Kim always marvelled at people’s ability to discount the truth of a situation because of their own opinion.
‘Ashley wouldn’t hurt a fly,’ she continued, as though that would make the victim less dead.
‘I assure you, Ms Sykes, that?—’
‘Nicola, please,’ she said.
‘Well, Nicola, someone wanted your friend dead, and we have to find out who. We understand that Ashley didn’t get on too well with a couple of the other players.’
The shock returned, accompanied by a disbelieving smile. ‘You can’t possibly think?—?’
‘It’s an avenue we have to explore.’
‘Please don’t tell me that’s all you have?’ Nicola said, as if she was talking to one of her staff.
Fortunately it wasn’t, due to Stacey’s efforts, but they still had to explore every lead.
‘If you could just tell us about her run-in with…’
‘Harriet,’ Bryant finished for her.
‘It was hardly a run-in. They had a few cross words is all.’
Kim waited for the details.
Nicola sighed heavily. ‘Inspector, we have fifteen members in the club. It’s a mixed bag of ladies who attend. Some just want a night away from the kids, others loved the game at school and enjoy the opportunity to play again, others had some level of success and take it a bit more competitively. Some, like me, appreciate the social aspect of it and the knowledge that some level of physical activity has been attempted.’
‘Where does Harriet fall on that spectrum?’ Kim asked.
‘Harriet loves the game. She played it at school and went on to play for the county but never made the national team. She still plays as though there’s a scout watching her, even though she’s mid-forties now. She plays rough. No one wants to mark her.’
‘And her issue with Ashley?’
‘We all take it in turns to referee. A couple of weeks ago, Ashley took her turn and sent Harriet off the court when her opposite number landed on the floor for the third time. Harriet didn’t take kindly to the decision.’
Okay, Kim thought, it was starting to sound like a run-in to her.
‘It never got physical,’ Nicola continued. ‘Ashley just told her the truth about how we all felt but weren’t brave enough to say. Harriet didn’t respond well and stormed out of the building.’
‘Did she return the following week?’
Nicola nodded. ‘Yes, but she didn’t utter a word to Ashley, who couldn’t have cared less. For her, it was done and gone.’
Kim wasn’t as quick to dismiss the episode as insignificant.
Clearly, the exchange had become heated, and although it was a minor event for Ashley, it could have been more significant for Harriet. Kim knew that motives for murder didn’t have to present as major issues. The internet was full of stories of people who had lost their lives over little things. One never knew what was going to matter enough to take a life. And it sounded as though Harriet had not been able to file it away so easily, given it was still in her craw a week later.
‘Any further exchanges between the two of them?’
Nicola shook her head.
‘And Diana?’ Kim asked. ‘We heard Ashley wasn’t keen on her.’
‘None of us are keen on Diana,’ Nicola said, rolling her eyes.
Kim waited.
‘At fifty-seven, Diana is our most mature member and she’s a stickler for the rules. Anyone would think we were playing for Britain. She’s constantly calling on the ref to take action for minor issues; it kills the rhythm of the match. Ultimately, we’re a group of women getting together once a week to play a sport we all love before heading to the pub for a couple of drinks. It really isn’t that serious.’
