Her Last Mistake - Detective Gina Harte Series 06 (2020) Read online

  ‘Charlie?’

  ‘My husband. I thought he’d come out to check on me. He was rubbing my back tenderly and I was enjoying it. When I turned it wasn’t him and before I knew it that tosser had his lips pressed against mine and his hands up my dress. He pushed his fingers into my pants. I tried to get him away from me but he was strong and had all his weight on me, pinning me against the wall. I heard people coming and going but I didn’t shout. I don’t know why I didn’t. For a moment, I thought if someone saw, they would think I was cheating on Charlie and I’d never do that. But I was drunk and I know what people think when you’re drunk. I should have said something when you interviewed me in the ambulance but it hadn’t sunk in. Eventually, I managed to push him away. He called me a prick tease and walked off. I feel so stupid. I didn’t want Charlie to find out. I still don’t, which is why I didn’t want it to be official. I just thought you should know. What if he hurt Holly after I pushed him away and ran off? I should have said something. It’s probably my fault Holly was killed.’ Francesca wiped her eyes and pulled some of her hair around her face as if trying to hide behind a few strands.

  ‘Francesca, what happened to you wasn’t your fault. Whoever did this should not have touched you or kissed you. Thank you so much for coming forward. I know it can’t have been easy to tell us what happened. You’re right to bring this to our attention. If someone did this to you, who’s to say he wasn’t capable of doing much more. It would really help us if you went on record with this or at least told us who you are talking about.’

  ‘I know what people are like. Some of them would say I was drunk, a bit flirtatious and dancing with anyone around, but Charlie, I just don’t know what he’d say.’

  Gina placed her hands on the table. ‘What do you think he’d say?’

  ‘I think he’d be livid. Not at me, at him. I just don’t want any trouble. Cleevesford is a small town. I grew up here. My best friend’s wedding reception has already been ruined and all I’m going to do by reporting this is to add to an already bad memory.’

  ‘Any real friend would want you to feel safe enough to report an assault. I’m sure she will understand.’

  Francesca stared at the mottled grey wall behind Gina and Jacob.

  ‘I have to do this. It’s the right thing to do.’

  Gina slid the box of tissues across the table.

  ‘You can get your notepad back out. It’s okay. I’ll deal with whatever comes my way. I’ll have to. It was Samuel Avery, the landlord of the Angel Arms.’

  A slight shiver travelled up Gina’s spine, resting at the base of her neck. She almost snapped the biro she was gripping as she pressed the tip to the page. The man who was worming his way into her daughter’s life as they spoke had committed an assault on a young woman only a couple of days earlier.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  As Cass finished her filing, she noticed her phone lighting up. It was probably Elvis. He’d be seeing if she was okay, maybe trying to make up with her. She skidded across the tiled floor in her tights and grabbed the phone. Her heart rate picked up and she smiled.

  Are you free to talk? I just need someone and it would be lovely to catch up after so many years. I’m so sorry I’ve been distant but with all that happened, it’s been hard. Thank you for caring. Kerry. XXX

  She went to reply. Don’t mess this up, Cass. Don’t mess up like you always do. She’d seen Kerry crying at the kitchen table at lunchtime and she’d reached out at the right moment. She didn’t expect things to move this quickly.

  I can come straight after work. I finish at five. XXX

  Straight after work, she could pop into the supermarket, grab a bottle of wine and they could chat away, just like old times when they were best friends, but back then they shared sweets. This time, they will drink wine and talk as adults do. Best friends again. She wanted to run around and do a dance. Jump with glee. She had her best friend back and life would only get better. A moment of guilt washed through her as she thought of Holly. She swallowed, knowing she should feel something but she didn’t. Holly’s death was helping her to get her best friend back. It would be her and Kerry from now on. No, Francesca and Lilly would get in the way, or maybe they’d accept her being a part of the new fold.

