Mrs Thatcham nodded, scrolled through her contacts, and then placed the phone to her ear. “Yes, this is Paula Thatcham, did my husband stay there last night?” Her expression clouded over. “I see, and when was the last time you saw him?” She stared at the wall in front of her then hung up.
“I take it it’s not good news?” Katy probed.
“No. He hasn’t been seen there for several months.”
“And that has come as a surprise to you?”
“Yes, he has regular overnight meetings and has told me in the past that he always stays at the same hotel as it’s just around the corner from his office. The lying, cheating…no-good fucking waste of space.”
Katy raised a hand. “I’m sorry, it wouldn’t be fair to go down that route, not yet.”
“But you told me there was a woman on board our boat. What were the two coppers doing there? Was it some kind of orgy or what?”
“No, I think you’re way off the mark there. We’ve yet to speak to the control centre to find out what went on.”
“Did your lot kill him? It was only a matter of time.”
Katy tilted her head and asked, “Why would you say that? Has your husband been in trouble with the police before?”
Paula fell silent, her focus remaining on the blank wall beside her.
“Paula?” Katy prompted.
“What? I’m not saying another word. I know your lot, you’ll twist everything I say to suit your means.”
“By that, am I to believe your husband has been in trouble with the police in the past then?”
“Might have been. That’s all I’m saying. If you want to know more, I suggest you look at your records. Most of them are fake anyway, just remember that, won’t you?”
“I’m giving you a chance to give your side of the story. That’s if you’re willing.”
“I’m not. I’ve said more than enough. Tell me when I can see my husband.”
“The pathologist will call you to make the arrangements. I haven’t quite finished asking my questions, if you’ll just give us a few minutes more?”
Paula folded her arms and glared at Katy. “Go on. Make it quick.”
Katy recognised that her mood had changed from grieving widow to feisty wife. She was guessing the woman’s answers would be few and far between, judging by her expression and manner, but she was willing to give it a go. “Perhaps you can fill us in a little on your husband’s background.”
“Meaning?”
“What type of business did he own?”
“An import and export business.”
“How many years has he owned it?”
“Fifteen, give or take a year or two. I don’t know, my head is elsewhere right now. Like wondering what a woman was doing on my damn boat with my husband and why four people, including a couple of sodding coppers, are dead and you’re sitting here asking me about his bloody business.”
“I’m sorry, it could be important.”
“How?”
“Perhaps he’s done something wrong businesswise lately which could have resulted in his death.”
“Are you for real, lady?”
“It’s a genuine observation. Would you say your husband’s business is a legitimate one?”
“Yes,” she answered and abruptly fell silent again.
Katy got the distinct impression that Paula Thatcham wasn’t being completely truthful with her.
“Mrs Thatcham, if you know something it would be better if you confided in us.”
“Or else what?”
“It wasn’t a threat, I’m sorry if it sounded that way.”
Paula heaved out a sigh. “Well, that would make a bloody change around here. Are you going to be long? I have a client due in half an hour and I need to prepare a few samples for them.”
“May I ask what you do?”
Paula threw her arm out and cast it around the room. “Can’t you tell? I’m an interior designer to the rich and famous.”
“I see. Yes, you’ve definitely got a discerning eye, I’ll give you that.”
“That sounded like you just delivered an insult.”
Katy gasped. “Did it? That’s the complete opposite to how it should’ve come across. Forgive me. Please, if there’s anything that has gone on in your husband’s recent past that we should know about, it would be better if you told us now rather than a few days down the line.”
“There isn’t, not that I know of. What about the bitch who was with him, do you know who she was? Maybe she had a husband and he found out they were having an affair and decided to bump the pair of them off.”
“Was your husband prone to having a wandering eye?”
“Years ago, yes. I thought we’d got past that. Shows how much I know, doesn’t it?”
“Is it likely that someone at his firm might know who the woman is?”
“How the dickens should I know? You’ll have to ask them, if they’ll tell you the truth, that is.”
“Any reason why they shouldn’t?”
“Depends how long he’d been seeing the bitch behind my back. Someone at that place would have known about it. I’m gutted.”
“His death must have come as a great shock.”
“No, I mean, I’m gutted I never got the chance to fucking kill the bastard myself.”
“I don’t believe you would have harmed him.”
“Are you saying I’m all mouth and no action? I can assure you, it wouldn’t be the first time I’d have battered him to within an inch of his life. That’s one thing I wouldn’t have put up with, he knew that. He must have had a death wish. The bastard. How could he ruin the memories I have of him now that he’s gone? He knew how much I abhorred the thought of him sticking his dick in someone else’s hole and then coming home to me. No woman should have to live through that.”
Despite her posh façade, the woman’s fishwife tongue was getting the better of her.
“I agree. If he was aware of how you felt, why do you think he was with another woman?”
“How the sodding hell should I know?”
“Did he have a best friend, someone he might have confided in perhaps?”
Her eyes narrowed
