‘And then when they are vulnerable or asleep, you look for bank accounts on their phones.’
‘No. Sometimes,’ the woman admitted, almost screaming the truth out.
Isaac moderated his tone, spoke calmly. ‘Your brother found out that Montague Grenfell was smarter than most men, and that he needed another password to withdraw money. He visited Grenfell, obtained the password by force, and then hurled the man down the stairs to his death.’
‘It did not happen that way.’
‘How do you know?’
‘Don’t answer,’ the lawyer said.
‘It doesn’t matter,’ Isaac said. ‘We will discuss this later.’
Chapter 34
Daniel Solomon had attempted to run when the two police cars had drawn up outside his office. He had been arrested before Deidre and was down at Challis Street in the holding cells.
Once the interview had been concluded with his sister, and careful to ensure the siblings did not see each other, he was brought up to the same interview room.
‘My sister has been here.’ Daniel Solomon sniffed the air, smelling her perfume.
Leonard Smithers, his lawyer as well as Deidre’s, sat to his right. Isaac thought they had chosen their lawyer poorly. There had been times during the previous interview when Smithers could have advised Deidre Solomon better. Not that it concerned Isaac. He knew he had his man in the interview room and he was not going to let him get off the hook.
Isaac went through the formal procedure, advised the client of his rights and cautioned him.
‘Mr Solomon, you have been charged with the murder of Montague Grenfell. Do you wish to make a written confession?’ Isaac asked.
‘I have killed no one,’ Solomon replied. Isaac had assumed that would be the man’s initial response.
‘We have proof that monies belonging to Montague Grenfell were deposited in an account controlled by you.’
‘What account?’
‘An account at the HSBC in the Channel Islands.’
‘I don’t have an account there,’ Solomon said.
‘The bank maintains a copy of all applications. Your name and your signature will be there. Do you deny that you have an account in the Channel Islands?’ Isaac’s voice had risen in volume for emphasis.
‘I have a lot of bank accounts.’
‘Your sister had the ability to withdraw funds from one of those accounts.’
‘What account?’
‘The account where you deposited monies obtained fraudulently from Montague Grenfell.’
‘I did not.’
‘Where did your sister get the money from?’
‘You’d better ask her.’
‘We have.’
‘My client has no more to say,’ Smithers said.
‘This is a murder enquiry. Mr Solomon doesn’t get off that lightly.’
‘Mr Solomon, your sister obtained the details of an account that Montague Grenfell had stored on his phone. She gave them to you. You attempted to withdraw money. When you realised that the account needed another password, you visited Grenfell and threatened him.’
‘This is all lies.’
‘We will conduct checks with other clients of your sister. This may be a scam that you have perpetrated on other men.’
‘I deny all of this. This is a fabrication, attempting to make me give you a false confession.’
‘Your sister screws them, and then you take their money. What do you do? Wait outside the door while she exhausts them, or do you watch? Maybe you are a pervert who enjoys watching his sister screw other men, or maybe you are jealous because it is them and not you? Have you screwed your sister, Mr Solomon?’ Isaac knew he had overstepped the mark, but he wanted the man angry, as angry as hell.
Daniel Solomon was up on his feet and around to Isaac’s side of the desk. Two uniforms came in and restrained him.
‘After watching your sister screw Grenfell, you make a plan. You visit his office and use violence to threaten him. He resists, you grab him. You force him outside of his office. Cornered, the man gives you the password. Montague Grenfell is a smart man; he knows he can change the password once you are gone.
‘You know he’s correct, and if he lives you will be charged with grievous bodily harm, and you will go to prison. The money can only be yours if you avoid prison and Grenfell doesn’t change the password.’
‘This is harassment,’ Smithers bellows.
‘This is murder,’ Isaac answers. ‘And Daniel Solomon is guilty.’
‘It was an accident. I swear it,’ Solomon relaxed and started to sob. ‘He fell, that’s the truth.’
‘Too convenient,’ Isaac said. ‘If he had not died, you would have killed him anyway. You had no option. It was fortunate that the fall killed him. The murder charge sticks.
‘I did not mean to kill him.’
‘Okay. Montague Grenfell’s death was not premeditated, but he still died. I want your confession.’
‘I will not admit to murder.’
‘Then admit to the rest. A judge and jury will decide at your trial as to the truth.’
‘You were tough in there, Isaac,’ Larry said after Solomon had been remanded pending trial.
‘He’ll still get off with manslaughter.’
‘Deidre?’
‘Accessory to manslaughter, fraud. A few years in jail, no more. Ask Wendy to visit their mother and let her know.’
***
The mood in Challis Street changed after the arrests had been made for the death of Montague Grenfell. DCS Goddard had visited the office to thank the team.
Garry Solomon’s murder still remained on the books, but the team were confident they had their man, although there seemed to be no logic to it.
The man responsible for installing the grille at Bellevue Street had been identified by Tom Wellings, but there was no tie-in to the body in the fireplace. It was not believed that they had known each other, and it had been a few years since the man’s last visit to Bellevue Street.
Due to the man’s age,