  Pulling a vanity mirror from her bag, she gazed at her reflection. She didn’t belong in their world. Her round face and dark eyes made her look tired and bloated. She hadn’t eaten much at all. A couple of finger scoops of cream from a piece of cake barely counted. Her mind flashed back to the piles and piles of bread, the chocolate spread and the jam. She snapped the mirror closed and dropped it back into her bag. Transformation wouldn’t happen overnight. She’d take things slowly. For now, Kerry wanted her support and she was going to give as much as she could.

  Melody came through the double doors with one of the other women from the marketing department. She glanced across then back at the woman. They both laughed as they went into a meeting. It never ended. Maybe if she and Kerry became best friends, there may be a role for her in her family’s business. Kerry, her new number one priority. Elvis could wait. She’d get to the bottom of what was happening in his life sooner or later. One day he will slip up and leave his laptop on or she’ll see part of a message flash up that actually means something. She didn’t expect things to move this quickly.

  Thank you. You’re a real friend. Can we make it a little later, about eight? There are some things I have to do. See you later. K

  Even the sound of another one of her colleagues giggling and pointing as she passed couldn’t ruin this moment for Cass.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Gina stormed into the Angel Arms with Jacob in tow, the place already packed out with people finishing work and coming in for a few drinks before going home. Her daughter swivelled around on a stool and rolled her eyes as she downed what looked like a gin and tonic.

  ‘Samuel Avery, please could you follow us.’

  He grinned and threw a towel over a beer pump as he followed her and Jacob out of the bar and into the car park. ‘Come to harass me again? Didn’t want anyone to hear so you brought me out here. Am I warm?’

  ‘You couldn’t be any colder. You need to come with us to the station. I’d like to interview you. You’ve been accused of a serious sexual assault.’

  ‘I haven’t done anything.’

  ‘That’s not what Francesca Carter is saying.’

  ‘What the hell. She’s making it up! I haven’t assaulted anyone. This is because of your daughter, isn’t it? It’s because you can’t bear to see lovely little Hannah hanging about with me. That’s what this is all about.’

  Gina waited a few seconds before continuing. ‘This is about you, Mr Avery, and a very serious accusation against you.’

  Avery’s stare lingered on Gina, a moment longer than comfortable. ‘Okay, I’ll come. But I didn’t do anything and I’m sticking to that. Do I get a lift?’ He smirked as he walked ahead.

  Hannah burst out of the door, leaving it crashing to a close behind her as she hurried over to Samuel’s side. ‘What’s happening?’

  Her daughter looked a little unsteady and the hair that had lain shimmering over her back earlier that day took on a tangled and slightly sweaty appearance now. ‘Hannah. Please go back to mine or to the B&B. We’ll talk later.’

  She shook her head slowly. ‘Why are you trying to interfere in my life?’

  ‘This isn’t about you, Hannah.’

  Jacob opened the back door. As Avery bent over to get into the car, he made a phone gesture to his ear as he caught Hannah’s attention. Gina inwardly smiled. Hannah would soon find out what Avery was like. He’d have to tell her why he was questioned at some point or he’d tell someone who would tell someone else. Cleevesford was a small town and word often got around quickly.

  ‘Mum, why are you doing this?’

  Gina tugged Hannah’s sleeve and pulled her towards the wall. ‘I’ve told you, this is nothing to do with you. I don’t want
to see you hurt so please go to mine or just get out of here. We’ll talk later.’

  ‘Why is he in the car? What are you doing to him?’

  ‘Hannah, you’re asking too much of me. I can’t tell you, you know that.’

  ‘Fine, if you want to be like that. I’m going back in there and I’m having another drink. Then I might have another and another. Just go and do whatever you’ve got to do. You can’t keep him in that long anyway.’

  Gina felt her stomach turn as she saw what reminded her of teenage defiance in her adult daughter’s eyes. She also reminded herself that she hadn’t won many of their battles back then and she wasn’t about to win this one. She just hoped that in the morning, when Hannah had nursed her hangover, she’d speak to her and, maybe then, they could have a proper talk about what was going on.

  ‘You coming, guv?’ Jacob called out.

  Gina turned away and hurried towards the car.

