Blood Line (30 page)

‘Did you know that Alan Rawlins used contact magazines for dates with gay men?’

Daniel looked astonished.

‘He often used his schoolfriends’ names to hide his own identity. He used your name, Daniel.’

Daniel stared at Anna in disbelief.

Anna closed her notebook, and gave Paul a small nudge to his knee beneath the table. Paul cleared his throat.

‘Listen to me, Daniel. You may think that we are questioning you in an attempt to blacken Alan’s name, but the truth is we are trying to find out if someone brutally murdered him. We found extensive blood pooling beside his bed at Newton Court. Our forensic expert believes that whoever the victim was, they would not have survived such an injury. The blood seeped down under the floorboards below into a deep pool, where it congealed. Added to this we have also discovered further bloodstains in the bathroom of the flat he shared with Tina. We can only surmise, because we have found no body, that the victim was dismembered in the bathtub and the body parts dumped. All we are attempting to do is get to the truth, discover anything that can help us trace whoever did this murder, and find the killer. Whatever secrets you had between you both might help us. You can’t protect him, but what you might be able to do is give us something that’ll help solve this terrible crime and lay him to rest.’

Paul had kept his voice low and gentle, holding Daniel’s frightened eyes with his own. Anna now remained silent, watching as Paul reached over and took the young man’s hand.

‘He protected you from bullies at school; you say you owe him, you hero-worshipped him – then do this for him, Daniel. If you have anything that might help us, now is the time to be honest. Help us get to the truth and find out who killed him.’

Anna was impressed. Paul didn’t release Daniel’s hand, but continued to hold it tightly.

‘If you feel that you might say something that could implicate you, then we can arrange for a solicitor to be present. We’ll protect you. All we want is for you to help us.’

Daniel’s voice dropped to almost a whisper. ‘He made me promise never to tell anyone.’

‘You kept that promise, I know you did, but now it is time to tell me what you know.’

Daniel sighed and slowly withdrew his hand from Paul’s to wipe away his tears.

‘I loved him. It seems as if I have loved him for my whole life. My father was very violent – well, it appeared that way to me. He just couldn’t come to terms with his only son being gay. He threw me out of the house and I went to stay with Alan’s family. They took me in and his mother was so lovely and different to mine.’

Anna, impatient for Paul to get to the truth, bit her lip knowing that any interruption might undo the bond that Paul was forming. Daniel took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair, Anna knew that at last he was about to unburden himself to Paul.

‘I went to college and got a place of my own. As much as I detested my parents, I did have an allowance and they also left me well off so I used to give Alan money. I also paid a substantial amount for his cars as his father didn’t have enough to finance their purchase. We were very close and he always knew how much I loved him. In retrospect, I always sort of knew that he used me. It wasn’t just laundry; he’d ask me to cover for him when he went to auctions, and he had a number of garages where he would leave the cars until he was ready to work on them.’

‘Did he give you a cut of the money when he sold these cars?’

‘Sometimes, but usually he’d only give back what I’d put in. He was very secretive about what he actually made from the sales. In fact, he was almost obsessive about money. I saw his personality change about four years ago. I think by this time he was living with a girl called Alison and we had a couple of dinners, but I wasn’t seeing that much of him. He was as obsessive about surfing as he was about his cars. He was working out and I think he was using steroids. He could be very quick-tempered, and that was when I found out he was seeing Tina on the side. I said to him that Alison was a really nice person and he dismissed her as being a waste of space. I can’t remember the exact words we had, but Tina had started to put highlights in his hair to make it more blonde and I said something stupid.’

Daniel went silent. Paul reached out and patted his hand.

‘Go on, what happened?’

‘I said something like he should be careful in case someone might think he was gay, and . . . he almost killed me. He was terrifying and wouldn’t stop no matter how much I screamed, punching me and squeezing my throat.’

Daniel was hardly audible as he sobbed that he was raped, and how the next morning Alan had begged for forgiveness, saying that he hadn’t meant to hurt him, that Dan was his best friend and that he loved him more than Tina, more than anyone else.

