‘If I lost sleep over every girl I’ve screwed, I’d never have another decent night’s kip in my life.’
His sneer provoked Harry. An electronic rifle roared in his ear and he found himself shouting to make himself heard. ‘She’d found another boyfriend, hadn’t she? That’s what really hurt you. For once, the great pop star was going to get the elbow himself. Did you hate that? Did you crack on that you were the one giving her the push? How jealous were you, Ray?’
The noise died down and Ray Brill gave him a savage glare. ‘You’re fucking crazy. There was no-one else. Now why don’t you piss off out of here?’
Harry shrugged and made his way to the exit. There was no point in arguing with a man in such a mood. He already had the vague feeling that Ray had said something significant. Besides he had seen through the fury in the bloodshot eyes. No question about it: Ray Brill had something to hide.
‘You’ve been seduced,’ said Harry to his partner at the end of the afternoon. They were standing in his office, their arms full of glossy brochures. ‘I never thought it would happen, but you’ve succumbed to the wiles of a silver- tongued charmer. Does Heather know?’
For the first time that he could ever remember, the big man blushed. He spoke hurriedly, as if to cover confusion. ‘You don’t seem to realise that what Benny Frederick is telling us about video as a practice development tool makes plenty of sense. We need to promote ourselves more effectively to potential clients.’
‘I can’t see the people I act for queuing up at the television lounge in Walton Jail to watch us.’
‘I was thinking more of businessmen in the Round Table,’ his partner said impatiently.
‘You’re saying they have pronounced criminal tendencies?’
Jim snorted. ‘You simply never meant to treat this meeting seriously, did you?’
‘You couldn’t be more wrong. I’m glad Benny’s so talkative. I’m dying to ask him about the Carole Jeffries case. Now that really is a matter of life and death. I’d just like you to get this marketing malarkey out of your system, that’s all.’
A resigned sigh. ‘We’d better go back. He’ll be wondering what we’ve been talking about. I take it your answer is no, then?’
‘Not so fast, I want to keep his interest. Let me handle this my way.’
‘Didn’t the last person you said that to get twelve years?’
Harry grinned. ‘For Chrissake, he was an armed robber. Bloody lucky not to get fifteen. Now let’s have another chat with Mr Frederick.’
They returned to Jim’s room, where Benny Frederick was glancing around, taking in the ordered mound of correspondence as well as the framed certificates on the wall. He had darting eyes the colour of coal and Harry felt sure they would not miss much. His hair was still the same anarchic mass of dark curls it had been during his heyday as a photographer and his slim frame seemed not to carry an ounce of fat. At a distance he would have passed for a man of thirty rather than of fifty plus.
‘Had a chance to talk things over?’
‘We’re having a spot of trouble identifying our unique selling point,’ said Harry. ‘Maybe we could put our cards on the table and adopt the slogan Cheap Advice For Those Who Can’t Afford Better.’
Jim raised his eyes to the heavens but Benny simply giggled and said, ‘I realise you’d need to contain costs. I’m not suggesting a remake of Ben Hur.’
‘ Carry On, Crusoe and Devlin might be closer to the mark. Anyway, we need to mull it over. Thanks for sparing your time and talking to us. We do appreciate it.’
‘No problem. I realise it’s a big investment for a firm like yours, a…’ For once, even Benny faltered, a suitably glamorous euphemism eluding him.
Harry came to the rescue. ‘A niche practice?’
Another giggle. ‘Exactly!’ He stretched out a hand. ‘Well, delighted to have the chance to meet you.’
‘The feeling’s mutual. As a matter of fact, there was another reason why I wanted a personal word with you.’
Jim Crusoe said hastily, ‘I think I’d better be off. I have a difficult trust deed to draft tonight. I’ll let the two of you — have your chat.’
He shot Harry a cautionary glance as he left. As the door closed behind him, Benny turned to Harry with an expectant look and said, ‘You were saying?’
‘There’s a business I’ve been looking into and I think it’s possible that you may be able to give me a little inside information.’
A crease appeared in Benny’s brow but he simply said, ‘Fire away.’
‘It’s not a current case of mine, but rather one that happened thirty years ago and it has suddenly come to life again.’
‘I’m not with you.’
‘You will be when I mention the Sefton Park Strangling.’
Benny stared at him. ‘What on earth has that to do with you?’
The past few days had given Harry plenty of practice in explaining his interest in the killing of Carole Jeffries and overcoming people’s reluctance to accept the notion of Edwin Smith’s innocence. Benny heard him out in silence, occasionally pushing a hand through the black curls, as if unable to believe what he was hearing.
‘Amazing,’ he said in the end. ‘If it’s true. Even so, I don’t see where I come in.’
‘You employed Carole, worked with her five days a week. What can you tell me about her?’
Benny took his time before replying. ‘She was a gorgeous girl. I suppose you’ll have seen photographs, but even a couple I took never did her justice. Her hair was long and fine, her skin absolutely flawless. She was a child who looked like a goddess — and behaved like one. I could have sworn she was immortal.’
‘But she wasn’t immortal, was she?’
‘No, poor kid.’ He paused. ‘Apart from that, what can I say? I suppose she was thrilled by glamour. That’s why she joined me. In those days I was photographing all the top stars. She wasn’t bothered about working in the shop — in fact, she could be a lazy little cow — but she loved the idea of mixing with the John Lennons and all the others who used to beat a path to our door. But above everything she was daring and determined. Once she set her mind on something, she wouldn’t let anything get in her way.’
‘You make her sound ruthless.’
‘Maybe so. She had a famous father who let her run wild. He was always an easy touch where she was concerned. Whatever she wanted, she could have. I knew the family, they lived near to me.’
‘I’ve tried to speak to Kathleen Jeffries — but she rebuffed me.’
‘You don’t surprise me. Her memories must be painful even after all these years, although she was never besotted with Carole in the way her husband was. I don’t criticise Guy. I’ve never fathered children and never will, but I can imagine the joy of having an offspring who seemed so perfect.’
‘Shirley Titchard didn’t regard her as perfect.’
‘You’re a lawyer,’ said Benny, mischief glinting in his black eyes. ‘Would you say Shirley was an unbiased witness? After all, Carole stole Ray Brill from her. I felt sorry for Shirl, but it was a contest in which there was only ever going to be one winner. Though once she had her man, things began to change. I’ve known Ray since he was a kid and he always had a roving eye himself, but Carole was more cold-blooded. After a while she decided he’d served his purpose.’
‘She tired of him?’
‘Yes, she had great fun going out on the arm of a pop singer who could make the other girls swoon, but she kept her eye on the main chance. I reckoned that, the moment someone more appealing than Ray Brill came along, she would ditch him without a second thought. The truth is, she had the moral scruples of a chainsaw.’
‘And did someone else come on to the scene?’
Benny scratched his ear. ‘Maybe.’
‘Was Ray jealous?’
‘You’ll have to ask him that.’
‘When he sobers up, I will.’
‘It could be a long wait.’
‘I’ve gathered that. As well as gathering from your guarded answer to my question that Ray was the jealous type.’
A shrug. ‘None of us likes to be rejected. Especially when we’ve come to expect adulation.’
