Mika Fonseka sat on the opposite side of the table in a grey police station issued tracksuit with her arms crossed. She’d declined to have a solicitor, or anyone informed of her arrest and had objected to every part of the booking in process including having her samples taken.
‘I want it on the record that I do not recognise the authority of the Metropolitan Police, and the justice system is a farce,’ said Mika.
Ramouter rolled his eyes.
Henley coughed and took a sip of a water. ‘Doesn’t really matter whether you recognise it or not. The fact is that you’re sitting here because you’ve been arrested for the murder of six people,’ she said.
‘How is it six?’ Mika asked.
‘Douglas Mantell, Gong Bo Hyoo, Sian Fox-Carnell, Nathan Hall, Kaiden Longley and Catlin Ferguson.’
‘I didn’t kill any of those people. I wasn’t even there. That was all down to Donovan Hernandez and my husband.’
‘Oh wow. Straight in there with the cutthroat,’ said Ramouter.
‘You’ve also been arrested for conspiracy to murder Tabitha and Graham Ashcroft and Paige Jones, the attempted murder of DC Xania Copeland and assault on DC Ramouter and me,’ said Henley.
‘You forgot arson with intent to endanger life and kidnapping,’ said Ramouter.
‘I did not attempt to kill that policewoman. I had no idea who she was, and I was defending myself, and as for you,’ Mika said, pointing at Henley.
‘Let’s not do this. I identified myself,’ said Henley. ‘What I want to know is why?’
‘Why did my husband and Donovan decide to kill those people? I have no idea,’ Mika shrugged. ‘You know when they say that you don’t really know people. Well guess what? That’s true. I had no idea my husband was a monster.’
‘You’re saying you had nothing to do with this? That this wasn’t all your idea? That you didn’t manipulate your husband to provide you with the full case details for the victims you were supporting? Is that what you’re telling us?’
‘Yes,’ Mika smirked. ‘I wouldn’t be the first wife to be blindsided by her husband. Manipulated. Gaslighted.’
‘The burns on your arms and face,’ said Ramouter as he pressed play on the laptop and turned it towards Mika. ‘The HCP – that’s the health care practitioner – who assessed you when you were booked in, said that your injuries were consistent with acid burns. This is footage from last Saturday when Catlin Ferguson was attacked. As you can see, we’ve enhanced the footage.’
Mika remained silent as the footage played. Catlin turning around and facing a heavy-set white man. A woman running into view with a bottle in her hand. Mika shuffled in her seat and looked away when she saw her own face.
‘We searched the car you hired,’ Henley said. She picked up an unsealed plastic exhibit bag that contained four small, sealed exhibit bags and placed them in front of Mika. Human hair was attached to pieces of dried skin. ‘Samples have already been retrieved and are currently with the forensic services but I’m pretty confident they’ll confirm they’re a DNA match for Mantell, Bo Hyoo, Fox-Carnell and Hall.’
‘They were obviously planted in my belongings. Must have been Elliot,’ said Mika.
‘Elliot. Your husband who was remanded two days ago to Brixton Prison, somehow managed to plant evidence in your bag. A bag that contained your clothes and passport. Is that what you’re telling us?’ asked Ramouter.
‘That’s exactly what I’m telling you. You seem to think I’m the bad person here. That I’ve done something wrong. That woman on the footage isn’t me. I didn’t kill anyone or try to kill anyone. You won’t find my fingerprints or DNA anywhere.’
‘What about Paige Jones? You waited outside her home, followed her to her studio,’ said Henley.
‘I found her there. In fact, I was trying to save her.’
‘Save her? You wanted to kill her. You injected her with Rohypnol, tied her up and had a knife to her head when I stopped you. Tell me, which part of that was saving her?’
Mika tapped her leg against the table, watching Henley defiantly, as she ran her finger across the bandage on her right hand.
‘Why, Mika? Six people dead. They were tortured, made to suffer. Punished because you persuaded your husband, Donovan Hernandez and Kaiden Longley to kill for you.’
‘I didn’t ask anyone to do anything for me,’ said Mika. ‘But can you imagine how it would feel to spend sixteen years sitting with victims. You sit with those victims, hold their hands and tell them that the court will hear them, really hear them and do the right thing. You hold their hands, give them tissues when they cry, escort them to the court room and watch as they give evidence. You see the jury sit there transfixed, nodding away, believing them. You hear how strong the prosecution case is, and you think to yourself that yes, this poor woman, man, child will get justice. You promise them that this tiresome, cruel court process will be worth it and then you get the call that the jury’s ready. You’re convinced that their abuser, murderer, rapist will be convicted and punished but then for some inexplicable reason they walk away. No justice. How is that fair?’
‘So, you took it upon yourself to deliver justice?’ asked Henley.
‘I never said it was me. I just posed a question.’
‘What about Catlin Ferguson? You killed her before the jury delivered their verdict,’ said Ramouter.