‘It was after that we separated. Months would go by and I’d not see or hear from him, and then he would turn up with his bag of dirty washing. Sometimes I was scared not to do it. He would leave it for weeks on end with me. Then he came round to tell me he had made out this Will and that he wanted me to be the executor of it, just in case anything happened to him. I joked with him, saying that I knew he could take care of himself, but he got very serious and said he was doing some business with people he didn’t trust.’

‘In Cornwall?’

‘Yes. He said he was making a lot of money and intended going to live in Florida eventually; that he planned to leave Tina as he couldn’t stand her.’

‘What business do you think he meant when he said he was making a lot of money?’ Anna intervened, and Daniel flinched as if he had forgotten she was in the room.

‘I don’t know. I didn’t dare ask him.’

‘You think it was drugs?’

Daniel hesitated and then nodded. He explained that he had found a number of packets in his laundry bag. It was cocaine. Alan had joked that he was laundering them for him and took them back.

‘I never saw him again. I didn’t know where he was until I was interviewed and told that he was missing. I didn’t say anything because I just thought that he had done what he said he was going to do – go off to Florida.’

Daniel sighed as if relieved it was over. He looked at Paul.

‘I’m sorry – I should have told you all this before.’

‘Yes, you should,’ Anna snapped as she stood up. It never ceased to amaze her how well some people lied. She had not suspected that Daniel was one of them.

Daniel Matthews was allowed to leave the station and Anna congratulated Paul, because she doubted if she would have got Dan to open up and tell her the truth. They broke for an hour to prepare for the arrival of Tina and Michael Phillips.

Tina was being held in the cells down on the ground floor. Michael Phillips was in interview room one. They had been kept separate and Tina had demanded that her lawyer be present. As Jonathan Hyde could not come to the station for two hours and would then no doubt wish to have a discussion regarding the new evidence against his client, Anna decided that Michael Phillips would be questioned first.

‘Do you want legal representation, Mr Phillips?’ Anna asked as she entered the interview room.

‘I’d like to know what I’ve been brought in here for.’

‘You have agreed to be interviewed with regard to a murder enquiry. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something—’

‘Wow – just wait a minute. You can’t still believe I have anything to do with this man’s disappearance. It’s preposterous!’

Phillips was very well-dressed in a smart suit, expensive shirt and tie, which he began to loosen.

‘We are investigating the disappearance and possible murder of Alan Rawlins.’

‘I’ve been questioned about this before, for chrissakes. I didn’t know him, I just happen to live next door.’

‘You also refused to give a DNA sample.’

‘Yes, I did. Why should I give one? I have nothing whatsoever to do with this. It’s a total invasion of my privacy, and don’t think I don’t know what will happen. You’ll keep my profile on some DNA database and I am not agreeing to it, full stop.’

‘Then you can understand why we wish to question you further as your refusal is suspicious.’

‘No, it isn’t. I had nothing whatsoever to do with this man and you are just forcing me to do something that I have every right to refuse. I know the law and you are not charging me with anything because I have not done anything wrong.’

‘We are aware that Miss Tina Brooks called you this morning at your office and on your mobile phone.’

Phillips gave a resigned sigh. If he was taken aback by the fact that they knew about it, he showed no reaction.

‘Could you tell us why you have previously denied knowing Miss Brooks?’

Anna was interrupted as Phillips slapped the table.

‘I’m her neighbour – right? I live in the flat opposite hers and it’s obvious that I have had to be aware of what has been going on. So although I said to you previously that I was friends with neither her nor her boyfriend, we have since begun talking to each other – and there’s no law against that.’

‘What exactly do you think has been going on in the flat opposite to yours, Mr Phillips?’

He sighed again in exasperation. ‘Her boyfriend, Alan Rawlins, went missing, that’s all I know.’

‘Miss Brooks didn’t tell you about the blood pooling beside her bed or the blood traces in her bathroom?’

He ran his fingers through his silky hair. ‘No she didn’t.’