  ‘She’s a lovely girl, your Hannah. Nothing like you,’ Avery said as he caught her gaze in the rear-view mirror. Gina placed the keys in the ignition and drove through the town. As they passed Holly’s flat and the chip shop she caught sight of Samuel Avery looking out of the window in the direction of her apartment. Was he thinking back to another time, when he was there in her apartment wearing his blue shirt, or was he checking out the chip shop? Gina couldn’t tell and that made her want to scream.

  A message from Wyre flashed up on Gina’s phone. She caught the words pink tablet and cracked. The tech team had managed to unlock the tablet that they’d found at Phillip Brighton’s bedsit. She passed the phone to Jacob.

  Jacob smiled from the passenger seat as he read the message.

  She turned her attention from the rear-view mirror and focused on the road ahead even though she could still feel the weight of Avery’s stare and she wondered if he’d cooperate during questioning. She already knew the answer to that thought.

  Chapter Thirty

  ‘Samuel Avery’s in interview room three, guv. There’s no rush, he’s refusing to speak until his solicitor arrives.’ Wyre led the way to the incident room.

  Gina gazed around, trying to take in all the changes to the board and surroundings since she’d left earlier that day. The crime scene photos were pinned next to Holly’s photo. Whether the assault on Francesca Carter had anything to do with Holly’s murder was something she was clutching at right now. She imagined a frustrated Samuel Avery taking himself up the stairs after being rejected. Had he then decided to harass Holly, knowing that she was alone in her room? Maybe she had then told him to go away after he knocked, sending him over the edge.

  Gina knew they needed more than Francesca’s word and she doubted Samuel would confess. They had to at least try to find out who had passed as Francesca was being assaulted under the stairway. ‘Can you please go through every witness statement again, see if anyone mentions seeing anyone under the hotel stairs before the gatecrashers arrived. And if anyone even mentioned just being around there, I want them contacted. We have to find someone who will corroborate her story.’

  ‘I’ll take that one up, guv. I’ll get onto it now.’ Wyre flicked a spot of fluff from the lapel of her pristine black suit before heading to her desk.

  ‘Oh, would you please set up a new board for the sexual assault but keep it within this room. Both are separate crimes but we can’t rule out a link as yet and I want us to be working together on them. Smith?’

  ‘Yes, guv.’ The PC awaited further instruction.

  ‘Wyre is going through all the statements again to see if we can place anyone else at the stairs in the hotel at the time of Francesca Carter’s assault. As she passes you names, you and PC Kapoor can take them and speak to these witnesses again. I know it’s time-consuming but I don’t want that smug tosser walking if he assaulted Francesca. He’s already walked too many times. Also. O’Connor?’

  ‘Yes, guv.’ He stopped scrolling through the interviews.

  ‘As soon as Avery’s solicitor arrives, let me know. I want to be the one to speak to him.’

  ‘Sure thing. I have the pink tablet here.’ He placed it on the central table and a few of the others quietened down so that they could hear what was going on.

  ‘What have you found out?’

  ‘The transcripts from all the emails and messages were sent from the techies and I have the unlocked tablet in front of me. I hate to say this, guv, but it doesn’t look like this was Holly’s tablet. It’s registered to Millie Brighton and Phillip Brighton has since filled us in on who she is. It belongs to his sister. I called her to corroborate his story and she said he stole it from her a couple of days ago. Apparently, he’s always stealing her things and was probably intent on pawning it.’ O’Connor picked his pen back up and began tapping it on the edge of the desk. ‘Also, there is a lot of dirt on the tablet and none of the fingerprints on the tablet match Holly’s.’

  ‘Dammit! How could there ever be two pink tablets out there that have become a part of our case? So we are still no wiser? We have Brighton on drug charges only but he still had opportunity as far as I’m aware. I know we have to let him go for now and he’ll answer to the drug charges soon but I want you all to keep digging. He, like Samuel Avery and Holly’s manager, Rick Elder, are still on the suspect list. Any contact with Mr Elder’s sister in Australia? Can she confirm that she was FaceTiming with him at the time of the murder?’

