Gina clenched her knuckles under the desk. ‘Whose blood is on your coat?’
‘Which coat?’
‘The blue puffer coat that was hung on the coat hooks at your business premises.’
‘That came from a dead rat that I trapped. We have a rat problem. That’s hardly a crime. The corpse is in the industrial bin out the back.’
Damn. Gina knew they’d have to get that confirmed and they would before he left custody. ‘Why is there a huge electroplating bath in your warehouse?’
‘Really?’
‘Please answer the question,’ Gina said.
He scrunched his neat brows. ‘I was going to start a new business. I’m faddy, what can I say? I didn’t buy it; it was in the warehouse when I bought it six months ago. The ex-owners used to electroplate car parts. I saw it as a potential opportunity.’
‘“A man can’t call himself a man unless he can protect his wife and then his children. A real man will do anything it takes. Are you a real man?” These are your words, aren’t they?’
He frowned and recoiled.
Gina pulled out a photo and showed him his Instagram post.
‘So, I’m not ashamed of taking my duties as a man and a father-to-be seriously.’
‘Did you go as far as murdering Kain to protect your wife and unborn child?’
He let out a laugh. ‘You are so bad at this.’
‘How do you know Craig Crawford?’
He raised his brows. ‘Am I meant to recognise that name?’
Jacob passed Gina the photo of their social media selfie. ‘Well, you are here together, after just completing a triathlon and you both look to be friendly.’
Fabien’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. ‘That was ages ago. I know him from the gym.’
‘So why didn’t you say you knew him?’
‘I didn’t know his surname was Crawford and there are three Craig’s at my gym.’
‘When did you last see Craig Crawford?’
He shrugged. ‘Don’t remember.’
Gina pulled out another photo, one showing the torn-up photos from his warehouse. ‘Why did you have clothes belonging to Kain Pickering and photos of Kain stashed in a box in your warehouse?’
‘You really suck, sweaty ass.’
Gina felt rage building up inside. ‘Answer the question, Mr Stone.’
‘They are the items that Kain left behind when Sheena threw him out. He never came to collect them and she wanted them out of the house so I took them out of her way. I wanted to bin them but Sheena, being the good person that she is, wasn’t having any of it.’
‘How about this?’ Gina pulled out a photo of the blue metal racking rod.
Fabien furrowed his brows, the creases at the bridge of his nose deepening as he tilted his head slightly. ‘That wasn’t in the box. I put those things in the box myself. What is this? You’re framing me.’
‘So, it won’t have your prints on it?’ Gina knew their perp was forensically aware so the likelihood of prints was low but had the perp slipped up this time?
‘That’s not mine. I didn’t put it in the box. Why is it there? Why?’ He kicked the desk leg, nudging it.
