She exchanged a glance with Jacob.
‘Interview ended at twelve fifty-four.’
Gina grabbed all her paperwork and left the interview room.
‘Are we charging him, guv?’
She exhaled slowly. ‘He had opportunity, no one can confirm that he was in the toilet where he claimed to be and he didn’t see anyone. We have his DNA on file and looking at some of the reports that came back, I don’t think Phillip Brighton’s have been flagged up as being found in Holly’s room but they are still working through everything. That’s not to say it won’t come up. It would make our case tighter when we put it to the CPS.’ The Crown Prosecution Service would decide if the evidence was good enough to charge him with. ‘If we arrest him, we can keep him in again while we conduct further enquiries. Holly is missing a pink tablet and one of the same make just happened to be in his bedsit. That’s too much of a coincidence and he’s not talking. We can’t let him walk out on bail today; that might risk him tampering with any potential evidence.’ Gina turned away and marched back into the interview room.
‘My client would like some lunch.’ Mr Ullah stood.
‘Your client will have to wait. Phillip Brighton, I’m arresting you on suspicion of the murder of Holly Long on the evening of Saturday the ninth of May. You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.’
She left the room, giving both Phillip Brighton and his solicitor time to talk.
‘We need that tablet cracked now,’ Jacob said. ‘Why would he want to hurt Holly Long?’
‘I wish I knew. Where is the tablet?’
Jacob followed her along the corridor. ‘It’s with the tech team. It shouldn’t take too long to get into.’
‘And we’ll be either charging him or letting him go.’
Jacob nodded. As Gina turned towards her office, Wyre’s hair shook from side to side as she jogged towards them both. ‘Guv, Francesca Carter is in the waiting room. She’s asking to speak with you about the night Holly was murdered.’
‘Thanks, Paula. Let’s hope this is the break we need. Have the forensics come back on Francesca Carter’s clothing yet?’
‘Let me just check.’ Wyre pulled out her phone and checked through their emails. ‘Yes, only this morning. O’Connor has marked this one done so it must have been added to the system. Nothing alarming found on her, only her own secretions. Her hair was found at the scene, this could have been when they all had their hair and make-up done or it could have been left there on the evening of the murder. There was also a smear of blood on her hand that was swabbed and it is Holly’s.’
‘She did go into the room and touch both the lamp and Holly. Thanks for the update. I’ve read the notes from her interview so I’ll bear all that in mind when I speak with her.’
Gina hurried towards the waiting room and smiled at the desk sergeant, Nick, then turned to see the young woman sitting on a plastic seat, hugging her knees with her oversized bag filling her lap.
Chapter Twenty-Six
What are you doing in there, Frannie? The slow walk into town had led you to the police station. Why? I need to find out what you know, and I will.
He walked past the wall and headed to the public car park on the grounds just opposite the station and he leaned against the fence, checking his phone. Far enough away to avoid detection from either Francesca or the police but close enough to spot her burnt orange knee-length trench coat that covered her perfect figure.
Your coffee was terrible yesterday, Frannie. I’m not sure if you made it that badly on purpose to hurry me out, and you don’t trust me – that much I know. I can see I have work to do when it comes to you. When I stood next to you in the kitchen, you moved and it wasn’t subtle or polite. You didn’t spare my feelings at all. Trust needs to be earned. I’m good at that. Whether I have the time to waste, that’s another question entirely.
He closed his eyes and imagined stroking his fingers through her hair. It was up today, a loose bun, which reminded him of Holly. He’d prefer that Francesca leave her hair flowing down her back, ready for him to wrap it around her neck. He stretched his twitching fingers, already desperate to act out his thoughts, then he curled them into a fist.
‘You alright, mate?’ asked the man in the paint-splattered tracksuit as he got into his white Transit van.
He loosened his clenched fists, the moment ruined. He’d just been at the part when her lips would begin to turn blue. ‘Yes, mind your own business.’
‘Stuff you. Was only askin’.’
He walked away towards the other side of the car park, watching the man stick two fingers up at him as he pulled out onto the main road. Was that image in his mind enough? He inhaled and imagined breathing in the scent of lemon, the smell he’d forever associate with Frannie from now onwards.
Back to the moment.
He’s wrapping her mane around her neck and watching her stark stare plead with him to unleash her but she’s enjoying it too so he carries on.
Is the thought of it enough?
Her voice is nothing more than a croak and she gasps air as he releases her from her own hair.
No, it wasn’t enough. He needed to feel it fully. He needed to feel the end.
He unbuttoned the top button of his shirt letting the light breeze cool his reddening face.
He turned his attention back to the station knowing that she could be ages. When she came out, he’d be waiting. A quiver ran through his body. Maybe Holly had said something to Fran and maybe she was telling the police. If that was the case, the police would come for him within the next couple of hours, he knew that much. He’d have a lot of explaining to do. Two hours, three hours, maybe four. When would he be in the clear? No more risks and no loose ends. If he were to get a second chance, he was going to tie them up, good and proper.
Come on, Frannie. Show me your hand. I’m waiting for you.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
‘Have a seat. Can we get you a drink?’ Jacob asked as he indicated for her to sit.
Francesca Carter shook her head and removed her orange raincoat. ‘I just want to get this over with.’
Gina sat next to Jacob in the little room and gave Francesca a slight smile. ‘What can we do for you?’
Jacob began to scrawl the date and a few details at the top of the page.
‘This is off the record so you can stop making notes.’ She put her bag by her feet and leaned forward, her long pale pink talons resting on the desk between them.
‘Okay, but bear in mind that someone murdered your friend on Saturday night and if you have information that could help us catch the killer, we would need to record it properly.’
She looked away and ran a hand across her eyes. ‘What I am going to say may well have nothing to do with Holly but I had to say something. Do you know what I mean?’
Gina nodded.
‘There’s no denying I was drunk, so drunk at times I struggled to stand, but I soon sobered up when I saw Holly’s lifeless body. I don’t think I’ve ever come around so fast.’ She paused and scraped her chair closer to the table.