‘Harriet said there’s hair and skin mixed in with the blood on the end of it,’ said Kay. ‘Certainly consistent with it being used as a weapon.’
‘You’ve updated the evidence log?’
Kay held his stare. ‘Yes, I did. Barnes witnessed everything.’
‘I did,’ Barnes confirmed. ‘It’s all above board.’
‘Good.’ Sharp swallowed, and then gave Kay an apologetic shrug. ‘I had to ask.’
Gavin Piper hurried over from his desk. ‘I’ve just had DCI Larch on the phone. He’d like to see you both. He said “immediately”.’
‘Right, well that’s not a surprise. Barnes, get on to Harriet’s office and have them contact you as soon as he has something for us. Kay – you’re with me.’
Barnes walked away, humming a well-known villain’s theme tune from a sci-fi film.
‘Very funny,’ said Kay, and glared at his retreating figure.
‘Lead the way, Hunter.’
Sharp waited until they were out of the incident room and hurrying along the corridor towards their superior’s office. ‘Don’t worry. I’ve got your back.’
‘I’m glad someone has,’ she muttered.
Larch glared at Kay as Sharp gave him a summarised version of the afternoon’s events.
‘I’m not sure I’m clear, Hunter. What were you doing at the Hamiltons after I specifically requested that you stay away from them?’
‘I was passing by the house, sir, and it occurred to me that we hadn’t asked Courtney Hamilton about Peter Evans. It was my intention to only ask about that, but she invited us in. It seemed a good opportunity to seek more insight into the Hamiltons’ relationship with the Whittakers while Mr Hamilton was absent. During the questioning, DC Barnes requested use of the bathroom; Mrs Hamilton advised him where to find it, and moments later he reported to me that he had found a bloodied golf club. The state of the golf club led us both to believe that the best course of action was to declare a crime scene.’
Larch’s eyes blazed, but to Kay’s relief he turned his attention to Sharp. ‘Sharp? Please tell me this is under control and the media haven’t caught wind of it.’
‘It’s been kept very low-key, guv.’ Sharp’s voice maintained his usual steady tone, despite the tension in the room. ‘No-one from the media has contacted us.’
‘Where are Blake and Josh Hamilton now?’
‘In interview rooms one and three respectively.’ Sharp glanced at Kay. ‘Hunter and I were about to start the formal interviews.’
‘Not a chance in hell,’ said Larch. ‘Given the political ramifications this case could have, I’ll conduct the interviews with you.’
Kay’s heart sank.
Larch tugged at his tie, loosened it, and then threw it on his desk before heaving himself out of his chair. ‘All right. We’ll start with the father – who’s the solicitor on this one?’
‘They’ve got their own family lawyer on hand,’ said Kay. ‘Giles Fordingham.’
The DCI stopped midway to the door, and spun on his heel. ‘Did you say Fordingham?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Is there a problem, guv?’
Larch glared at Kay, and then at Sharp. ‘Only that he’s the Right Honourable Richard Fremchurch’s brother-in-law, Detectives. Did neither of you do your homework?’
Thirty
Kay wedged herself into a semi-comfortable position by propping her feet up on the desk that held the screens and slouching in her chair.
She plucked at a piece of fluff on her trouser leg and fought down the urge to yawn. Right now, she just wanted to curl up and observe the interview, but she knew from experience that a constant stream of interruptions could be expected, given that Harriet’s investigation team were still processing the Hamiltons’ house for additional evidence.
Blake Hamilton had offered no explanation about the bloodied golf club when his car had been pulled over by uniform within half a mile of the house.
Instead, the uniformed officers reported that he’d seemed meek, and certainly surprised that he and his son were now considered prime suspects in the murder of Sophie Whittaker.
She’d wanted to conduct the interviews herself, especially after a second uniformed patrol had brought Josh Hamilton into the custody suite, his face taut.
Instead, after Larch had insisted on taking her place, Sharp had called to Kay over his shoulder as the two senior detectives left the incident room.
‘Hunter, get yourself to the observation suite. I’d appreciate your thoughts on what the Hamiltons have to say.’
She’d grabbed her notebook and phone and had hurried after them, silently thanking Sharp as he’d turned and winked at her before pushing open the door to the room that held Blake Hamilton and his solicitor.
Despite Hamilton’s attempts to insist on being present while his son was interviewed, Larch had stated quite firmly that as Josh was over eighteen years of age, the police were under no obligation to let him, especially as each were being interviewed as potential suspects.
Kay snorted as she watched Blake squirm at being put in his place by the DCI, but her heart sank as she realised it would give Larch yet another reason to make her life uncomfortable, given the man’s political ambitions.
‘Mr Hamilton, can you start by explaining what a bloodied golf club is doing in your possession?’
‘I have no idea.’
Sharp’s sigh was audible. ‘Can you confirm the golf club belongs to you?’
‘It does.’
‘And why is there blood on it?’
‘I have no idea. Look, I didn’t kill Sophie Whittaker. Neither did Josh. Why would we?’
The interview continued for another forty minutes, Larch letting Sharp take the lead with the questioning, interjecting occasionally, and appearing uncomfortable during the whole process.
In the end, they’d brought the interview to a close and informed Blake Hamilton he’d be transferred to the cells.
‘What?’ He pushed his chair back, towering over the two detectives. ‘Are you out of your minds?’
His solicitor placed a warning hand on his forearm and pushed him back into his seat before glaring at Sharp.
‘Is that necessary?’
‘We’re conducting a murder investigation,’ said Sharp. ‘I’d say that it was necessary, wouldn’t you?’
Kay exhaled, lowered her feet from the desk and cricked her neck while the CCTV cameras showed Larch and Sharp as they left
