Kelly got up and walked to the flip chart and stood next to the poster that Tilda Dent had showed her yesterday.
‘It just strikes me as significant that Jamie was doing so well, especially with this new product that was being championed here, and that drew your most senior execs from across the pond. I guess I’m looking for a reason Jamie might abandon his dreams.’
She held on to Ted’s assessment that Jamie’s death was a homicide for a little longer.
Sandy shrugged. Kelly reckoned the woman was more used to running meetings than being the subject of them. Tough luck. She’d come across tight-lipped interviewees plenty of times in her career and most of them didn’t like her. But that wasn’t why she was here.
‘How well did you know Jamie?’
‘He was a colleague. I get to know my colleagues on a needs basis. If I need some information, I associate with them. If not, I don’t. We weren’t drinking buddies.’
‘I watched the footage; you were hysterical over him.’
‘Footage?’
‘Somebody recorded it, after he fell.’
‘What the fuck? Give me a name; they’ll be off the Christmas list by close of play today.’
Kelly didn’t like the woman’s attempt at grim humour. It was inappropriate.
‘I’m afraid I can’t. The investigation is ongoing.’
Sandy Cooper looked mad. Kelly changed the subject.
‘You gave a lecture yesterday?’
‘I spoke to the delegates at around three p.m.’
‘And did you see Jamie?’
‘No. He was busy preparing for his own keynote speech.’
‘I’ve been told that he watched your speech.’
‘Yes, he did but I had no interaction with him. It was busy; we had things to do.’
‘Of course. You were launchingYouthBlast, right? And you’re a hefty shareholder in FairGro? I did my research.’
In fact it was Dan who was compiling the money trail and collecting the information on Hampton-Dent employees.
‘I have chosen a maximum pension pot, yes. I have no husband or kids to think about, just my retirement to a villa in the Caribbean.’
‘That sounds nice. Is it a tight unit? Hampton-Dent? Are people close, or is it typical of a large corporation where people don’t recall names?’
Sandy laughed. ‘It’s global; we employ around twenty thousand people.’
‘Got it.’ Kelly got a pad out of her bag and began to take notes. ‘I’m getting the impression Jamie had everything to live for, career-wise.’
‘Yes. He was happy. Or at least I thought he was.’
‘So the keynote speakers didn’t interact much? What did you do at night? When I’ve been to conferences we sit in the bar chatting, getting to know our colleagues,’ Kelly said.
Sandy eyed her. ‘I knew Jamie well enough. He was in his twenties; he wouldn’t want to hang out with oldies like me.’
‘Right. Did you stay in your room all morning, then, on Tuesday, preparing for your talk?’
‘I stopped for a few breaks. I avoided the communal eating spaces. I didn’t socialise with anybody really. I talked to thecatering manager a few times; we had a few cigarettes together outside.’
