Her shoulders slumped. ‘It wasn’t my idea.’
‘Dawn, we’re not here to judge you at all. A woman was murdered. We’re here to find out what happened and who killed her.’
She slumped onto one of the bar stools on the other side of the island and picked her lips. ‘I don’t know how we ended up having the party, that’s Steven and me. I suppose it was something he wanted to try so I went along with things.’
‘Tell me a bit about the evening?’
Gina wondered if Steven had chipped away at her self-esteem, threatening to leave her, telling her what to wear and calling her names. Had he followed this with the deepest of love messages until she’d become dependent on him, relying on the love-bombing cycle that he’d carefully honed, his tried and tested method?
Gina knew that Dawn was an estate agent, a successful one at that. She didn’t need Steven for anything, but life can be lonely when you’ve been divorced. Maybe she didn’t have a huge social circle. Gina had checked her out that morning. On paper, Dawn didn’t look the type. Gina also knew there was no type and that Terry and Steven were very alike. The woman tugged her oversize top down. Gina could see her vulnerability. She didn’t want anyone to see her stomach falling over the stupidly tight jeans. She walked around her own home in little heels, unbalanced and clearly feeling the pinch in her toes. She was in a constant state of waiting for Steven, living in fear of him leaving her for someone younger and fitter. Gina knew him too well.
‘I was so nervous, I think I drank a whole bottle of wine throughout the early evening. Partner swapping was Steven’s idea. He’d never tried it and said he’d always wanted to.’ Gina knew that was a lie. ‘I went along with it. He’d found some local people who were up for some fun, as he put it, and he arranged it all. He did it to get closer to her but he won’t admit it.’ Dawn’s index finger pointed at one name on the list. Aimee Prowse. ‘He’d seen her around the estate and when he discovered she was on the forum, I just knew it. You know when you can tell. I tried to change his mind about the evening but he kept going on about how I promised him that I’d be more adventurous. I thought he’d maybe dump me if I didn’t at least give it a go. I didn’t know what to do. Two marriages have ended on me. I thought maybe it was me and he was right.’ A tear slid down the woman’s blotchy face. She slammed her hand on the worktop, walked over to the fridge and pulled out an opened bottle of rosé wine and poured a glass. ‘Want one?’
Jacob and Gina shook their heads.
‘I need something. I can’t cope with all this.’
‘You mentioned a forum. Is this on the internet?’
She nodded and topped up her wine glass. ‘It’s a website called Swap Fun. Check it out. I can’t believe I actually allowed him to upload our profiles for all members to see. I love him and I know I’m a fool—’ The woman burst into tears. ‘I don’t want to screw up again. I’m forty-seven. I’ve had enough of going it alone. I’ve had enough of failing. I just want to be happy and be with someone who loves me. Is that too much to ask for?’
‘Of course it’s not, Dawn. Is it okay if I call you Dawn?’ Gina asked.
The woman nodded and slammed the wine glass down. ‘Anyway, the last thing I remember of that night is leaving with Richard.’
‘Where did you go?’
Crimson blotches spread across Dawn’s face, giving away her distress and embarrassment. ‘The caravan. We were in there from about eleven thirty, maybe later or earlier. I’m not sure. I don’t want to talk about it either. All I know is he was with me about that time and we’d both had a few.’
‘Tell me a bit about Steven and Aimee. You mentioned that he already knew her.’
She shook her head and brandished a false smile across her face. ‘Oh he fancied her something rotten. She’d jog around the estate in Lycra, bending and stretching. She’s the estate’s most famous personal trainer. I think all the men around here get an eyeful. It’s also common knowledge that she likes older men and I think stupid Steven thought he was in with a chance. He threw it in my face a lot, telling me that I should book some sessions with her, get fitter, get my hair done better and wear better clothes.’ She sipped the last of the wine. ‘I ashamedly prejudged her until that night. I could see she was nervous and I could see that she was so relieved she hadn’t picked Richard or Steven. When she nodded at Noah, I was happy for her but Noah’s wife Jade looked mortified that she’d ended up with Aimee’s Rhys. Anyway, off they all went. I went with Richard, Steven tootled off with Maggie. I was so happy he’d been disappointed, but that’s another story. After it was over, I came back in my house and had a shower. That’s all I can tell you.’
‘What time was that?’
She shrugged and sipped her wine. ‘I have no idea.’
‘Where’s Steven now? Does he live with you?’
‘Yes, but he comes and goes as he pleases and he still has the tenancy on his flat. He goes there when we argue. If I ever dare ask him where he’s going he just accuses me of being controlling. I can pass a message onto him when he answers my calls or comes here.’
Gina picked up the list and passed it to Jacob. ‘Did he come home after the party?’
‘I didn’t see him. I think he must have gone back to his flat.’
Jacob folded the list, placed it in his notebook and smiled. ‘Thank you, Dawn. You’ve been really helpful. We’ll need to know the address of his flat too.’
Gina wrote down the number of the station on a piece of paper and tore it from her notebook. She’d normally leave her card, but not this time. ‘Please tell Steven to get in touch with us if in the meantime he comes back here. Is he at work?’
‘No, just out. He doesn’t work at the moment. He got sacked from his last temp job.’
Nothing had changed. The Steven she knew then was still the same Steven. Gina knew he latched onto women, used them for as long as he could get away with and then moved onto the next.
As they left the house and headed towards the car, Gina spotted another text.
I’m a prize idiot. I’m sorry about the message earlier. I get it – totally. You don’t want to see me again. Sorry. Rex. X.
‘Come on, guv. We best get this list back to the station. So which name on the list did you recognise?’
