‘I’m a personal trainer. I also manage all the Parkruns in the area and have a collection of private clients. Sometimes I rent space at the gym in Cleevesford but I do run a few sessions from home. Are you interested in getting fitter?’ Aimee grabbed a purple hoodie from the coat hook, pulled it on and led the detectives into the lounge.
Clothes were strewn over the settee and several half-filled glasses of water were dotted around the room, some dustier than others. ‘Definitely not,’ Gina replied as they took a seat on the large corner settee. She thought of Wyre and how much she’d probably love to have personal training sessions to make her perfectly sculptured body even more sculptured. Gina was more about crisps and lazing around when she wasn’t working. The thought of being vigorously trained made her shudder. Her gaze wandered to the far end of the room where a sliding door led to a wide lean-to, equipped with gym balls and mats. Wind chimes hung from the ceiling and a light wooden floor completed the natural look. Pretty stones and crystals adorned the shelves. ‘We need to speak about the night of Sunday the fifth of May.’
Aimee looked away, folding her arms as she hugged her body. The young woman suddenly took on a child-like appearance. Her frame so petite, she could have easily been mistaken for a teenager. Her fluffy caramel-coloured curls had escaped from her ponytail and were concealing her eyes. Gina shifted in the seat so that she could face Aimee head on. At twenty-four, she was just a little older than her daughter, Hannah.
‘It’s terrible, what happened to that woman.’
‘It is, and we’re trying to find out as much as we can, which is why we’re here. We need to catch whoever did this to her. Until then, there’s someone really dangerous out there. Tell me about the party. What happened that evening?’
Aimee peered through a gap in her curls. ‘You know about the party?’
Gina caught Jacob’s eye. Something in Aimee’s reaction had suggested that this party wasn’t all it seemed. Noah had mentioned the party and he’d mentioned talking to Aimee at the end of the night. He’d also mentioned his falling out with Jade. ‘We know.’ Gina knew this was a bluff but she was sure Aimee wouldn’t catch on. She solemnly nodded, waiting for her to continue.
The woman shook her head and closed her eyes for a second. ‘I went with Rhys, my boyfriend. It was just a party at Dawn’s house. There were a few other couples and there were nibbles. We had wine and that was it.’
‘Nibbles and wine. We know it was more than that?’ Another bluff. ‘How do you know Dawn?’
She shrugged her shoulders and looked away, staring at the artificial orchid in the pot that sat on her window ledge. ‘I don’t know Dawn. We hadn’t met until that night. Rhys said we were going to the party. He arranged it and I just went along.’
‘How did he know Dawn?’
A tear slipped down Aimee’s cheek and she shook her head.
A flutter of excitement sent endorphins through Gina’s body. She was on to something. ‘It’s really important that you answer my questions. Aimee, a witness saw Rhys with Jade on the night of her murder and we’ve yet to locate him. You can see how this looks. So, how did he know Dawn?’
Aimee pulled her sleeve over her hand and wiped her eyes. ‘He met her on the internet. We were all there to swap partners. Is that what you wanted me to tell you?’ She inhaled deeply and let out a controlled breath. ‘I wasn’t really sure about it but Rhys said we should give it a go and I guess I just went along with it. I sort of wanted to do something different too so it wasn’t all his fault.’
It was all starting to make sense. That’s why Dawn hadn’t known all of the details of those who had attended her party. They were all newly acquainted. ‘I’m not here to judge you, Aimee, but I need to know what happened that evening. Can you talk me through everything, from when you arrived?’
The young woman’s cheeks reddened. ‘We got there just before eight, I think. I can’t be too sure. I was a bit drunk. I don’t drink often and I’d had a couple of glasses of wine to loosen up before we even left home. The first hour was spent mingling with the others, then Dawn came out of the kitchen with two glasses. Men’s names in the first and a location in the second, women picked. We didn’t discuss who or where with anyone. We were meant to just make eye contact with our random partners, leave the house and they followed us women out to the secret locations. I’ve never done anything like this before and I’d hate it to get out to my clients. I’ve worked so hard to get high profile people on my books. Are they going to find out?’
Gina couldn’t reassure her either way. ‘Who were you paired with and where did you go?’
‘I got Noah. I don’t know his second name. He left just after me and we walked to the woods together.’
‘Did you see Rhys leave?’
She shook her head. ‘I was so nervous about what was happening, all I thought of was myself. I was jittery and my head was everywhere. I liked Noah and was glad I got him over the others.’ She paused. ‘I only caught a brief glance of Rhys when he left. I remember being angry at him as he didn’t look back. So much ran through my mind. I thought he didn’t care. I questioned what the hell I was doing but at the same time I wanted it when it turned out to be Noah.’ She began to rock gently on the end of her seat. ‘I was with Noah for about half an hour. That’s all it took from start to end. We parted sometime after midnight and that was it, the end. I headed home and so did he, at least I think he did. I didn’t go home with him.’
‘Was anything said?’
She stared into space. ‘Not really. He mentioned that Jade hadn’t been too happy with him and he was likely to be in the doghouse when he got home. He didn’t look overly worried.’
‘Aimee, I know this is hard, but have you heard from either Noah or Rhys since the party?’
She shook her head. ‘After, I came home for a bit but didn’t hear anything from Rhys. I got anxious and had no idea where he’d be. When he wasn’t home by about six in the morning, I basically pounded the streets, sick with worry. I haven’t seen him since.’
Jacob cleared his throat as he turned a page in his book and began to scribble a few notes.
Aimee walked over to the window and began playing with the potted orchid. ‘He wouldn’t have hurt her.’
Gina would reserve the right to challenge that statement until she’d had the opportunity to speak to the elusive Rhys Keegan herself. If he had nothing to do with Jade’s murder, why had he vanished before anyone even knew she’d been murdered? Why hadn’t he come home after leaving the summerhouse? Gina made a note to do a background check on Rhys. ‘Has he called you since the party?’
Without turning to face Gina, the woman shook her head. ‘That’s all I know. It really is. I haven’t seen or heard from him.’
Gina’s thoughts flashed back to creepy Colin Wray. ‘We have a witness who saw Jade Ashmore with Rhys and there’s something a little sensitive I need to ask you.’
She nodded and wiped her brow.
