‘In what way?’
Diane leaned forward, warming to her story. ‘It was delightfully simple. After the engagement, Blake was to hand over a sum of money that Matthew and I could then use to get some of the more urgent work done to the house. Once Josh and Sophie were married, we wouldn’t have to worry – they would live at the Hall, and Blake would provide us with a stipend. He was even going to pay us a bonus when we had our first grandchild,’ she beamed.
Kay fought down the anger and frustration that was boiling inside her.
‘How much?’
‘Well, I’d only received part of the dowry of course.’
‘How much?’
‘Six thousand pounds.’
‘Why did you decide to blackmail Duncan Saddleworth?’
Diane’s jaw dropped open at the sudden change of direction to Kay’s questioning, but didn’t answer.
Kay shrugged. ‘It’s because you overheard Sophie telling Eva she thought he was the father of her baby, wasn’t it?’
Sharp stiffened next to her, but she ignored him and continued. ‘I figured you were going to keep quiet about it until after the engagement and purity pledge ceremony before you confronted Sophie, but you couldn’t help yourself, could you? That’s what Josh Hamilton saw the two of you arguing about on the terrace, wasn’t it?’
Diane sighed. ‘The stupid girl. Couldn’t keep her legs closed by the sounds of it. Of course, I’d already made some discreet enquiries that day with a doctor regarding a termination.’
‘Is that what you were arguing about?’
‘Yes.’
‘Except, with her death, you’d have forfeited any money due to you by Blake Hamilton. Instead, you thought you’d blackmail Mr Saddleworth to make up the cash deficit, isn’t that so?’
The woman’s mouth dropped open. ‘How did you—’
‘Saddleworth received a letter after Sophie’s death. The other two people Sophie was blackmailing didn’t receive any correspondence. It was because the blackmailer – you – didn’t know about them. You only knew Saddleworth was being blackmailed by Sophie because you heard her tell Eva about her plans to run away, didn’t you?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous.’
‘On the contrary, Mrs Whittaker. You told your husband that you’d been shopping in Tunbridge Wells recently, and he mentioned you’d bought new diamond earrings. Given the state of your finances, how on earth could you have afforded those otherwise?’
Diane glared at her.
Kay turned the page and held up a document so Diane could read it. ‘This is the inventory for the safe deposit box we emptied at the bank. Duncan Saddleworth was ordered to pay an additional fifteen hundred dollars by cash to a post office box in Tunbridge Wells. None of Sophie’s entries in her notebook tally with that amount, and all of the cash she received went to a post office box in Maidstone town centre.’
‘The bitch deserved to die,’ Diane suddenly spat. ‘Dirty little whore, sleeping around like that. I hope she rots in hell.’
The solicitor beside her choked and spluttered, his eyes wide.
Kay folded her arms across her chest and sat back in her chair, before turning to face Sharp.
He raised an eyebrow, but remained silent.
She nodded, and faced the woman in front of her once more.
‘Diane Whittaker, we’ll be seeking authority from the Crown Prosecution Service to charge you with blackmailing Duncan Saddleworth…’
Fifty-Four
DCI Larch paced the corridor outside the interview room but stopped as Kay and Sharp emerged and closed the door behind them.
Kay ignored him for a moment and handed an envelope to Carys. ‘We need to speak to the housekeeper. Can you take this in and show Diane Whittaker? I didn’t want to use it during the interview.’
‘Will do.’
Kay turned to Larch.
‘What the hell?’ he began. He stabbed a finger towards the interview room. ‘I thought you said she killed her daughter?’
Kay brushed past him and knocked on the door to the next interview room, then winked. ‘No, I didn’t. Matthew Whittaker did.’
‘Excuse me, guv.’ Sharp edged round the DCI and followed Kay into the room, quickly straightening his face as he settled into the chair next to hers.
Kay closed the door behind him as a loud wailing began from the room next door.
Grace Jamieson sat next to the young duty solicitor who had been appointed for her.
‘What’s going on?’ She rose from her chair, her eyes wide. The duty solicitor reached out and placed his hand on her arm, but she shrugged it off. ‘What’s all that noise? Is that Lady Griffith? What have you done to her?’
‘Sit down please, Mrs Jamieson,’ said Sharp.
She sank into her seat, kneading her hands together. ‘She sounds distressed. Are you sure I can’t see her?’
Kay leaned over, switched on the recording machine, and then formally cautioned the housekeeper whose eyes widened as the charges were read out to her.
‘What’s going on?’
‘Please roll up the sleeves of your cardigan.’
‘Why?’ Jamieson turned to the solicitor. ‘Why she asking me to do that?’
The solicitor’s eyes found Kay’s. ‘My client has a point.’
‘Every time we met, you’ve worn long sleeves, Mrs Jamieson. At first, I put it down to the fact that the Whittakers’ house seems to be cold all year round. However, when I last saw you, and despite it being a warm morning, you still wore long sleeves. I’d like to know why.’
The woman jutted her chin. ‘I fail to see what that’s got to do with anything.’
‘Mrs Jamieson,’ said Sharp, and leaned forward in his chair. ‘This interview is going to go faster if you help us with our enquiries. Roll up your sleeves.’
She glared at them both then wrapped her fingers around her sleeves one after the other and tugged them up to her elbows.
‘There.’
Kay’s eyes fell to the woman’s forearms. Faint scratches could be seen above her wrists, with one large scratch on her left arm.
‘How did you hurt yourself?’
‘I was gardening. Until recently, we had George to help, but Lady Griffith had to let him go.’
‘When did he leave?’
‘About a week ago.’
‘Why?’
‘Lady Griffith’s husband has made a mess of his business and she’s in danger of losing the house. Mr Whittaker decided we couldn’t afford
