‘What time did you speak to her?’
I look at him incredulously. ‘I can’t remember. Maybe around ten.’
‘You didn’t speak to anyone else after that?’
‘No.’ I’m frowning.
‘Or go out again?’
‘No.’ My frown deepens. ‘Like I said, I was in Brighton early evening, but I didn’t go out again after that.’
In his chair, the DI pulls himself upright. ‘Even if you were at home when you phoned your friend at ten, you would have had plenty of time to drive to Brighton. You didn’t believe Mr Roche, did you, when he told you he was having dinner with a client? You’d done your homework. You knew exactly where he was going and who he was meeting. You knew where she lived, too. That so-called order gave you the perfect excuse to be in Brighton. The delivery address was convenient too, only a street away from where Mr Roche would have been. Parking out of sight, I think that after allegedly trying to make your delivery, you hung around that evening, watching him go into the woman’s flat, then waiting for him to come out again. In that time, you spoke to your friend. She’d never have been able to tell you weren’t at home. Then Mr Roche came out of the flat and there you were. Knowing all that time he’d been with the woman, I can guess how you must have felt. Angry wouldn’t begin to describe it, would it? I imagine he got in the car with you to avoid a scene. Then you drove home, where you had the mother of all rows, which ended up with you losing control, maybe even attacking him.’
‘No …’ I’m shaking my head, stunned. ‘That’s wrong. None of that happened.’ Then realising the futility of trying to argue with them, I’m silent. But it’s like with everything I’ve told them. I can’t prove any of it is true.
Chapter Twenty-Three
After the interview is over, I’m led back to my cell. Standing just inside, as the door is locked behind me, the phrase innocent until proven guilty comes to mind. But in the eyes of the police, I’m not innocent.
Fear fills me that I’ll never get out of here, while I wonder if Cath has reached Falmouth and talked to Jess. As I think of my daughter, I’m filled with a new sense of urgency. Getting up, I press the call button. When no-one responds, I press it again as a disembodied voice comes through. I interrupt it.
‘I need to talk to PC Page.’
But at the other end, there’s silence. Filled with frustration, I wait.
*
An hour passes, in which my mind runs wild with possibilities. By the time I’m led back to the interview room, I know exactly what I’m going to say. When I go in, Andrew Nelson, my solicitor, is waiting for me.
‘Do you really think the police believe I’m a suspect?’ I speak quickly. ‘Or where are they going with this? If they don’t have evidence, they can’t keep me here, can they?’
‘If they have reasonable grounds, they can hold you for up to twenty-four hours – but it could be longer. I will query them.’ Hearing footsteps outside, he nods towards the door. ‘That’s them. Let’s see what they have to say.’
‘Please …’ I mutter desperately. ‘Do anything. Just get me out of here.’
But as the door opens, he looks at me awkwardly. DI Lacey and PC Page walk in. Without any preamble, they start the tape.
‘Can I say something?’ They have to realise that I’m the one person who can help them. I take a deep breath. ‘I’m the last person who should be considered a suspect. I don’t know why you think I’m connected to his disappearance, but I can assure you, I’m not. I know Matt better than anyone. If you were to tell me exactly what you think’s happened to him, I might be able to help you.’
‘Ms Reid, that’s exactly why we have brought you here.’ DI Lacey glances at PC Page. ‘To help us with our enquiries.’
‘Yes, but I still don’t know why you’ve arrested me,’ I say agitatedly.
But he ignores me. ‘Ms Reid, can you tell us what happened the following morning? By which time twenty-four hours would have passed since you’d last seen Mr Roche – that’s correct, isn’t it?’
‘Yes. When I woke up, I tried him several times. Then I had another delivery to make – to Brighton, again. I drove to my client’s house, then on the way home, I kept trying Matt, but there was no reply. After that, I called his office, where I left a message with the receptionist.’ I try to think back. ‘That was when I first spoke to you.’ I look at PC Page. ‘I kept calling his mobile all morning, then my friend – Cath – turned up at lunchtime.’ So much has happened, I’d forgotten Cath turning up that day. ‘We’d arranged to have lunch – before Matt disappeared.’
‘This would be Cath Bowers?’
I nod, then frown. ‘If anyone can tell you how happy Matt and I were, it’s Cath. She commented on it, only recently.’
‘This is the same Cath who you told us Matt tried it on with?’ PC Page looks disbelievingly at me. She glances at the DI. ‘I’ll talk to her.’
‘I believe her when she said nothing happened between them. She told him where to go. It was a one-off that he never repeated – at least, that’s what she told me.’ I look at the DI. ‘She knew how happy I was. She didn’t want to ruin it.’
‘Ms Reid,’ the DI
