‘They are my friends. It was my wedding.’
Gina went to speak but then stopped, allowing Kerry to cry until her sobs subsided.
‘Can you please tell me more about you, Francesca and Holly? How you all met and how you know each other.’
Kerry went to sip the shot of Sambuca but changed her mind and placed it back down. ‘I think I’ve had enough to drink. Fran and Holly, we met at primary school. We have been best friends through our childhood and our teens. We’ve always been close, meeting up for lunch regularly, speaking on the phone. We’ve helped each other get over bad boyfriends. We’ve held each other’s hair back in nightclub toilets when we had too much to drink. I love them both like they’re my sisters. There’s also Lilly, she’s the fourth one in our group – the Awesome Foursome – and the other bridesmaid at my wedding. We’ve always been friends. I thought we’d all be besties until the end and now two of them are gone. Who would do this?’
‘That’s what we’re trying to find out. Can you think back to your wedding in Crete?’
Kerry scraped the chair on the tiles and hurried to the sink and poured a glass of water. ‘I can’t stand the stale taste of that stuff any more.’ She pointed to the bottle on the table as she dragged her feet on the floor and sat back in her chair. ‘What would any of this have to do with our wedding? Please don’t taint that memory too. It’s bad enough that Holly was murdered at my reception.’
‘We have to ask. When we interviewed Lilly at the reception, she told us that in Crete on the night of your wedding she went to bed early, leaving everyone at the bar celebrating. She heard Holly arguing with someone outside, by the pool. We don’t know who she was talking to. I know this is a long shot, but can you remember anyone being missing during that evening or during the early hours of the next day?’
‘I was pretty wasted.’
‘Or do you remember anyone seeming a little off or did Holly say anything to you?’
‘This has got something to do with her secret man, hasn’t it?’
Gina crossed her ankles under the table. ‘Do you know who that was?’
She shook her head. ‘She kept denying there was a man, but Lilly saw him through Holly’s letterbox. She wouldn’t let her in when she went over, even though she was in. I really don’t know who he was though.’
Sighing, Gina pulled a photo from her notebook. ‘Do you know this man?’
‘Everyone knows him. That’s Phil the Pill.’
‘Phil the Pill?’
‘He’s got a pill for everything. I shouldn’t say any more.’
Gina took the photo back. ‘We found drugs and money on him on the night of your reception. He was at the venue and he didn’t have an invite. We know why he was there.’
‘Okay. Everyone knows he dabbles and passes on a few light drugs, mostly pills and weed. Someone must have called him for some stuff or maybe he was chancing it by turning up.’
‘How about Holly? Did she know him?’ Gina already had reports of him being at her apartment block. If she could prove that Phillip Brighton knew her, then she’d have reasonable grounds for further questioning.
‘Definitely. We bought some weed off him once. He lives in Cleevesford. He drinks in the Angel Arms. Everyone knows him.’
‘He was seen outside her block of flats a few weeks ago. Do you know why he’d be there?’
Kerry leaned back and wiped her nose once again. ‘Maybe this man in her life fancied a smoke. Holly didn’t smoke or do drugs. I don’t think it would be her putting in an order or maybe she was buying it for him.’
Gina popped the photo back in her notebook.
Kerry placed her palm on her forehead and began pressing. ‘My head isn’t good.’
‘You’re doing really well. Just one more thing—’
The main door burst open bringing with it a light breeze through the large building. ‘Kerry, love. What’s happening? Oh my goodness, look at you.’ Alison Reed, the mother of the bride walked in. From the statements, Gina knew she was a little older than herself at forty-nine, but she looked much younger. Her sun-streaked straight hair flowed over her shoulders and down her back as she moved with elegance in her skinny jeans and calf length boots. Her svelte figure could have had her mistaken for a teenager from behind. Her light swing coat fell over her shoulders. On another day, Gina could have been convinced the two women were sisters. ‘What are you doing here?’ The woman stepped back, staring at Gina and Jacob.
‘I’m afraid we’ve had more bad news. Francesca Carter has been murdered this evening and we needed to speak to Kerry.’
‘What for? Kerry wouldn’t have had anything to do with that.’
‘I’m not suggesting that she did but both Holly Long and Francesca Carter were bridesmaids at your daughter’s wedding.’ Witness statements had clearly placed Kerry in the main reception room at the time of Holly’s murder.
A pale Kerry nestled into her mother’s arms and began to weep quietly.
