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
