‘It was you that sacked Tricia Warburton?’ Larry said.
‘Terminated, a corporate decision.’
‘Yes, that’s understood. But it was you that told her?’
Babbage was on his feet, hovering close, his eyes darting from person to person.
‘Tom’s just taken over the position,’ Jaden said. ‘Unfortunately, we had to let go of the previous head of programming. A sad loss, but it was his time.’
‘First Tricia Warburton and then her crew, and now we hear that the previous head of programming has left the company. We’ll need to interview him,’ Isaac said.
‘That can be arranged.’
Both police officers knew it would be, but only if the man had been versed in what to say.
If the company wasn’t responsible for a man’s death, they were playing a dangerous game, which could backfire in their face. Attempting to protect the television company’s image in the face of a homicide investigation was not a wise move.
In Isaac’s view, anything less than total honesty raised suspicion and indicated probable deception. Jaden, a man with a long history of television and radio company ownership, should have known that, but Babbage probably didn’t. And removing the head of programming at the same time as Tricia Warburton was suspicious.
The meeting commenced with Isaac and Larry on one side of the large table, Babbage, Majors and Taylor on the other. Jerome Jaden sat at the head, his chair superior to the others’, a sure sign of powerplay, mine’s bigger than yours. Alison Glassop fussed around, a beaming smile, ensuring everyone had a cup of tea or a coffee, spending longer attending to Tom Taylor, a clear sign of more than a professional relationship.
‘Mr Jaden,’ Isaac said, once Alison had left the room, ‘Angus Simmons’s death is murder. Who and why remains a mystery, a mystery that hopefully, we can clear up today.’
‘Tragic,’ Jaden’s reply.
‘I believe that’s been said enough already.’
Apart from Babbage, the sweet-talking charm offensive from those at the TV station had finished. Isaac knew there was a hard-nosed businessman behind Jaden’s façade, only interested in financial gain, not the viewing public or those who worked for him.
‘Very true.’ Jaden conceded the point.
‘Simmons fell due to a bullet to his upper back, although it did not impact with great force. Anything less, and he might have held on, but as we know, he didn’t.’
‘Are you suggesting suicide?’ Taylor asked.
‘Are you?’ Larry replied.
‘No,’ Taylor said, a nervous stutter.
‘Now that’s been cleared up,’ Isaac said. ‘We’ve been told that it was planned for one of the co-hosts to go. Correct?’ Isaac said.
‘I can confirm,’ Jaden said. ‘It’s not only us; other stations are doing the same. Advertising revenue is down.’
‘Signalling the eventual demise of television broadcasting as you would understand it.’
‘Change is inevitable. We are taking action, and besides, nothing is certain. There will always be a market for television. But of immediate concern is revenue, the lifeblood of this organisation. Karen’s done a sterling job, but she can’t work miracles. And as for this reduction of hosts, that is not a correct statement.’
‘I should have said one host if the ratings stabilised or reduced, two hosts if they increased, and from what you’ve said, that means more adventurous stunts, more risk, the probability that someone would do something stupid, which Simmons did. A sense of regret?’
‘No, why should there be? We didn’t condone or approve of what Angus did, and, I should say, with Tricia’s approval. All we said was that the ratings needed to improve, the advertising revenue to increase.’
‘Was that the responsibility of Angus and Tricia? Advertising revenue, ratings?’
‘It was. Angus had experience from his mountaineering exploits, knew how to get sponsors, and Tricia had worked in radio before. They weren’t asked to collect the money, only to ensure that the programme brought in the viewers and improved the ratings. And they had done a decent job, but the odds were against them, no doubt the reason Angus attempted that damn stupid climb. No different from when he and Hampton climbed that mountain.’
‘A mistake? You knew about it?’ Isaac asked.
‘It was before he worked for us. Not that we knew at the time, but we had to research Angus. We needed to check out if he was responsible, of good character. And we needed to get insurance for him, cover our backs if anything went wrong.’
‘Mr Jaden means professional diligence,’ Babbage said, miffed that the ‘cover our backs’ comment had got through.
‘I understand,’ Isaac said. ‘Corporate responsibility, all-important. What did you find?’
‘Angus Simmons wasn’t a risk-taker. Sure, he took on challenges which to us looked foolhardy, but he was a meticulous planner, well regarded in mountaineering circles. He was a good choice for a co-host.’
‘Tricia Warburton?’
‘Fine by us,’ Karen Majors said. ‘I knew her from before, a magazine we both worked for. Attractive, personable, strong work ethic.’
‘Sexy, as well,’ Jaden said.
Isaac looked over at Babbage, waited for him to react to the sexist comment. The man sat mute.
‘What Mr Jaden means,’ Karen said, ‘is that Tricia was easy on the eye, and for television, she was ideal. Angus had rugged masculinity.’
‘This fart-arsing around, pretending that we’re something we aren’t, is pointless,’ Jaden said. ‘The police are here to see us as we are.’ Looking over at the lawyer, ‘Bob, sorry, we can’t play this game. Karen thought Tricia was a bitch and Tom fancied her, although he’s getting it off with Alison now.’
Isaac was pleased. Jerome Jaden was known to be a man with a quick temper, a fondness for crudity, and a bluntness in dealing with his staff and competitors.
‘Let me point out that I didn’t dislike Tricia,’ Karen said.
‘Not a bitch?’ Isaac asked.
The conversations were getting interesting. It was what Isaac liked: plain-speaking, unchecked emotions.
