HIDDEN SECRETS (24 page)

CHAPTER 19.

THREE HOURS LATER

It was now 11.30 on Thursday evening. Ben, Kate and Stanley made their way back to The Lotus Hotel; their mood greatly enhanced by a much needed meal and several bottles of wine. Kate walked closely by her husband’s side while Stanley lagged behind. Ben unexpectedly felt Kate slip her hand into his and paused.

“Am I forgiven; or is it the wine?” he asked tentatively.

“You’re not forgiven by a long way; but we can work on it,” she replied with a hint of a smile.

“I really don’t want to go back to the hotel tonight, I want to go home,” she said as they rounded the corner opposite the hotel.

“Neither do I,” Stanley agreed, “I’m going to get a room elsewhere. Will you tell Alex I’ll call round in the morning before I leave?” he asked Kate.

“Yeah sure.”

“Before you go Stanley, can I just say something?” Ben asked hesitantly.

“I suppose so,” he avoided making eye contact.

“I know you never thought I was good enough for your daughter, but I really did try to make it work with Anne. There were things that you knew nothing about.”

“I know you did, I was just an over-protective father with an image of a perfect little girl, who in my eyes could do nothing wrong. I realise now I was deluded,” Stanley replied quietly, the hostility he had previously shown towards Ben, diminished.

“That must have been very hard for you to say Stanley, thank you.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, goodnight,” he walked away without looking back.

“I wasn’t expecting that,” Ben raised his eyebrows.

“I don’t want to talk about it tonight; shall we go in?” Kate replied releasing the hold on Ben’s hand as an uncomfortable sensation gripped her in the pit of her stomach.

“There’s something wrong,” she stared ahead at the open door.

“Stay here,” Ben stepped into the foyer and glanced cautiously up and down the darkened corridor, with Kate following closely behind.

“I’m not staying out here on my own,” she whispered.

“It’s very quiet Ben,” she added.

“I know; it just doesn’t feel right.”

The couple inched their way along the corridor towards the lounge.

“I don’t like this Ben we should call the police. You don’t think Alex’s done anything stupid do you?” 

“It depends on what you mean by stupid; but you’re right, it’s far too quiet.”

As they approached the lounge door, there was still no sign of life.

“Stay out here, I’ll take a look inside.”

“Be careful Ben,” she warned.

“Don’t worry nothing’s going to happen.” He pushed open the door and took a step forward into the darkened room. Flicking the light on, he glanced quickly around and then reeled backwards in shock.

“Jesus Christ.”

“What’s wrong Ben; what’s happened?” Kate called out, her voice trembling with fear.

“Call an ambulance quickly, Alex’s injured,” he stared down at the body lying in a pool of blood.

Kate rushed into the room and stared in horror at the scene, afraid that Alex was dead.

“Kate did you hear what I said. Call an ambulance NOW,” he raised his voice in panic.

“I haven’t got my phone,” she replied tearfully.

Ben fumbled around in his pocket and tossed his phone to her.

“Use mine; just do it Kate,” his tone shocked her into action.

Ben turned the injured man onto his back and discovered the source of the blood, which was oozing from a wound in his chest.

“How long will they be Kate, he doesn’t look good.” Ben called over his shoulder as he attempted to stem the flow of blood with a bar towel.

“Not long, I’ll go and wait for them in reception,” she dashed off.

“Tell them to hurry,” Ben held the blood-soaked towel over Alex’s wound as he lay motionless and close to death. It seemed like hours had passed before he heard a siren wailing in the distance. As Ben tucked Alex’s Jacket around his motionless body, an envelope fell from the pocket. Kate was calling and without thinking, he picked it up and slipped it inside his coat pocket just as she entered the room with the paramedics.

“We’ll take over now Sir,” one of them spoke to Ben. More sirens sounded outside the hotel, and minutes later six police officers filed into the room. Kate recognised two of them; one was definitely the young P.C. who had accompanied Inspector Salt on his first visit to the hotel; the other- who was approaching her- she had seen at the station.

“Good evening Mrs. Preston. I’m D.C.I. Gordon Harper from Exeter police. Can you tell me what happened?”

“How did you know my name?” she asked vaguely.

“You told the emergency operator when you called for an ambulance.”

“Oh did I? I don’t remember,” she replied vaguely.

“Did you discover Mr. Lawton?”

“No, it was Ben, my husband.”

“O.K, I’ll go and speak to him; how are you feeling Mrs. Preston?”

“I’m fine, just a bit shocked that’s all,” she smiled weakly.

“Do you want one of the paramedics to take a look at you?” he offered.

“No thanks, I’ll just sit here for a while. She sank down into a chair and watched the scene before her. A team of officers combed the room for evidence as a group of paramedics examined Alex, who was still unconscious. As she watched, he was lifted onto a stretcher and taken to an awaiting ambulance with an array of tubes and monitors attached to his motionless body. D.C.I Harper closed his notebook and joined his team of investigative officers, as Ben took a seat next to Kate.

“What did you tell them?” she asked nervously.

“The truth, and it doesn’t look good for Pat.”

“Where did the gun come from Ben?”

“That’s what that Inspector asked; it must have belonged to Alex.”

“Did you tell them about the argument?” Kate continued to question him.

“I had to,” Ben paused as Inspector Harper approached them.

