lavelle and his family.
    Kate and I leaned closer to the page, to read the small fuzzy text. The report was short, and to the point.
    ‘OMG,’ whispered Kate when we’d both finished reading. ‘There was a witness to the crime! This George Eades person says he saw Jean-Marc Lavelle leaving the church in Newtown with the chalice under his arm!’
    ‘I don’t believe that. George Eades had to be lying.’
    Kate looked at the report again. ‘That’s what Jean-Marc said in court. Jean-Marc said he wasn’t anywhere near the church at the time.’
    ‘That’s just weird. If two people stand up in court, and say completely opposite things, why would everyone believe one and not the other?’
    ‘Remember