‘I think, Mr Phillips, you are lying as Miss Brooks has not been resident at her flat due to police procedure. So just how long have you been on friendly terms with her?’

‘Christ, not long. I met her in the hall and she told me she was taking some clothes from her flat as she was staying with a girlfriend. She said that something bad had happened in there, but she never went into any details, and said that was the reason she’d not been living there for a while.’

‘So at what point did you exchange phone numbers?’

He shrugged. ‘I’ve just told you – a couple of days ago. Listen, I was obviously interested in what was going down in there, even more so after I’d been interviewed. Anyway, we got talking and she came into my place for a drink. She was in a very nervous state. I gave her a brandy, we talked and I said if there was anything I could do at any time, she could call me.’

‘You do know that as we know your phone number we can check just how often and how long you and Miss Brooks have been in contact with each other for.’

Again he shrugged. ‘It’s just over the past few days, and to be honest, I’ve started to regret inviting her in. She’s called me a few times.’

‘Have you and Miss Brooks had an intimate relationship?’

‘I just told you we’ve only really been talking to each other recently.’

‘Have you had sex with Miss Brooks?’

‘I don’t think that is any of your business. I am really finding it exceedingly disturbing that you have even brought me in to question me again, after I have already given you an interview and I have nothing further to add.’

Anna stood up and gathered her papers.

‘I suggest you get representation, Mr Phillips. If you are withholding evidence you could find yourself charged with perverting the course of justice.’

‘What fucking evidence do you think I have?’

‘Don’t swear at me, Mr Phillips. I am requesting that you give a DNA sample and if you continue to refuse I could arrest you and it would then be taken legally by force if you resist.’

‘I am not withholding any evidence, but I do want to have legal representation.’ Anna told Phillips that he was to remain in the interview room while they organised for a solicitor to be present.

‘I’m supposed to be at work,’ he said furiously. ‘How long will this take?’

‘As long as necessary.’

Anna walked out and Paul followed. She was tight-lipped with anger and disliked the arrogant Michael Phillips even more.

‘You know we don’t have anything on him,’ Paul said as they headed along the corridor.

‘Not yet we don’t. Let’s see if Tina matches his story about when they met. In the meantime, arrange for the duty solicitor to come in and talk to him. I think he is refusing the blood test because if we get a DNA match with the evidence taken from her bedsheet, it will show he was certainly seeing her for a lot longer than just the past few days.’

Anna stopped at a water fountain. Her mouth felt dry but she was impatient to continue. However, they had to wait for Jonathan Hyde for over two hours, and until he was at the station Tina remained in the cells. Paul checked on her twice. At first she had been very angry and abusive, but the longer she remained in the cell the quieter she became.

Jonathan Hyde eventually arrived, and although he apologised profusely about taking so long, his manner was not in any way apologetic, but abrasive. Anna told him of their findings to date as he made copious notes in a leather-bound notebook. He occasionally held up his Mont Blanc pen for Anna to repeat herself, and had an irritating habit of directing the pen towards her to continue. Eventually he closed his notebook, replaced the cap on his pen and suggested they get on with it.

‘You will obviously wish to have a private meeting with your client,’ Anna said.

‘Obviously.’

‘I’ll get her brought up from the cells.’

Anna asked Helen to escort Tina Brooks to interview room two.

‘Would you like a coffee, Mr Hyde?’

‘No, thank you. Perhaps some water?’

Anna opened the interview-room door and Hyde went in, placing his Gucci briefcase on the table. She watched him remove his leather-bound notebook, set his pen down beside it and take out a handkerchief and wipe the table in front of him. She closed the door quietly and turned into the corridor to find Tina approaching, accompanied by Helen.

‘That cell stinks, it’s disgusting!’ Tina said, glaring at Anna as Helen led her into the interview room. As Helen closed the door, Tina was complaining about being kept waiting for hours. Hyde’s dulcet upper-crust tones were heard apologising, explaining that the delay was due to his representing another client in court.

Helen walked back along the corridor with Anna. ‘Nasty piece of work, isn’t she?’