virtually everything to Julie Bunford.’
‘She sounds the ideal candidate and Kimberley says as much.’ Cullen tapped Kimberley’s report with his silver fountain pen.
‘I agree, but that in itself does not make her a murderer. It would be unlikely for a woman to kill another woman in that way. It’s not the type of sex game two women play. She has admitted that they were in a lesbian relationship, but only after we confronted her with video evidence. I’m sure she’s holding something else back, I don’t think she killed Lucinda Lovebrace, although she admitted it was upsetting to be told by her that she couldn’t possibly give up men.’
Cullen tapped his pen irritably on the papers. ‘As a prostitute she would hardly be likely to, unless she gave up work.’
‘The same thought occurred to me, but according to Julie Bunford, it wasn’t so much for money, she desperately needed the sex.’
‘Kimberley says she has an unsubstantiated alibi.’
‘DC Leadbetter followed that up. Julie Bunford claimed to be home, but there was no one to support her story. Her daughter has just gone to university and her husband was in hospital, injured in the Meltcon fire, he‘s the guy who ran out through the flames carrying a woman wrapped in wet overalls. As it turns out, Kimberley, was questioning Peter Bunford when the question of his discharge from hospital arose.’
‘He was investigating a suspected arson.’ Cullen fidgeted uncomfortably in his chair. ‘Unfortunately, the person who made the allegation has been sacked by Meltcon – for negligence.’ Cardhew waited to see if he wanted to add anything, but when it became obvious he preferred to gloss over the issue, he continued.
‘Apparently the hospital was reluctant to discharge Peter Bunford unless there was someone at home to care for him. He told them that his wife was away on business and the colleague he rescued volunteered to look after him. They left the hospital together at about 8.30pm. Julie Bunford didn’t know this, which of course raises the question, was she away and if so, where?
Moving on, Mervyn Turner, the 4th name on Kimberley’s list, was a customer. His name was provided by Julie Bunford who told us she had been present when he made weird sexual demands on the deceased. He was staying at the Countryman Hotel, but checked out on the Friday morning. He is domiciled in Spain and we have asked the Spanish police to check up on him for us. I think the person there at the time of her death is most likely to have been a regular punter, so he is a prime suspect.
Charlie Bell, the concierge is on the list because he has access to the penthouse, but there’s no evidence to associate him with the crime.’
‘We seem to be going nowhere fast. I need an arrest.’
‘You could keep everyone happy sir, by issuing a statement that a man is helping us with our enquiries. That would keep the Chief Constable off your back.’
‘Can I give a name?’
‘I would suggest not at this stage. The guy came in to see us, following some prompting from Des Partridge, editor of the Hamsworth Bugle and I promised Des that if it came to anything, he would be the first to know. The person in question is the postman, who took that incredible picture of Peter Bunford running out through the Meltcon fire. There were pornographic images on his camera memory card which Des ignored, until it became evident that they were of the murder victim. When Dudley Wink came in I had an informal chat with him and it transpired that he worked as a plumber in London where he did some work in a Mayfair flat for a high class prostitute who went under the name Anita Von Beta. He did not realise Anita Von Beta and Lucinda Lovebrace were one and the same person, until Charlie Bell asked him to meet her to discuss an early mail delivery. Lucinda Love brace remembered him and his interest in photography and asked him to take stills and video footage for her website. What he didn’t tell me was that he had almost destroyed her business in Mayfair by hiding cameras in the flat and secretly filming her with customers. I spoke to ex colleagues at the Met who filled me in. Apparently it was all for his own gratification and no one would have been the wiser had he not tried to sell compromising pictures of a high profile cabinet minister to a national newspaper.’
‘So, he has a criminal record then?’
‘Well, no, he hasn’t. The case never went to court. Anita Von Beta had been entertaining so many of the great and good that a decision was made at a very high level to hush everything up. Dudley Wink sold his plumbing business and came to Hamsworth 5 years ago. He’s married to a teacher and they have a shared interest in wildlife photography.’
‘So why would he risk getting involved with that woman again?’
Cardhew gave an inward smile, Cullen sounded like the wronged woman. ‘Probably couldn’t resist working with pornographic material – and getting paid for it. He had a contract from her, asking him to supply cameras and produce the resulting material.`
‘Has he managed to put anything onto her website?’
‘Some hardcore activities featuring the deceased, I won’t attempt to describe all of them, but there’s one film which shows Billingsgate having rough sex with her, which she certainly survived on that occasion. If you log onto www.anitavonbeta, you can see it for yourself.
Cullen cleared his throat. ‘I don’t think that will be necessary, I’ll take your word for it.’
‘Very wise sir, I’m sure it’s not your cup of tea. As Wink volunteered the information and brought in the secondary hard drive used to record from the cameras he set-up in the bedroom, I bailed him. I’m sure he’s innocent as far as the crime goes, but as he was close to the deceased I’ve had him in a couple of times to find out if he knows any more. He claims that she contacted him very late on the Friday, to collect some material. He went up to the penthouse at around midnight and left shortly afterwards. Normally he would have made a copy of the material she wanted him to edit, but she was expecting a client so he took the secondary hard drive with him. Which is a shame; otherwise the incident would have been recorded. We do have all the CCTV footage from Laburnham Court though and we’re carefully going through that, enhancing relevant sections. DC Leadbetter has a theory she’s working on but I’m still of the opinion that what we’re dealing with here is a sex game which went tragically wrong. Murder will be difficult to prove, but if we find the person who was with her, we could have a strong case for manslaughter. I have asked my old colleagues in the Met for a confidential copy of the names of her clients from the Mayfair case.
Cullen frowned. ‘I’m not sure I approve of that Ian.’
Cardhew gave him an infuriating grin. ‘No different from you getting inside information from old contacts at Cambridge – sir.’ Cardhew stood up to leave. ‘So if that’s all, I‘m going to watch the rugby this afternoon. Billingsgate will be playing and many people on the periphery of our enquiries will be there.’
Cullen shuffled his papers together and studiously replaced the cap on his silver fountain pen. ’Yes, that will be all thank you Ian. Please ensure you keep me in the loop.’
Cardhew muttered under his breath as he walked to the door.
Cullen called after him. ‘Sorry Cardhew. I didn’t quite catch that?’
Cardhew turned and gave him an apologetic smile. ‘Sorry sir, I’m trying to learn German, lapsed into it without thinking – I said danke.’
Natasha Billingsgate had a second cup of coffee. Barrie was sorting through the junk mail and bills which been delivered by a relief postman a few minutes earlier. They were still ignorant of Dudley Wink’s involvement with Lucinda Lovebrace and his perverted interest in Natasha. He held up an envelope. ‘Do I need a cure for premature balding?’
Natasha giggled, ‘It’s only a matter of time. Is there anything for premature ejaculation?’
Barrie made a big show of looking through the junk mail. ‘No, but there’s one for erectile dysfunction`. They enjoyed the moment as he tossed all the mail into the paper waste bin it was a relief to have something different to talk about. They had exhausted the subject of their body swap, covering it in great detail, over and over again. When they returned home from the police station a week ago, they promised to tell each other exactly what they had done. Natasha had admitted enjoying the power of Barrie’s penis, but of experiencing a deep frustration at not being able to control it as she wished. Barrie enjoyed his time as Natasha and hoped that the new areas of sexual activity he had led her into would continue, although he had not, as yet, told her about the session with Davina
