“If you were that close, perhaps you wouldn’t mind telling us the nature of your business?” Katy tried once more.
“I’ve told you. I wish you’d stop hounding me on that.”
“I’m sorry if you think that’s what I’m doing. I’m sure you can understand the need to try and ascertain if Ray had any dodgy dealings in his past.”
“I can’t. Are you telling me that your mob killed him?”
“No, at this stage in the investigation, we’re unsure how or why four people died aboard that boat. The fact is they did, and all four of them appeared to have been murdered during the trip.”
“How is that possible? Did your lot strike first? Kill Ray and Tina and then kill themselves?” His expression was one of puzzlement as he said the words out loud. “That doesn’t make any sense, does it?”
“No, you’re right, it doesn’t make sense at all. Which is why we have to deal with the facts and ask why you think the police might have boarded the vessel in the first place.”
He held his hands out to the side. “As if I’d know that. Can’t you ask that internally?”
“We’re going to. I’m sure it’s all going to come back to my first question: what do you import and export, sir?”
“Jesus, you do like to keep repeating yourself, don’t you? Is this your way of trying to obtain the truth? By wearing me down? Is that it?”
“Not at all. As I’ve already stated, if you’re not prepared to be open and truthful then I’ll have no hesitation in obtaining a warrant for Ray’s home and business address.”
He shrugged. “Then tootle off and do it because I ain’t about to divulge any of my contacts or business dealings with the likes of you. For all I know, you could be here under false pretences to obtain the information so that you can pass it on to one of my competitors.”
“Why would I do that, sir?”
“It’s well known the police operate mostly on backhanders.”
Katy resisted the temptation to laugh. “Is that right? Not these two coppers, I can assure you. We’re whiter than a snow drift in New Mexico and can’t abide dodgy coppers.”
“Well, that makes a frigging change. Mind you, in my experience, those who spout their innocence are usually more corrupt than those who keep schtum.”
“Really? We’ll have to agree to differ on that one then, won’t we?”
“We will. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get on with my day, it’s now got a lot tougher after the news you’ve just delivered.”
“I haven’t finished yet, if it’s all the same to you.”
He heaved out an exasperated breath and reclined in his chair. “Go on, get on with it then.”
“I’d like to know if Ray has mentioned being worried or concerned about anything either in his business or personal life in the past few weeks.”
“No, nothing at all. He was a happy-go-lucky kind of chap. Who worked his nuts off to get this business off the ground, we both did. Now it’s thriving, and I’m left to man the ship alone. I just hope it doesn’t hit an iceberg and frigging sink. I have a lot of money tied up in it that I wouldn’t mind hanging on to.”
“How did the business begin? And how long ago did you start up?”
“Around fifteen years ago. Ray and I have been friends for years, met each other in our teens. Found out we had the same philosophy in life.”
“Which was?”
“To work hard and reap the benefits as a reward for all our hard work and the excessive hours we needed to put into a venture.”
“Why go into the import and export trade?”
“It seemed a good idea at the time.”
“It’s obviously paid off for you, judging by this building and Ray’s mansion, which we visited earlier.”
“My God, how did Paula take the news?”
“About her husband’s death? She was understandably upset.”
His eyes widened. “Don’t tell me you mentioned Tina to her?”
“We did, we had to. We had no idea who the woman was and we were trying to obtain an ID for her.”
“Shit! I bet she went ballistic, didn’t she?”
“She was determined to ring you while we were there. We managed to persuade her not to. No doubt she’ll be in touch with you soon, though.”
“Fucking hell! What am I going to tell her? Jesus, why did this shit have to land on my doorstep at a time like this?”
“Time like this?” Katy inclined her head to ask.
“My father is seriously ill. I’ve had to take my eye off the ball around here in the past few weeks to care for him and my mum.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. What’s wrong with him?”
“He’s scheduled to have a triple bypass within the next couple of weeks. He’s getting weaker by the day. Mum reckons he’s not going to make it.”
“My father had a heart problem a few years back so I sympathise with you. Surely, if you’re wealthy, can’t you afford to go private?”
“Dad’s a stickler, he’s insisting we go through the NHS. I know, Mum and I have been trying our best to make him see sense. All he keeps saying is that if his time is up then so be it.”
“Oh dear, sorry to hear that. Men can be stubborn in the extreme at times.”
“Yep, I can’t argue with you there.”
“Going back to Ray, please try and think if he’s been under any form of pressure from anyone lately.”
“Businesswise, is that what you’re suggesting?”
“Yes, or in his personal life?”
His mouth turned down at the sides, and he shook his head. “I can’t think of anything at all.”
“All right, what about Tina, what can you tell us about her?”
“She showed up as a temp sometime last year and come and gone a few times since,
