It was Lucinda Butler who opened the door, and Kim felt a pang of sympathy for what the woman was about to learn.
‘Is your husband home, Mrs Butler?’ Kim asked.
‘He’s not well; he’s off today. He’s in bed. Can I…?’
‘Could you call him down, please? We really need to speak to him.’
‘Has something happened? Is it about Ashley?’ Lucinda asked, clasping her hands together.
‘Please, just call him down.’
Lucinda looked from her to Bryant before heading up the stairs. Kim took a seat while Bryant remained standing. After a few minutes, Joe Butler appeared with Lucinda trailing behind. His wife made no attempt to hide the concern on her face, while Joe was working hard to have no expression at all.
‘Inspector, what’s so urgent that you need to disturb a sick man?’
‘Please, sit down, Mr Butler,’ Kim said, thinking that he didn’t look sick at all.
He took a seat, and Lucinda placed herself beside him.
Kim considered asking the man if he’d prefer to talk to them alone, but given they were here for something more serious than his infidelity, it was better to have her present.
Joe reached for his wife’s hand, a gesture that irritated Kim after the recording she’d just heard.
‘Mr Butler, where were you yesterday lunchtime?’
‘Excuse me?’ he said, playing for time while trying to figure out an answer.
‘It wasn’t so long ago. Yesterday, one until three.’
‘I was at my desk, eating lunch.’
‘You’re sure about that?’
‘Y-yes. I ate prawns. They made me feel ill. I left work early and came home. I went straight to bed,’ he said, patting his stomach.
Lucinda nodded in agreement. ‘That’s exactly what he did.’
He may very well have come home early, but it wasn’t because of some dodgy prawns.
‘Are you sure you’re not getting confused, Mr Butler?’ Kim asked, thinking this was the wrong hill he’d chosen to die on.
‘I’m positive.’
‘Only, we have photos that place you somewhere else entirely,’ she challenged him. Well, they would have those images once Penn had finished with Toby Judd’s camera.
‘Photos can be doctored, Inspector. AI can do fantastic things.’
‘We have proof you were at the pub.’
‘Pub?’ Lucinda asked, turning a questioning look his way.
‘Oh, I remember now. I had a quick meeting with some colleagues before I went back and ate at my desk.’
‘So, Nadine Cowley is a colleague of yours?’
‘Wh… who?’ he asked with a tremor to his voice.
‘The woman in the pink shirt you met in the pub yesterday.’
