"So why no name?"
"Because…" Hansell sat back, looking up and away from them. "Because he's married… and because I am discreet."
"And who is it?"
Hansell fixed his eye on Tom, clearly mulling over what to say next. "I may well have ruined my life, Inspector, but I assure you I will not ruin his." He rubbed at his face with both hands. Lowering them back to the table, he smiled weakly at Tom. "I would like to speak with a solicitor now if I may? I believe it is within my rights."
"This is a murder investigation, Mr Hansell. You may not be doing yourself any favours by not telling us."
Hansell sighed. "I'll take the advice of legal counsel before I say anything else."
He folded his arms across his chest. Tom glanced at Cassie and she concluded the interview.
With Liam Hansell safely detained in a holding cell back in the custody suite, Tom and Cassie joined Eric and Tamara in the ops room. Tom clapped Eric on the shoulder as he came alongside him. Eric grinned. "Outstanding bit of observation, young man," Tom said, looking at the information board relating to Mary Beckett's murder and scanning the recorded details of her alleged stalker and the associated allegations of harassment. The messages sent to her from the anonymous burner phone were untraceable, with no leads as to who sent them. Until now. Now they had a lead, and whoever still had the mobile phone met infrequently with Liam Hansell. They were close. He could feel it.
"But, if Hansell won't speak," Tamara said, "we're no closer to knowing whose number it is, are we?" Her eyes passed between them.
"My money's on Daniel Crowe," Eric said. "There was that incident Janet Beckett relayed to you, Tom, remember?" Tamara looked at Tom inquisitively, but he was lost in thought. Eric explained. "There was an allegation that Crowe was found in a compromising position in his car with a young man. And his loathing of Mary Beckett is no secret."
Tamara raised her eyebrows. "Any truth in that, the compromising position I mean?"
"Yes," Eric said. "He was given a police caution for solicitation at the time. It was five years ago, but timing isn't really relevant when it comes to sexual orientation is it."
"I guess not," Tamara said. She looked at Tom, who was still distracted. "Perhaps Hansell's solicitor will advise him to cooperate, but I'd rather we didn't have to wait to see if that happens."
"I get that I was way off when looking at Alice," Cassie said, her eyes darting towards Tom as she spoke, who barely registered a flicker of a reaction at her admission. "But if she left as the witness and now Hansell clearly state, why did she go back later where she was seen by the manager of the holiday lets?"
"He didn't see her though," Tamara said. "Just her car but I agree, it's odd."
"She didn't go back," Tom said without taking his eyes from the board. "After I left her, she went to collect Saffy from her mum's place. She was also home when I got back later on. She couldn't have been in Cley."
"Yeah, right," Cassie said, frowning. "Like I say, it's odd. I guess the witness made a mistake."
"It happens," Tamara said. "What's on your mind, Tom?"
He looked at her, thumb and forefinger stroking his chin, then at the other two standing either side of him. "Sorry, what did you say?"
"What's on your mind?" she repeated. "Are you with Eric on this, looking at Crowe?"
"I think I have it," he said quietly, meeting her gaze.
"Who?"
Tom shook his head, cutting a wry smile. "It's so obvious when you think about it but now… now I need to prove it."
Chapter Thirty-One
Pulling up outside the Becketts' family home, Tom was pleased to see Justin Howell, Janet Beckett's son, had already arrived. He'd called ahead, letting them know of developments in the investigation ahead of any press release going out. The media frenzy was about to get underway with the news of Liam Hansell's arrest and charging in the Gage murder. The close association between Prometheus Energy and Mary Beckett's activism would likely send the rumour mill into overdrive. Rain was steadily falling, the day dreary and overcast. The setting matched his mood.
Aware that he should be feeling a measure of elation at obtaining a confession from Liam Hansell, not least to clear Alice of suspicion once and for all, he was left with the opposite feeling. The murder was broadly senseless. If the situation had happened on another day, perhaps even several hours earlier or later, Hansell may not have reacted the way he did. He hadn't gone to see Gage with murder in mind. He was feeling desperate, certainly. He feared for his business and his career, neither of which were justifiable reasons for homicide, but the combination of factors came together along with Gage's ambivalence to his plight as something of a perfect storm. Had Alice not cast Adrian aside that day, maybe he would have been open to Hansell's plea. It was a real sliding doors moment. One with the direst of outcomes.
Now they were left with Mary Beckett's murder. He glanced at Cassie sitting alongside him.
"Ready?"
"Always," she said with a smile. "When should I give Tamara the nod?"
"As soon as we're inside."
They hurriedly approached the front door to escape the rain, and it opened before they reached the porch. Justin Howell welcomed them with a broad smile.
"Do come in, Inspector," he said, stepping aside and beckoning the two of them to enter.
Justin guided them through to the sitting room where Janet Beckett sat before a roaring fire. Suddenly Tom felt uncomfortably warm. Open fires in June were unusual, but the house was large and very old. No doubt the draughts could be felt, particularly on wet and windy days as this one. He undid his coat. Justin stepped forward to take it from him. He laid it flat on