“You and your wife will have to make a statement Mr. Preston. I don’t expect you to do it now.”

“We’ll come to the station in the morning then,” Ben replied.

“That’s fine,” he paused. “I need you to move to another part of the hotel now; this room is a crime scene. Two of my officers will be on duty at the front of the hotel for the rest of the night; I assume you have accommodation here?” he asked.

“Yes we do; but why do you need to leave your officers’ here?” Ben asked.

“Mr. Hinds is still at large, and it’s likely he’ll return to the hotel.”

“Wouldn’t that be foolish, he’ll know you’re looking for him?” Kate pointed out.

“Maybe, but if he does we’ll be waiting for him. Now I’ll leave you to get some sleep. If you could vacate the room my officers can seal it off.”

“Could you give us a few minutes please?” Ben asked.

“Of course, but do not touch or remove any items from the room,” he warned.

Kate nodded.

“I’ve got a few loose ends to tie up; oh before I forget, do you know what Mr. Hinds and Mr. Lawton were arguing about?” The Inspector asked.

“I was hoping you wouldn’t ask me that. I don’t suppose I can refuse to tell can I?”

“That would be withholding evidence Sir,” he peered over the top of his spectacles.

Ben paused momentarily before he spoke.

“A friend of Alex’s was involved in a car accident. Apparently he was riding a motorbike when he was in collision with a car on a bend. The car driver was unhurt, but the biker was seriously injured, he’s lost the use of his legs. The car driver was Pat Hinds; Alex found out and they started arguing.”

“Right, thank you. Now do you know where Mr. Hinds could be?”

“I’ve got no idea Inspector. If there’s nothing more I’d like to speak to my wife,” Ben replied harbouring feelings of guilt, as he had no way of knowing what had happened after they left the hotel.

Without answering Ben’s question, Inspector Harper turned away to speak to one of his officers’ who had discovered a gun; presumably the one used to shoot Alex. It was duly bagged as evidence and taken away.

“He thinks it was Pat who shot Alex,” Ben remarked.

“What do you think?” she asked.

“He doesn’t strike me as a violent man, but who knows what can happen when you’re provoked.”

“I think I might know,” she glared at him. “I’m going to bed,” she added stifling a yawn.

“Hang on a minute Kate, I’ve got something to show you,” he took an envelope from his pocket.

“What’s that?” she asked.

“I don’t know. I found it in Alex’s Jacket just before you came in with the paramedics,” he said turning it over and over in his hands.

“You searched his pockets Ben, that’s terrible.”

“No, it fell from his Jacket when I covered him with it, what do you think I am?”

“Do you really want me to answer that?” she scowled.

“Who is it addressed to?” she asked

“Leo Marshall, at an address in Bath.”

“Who is he?”

“I don’t know, I’ve never heard of him,” he shrugged his shoulders.

“You should have given it to the police Ben.”

“Why? It could be personal, or money.”

“You’re not going to open it are you?” Kate stared at him as he continued to turn it over in his hand.

“Of course I am,” he replied carefully peeling open the seal, and removing a piece of paper which had been folded in half.

“It’s a letter,” he looked up.

“I can see that, what does it say?”

“It’s from Charles Lewis,” he spoke slowly and turned away from Kate as he began to read the contents.

“Read it out Ben I want to know what it says.”

“You might not like what it says,” he warned.

“I don’t like the fact that you had an affair with his wife; but that didn’t stop you from telling me, did it? I want to know what it says Ben, read it to me now,” she demanded.

“O.k. but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Dear Leo,

              You will have no doubt heard of Emma’s untimely death. It came as a terrible shock to me and everyone who knew her. I know you still hold a  grudge against me for taking Emma away from you, but you made her pay dearly for that didn’t you? .

    So what I’m about to tell you is very hard for me to do. Emma was having an affair with a married man and she had planned to leave me. I know now how it feels to be hurt, but I’m not sorry for what I did; I’m only sorry that she was so cruelly taken from me, and that we never had a child of our own together. You broke her heart when you denied her the right to see her own child. I am aware of your feelings towards me, but for the sake of Emma’s memory I implore you to let her mother Rose have some contact with George, her only Grandson. This is her one and only chance. She has taken the news of Emma’s death far more badly than I anticipated, and needs a reason to carry on living. Only you can do that Leo. So I am begging you to look into your heart and do the right thing. 

       The circumstances surrounding Emma’s death have given me cause to be concerned for my own safety. It is for this reason that I have placed this letter in the care of a good friend of mine, and if you are reading this letter now you will know that I have also been killed, as I intended to visit you personally. Please think very carefully about what I have said. I’m no longer a threat to you Leo.

With kind regards     Charles Lewis.

“So you intended to leave me did you?” Kate had tears in her eyes.

“What do you want me to say Kate?”

“Try the truth for a change.”

“What’s the point? She’s dead.”

“Just tell me the truth Ben, I deserve that at least,” she looked deep into his eyes.

“O.K, but it was Emma who wanted to leave Charles. She kept on pestering me to ask you for a divorce, but I wouldn’t have left you Kate.”

“How fucking gracious of you. I bet you were laughing at me behind my back. You must have thought I was a complete idiot. Sleeping with her and then coming back to our bed. How did it make you feel Ben?” she jumped to her feet and began beating her fists on his chest.