‘What was that about?’ Jacob tapped his nails on the roof of her car.
‘Phillip Brighton checked in as a part of his bail conditions, albeit late. He’s there now. Wyre and O’Connor are preparing for Francesca’s post-mortem so let’s hurry back.’
‘Was that all?’
‘No. The plot thickens. I’ll tell you in the car. We have a witness coming in to make a statement against Samuel Avery. It’s all happening at the moment.’
Chapter Forty-Five
Midday had passed and Cass had already received two calls from work. They really didn’t trust her when she’d told them that she was sick in bed with a tummy upset. Now, it was more of a bind and she’d have to face a back to work interview the next day, a company procedure she’d come to fear. Two sick days in a year, that’s all she’d had. She couldn’t face work and the idea of calling in with a sickie had appealed at eight in the morning. She did feel ill but it was all self-inflicted. The fried food hadn’t sat well at all but she knew it wouldn’t when she was scoffing it down.
She tied the silky scarf in a different way. That was better. It looked far nicer in a loose bow. That’s how Kerry would wear it. Cass wore the same black trousers or leggings every day but she knew Kerry would have racks of amazing designer clothes and that wearing them would command respect as soon as she entered a room. She had to conjure up her inner Kerry and she had to do it on a budget. She did a half turn and flinched as the lights and radio went off. Heart beating like a hammer drill, she let out a laugh. The emergency button needed pressing on the meter; that was all.
Hurrying out of the front door, she opened the cupboard and pressed. Everything came back to life. Heavy footsteps clunked up the stairs. She gazed down, trying to spot who was coming up another flight. ‘What are you doing back?’
Elvis’s shoulders dropped. ‘You’re meant to be at work.’ He pushed past her and hurried into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. Moments later, she heard the shower running. She turned the radio off and waited for him to come out and interrogate her.
Kerry still hadn’t replied to her message. Last night, Cass had watched from the bushes as her drunken friend’s mother had helped her stagger into the car before driving her away. Then the detective had heard her, the one who’d been at the reception on the night of Holly’s murder. When she approached, Cass had held her breath until she’d got into her car and drove off with her partner. She had no reason for being in Kerry’s bushes and had no idea what to say if she’d have been caught.
She fiddled with the white scarf and smelled it. The free sample of expensive perfume still lingered. A flowery fragrance of quality. Kerry would approve.
Her stomach turned as she waited for Elvis to make an appearance.
As the shower stopped spraying, a loud hammering knock at the door startled her.
‘Who the hell is that?’ Elvis unlocked the bathroom door and trod wet footsteps over the carpet.
She shrugged her shoulders. ‘Shall I answer it?’
‘Durr, yes! What the hell have you done to your face?’
He obviously didn’t approve of her make-up. She hurried to the door. ‘Hello, who is it?’
‘Police.’
‘It’s the police,’ she mouthed.
The knocking continued.
She gently opened the door with the chain across it. ‘Hello.’
The bald man in a suit and the woman with straight shoulder-length black hair held up their identification. ‘Detective Constables Wyre and O’Connor,’ the woman said. ‘We’re looking for Robin Dawkins.’
She glanced across at the lounge as his jaw dropped and he rubbed his chin.
‘May we come in?’ DC Wyre asked.
She removed the chain and opened the door.
‘Cassandra Wilson?’
‘Yes, that’s me.’
As the two detectives entered the lounge, Cass took a step back and nervously clasped both hands in front of her, gripping them tightly.
‘What do you want?’ Elvis grabbed an old hoodie from the back of the chair and slipped it over his head.
‘We’re going to need you to come to the station to make a statement under caution. Francesca Carter was found murdered in her home last night and we need to ask you a few questions.’
‘What? No way. Am I under arrest?’
‘No, not yet.’
‘Then I’m not going anywhere.’ He sat on the chair and placed an unlit cigarette between his lips.
‘Okay, we can arrest you on suspicion of murder and keep you in for questioning for twenty-four hours or you can come with us voluntarily and this could be over within a couple of hours.’
Cass felt a quiver at her knees. Had Fran been the woman who was messaging her boyfriend? Had he committed the unthinkable? She hated herself for doubting him but he had given her every reason. ‘What’s happening, Elvis?’
He huffed and stood, grabbed his jeans and began pulling them up under the towel around his waist. As he zipped them up, the towel dropped to the floor. ‘Just get this over with quick and, for the record, I haven’t hurt anyone. I’m not the person I was back then. I’ve changed. I know why you’re here. I’ve done my time and you’re harassing me. I was just a kid.’
‘What have you done?’ That’s the first Cass had heard about her boyfriend doing time.
‘Nothing. It’s in the past and I just want to forget it but this lot won’t let me, ever.’
She stared at him as he finished getting ready. She didn’t know him at all. Was he dangerous? She’d been living with him all this time and she had no idea he’d been in prison. The news of Elvis getting arrested would soon sweep around the community. Would the press start to hassle them? Maybe Kerry would find out. If Elvis had committed the unthinkable against Kerry’s two best friends, would there be room for Cass in her life? Everything was falling apart. Had it been Elvis, the very man she lived with, who had been lurking outside Lilly’s house the night before when she’d arrived? Had he scared the life out of her as he followed her back to the flat? She opened her mouth to speak to the police but Elvis glared right at her. There was no way she’d say a thing. The look in his eyes told her that she’d regret uttering anything.
As they led him out, she closed the door and rushed to the window, watching as they bundled him into the car and drove off.
Leaning against the kitchen wall, she kicked back and wiped the tear that slid down her face. ‘Please message me, Kerry. I need a friend too,’ she murmured.
Chapter Forty-Six
‘Phillip Brighton, please answer yes or no for the tape. Did you know Holly Long?’ Gina waited for him to lie again. Jacob kept his gaze on Phillip too.
‘I swear I don’t. Why have you got me in here for questioning again? I checked in as per my bail conditions. I’ve done everything I had to do.’ He plunged both hands into the pockets of his denim jacket.
‘For the tape, you checked in late. We have a witness who claims that you knew Holly. We also have CCTV evidence showing you pressing the buzzer to Holly’s apartment on Wednesday the twenty-fifth of March.’ She removed a camera still from the folder and slid it across the table. The resolution wasn’t perfect but the man had Phillip Brighton’s hair and was wearing the same jacket. ‘Can you confirm that this is you?’ The video wasn’t clear enough to tell which buzzer he’d pressed but Gina wasn’t about to mention that yet.