There was no avoiding telling him. Smith wasn’t a fool and before she knew it, he’d soon be discussing it with others in the team. ‘Smith, I dated him. He saw Briggs and me together as we watched the house. I met up with him twice. I don’t know the man. Can I trust you?’
He nodded and closed her office door. ‘Of course, guv. But I can’t hide anything from Briggs that might affect the case just like I wouldn’t hide anything from you.’
‘And I wouldn’t expect anything less. Briggs already knows as we’ve spoken about this but if you need to speak to him about it, go ahead. There’s something else, someone is sending me flowers and chocolates as you know and I think it might be him. I’m asking unofficially, did you see who pulled up when either were delivered?’
‘You say unofficially?’
‘I’m looking into this myself in my own time. I want to know who sent me these things. I’ve been through a lot so maybe you can appreciate that I’m worried.’
He nodded. ‘I was there when they were delivered. I noticed that it was a local business. The flower shop on Cleevesford High Street, I remember the logo but not the name of the shop. I’ve used them a few times to send flowers to my wife.’
‘At least she was happy to receive the flowers, unlike me. She’s a lucky lady.’
‘Tell her that! Anyway, I’m running behind. Let me know when you’ve finished interviewing the people at the party. Kapoor and I will keep out of the way for now.’
She smiled. ‘One of the attendees is due to arrive any second. I’d go out the back if I were you. Thanks, Smith.’
Her phone beeped. Rex.
Why am I sitting here, waiting to be interviewed? I heard about what happened to that woman, Sophie, last night. It was nothing to do with me. You’re just trying to pin this on me because I dumped you.
So that’s how he was going to play this one. There was no way he’d get an answer from her. When would he get the message that she didn’t want to hear from him again, ever? He’d tell them all that he dumped her and now she’s harassing him. Idiot, she had the texts to prove it was the other way around but if he wanted to play that game, he was certainly going to lose.
She almost trembled as she thought of Steven. The weight of what they both might say may be her downfall. Downfall, she was thinking like a person that had done something wrong. She hadn’t chosen to have Steven as a brother-in-law and all she’d done was go on a couple of dates with Rex. If that was all she’d done wrong, exactly how bad could it get? She checked her watch and hurried – she didn’t want to miss Rex’s interview.
Forty-Eight
Gina hurried along the corridor and slipped into the viewing room. The interview had already begun and Rex was speaking. Wyre and Jacob sat opposite him, Jacob leading the interview. The night before, Rex had looked so polished at the party. In the cold light of day, he seemed so ordinary. Light jumper, jeans, hair slightly kinked where he’d rolled out of bed, stubble.
‘I didn’t see her after eleven. I went home in a taxi and I’ve already given you the name of the firm, you can check. I’m also here voluntarily so can we hurry this up? I need to get to work.’
‘What is it you do?’ Wyre asked.
‘I work in a phone shop in Evesham. I sell phone contracts.’
Gina blushed as Briggs looked over. She knew so little about the man behind the glass.
‘You have my address too. That’s where I went. I went home and I went to bed.’
Jacob took a sip of water. ‘Is there anyone who can verify that?’
‘Am I under arrest or something? I live alone. The taxi dropped me off and I went home to bed.’ Gina made a note that in an hour and forty-five minutes he could have easily changed and then gone back to the party. He could have driven back, knowing that he had an opportunity to attack some poor unsuspecting partygoer.
‘You’re not under arrest, Mr Satterthwaite, but a serious crime was committed that night and we need to know what happened. Do you regularly attend these kind of parties?’
He smirked as he folded his arms. ‘I love these parties and go to as many as possible. I’m a single, highly-sexed man and they allow me to attend. Some people like three in a bed and I guess I can always be someone’s number three. Why would I not go?’
‘Did you speak to Sophie Dobbins over the course of the evening?’
He shrugged, holding both of his hands up. ‘Yes, and so did all the others. I thought she was a bit of all right but she didn’t seem too interested so I left her alone. I’m not the type of person that goes around harassing women.’ He stared at the mirror.
Gina knew he wondered if he was being watched.
He glanced at his phone and smiled before continuing. ‘But, as I said, I didn’t pull that night so I went straight home. I had to be up early for work and didn’t feel there was anyone there for me that was worth pursuing. Although I normally have a lot of luck, I am still quite choosy, believe it or not.’
‘What name do you go under when you use the Swap Fun forum?’ Wyre asked.
‘Hot Rod.’ Gina made a note to check all interactions between everyone on the site and Hot Rod.
