‘Mr Waverley, you are a despicable human being,’ Wendy said.
‘The truth belongs to the victor,’ Waverley said. ‘Your opinions of me count for little. And now, I’ll bid you goodbye.’
Outside the building, Isaac and Wendy sat on a bench. ‘The foulest man I’ve ever met,’ Wendy said.
‘I’d agree, and legally he’s not answerable for any crime, other than withholding evidence’ Isaac said.
‘What’s next?’
‘Gwen Waverley, and this time at Challis Street.’
***
Gwen Waverley arrived at Challis Street Police Station at seven in the evening. Bruce Bamford, her lawyer, was with her. Isaac and Wendy were to conduct the interview; Larry would listen in from the other room. Seth Caddick, somehow surviving the presentation at Scotland Yard, was with Larry.
Isaac went through the formalities. It was nearly 8 p.m. ‘Mrs Waverley, we have a clear statement from your husband that it was you who organised the murders of Amelia Brice and Christine Devon, with the sole purpose of preventing your affair with Jeremy Brice from becoming public knowledge.’
‘Quentin said that?’
‘He did. We will access all your phone records, bank statements.’
‘Are you charging my client?’ Bamford said.
‘Based on the statement from Quentin Waverley, we have enough to hold Mrs Waverley.’
‘Quentin, he finally wised up,’ Gwen said. ‘I thought he didn’t have it in him.’
‘Did you expect to get away with this?’ Wendy said.
‘Where’s the proof? I couldn’t have committed the murders, neither could Quentin.’
‘Based on your husband’s statement, there is a case to answer.’
‘DCI Cook, I request a break to confer with my client,’ Bamford said.
‘Twenty-five minutes. We’ll reconvene at 9 p.m. Is that acceptable?’
‘Yes. We will be ready.’
Isaac and Wendy went in the other room where Larry and Caddick were. ‘A conviction this time?’ the superintendent asked.
‘We’re hopeful,’ Isaac replied. He noticed that their senior was relaxed.
‘She didn’t kill the women,’ Larry said.
‘We know that, but her husband is willing to give evidence that she is behind the women’s murders.’
‘What kind of bastard would do that?’
‘The Waverley kind,’ Larry said. ‘They’re each as bad as the other.’
‘And you all thought I was,’ Caddick said. It was the first time that the man had spoken civilly to his Homicide team. Isaac didn’t like it, as if he was starting to feel comfortable, as if he was going to stay.
After the agreed period, Isaac and Wendy reentered the interview room.
‘My client has a statement,’ Bamford said.
‘Very well,’ Isaac said.
‘I, Gwen Waverley, wish to state that the accusations made by my husband are scurrilous and untrue, and I will defend myself against all charges. I did know about my husband and his ongoing relationship with Amelia Brice, and the threats levelled against her to not tell my father about my relationship with Jeremy Brice. My husband has subsequently found a loophole in my father’s will that will give him effective control of all my assets if I am convicted of a criminal offence. This is why he is making these accusations.
‘He is my husband. I love him. I do not understand why he is doing this. That is the end of my statement.’
Wendy could see that the woman had been crying, although she could feel no sadness for her.
‘DCI Cook, it’s husband against wife,’ Bamford said. ‘Whose word are you going to believe?’
‘Both are lying,’ Isaac said. ‘We have been conducting investigations into the financial dealings of both Quentin and Gwen Waverley. Certain anomalies need explaining. Mrs Waverley, you are innocent of the murders of Amelia Brice and Christine Devon.’
‘But…’
‘That does not, however, excuse you from the consequences of your actions. Two women have died because of you and your husband’s shameless greed. Unfortunately, you two will not be together for a very long period of time. Thirty minutes ago, your husband was arrested. We have proof that he paid for their deaths. You are free to go, and I hope that your conscience allows you to sleep, knowing full well that the father of your children will be in jail.’
***
Quentin Waverley sat in another interview room as his wife left the police station. Wendy watched her go and turned to Isaac. ‘There’s more hatred and greed in that woman than anyone we’ve ever dealt with.’
‘She will have a lifetime to reflect; a lifetime to figure out what to tell her children about their father.’
‘Let’s deal with the man now,’ Isaac said.
Larry stood in the room adjoining where the interview was to be conducted. Superintendent Caddick was not there. Larry assumed he was on the phone to Commissioner Davies, attempting to gain early credit for solving the murders.
‘Quentin Waverley, you will be formally charged on two counts with conspiracy to murder,’ Isaac said. Bamford remained in the police station, as Waverley and his wife used the same lawyer.
‘How, why?’
‘You were concerned, as was your wife, that George Happold would change his will, as well as prevent the handover of the bank, if it were revealed that his daughter was involved with Jeremy Brice. There was always the risk that if Christine Devon died, Amelia would speak to George Happold. It may be that your wife is complicit in this.’
‘Why did I tell you it was my wife?’
‘You knew that if she were tried, she’d be acquitted due to lack of evidence. And by then, time would have moved on, and the original investigation would be given to another team of police officers, and you’d be in the clear. However, you made one error.’
‘What’s that?’
‘Rasta Joe.’
‘Who’s he?’
‘He is a gang leader who was killed by Negril Bob and his people. He was killed for two reasons: one, he was friendly with Detective Inspector Larry Hill, and two, he had seen you and Negril Bob together. It
