“Thank you, Zoe. Now, can you recall anything unusual that has happened in the hotel since then? It doesn’t have to relate to the Trinity Suite. Anything, no matter how trivial it may seem to you?”
“No. No I can’t really think of anything. We get all sorts of things happening. I remember I was shocked the first time I found a sex toy a lady had left after she checked out. But that was months ago. On Friday the man in room 118 told me he thought the hotel is haunted. He said he heard strange noises coming through the back wall. But at that time the rooms behind his were closed for re-decorating. I had a look in there and they were empty. I thought the rooms had been cleared, except I found was a dog bowl I guess someone left behind before the re-decoration. I think someone sneaked their dog in as we don’t allow pets in the hotel. Oh, a few weeks ago I found a nice pair of expensive shoes and an iPad in room 115. I handed them into reception. Diane will have details of them. She’s very meticulous and careful with things like that. She photographs everything and puts all the details in a folder. Has any of that been of help?”
“Yes. Yes, it has. Thank you, Zoe.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
“Hello Wayne, thanks for taking the time out. I expect you’re busy. Just a few questions about the day before the murder and the morning after. Now I realise you’re a bit tucked away from things but is there anything about those two days that strikes you as being relevant or anything that happened you have since thought might have some bearing?”
“Not really. As you say I’m usually busy in the kitchen. On Friday morning I came in at 6.30. Diane was here as usual and then I can’t quite remember if the police were already here or if they turned up just after me. It was all a bit of a shock.”
“Yes, quite. The police said there weren’t any knives missing from the kitchen. Is that right?”
“Yes. They were all accounted for. I obviously have my own special knives and nothing is missing and the normal kitchen sets are all still there. I checked everything thoroughly and nothing has been taken as far as I can see.”
“Can you walk me through what happened after you arrived?”
“The police had people searching the kitchens from just after I got here. Once they had got me to check nothing was out of place the top detective guy, can’t remember his name, came and said to make breakfast for the guests to keep them happy and to have tea and coffee to hand. So that’s what we did. We hardly stopped until well after ten.”
“Did anyone come in or out during that time?”
“No. No one. They had a uniformed officer stopping anyone. I guess they thought someone might try to leave. As I said, we just worked to keep up with everything. We hardly stopped.”
“Did you see the man who was killed at all? Do you remember him?”
“Yes. He was in the bar when I went in there on both Wednesday and Thursday nights. I remember he was boasting to the people with him, something about a painting he had found and what it was worth. They were trying to find out where he found it but he wouldn’t tell them. I could see one of them getting angry with him but then I left after I’d had a pint. I just remember he was really winding them up. He seemed a bit of a tosser to me, but not enough for someone to kill him. “
“Is there anything else, anything at all you noticed, no matter how trivial or something you don’t think is connected but you recall as being unusual or out of place?”
“Nothing springs to mind. When I’m in the kitchen I try to avoid distractions, otherwise the tables get the wrong meals.”
“Thank you for your time. I’ll let you get back to your work. If you think of anything else please let me know. Diane has my details.”
“Yes. I will.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
The story had hit the front pages of every national newspaper. The DCI walked back into the incident room after giving a press conference to announce the latest updates He had been tight on not giving out too much information to the press. The victim’s name, occupation and the fact he was killed in his hotel room. What hadn’t been released so far was the relationship between the victim and the suspect and the details of how he was stabbed ten times. Of course that hadn’t stopped the reporters from finding out about his relationship with Norman by other means.
Some of the team investigating the murder had noticed a change in Andy Stone over the past couple of weeks and were becoming more and more concerned about his behaviour.
They had heard him use phrases such as “get that bastard” and “I’ll show him” when the subject of Norman Gentle had come up.
At times he looked like a man on the edge of having a breakdown. But they didn’t know the cause. And the reason wasn’t something he was keen to share with them.
He had found out his wife had been having an affair with a younger man who she worked with. Andy had known for the past two months and come to hate everything about this man, including his name. Chris ‘bloody’ Norman.
How could she cheat on him like that? Sure, his job entailed working long hours but Sheila had known that when they got