  ‘She can, guv. We’re just waiting for the actual records to come back. We’ve put in a request but, as we know, it takes time.’ O’Connor stopped tapping the pen and Gina’s shoulders relaxed slightly.

  ‘Keep him up there until we have more than his sister’s word.’

  ‘Oh, one other thing.’

  ‘What’s that?’

  ‘There’s a strawberry gateau in the kitchen. Mrs O made it. Thought we could do with something nice. There’s not a lot left but if you get in quick, there may be a slice for you.’

  ‘That’s dinner sorted,’ and she meant it. The last thing she’d be doing when she got home would be wasting time preparing food. She needed to soak in the bath and clear her muddled mind. This case was filling every spare brain cell she had. That and her issues with Hannah.

  ‘Another thing. Anything back from forensics? Have they been keeping you updated?’ She caught Wyre’s gaze.

  Wyre opened her emails. ‘Yes. They said that the cigarette butts found at the clearing where Phillip Brighton claims to have seen a man touching himself are still being processed and there are an awful lot of them. No one on file has been flagged up, which means whoever they are, they aren’t on our database. There were so many footprints, forensics don’t know where to start. They are mostly made up of layered partials as the ground was soft and a lot of the gatecrashers had trampled it to get to the cut through. It’s also used by dog walkers and ramblers. It’s a popular route.’

  ‘Do we have the full names of everyone who attended the actual wedding ceremony in Crete?’

  Wyre nodded. ‘Yes, and we’ve crossmatched them to the reception. Everyone at the ceremony attended the wedding reception at Cleevesford Manor.’

  ‘What we don’t know is who Holly was talking to in the small hours in Crete. Her words were something on the lines of, not being able to keep things to herself any longer. Given that we now know about the pregnancy, I think she may have been referring to that, but who was she talking to? We also can’t be sure if she was talking to someone in front of her or speaking on the phone. There is so much to this case. Right, stay with it. You’re all doing a brilliant job but we need to catch this murderer. Let us not forget how violent a murder this was. One more thing; well, two. Anything come of searching the communal bins behind Holly’s apartment and has someone been through the wedding photos?’

  O’Connor smiled. ‘Nothing from the bins and nothing from the photos either.’

  ‘Right, let’s get back to it. I don’t want this person wandering the streets any longer than needs be. The press
are going to be all over this too. One more thing, not a mention of the flower head being placed in Holly’s throat to anyone. Only the killer would know this.’

  The conversation amongst everyone picked up a little as the detectives and officers turned back to their screens, getting on with the mass of tasks that lay ahead.

  She hurried out to the kitchen, knowing that Avery’s solicitor wouldn’t be long. She had a few minutes to wrap up a piece of cake to eat later.

  ‘Briggs, you made me jump!’ As she turned on the kitchen light, he was standing there, sipping a coffee. ‘Why are you standing here in the dark?’

  ‘I’m enjoying the peace. My head hurts and the press are going berserk. I haven’t been off the phone all day. One of the papers has reported using the headline and tagline, “Wedding Night Strangler – A murderer is terrifying the residents of a small Warwickshire town.” A tabloid, of course. It seems our favourite reporter Lyndsey Saunders finally got her promotion and is working for the gutter press. Also, Holly’s case is really touching the public. There’s a lot of fear out there and I get it. Young woman killed in that way. She was just ordinary in every sense. People worry that it will happen to them and I can’t offer them any reassurance at the moment. I just hope there was a really personal motive behind this murder and it won’t be repeated. In the meantime, I’m working on another press statement just to appease the reporters that are metaphorically knocking the door down. So far it’s emails and calls, but I know before long they’ll be camped outside the station. We’re monitoring social media too.’

  ‘Shall I make you a drink?’

  ‘You got a double scotch?’

  ‘If only. I think there would be a few takers out in the incident room.’ She smiled and gazed into his eyes for a few moments before flicking the kettle switch.